Laurentia McLachlan
Encyclopedia
Dame Laurentia McLachlan, OSB (née Margaret McLachlan) was born in 1866 in Coatbridge
, Lanarkshire
, Scotland
. In 1884 she joined the Benedictine Abbey at Stanbrook Abbey
. In 1931 she was elected Abbess
of Stanbrook. Dame Laurentia, as she became known, served the wider Benedictine
community as a member of the commission, set up that same year, with an aim to modernise the various constitutions that governed the conditions of monastic life for women in England
.
She was a pioneer in the restoration of the Gregorian
chant in England and a leading authority on music and medieval manuscripts. In 1934 her work was recognised by Pius XI who bestowed upon her the Bene Merenti medal
for her contribution to Church music.
She died in 1953, having spent seventy of her 87 years within the strictly enclosed monastery
. McLachlan was one of five figures chosen to represent one thousand years of "the inspired Christian life" at Worcester Cathedral
's Window of the Millennium
.
A stage play by Hugh Whitemore
, The Best of Friends
(based on a book by Dame Felicitas Corrigan
), provides a window on the friendship of McLachlan with Sir Sydney Cockerell
and George Bernard Shaw
through adaptations from their letters and writings. In a 2006 production at the Hampstead Theatre
, Patricia Routledge
played the part of Dame Laurentia.
Coatbridge
Coatbridge is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. The town, with neighbouring Airdrie, is part of the Greater Glasgow urban area. The first settlement of the area stretches back to the Stone Age era...
, Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In 1884 she joined the Benedictine Abbey at Stanbrook Abbey
Stanbrook Abbey
Stanbrook Abbey is an abbey built as a contemplative house for Benedictine nuns. It was founded in 1625 in Cambrai, Flanders, then part of the Spanish Netherlands, under the auspices of the English Benedictine Congregation.-History:...
. In 1931 she was elected Abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
of Stanbrook. Dame Laurentia, as she became known, served the wider Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
community as a member of the commission, set up that same year, with an aim to modernise the various constitutions that governed the conditions of monastic life for women in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
She was a pioneer in the restoration of the Gregorian
Gregorian
Gregorian might refer to:* The thought or ideology of Pope Gregory I or Pope Gregory VII *Things named for Pope Gregory I:**Gregorian chant** Gregorian mass**Brotherhood of Saint Gregory...
chant in England and a leading authority on music and medieval manuscripts. In 1934 her work was recognised by Pius XI who bestowed upon her the Bene Merenti medal
Benemerenti Medal
The Benemerenti medal was first awarded by Pope Pius VI to recognize military merit. In 1831 under Pope Gregory XVI a special Benemerenti medal was struck to reward thos who fought courageously in the papal army at Ferrara, Bologna, and Vienna...
for her contribution to Church music.
She died in 1953, having spent seventy of her 87 years within the strictly enclosed monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. McLachlan was one of five figures chosen to represent one thousand years of "the inspired Christian life" at Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
's Window of the Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
.
A stage play by Hugh Whitemore
Hugh Whitemore
Hugh Whitemore is an English playwright and screenwriter.Whitemore studied for the stage at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he is now a Member of the Council. He began his writing career in British television with both original teleplays and adaptations of classic works by Charles...
, The Best of Friends
The Best of Friends (play)
The Best of Friends is an epistolary play by Hugh Whitemore about the friendship of George Bernard Shaw, Sydney Cockerell, and Dame Laurentia McLachlan, based in the lengthy correspondence that passed between them for over 25 years...
(based on a book by Dame Felicitas Corrigan
Felicitas Corrigan
Dame Felicitas Corrigan OSB was an English Benedictine nun, author and humanitarian.She was born Kathleen Corrigan into a large Liverpool family, and developed a talent as an organist. In 1933, she entered Stanbrook Abbey in Worcestershire as a nun, and eventually became director of its choir...
), provides a window on the friendship of McLachlan with Sir Sydney Cockerell
Sydney Cockerell
Sir Sydney Carlyle Cockerell was an English museum curator and collector.-Life:Sydney Cockerell made his way initially as clerk in the family coal business, George J. Cockerell & Co, until he met John Ruskin. According to John Ruskin by Tim Hilton , around 1887 Cockerell sent Ruskin some sea...
and George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
through adaptations from their letters and writings. In a 2006 production at the Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre is a theatre in the vicinity of Swiss Cottage and Belsize Park, in the London Borough of Camden. It specialises in commissioning and producing new writing, supporting and developing the work of new writers. In 2009 it celebrates its 50 year anniversary.The original theatre was...
, Patricia Routledge
Patricia Routledge
Katherine Patricia Routledge, CBE is an English character comedy actress and singer. She is best known for her role as character Hyacinth Bucket in the British television series Keeping Up Appearances and Hetty Wainthropp in the British television series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates...
played the part of Dame Laurentia.