Stonyhurst
Encyclopedia
Stonyhurst is the name of a 300 acres (1.2 km²) rural estate owned by the Society of Jesus
near Clitheroe
in Lancashire
, England
. It is dominated by Stonyhurst College
, its preparatory school Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
and the parish Church of St Peter's.
, the village of Hurst Green
and Longridge Fell. The Forest of Bowland
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
overlaps in places.
The earliest deed for the estate dates back to 1200 A.D. when it was known as the "Stanihurst". It passed through the Bayley family to their descendants, the Sherburnes
, before passing into the hands of Thomas Weld of Lulworth. Already possessing a large estate, he donated it to the Jesuits in 1794 as a new home for their school, of which he was an old boy when it was located at Liege.
Stonyhurst College
and Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
are Jesuit boarding schools with approximately 800 pupils in total, some of whom are boarders. The schools are connected by parallel footpaths through the woods, known as Brothers' Walk (so called because, before the schools became co-educational, pupils from the college would take the route to visit their younger brothers at Saint Mary's Hall although the term could originate from when St Mary's Hall operated as a seminary
for trainee Jesuits and the brothers
walked on this path reciting the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius).
A number of teachers and Jesuit priests work and live on the site. Adjacent to the school buildings are workshops employing masons and craftsmen working on the maintenance and restoration of the buildings. There is a large mill which was once a granary but is currently used as a sawmill.
The Church of St Peter is the parish church for the neighbouring village of Hurst Green
.
The Stonyhurst Observatory
began operations in 1838, transferring to a new building in 1866. The records of temperature taken there are the oldest continual daily records in the world. Today, the observatory is one of four used by the Met Office
to provide temperature data for central England.
The estate contains the two hamlets of Stockbridge and Woodfields, both of which are inhabited by teachers from Stonyhurst College
. Hodder Place, the former site of the preparatory school is now divided into residential flats which are privately owned; the grounds remain part of the estate.
Richard Sherburne built an almshouse on Longridge Fell, the predecessor of the Sherburne Almshouse, which his son Sir Nicholas built in circa 1707. The latter was dismantled in 1946 and re-erected in Hurst Green
.
Religious monuments in the area are a reminder of the Jesuit presence and strength of Catholicism in the locality. Most notably, the Lady Statue at the top of the Avenue connecting Stonyhurst College
with Hurst Green. It was erected in 1882, and inscribed with the legend Ave Maria, "Hail Mary".
Cromwell's rock is also situated a t the top of the Avenue, near the graveyard for St Peter's Church. According to tradition, Cromwell stood on this inconspicuous stone and described the mansion ahead of him as "the finest half-house in England" (the symmetry of the building was, at that time, incomplete).
Four old crosses stand at disparate locations around the estate. Pupils from the school used to visit each cross in an annual pilgrimage to mark Palm Sunday
.
The Pinfold Cross is a memorial to a former servant at Stonyhurst College and fiddler, James Wells, who fell to his death in a quarry nearby. It was erected in 1834 at Stockbridge. On the front is inscribed the legend, ‘WATCH FOR YOU KNOW NOT THE DAY NOR HOUR.’ Above this is written, ‘OFT EVENINGS GLAD MAKE MORNINGS SAD’. On the left is ‘PRAY FOR THE SOUL OF JAMES WELLS’ and on the right, ‘DIED FEB. 12TH, 1834’.
Saint Paulinus' Cross stands at Kemple End and is a listed monument believed to date from Anglo-Saxon times. It may well mark a spot at which Saint Paulinus of York, who converted King Edwin of Northumbria and founded the See of York, preached.
Cross Gills Farm Cross is thought to have come from a church and has '1910' graffitied onto it. An old wives’ tale records how a farmer replaced the cross when his cattle died after he threw the original into the river.
Stonyhurst Park Cross stands above the River Hodder
in the woods close to the former Jesuit novitiate and preparatory school, Hodder Place. A new cross was fixed to the ancient base in 1910, and was blessed on 12 June by the Rev. R. Sykes, SJ, Jesuit provincial; the origin of the earlier monument is unknown.
The grounds of St Mary's Hall contain a Marian grotto and statue of the Sacred Heart.
The estate is a tourist attraction. Many visitors come to view the grade one listed Stonyhurst College which is open for tours during the summer. The gardens of the college are also open to visitors and include a small shop in the meteorological station. The area is also criss-crossed with public footpaths, in particular the Tolkien Trail - a walk around some of the areas thought to have inspired the author
during his stay at the college in the late 1940s.
Public events hosted on the estate include the North West Food Festival and Ribble Valley International Piano Week.
Other visitors come to make use of the extensive sports facilities, including a golf course, swimming pool and astro-turf hockey pitch.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
near Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is dominated by Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
, its preparatory school Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall is the preparatory school to Stonyhurst College. It is an independent co-educational Catholic school founded by the Society of Jesus . It is primarily a day school but has some boarders...
and the parish Church of St Peter's.
The Estate
The grounds are bounded by the River HodderRiver Hodder
The River Hodder is a river in Lancashire, England. The river is a County Biological Heritage Site.It rises on White Hill and flows for approximately 23 miles to the River Ribble, of which it is the largest tributary...
, the village of Hurst Green
Hurst Green, Lancashire
Hurst Green is a small village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, connected in its history to the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College...
and Longridge Fell. The Forest of Bowland
Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
overlaps in places.
