A Yorkshire vicar is taking a step back in time – over 800 years, in reality – by living as a hermit as a part of a singular celebration marking a serious milestone in his parish’s history.
Rev Philip Ball, vicar of St Mary’s Church within the East Yorkshire village of Hook, will don robes and a hood to assume the role of a medieval hermit during a special re-enactment weekend from 16 to 18 May.
The event is a component of year-long festivities commemorating the 800th anniversary of this historic Christian place of worship, which dates back to 1225. The constructing is an architectural gem, but like so many older churches, it’s in need of some tender loving care.
St Mary’s began its life as a chantry chapel, where priests were paid to chant masses for the dead, before becoming a parish church after the Reformation.
Fittingly, records show that the primary known resident of the village was a hermit who was granted land in 1190 to construct a hermitage and a road resulting in the nearby river.
Rev Ball’s temporary retreat into medieval life will see him sleeping outdoors in a basic shelter, weather permitting, and acting as gatekeeper to the historical re-enactors’ camp.
“It shouldn’t be often you get to have an 800th party and take a look at to reflect on, capture and have a good time how over 800 years a spot has contributed to so many lives,” he said. “But it’s the privilege of the people of the village of Hook and particularly those with close involvement to the church to be doing this.”
Never one to draw back from a little bit of medieval fun, the vicar has even volunteered to enter the stocks and be pelted with wet sponges.
Despite the joyful celebrations, St Mary’s faces financial challenges. Listed on the national “Heritage at Risk” register, the church has undergone nearly £200,000 in renovations, including a kitchenette and disabled toilet. But urgent work stays, with an additional £300,000 needed to interchange the boiler and repair the roof and stonework.
Rev Ball praised local fundraising efforts, noting that his generous parishioners have already raised £35,000. The vision, he explained, is to refurbish a cherished place of worship while also providing facilities that profit the entire community.
“We had hoped to get all of it done by now, however the funding landscape could be very difficult in the intervening time,” he said. “What we wish is a constructing that serves people’s needs – that’s the essence of the project.”
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