The Cloister Walk

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Thanks for the use of this lovely space! You have thought of everything we could possibly need. We have enjoyed our time here and really felt at home.” She writes about religion with the imagination of a poet… The story of her faith is attractively incongruous, and more than a little receptive to rebellion… Some bridling is worth it to a reader when the writer is as original as Norris, a Midwestern, late-20th-century mystic.”

From the warm friendly welcome after a lengthy drive to the fantastic location and easy to use facilities- everything to make even a damp weekend in York enjoyable! Thank you! Plus the thoughtful touches, welcome cake, bedside chocolates, maps and fresh flowers were very much appreciated.”Marie-Louise, London New York Times Book Review, May 5, 1996, p. 12; April 5, 1998, Michael Milburn, review of Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, p. 19; May 31, 1998, review of Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, p. 24; December 6, 1998, review of Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, p. 75; April 25, 1999, review of Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, p. 32; May 27, 2001, Erica Goode, review of The Virgin of Bennington, p. 10. One of the wonderful paradoxes in this book is that only by immersing herself in life among celibates is the author finally able to understand and find peace in her marriage. How has the monastic life helped her in her relationship with her husband? What does she mean when she writes that all committed life is "sacred and self-transcendent" (p. 261), necessarily "ascetic" (p. 128), and that marriage can be "a school for love" ? Thank you for your warm welcome. The apartment is delightful and provided an oasis of calm whilst we prepared and celebrated our wedding. We look forward to returning to celebrate our anniversary in future years!”The author’s spiritual quest required unlearning the lessons and attitudes about church from her childhood. How was she able to let go of her youthful God’s demand of practicing religion the “right” way (p. 92)? How do you think we can better expose children to religion so that they will more easily grow into a meaningful, mature relationship with God? Are there any of your own childhood experiences in established religion that have interfered with your spiritual development? If so, did the book provide you with ideas for overcoming the ways you have become exiled from your religion? Lovely 5 star accommodation with beautiful Minster views. Marvellous location with easy access to the city centre yet fine access to the Yorkshire Dales, Coast and Moor.s Our thanks to our helpful hosts Melanie and David.” PLAN: A two storey range (now known as the East Garth) with a hipped roof, attached to a single-storey east cloister walkway at the south. We both had a wonderful time and the apartment was really nice, a credit to you both. It’s really apparent that you both put a great deal of effort into getting it just right.” We really enjoyed every moment of our stay at this lovely place. Your incredibly warm welcome and all the attention to even the smallest details in the apartment made us feel right at home. Looking forward to returning to York at some time and staying with you again.

Each review score is between 1-10. To get the overall score that you see, we add up all the review scores we’ve received and divide that total by the number of review scores we’ve received. In addition, guests can give separate ‘subscores’ in crucial areas, such as location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value for money and free Wi-Fi. Note that guests submit their subscores and their overall scores independently, so there’s no direct link between them. Horn, Walter (1973). "On the Origins of the Medieval Cloister". Gesta. 2 (1/2): 13–52. doi: 10.2307/766633. JSTOR 766633. S2CID 192563869.

The author is continually amazed by the perspective of time in a monastery as compared to that of the world outside. Whereas time is considered by the Benedictines to be a gift, what is our culture’s attitude toward it? How are these different attitudes reflected in the ways we treat our elderly and approach death? How is making peace with time vital to our being at ease with ourselves spiritually? How do the rituals and daily rhythms of monastic life force a re-evaluation of residents’ experience of time? Monks’ lives are often difficult, and they are little understood by the rest of society. Why do they persist in their anachronistic lifestyle and practices? How would you answer the author’s question: “ Are monks wasting their time in seeking to convert themselves, and the world, from evil?” (p. 128) How did the book change your understanding of the monastic life? Did it inspire you to pursue these ideas further? Norris had already published a first book of poems, Falling Off (1971) ,which was the winner of the Big Table Younger Poets series. That book features what Paul Carroll, a critic in Choice,called “angelism,” with subjects that include the Port Authority bus terminal in New York City, and literary influences that include W.S. Merwin, James Tate, Stevie Smith, and Pablo Neruda. A prescient review in the Hudson Reviewalerted readers that “Kathleen Norris has enough wit and ease to be worth attention: let her drop all reference to angels and find something she cares to write about.” Similarly, author A.G. Mojtabai, reviewing Falling Offin Library Journal,praised Norris’s “superbly wry” manner and called her “a spellbinder, a poet to watch.” We have stayed at the Cloisters Walk apartment which was brilliant and Feversham House is equally delightful, we have thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will return.”