A rare chance is materialising to meet the last Lady Abbess of a monastery formed over 600 years ago.

The secluded monastery of Syon Abbey, near South Brent remained a secret for most of the twentieth century. The Sisters in question were the continuation of a Roman Catholic Order founded over 600 years ago by the remarkable 14C Saint Bridget of Sweden.

They were founded by Henry V in Isleworth and they were the only religious order in the UK to survive with unbroken history, the Reformation. The Sisters fled to Flanders, then Lisbon for 300 years and then returned to Chudleigh where they quietly lived at Marley Head from 1925-2011.

On St Patrick’s Day, Saturday, March 17 at 2.30pm, there will be a rare chance to meet Sister Anne Smyth, the last Lady Abbess at St Mary’s Church & Hall, Dartington.

Organised by St Bridget’s Friends group, the afternoon will start at 2.30pm with an illustrated talk by Joy Hanson, the Sister’s former gardener and then an interview with Sister Anne about life inside the Cloister.

After refreshments, musical director Michael Graham from Exeter University will teach people some of the chants from Vespers from the lovely Syon Breviary which will be sung in the church by candlelight.

The Saint Bridget’s Friends is a new Facebook group which encouraged fellowship, prayer and Christian unity in the spirit of Saint Bridget of Sweden and Syon Abbey.

All donations are welcome and very much appreciated. To book a place please email [email protected] or call 01803 445470.