Quarr Abbey, Isle of Wight
The
congregation of the Benedictines of Solesmes took excile on the British Isle of
Wight in 1901. They lived in Appuldurcombe House, at the south of the island.
Paul Bellot entered monastic life here, on 6 october 1902, after he arrived
there on 27 september 1902. The monks had to leave Appuldurcombe house in 1908,
they bought Quarr abbey house, on Quarr Hill, near the ruins of an ancient
monastery. Dom Bellot artistic talents were used by the community from 1906, when
he started building the abbey at Oosterhout, and in 1907 he would start
building the new abbey for the monks of Solesmes: Quarr Abbey.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The works started
in 1907 by building two wings of the abbey, containing a refectory
(dining-room), the capitulary room, the library and the great stairs. In
1910-1912 the large abbey-church was added to the complex, in the south-east corner.
The church has a beautiful sanctuary: Its the large part at the rear end. From
inside we see a maze of arches supporting the roof. The part intended for the
public is in front of the tower and is lower. In this church an organ by
Cavaillé-Coll / Mutin was placed, one of the few in Britain. In 1914 the abbey
was completed with the construction of the south-wing, containing the main
entrance and the old guesthouse.
Bellot has
said this church was his best project. In this church he was ordinated priest
on 10 june 1911.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Below the church is a crypt, nowadays used as silence-chapel. The entrance is at the rear of the church. |
|
|
|
Like in
Oosterhout Dom Bellot uses gothic arches here. One of these arches is placed
directly in front of the entrance of the refectory. A colom is placed directly behind
this door!
In the
refectory the brick pulpit is still in use. The first parts of the abbey were
build attached to the old Quarr abbey house. It is still present at the
north-west corner of the complex.
In the east-wing
of the abbey a beautiful brick staircase is constructed and in the chambers of
the abbot is a brick mantelpiece. The quadrangle is open, no glass, which is remarkable
in the English climate... In a corner of the old guesthouse a clockwork is
placed, which indicates the rhythm of everyday life minutely.
