Visit to St Beuno's Jesuit Retreat

Fourteen members of Rhyl Rotary Club including guests visited the Jesuit Spirituality Centre of St Beuno in Tremerchion near St Asaph. Situated in a peaceful spot overlooking the Clwyd valley, there are views from the garden and house across the valley to Snowdonia and the sea. Originally built over 170 years ago and extended since to incorporate extra bedrooms and study areas the building is an impressive piece of architecture. We were welcomed to the retreat by Sister Anne and the director, Father Roger Dawson and treated to a tour of the premises. The retreat was home to the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins for several years as he trained in the Jesuit way of St Ignatius and we were given a short talk about his time in the retreat. Following the tour of the house we were shown around the beautiful gardens then back into the dining room for tea, cakes and biscuits. Many thanks to Father Roger and his colleagues for their time showing us round.