Bishop of Norwich sails to St Benets Abbey for service

The Rt Rev Graham Usher has sailed on a wherry to St Benet's Abbey for an annual open air service there.

The abbey, on the banks of the River Bure, near Ludham, was founded by King Canute in 1019.

It was the only monastery in the country to survive Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.

Bishop Graham and his party sailed on a wherry operated by the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust.

The Bishop of Norwich and his party on the wherry Picture: Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust (Image: Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust)

They boarded the wherry yacht Norada at South Walsham Staithe for the voyage out of the broad and along the River Bure to its confluence with the River Ant where the abbey is located.

Local people and holidaymakers had gathered there to take part in the service which is organised by the community of St Benet’s.

The Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust restores, maintains and operates five of the remaining eight wherries in the world.

It has been sailing the Bishop of Norwich to the service since the mid-1990s and since then the person in the role has been its patron.

St Benet's Abbey Picture: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

Bishop Graham became the 72nd Bishop of Norwich in June 2019 and is patron or president of more than 25 good causes, most of them in Norfolk.

Places are still available on the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust's summer sailing trips between now and the end of September.

To find out more or make a booking log on to www.wherryyachtcharter.org

In May the BBC Wildlife magazine named the ruined abbey among its list of the best historical sites for enjoying wildlife this summer. 

For more information on St Benet's Abbey, including tours, visit www.norfarchtrust.org.uk/project/st-benets-abbey.