The earliest deed for the estate dates back to 1200 A.D. when it was known as the "Stanihurst". It passed through the Bayley family to their descendants, the Sherburnes
Sherburne Baronets
The Sherburne Baronetcy, of Stonyhurst in the County of Lancaster, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 4 February 1686 for Nicholas Sherburne. His only son predeceased him and the title became extinct on Sherburne's death in 1717...
, before passing into the hands of Thomas Weld of Lulworth. Already possessing a large estate, he donated it to the Jesuits in 1794 as a new home for their school, of which he was an old boy when it was located at Liege.
Buildings
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
and Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall is the preparatory school to Stonyhurst College. It is an independent co-educational Catholic school founded by the Society of Jesus . It is primarily a day school but has some boarders...
are Jesuit boarding schools with approximately 800 pupils in total, some of whom are boarders. The schools are connected by parallel footpaths through the woods, known as Brothers' Walk (so called because, before the schools became co-educational, pupils from the college would take the route to visit their younger brothers at Saint Mary's Hall although the term could originate from when St Mary's Hall operated as a seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
for trainee Jesuits and the brothers
Brothers
Brothers are male siblings.Brothers may also refer to:- Film :* Brothers , an American silent film directed by D. W. Griffith* Brothers , an American film starring Vonetta McGee and Bernie Casey...
walked on this path reciting the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius).
A number of teachers and Jesuit priests work and live on the site. Adjacent to the school buildings are workshops employing masons and craftsmen working on the maintenance and restoration of the buildings. There is a large mill which was once a granary but is currently used as a sawmill.
The Church of St Peter is the parish church for the neighbouring village of Hurst Green
Hurst Green, Lancashire
Hurst Green is a small village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, connected in its history to the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College...
.
The Stonyhurst Observatory
Stonyhurst Observatory
The Stonyhurst Observatory is a functioning observatory and weather station at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, England. Built in 1866, it replaced a nearby earlier building, built in 1838, which is now used as the Typographia Collegii....
began operations in 1838, transferring to a new building in 1866. The records of temperature taken there are the oldest continual daily records in the world. Today, the observatory is one of four used by the Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
to provide temperature data for central England.
The estate contains the two hamlets of Stockbridge and Woodfields, both of which are inhabited by teachers from Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
. Hodder Place, the former site of the preparatory school is now divided into residential flats which are privately owned; the grounds remain part of the estate.
Richard Sherburne built an almshouse on Longridge Fell, the predecessor of the Sherburne Almshouse, which his son Sir Nicholas built in circa 1707. The latter was dismantled in 1946 and re-erected in Hurst Green
Hurst Green, Lancashire
Hurst Green is a small village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, connected in its history to the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College...
.
Monuments
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
with Hurst Green. It was erected in 1882, and inscribed with the legend Ave Maria, "Hail Mary".
Cromwell's rock is also situated a t the top of the Avenue, near the graveyard for St Peter's Church. According to tradition, Cromwell stood on this inconspicuous stone and described the mansion ahead of him as "the finest half-house in England" (the symmetry of the building was, at that time, incomplete).
Four old crosses stand at disparate locations around the estate. Pupils from the school used to visit each cross in an annual pilgrimage to mark Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....
.
The Pinfold Cross is a memorial to a former servant at Stonyhurst College and fiddler, James Wells, who fell to his death in a quarry nearby. It was erected in 1834 at Stockbridge. On the front is inscribed the legend, ‘WATCH FOR YOU KNOW NOT THE DAY NOR HOUR.’ Above this is written, ‘OFT EVENINGS GLAD MAKE MORNINGS SAD’. On the left is ‘PRAY FOR THE SOUL OF JAMES WELLS’ and on the right, ‘DIED FEB. 12TH, 1834’.
Saint Paulinus' Cross stands at Kemple End and is a listed monument believed to date from Anglo-Saxon times. It may well mark a spot at which Saint Paulinus of York, who converted King Edwin of Northumbria and founded the See of York, preached.
Stonyhurst Park Cross stands above the River Hodder
River Hodder
The River Hodder is a river in Lancashire, England. The river is a County Biological Heritage Site.It rises on White Hill and flows for approximately 23 miles to the River Ribble, of which it is the largest tributary...
in the woods close to the former Jesuit novitiate and preparatory school, Hodder Place. A new cross was fixed to the ancient base in 1910, and was blessed on 12 June by the Rev. R. Sykes, SJ, Jesuit provincial; the origin of the earlier monument is unknown.
The grounds of St Mary's Hall contain a Marian grotto and statue of the Sacred Heart.
Tourism
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
during his stay at the college in the late 1940s.
Public events hosted on the estate include the North West Food Festival and Ribble Valley International Piano Week.
Other visitors come to make use of the extensive sports facilities, including a golf course, swimming pool and astro-turf hockey pitch.
See also
- Stonyhurst CollegeStonyhurst CollegeStonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
- Stonyhurst Saint Mary's HallStonyhurst Saint Mary's HallStonyhurst St Mary's Hall is the preparatory school to Stonyhurst College. It is an independent co-educational Catholic school founded by the Society of Jesus . It is primarily a day school but has some boarders...
- Hodder Place
- Hurst GreenHurst Green, LancashireHurst Green is a small village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, connected in its history to the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College...
- LancashireLancashireLancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
- Forest of BowlandForest of BowlandThe Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire...