The first Quiet Garden opened in 1992 at Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire, followed by others in the UK, in North America, Australia, Africa & South America. Every Quiet Garden, while being linked to The Quiet Garden Trust, is encouraged to organise its own programme and to respond to local needs. Most Quiet Gardens are in private homes and gardens, but some are part of the ministry of a church. Each has its own identity for day retreats, "drop in times", and courses, but each Quiet Garden provides space for sharing prayer and stillness, learning and laughter. Visitors will be able to return to their active lives restored and nurtured by a time apart.

St Lawrence's, South Walsham

Since the summer of 1994, Quiet Garden days have been held at South Walsham, where we have a unique setting. The shared churchyard surrounds St Mary's Parish Church and also the chancel of St Lawrence's, which after several years of fund raising and restoration has now become St. Lawrence's Centre for Training and the Arts, where spiritual and creative gifts compliment each other .
St. Lawrence's is a peaceful place of daily prayer and is the venue for regular Art classes, Concerts and Exhibitions as well as Quiet days once a month. A special part of St. Lawrence's is the Sacristan's Garden, which has been created within the site of the former nave and tower of St Lawrence's church and contains Medieval & Biblical herbs and plants. The building has all year round under-floor heating, toilets and simple catering facilities and is occasionally available for hire.

First Fridays

There is a Quiet Garden on the first Friday of every month Each day has a Benedictine ethos of Daily Offices, shared lunch, teaching and quiet times. Each month there is a special focus, seasonal or thematic. The dates and speakers for the rest of this year are listed below.

Quiet Gardens Programme

Friday 1st October

Friday 4th November

Friday 3th December

The normal pattern of the day is

10.00 am Coffee and Welcome
10.15 am Morning Prayer
10.45 am Focus followed by Quiet Time
12.30 pm Midday Prayer
12.45 pm Lunch
2.00 pm Focus followed by Quiet Time
3.15 pm Evening Prayer, followed by Tea

The cost of the day is £10, this includes: Tea, Coffee & Lunch
Friends of St. Lawrence pay £2 less

To book a place contact
Veronica Dewing
Old Hall Farm,
South Walsham,
Norwich,
NR13 6DS
01603 270271

Please make cheques payable to The St.Lawrence Trust