| Where | Great Broughton Village Hall | Type of Event | Illustrated Talk |
| When | Mon 16th March, 2026 at 7.30 pm | Tutor | Keith Burton |
The lecture was delivered by Keith Burton who has given talks on a variety of topics over many years. He has regular engagements with other societies and has a friendly and entertaining style. We had a good sized audience of more than forty, and the audience was not disappointed with the talk given as it was by an enthusiastic speaker. This was a well-researched and mastered subject. There were many illustrations. Keith spoke fluently without the use of notes. Evidence of his proficiency.
There are many abbeys in Yorkshire. The site of Mount Grace Priory is within easy reach for our membership. It is a site visited a few years ago as a local summer outing. This familiarity is helpful in appreciating the narrative.
Keith’s talk began with the foundation in 1398 and continued to the present day. The Priory was a Carthusian house, one of nine in England. Two of them are in Yorkshire. The Order grew after the Black Death. The Carthusian practice of small numbers and living in solitude helped them to avoid the worst of the infection.
The Order followed the Constitutions of St Bruno. It was austere. Apart from limited contact with other monks, usually in silence, most of the day was spent alone in prayer or at work. The monks followed a tradition of scholarship and devotion. It was a hard life and the process of being admitted as a monk was a long one.
The Priory was fully incorporated in 15th century and it prospered with gifts of land and other assets. It also had a healthy endowment. As the Dissolution got underway, by 1536 the smaller monasteries began to close. What followed was the harshness associated with the Pilgrimage of Grace and the requirement of accepting that Henry VIII was head of the church. And the matter of Succession. The tales of punishments at this time were horrific. Mount Grace was surrendered in 1539.
The talk included a description of the accommodation at the Priory. The various buildings, the communal areas and, probably more significantly, the monks’ cells and gardens.
Mount Grace was sold and everything went into secular hands. Over the centuries there were several owners until it was turned over to the National Trust. Today it is in the care of English Heritage. It is regarded as the best preserved Charterhouse in the country.
The material presented was absorbing and the audience was attentive. The time passed easily and the audience was informed and entertained. There were questions. An enjoyable evening.