The Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Tolleshunt Knights by Malden in East Anglia, UK, was founded by Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov) and some disciples (including Mother Elisabeth and Archimandrite Symeon) in the 1960s. Father Sophrony arrived via Paris, France, from the Holy Mountain where he had gone as a young man, and where at Saint Panteleimon’s Monastery he met Staretz Silouan, whom we recently recognised officially to be a Holy Man (Saint).
The vocation of this monastery was unusual in more than one way, and it remains so. Consisting primarily of hermits, these hermits find themselves giving hospitality and catechesis and solace to a large number of visitors and retreatants. The community is also double, that is, it is made up of both monks and nuns, effectively under the leadership of one archimandrite – first Archimandrite Sophrony, and now Archimandrite Kyrill. Over the last forty years, the community has grown in both groups, and gradually the accommodations have improved. Living on a small tract of land, the monks first lived in a 400-year-old rectory belonging to a nearby disused Anglican Church, which itself dates from the tenth century, and is now owned by the community. With little or no heat, the monks and nuns lived for some time mostly on potatoes and nettles. The nuns, in fact, lived in small trailers (caravans) for some time, until a separate building was prepared. Lately, the small farm and the orchard across the road were purchased, and many of the nuns now live there. Already, there has been built a large common refectory on this property, and construction has been commenced on a building which should provide cells for all the nuns. Guest quarters have been slowly expanded as well, now numbering three houses, as well as rooms amongst the monks and nuns.
Over the last forty years, the community has grown in both groups, and gradually the accommodations have improved. Living on a small tract of land, the monks first lived in a 400-year-old rectory belonging to a nearby disused Anglican Church, which itself dates from the tenth century, and is now owned by the community. With little or no heat, the monks and nuns lived for some time mostly on potatoes and nettles. The nuns, in fact, lived in small trailers (caravans) for some time, until a separate building was prepared. Lately, the small farm and the orchard across the road were purchased, and many of the nuns now live there. Already, there has been built a large common refectory on this property, and construction has been commenced on a building which should provide cells for all the nuns. Guest quarters have been slowly expanded as well, now numbering three houses, as well as rooms amongst the monks and nuns.
The community of almost thirty persons subsists under the Omophor of the Ecumenical Patriarch as a Stavropegial institution. Its members are from over twenty countries, and almost a dozen languages are spoken. Services are regularly in English, Slavonic, Greek, French, and occasionally other languages (depending on visitors). There are four regular Divine Liturgies weekly, amongst the twice-daily services. On Sundays, there are large numbers of visitors from other parts of Britain, and there are usually special educational opportunities for the visitors. Of course, hearing confessions is a large part also of the work of the priests of the community.
The monastery is situated about an hour’s drive to the east of London, not far from Colchester. It is an historic area. The old church has Saxon foundations with Norman and later additions. Within eyesight is the island on which Saint Cedd established his chapel and lived, thus opening the area to Christianity about 1500 years ago. Never a wealthy area, it carried traffic from the Continent, however, and Anne of Cleves lived in exile from Henry VIII in Grove Hall, less than one kilometre from the monastery. In the nearby village of Tiptree is a famous jam factory for which the monastery now grows apples. Access to the monastery is by car, or train from Liverpool Street Station in London. The monastery warmly welcomes guests, but because of limited space and great demand, there is need to call ahead and arrange a stay far in advance.