Catholic seminary
Books galore!
I love visiting unusual historic houses and Ushaw in Northumberland certainly rates as that! But who knew it was a haven for book lovers to boot?!
More than 200 years ago, when Catholicism was outlawed in England and Wales, Ushaw was built as a seminary to train priests, although how they kept its construction quiet escapes me. Secluded and peaceful, the Georgian period country manor and several chapels – now open to the public – retain reminders of their days as a school for boys and a training college for young men destined for the priesthood.
There’s an atmosphere of serenity and quiet inside with so much beauty and opulence as well as historical records and exhibitions to browse through. All very orderly and beautifully maintained, with evidence of ongoing attempts to extend and improve and modernise.
The grounds are extensive and a delight to roam in, but it was sobering to hear how few volunteers they have to maintain them, and to learn that arson, theft and vandalism have left scars on the property which would take a fortune to rectify – a fortune they don’t have.
But for the purposes of this blog I want to share the amazing secondhand book room. It’s neat but cosy and inviting, with shelves full of books on all sides, methodically arranged by genre, and alphabetically within that framework. Unmanned, it relies on the honesty of visitors to leave a suitable donation with only basic guidelines as to how much. A pearl of a place. And plenty of chairs to accommodate weary bookworms. I was in my element.
