It’s falling down!

Lifepath 2025 began with a bang!

’The keystone failed’ A bemused visitor to the Priory noted to his wife, as the children taking part in the ‘architecture’ activity learnt, the practical way, how the Priory was constructed in 1085. Squeals of horrified delight accompanied the crashing blocks to the (protected) floor.

This week, the Priory’s full of children exploring the history of the Priory and the life of the Benedictine monks who built and lived here…and considering their ‘lifepath’, too.

With over 100 children each day, from primary schools, and for the very first time, a group of home-educated youngsters, you might think that the Priory would be constantly noisy. But you’d be wrong! At the end of every activity session, the Vicar rings a handbell. ‘Show me your ways, Lord’ he intones in Gregorian chant ‘Teach me good paths’ the chant returns from the children.
And then silence.
For a whole 30 seconds.
Which can feel a very long time if you’re 8 or 9, or even 11.
But near-perfect silence before the children are guided to their next activity.

In Mediaeval World and Sky, what the monks knew of the world around them is brought to life - they knew of lions, but not tapirs, of elephants, but not polar bears. The second Prior, Prior Walcher studied the planets using his astrolabe and could predict solar eclipses. It was amazing to see ‘the penny drop’ as days and seasons were illustrated by youngsters with models of the planets, circling each other, giggling dizzily, but suddenly realising for themselves how it all works.

Mediaeval medicine (including our friends the medicinal leeches, putting in their (secure) annual appearance), brass rubbing, tower bells (up, up, up the spiral stair and the chance to ring out over Malvern), the prayer journey, ‘codebreaking’ Latin, calligraphy, stained glass and much, much more, brought the Priory to life in a very ‘Lifepath’ way. The play - Jesus’ parable of the house built on sand and the house built on rock - was brought to life by two fictional building firms; ‘Shaw and Steddy’ and ‘Bodgit and Scarper’. Frivolous antics, including the seemingly compulsory light irrigation of the audience, brought the story and the message to life with much hilarity.

As the children left through a billowing cloud of bubbles, and waving flags, the volunteers (over 100 through the week, from churches across Malvern and beyond) enjoyed a very welcome cup of tea, before the daily feedback and prayer.

The Priory’s still open to visitors during Lifepath,* it’s just a little different!

*but no photography between 9.30am and 3pm