Those who have been following our journey for a while, will know that a core group of contemplative companions have worked hard over the last few years to find a home base for Wild Monastery. In this process we have been deeply disappointed by the behaviour of the institution of the Church of England. Our experience was that some senior clergy and local lay leaders asked for our help, while others then repeatedly blocked our progress in creating two innovative projects, first on glebe land and then in and around a declining rural church. This bruising and exhausting experience left all of us disillusioned with the C of E and looking elsewhere for ways forward. It’s interesting how an institution can need and say it wants change, creativity, innovation & community engagement, while its hidden shadows and dysfunctions often prevent this.

Earlier journal entries describe my subsequent journey to northern Scotland, where I had previously co-created and successfully ran a remote retreat centre with my eco architect husband before, very sadly, he passed away. During six weeks of pilgrimage around Easter this year I travelled to Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Isles, to visit a recently vacated monastery belonging to the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church within which I was confirmed and trained in local collaborative ministry many years ago. This journey was to test a call to base Wild Monastery in this remote location and I have to say, I met many great people & loved it! Yet I also became aware of complex dynamics at play in that Diocese also and felt it was unwise to go back into troubled ecclesiastical waters…

So I was then quietly recommitting to my life and ministry remaining based around my ‘micro-monastery’ home in Devon. Having been on the most northerly, inhabited UK island around the spring equinox, as autumn approached I was able to take a week’s holiday in the Scilly Isles, thanks to the generosity of a dear friend. There I unexpectedly found myself visiting an empty property on the most southwesterly island of St Agnes on the day of the autumn equinox… and it was love at first sight!

Since then events have unfolded in a fast and fluid way, which is sometimes a mark of the Spirit at work. A cash buyer for my Devon home has come forward within a few days and I have had an offer accepted on this potential new home for Wild Monastery. As you can see, this is a pair of Grade II Listed traditional granite cottages, with the oldest dating back to the eighteenth century.

The cottages look over the sea towards a white sand cove and just a few minutes walk from this remarkable ‘tombolo’ sand bar, on which one can walk across to the neighbouring island of Gugh when the tide is low.

There are several ancient and sacred sites just a walk away, including magical ‘Wingletang Down’ with its many megaliths and even a sacred well dedicated to the female Celtic saint, St Warna. It seems it could hardly be a better setting for our small wild monastery!

Romance and spiritual inspiration aside, this potential project also offers some real challenges, not least renovating two old cottages on an island that is two boats away from building supplies on mainland Cornwall. Add to that the prospect of gales in the winter and the sheer hard work and cost of a major relocation. Yet it is hardly ‘my first (remote) rodeo’ and at least I won’t be contending with deep winter darkness, snow and summer midges this time! I loved living by the sea in the Highlands and I do feel very drawn to be back in a small community, in a place with no traffic and lots of wild… and I also love a project! What gives me great encouragement are the many people who have been in touch to offer support of different kinds and I feel excited by the prospect of being able to offer deep monastic hospitality in future, in such a naturally inspiring and peaceful place.

For those who are wondering or concerned, the existing ministry of Wild Monastery, much of which is offered online anyway, will continue: including one to one support, wild monastics meetings, wild church pilgrimages (in Devon and, I hope, in the Isles of Scilly in due course) and the ongoing development of our self guided River Dart Way. I feel my world is getting bigger, not that I am leaving Devon behind as Cornwall beckons! While I hope Wild Monastery may find a new island home, there are still many steps to be taken on this pilgrimage to create a Scilly Wild Monastery and a very good chance that it may not come to be. As always, it lies in the lap of the Holy One – Blessed Be She…

So watch this space!

(Please note all text and photos are the copyright of Sam Wernham except for the top featured photo of St Agnes © Islands’ Partnership on this link.)