Ampleforth has one eye on the past but one eye on the future (From Gazette & Herald)

Ampleforth has one eye on the past but one eye on the future

AMPLEFORTH College and its adjoining landmark Abbey Church, celebrating their bicentenary this year, are looking to an exciting future as much as reflecting on an impressive past.

The Ampleforth complex overall has a turnover today of £10m, employing 300 staff, making it the second biggest employer in the Ryedale economy, says the abbot, Father Timothy Wright.

The 90 monks at the abbey are aged between 23 and 90 but, like many religious orders, the Order of St Benedict has seen a drop in the number of novices, he says, from an average of seven a few years ago, to just two or three today.

They live the way of life set out by St Benedict nearly 1,500 years ago, that the mind and heart must be brought to God by reading scripture and other spiritual writings. Father Wright says the teaching of the saint are relevant to many aspects of today's fast-moving world.

"Indeed, we run a course called Doing Business with St Benedict."

The college, says the abbot, is an important source of income to the community.

"We have a huge responsibility. We have to have a very positive attitude because of our responsibility to the people who work here and their families."

Father Timothy is justly proud of the massive investment in the impressive modern buildings at Ampleforth, saying: "We have invested heavily in our education."

But he is also proud of its developments spiritually through the Ampleforth Covenant, which has seen him working with the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, and the president of the Methodist Conference, Dr Stuart Burgess, along with the Salvation Army, the United Reformed Church and other Christian denominations. "There is a growing rapport between all the clergy," he adds.

Ampleforth has a major programme of residential retreats, workshops and pilgrimages this year, providing income for the running of the abbey. But it is also a wider base which sees businessmen, teachers, and the police use Ampleforth, along with sports people, anxious to utilise the excellent facilities.

Along with the abbey and the college is a 900-acre farm including agricultural land, woodland and rough pasture. The monks have recently been successful in being accepted into the countryside stewardship scheme run by DEFRA, which will play a key part in the farm's future success.

Looking to the future, Father Timothy says diversification will be important.

"We are a big consumer of energy and we are looking at ways of becoming self-sufficient through the use of wood, wind or solar heating.

"We are living in a fast-changing world in the fields of farming, education and small businesses and we have to be there to help create them."

As well as running the abbey, the monks are also running the parishes of Kirkbymoorside, Helmsley, Gilling, Oswaldkirk and Ampleforth.

Adjoining the imposing abbey is the college campus, which has a worldwide reputation for excellence in its academic, cultural and sporting endeavours.

Over the past decade, £14m has been spent in ambitious development projects masterminded by the headmaster, Father Leo Chamberlain.

The college's current £9m appeal has now topped £7m, he says, which has seen the building of a new science centre replacing a complex which dates back to the 1930s.

All the college's wooden huts in the quadrangle have now been replaced, he added. "The school's teaching facilities are now first rate," said Father Leo, who heads a staff of 83, including part-timers.

"We have had a lot of re-organisation over the past ten years," he said. The former seven different feeding points for the students have been replaced by a single centre built at a cost of £2m.

Of the 510 students, 45 are day students and there are now 20 girls, whose numbers are likely to rise to 35 in September.

"There is no Catholic independent boarding school for girls in the north of England," said Father Leo, who added: "Girls and boys need to get used to working together because it is quite possible that a student's first boss in the outside world will be a woman."

And now there are women teachers on the staff. "They certainly add to the community at Ampleforth," said Father Leo.

One-fifth of the pupils are non-Catholics, a trend which is expected to increase with the changing economy and integration of the religions.

"I want our sixth form to grow," said Father Leo, who is keen to develop the college's music reputation. "There is no Catholic music school in the north and we are able to provide it."

He sees the potential of developing the classics and science with the North Yorkshire County Council's education authority.

Ampleforth's reputation has been further enhanced by an independent inspection carried out by practising teachers.

"We were delighted," says Father Leo. "Independent schools are providing a very heavy proportion of the best qualified people in this country," he said, adding gleefully: "Nearly 50pc of our students got A grades in the GCSEs."

Interestingly, he says, the decision as to which independent school a child should be educated is no longer the sole domain of the father, who frequently insisted that his son followed in his footsteps. Instead, says Father Leo, it is the mother who influences the final decision, with her concern for good accommodation for her offspring.

"Our mission is to share with parents in the spiritual, moral and intellectual formation of their children," says Father Leo. "We work for excellence, and help Ampleforth boys and girls grow up mature and honourable, inspired by high ideals and capable of leadership."

Updated: 09:25 Thursday, June 06, 2002