Illustration of a nun standing on the left-hand corner of a blue border. She is wearing a grey habit, black veil and a white linen crown forming a cross over her head, with five red spots that represent the five wounds of Christ. She is holding a book bound in brown leather in front of her, which she appears completely engrossed in. To her right are words in Latin.

We love this tiny illustration of a Bridgettine nun engrossed in a book!

She can be found in the border of Sister Mary Dominic's vow in the Syon Abbey archive.

📷 EUL MS 389/COM/2/2/3/4 (date: 1924-27)

#WorldBookDay #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic

And as it's Library Shelfie Day, why not revisit our exploration of the shelves holding the beautiful Syon Abbey Library! ⬇️

#LibraryShelfieDay #ShelfieDay #SyonAbbey

Image showing first few lines of a letter written in brown ink on yellowed paper with several holes. It is dated 'Jan[ua]ry th[e] 27 1756', and begins 'My Dearst Mama'. Caption underneath: 'Letter from Sister Catherine 'Kitty' Witham [Ref: EUL MS 389/PERS/WITHAM]'.

On 27 January 1756, Sister Kitty Witham wrote a letter to her mother from Syon Abbey in Lisbon, in which she vividly described her experience of the Great Lisbon Earthquake in November 1755.

Find out more here ➡️ bit.ly/3wDNyvr

#OnThisDay #OTD #TerremotoDeLisboa #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives

Six cropped images of handwriting in the Syon Abbey Collection. The images are entitled: '15th Century', '16th Century', '17th Century', '18th Century', '19th Century' and '20th Century'.

Today is National Handwriting Day! ✍️

Reading handwritten records can be a challenging or enjoyable aspect (often both!) of archival research.

Our Syon Abbey Collection contains six centuries of handwriting!

#NationalHandwritingDay #HandwritingDay #Handwriting #Archives #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic

Illustration of a nun standing on the left-hand corner of a blue border. She is wearing a grey habit, black veil and a white linen crown forming a cross over her head, with five red spots that represent the five wounds of Christ. She is holding a book bound in brown leather in front of her, which she appears completely engrossed in. To her right are words in Latin.

We love this tiny illustration of a Bridgettine nun engrossed in a book! She can be found in the border of Sister Mary Dominic's vow in the Syon Abbey archive.

📷 EUL MS 389/COM/2/2/3/4 (date: 1924-27)

#TinyTuesday #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives

Black and white photograph showing a nun wearing the Bridgettine habit standing in a field with two goats on either side of her. In the bottom left hand corner is typed: 'The Farm Syon Abbey'.

On World Goat Day, we can never resist sharing this wonderful postcard from the Syon Abbey archive!

This photograph, taken in c 1954, shows Sister Mary Peter with her favourite animals on the community's farm - the goats!

📷 EUL MS 389/PUB/3

#WorldGoatDay #GoatDay #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic

Full page document recording the vow of a nun, written in Latin in a round calligraphic script. The left-hand side of the document is decorated with a colourful border. The text includes several illuminated initials. The first word of the document - 'Ego - includes an historiated initial for the letter E, which contains a tiny illustration of Bridgettine nun - possibly St Bridget of Sweden - reading.

It's World Calligraphy Day!

To mark her profession in religion at Syon Abbey in 1920, the vow of Sister Mary Paul was recorded in a beautiful script and decorated with a tiny illustration of a Bridgettine nun.

📷 EUL MS 389/COM/2/2/1/20

#WorldCalligraphyDay #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives

Cropped image of a notebook page, onto which is handwritten: 'In the name of our Lord Jesus Chris Amen. On Dec: 20th 1900, the discreets of Syon House, Chudleigh, were assembled by the Lady Abbess according to our usual custom. The object of the meeting was:- 1st to decide on the purchase of a Jersey Cow...'

The community of nuns kept jersey cows on their farm for many years and the Syon Abbey archive includes cows in farm records, photos, annals, and this minute book, which records a decision to buy a jersey cow in 1900.

📷 EUL MS 389/ADM/2/2

#CowAppreciationDay #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic

Cropped image of the corner of the vow. It shows a border that is decorated with colour illustrations of a rabbit, a cow, a chick and a mouse.

Full image of Sister Mary Richard's vow, illustrated with a border and various different animals.

Good morning to everyone, but especially to all the cows, for today is their special day!

This illustration is a detail from the border of Sister Mary Richard's vow (dated 1925) in the Syon Abbey archive.

📷 EUL MS 389/COM/2/2/3/11

#CowAppreciationDay #SyonAbbey #Archives #Nuntastic #CowsInVows

A brown leopard print chocolate box in the shape of a book. The edge of the box is gold. A gold logo of the Terry's company is on the lid of the box.

The Terry's chocolate box with the lid opened. The interior side of the lid is gold. Within the box are manuscript letters nestled in tissue paper.

Happy World Chocolate Day! 🍫

This leopard-print Terry's chocolate box was used by the sisters of Syon Abbey to store letters they received from other religious communities.

You can still find the box in their archive today!

📷 EUL MS 389/ECC/3/16

#WorldChocolateDay #Archives #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic

Cartoon showing a nun and a novice using a garden roller. The cartoon is split in two halves, showing first: a nun pulling a garden roller behind her, and second: a novice being pulled forwards by a garden roller, resulting in her legs flying upwards. The captions below the cartoons read: 'Sr. M. Elizabeth goes off with the roller. The roller goes off with me.'

There are plenty of jokes in archives!

We love this fun cartoon from the Syon Abbey archive about the perils of using a garden roller...

'Sr. M. Elizabeth goes off with the roller.
The roller goes off with me.'

📷 EUL MS 389/COM//5/3

#InternationalJokeDay #JokeDay #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives

Title page of an account book from Syon Abbey written in Portuguese. At the bottom of the page is written: 'Lisboa em Janeiro 1767'.

Title page from an early 19th century manuscript volume entitled 'Forma de Receber O Habito E Fazer A Proffisao Das Religiosas Inglezas Ordendada Pel O B.Do.I.M.G.ANIO Lisboa Anno De 1817'. The page is decorated with colourful religious iconography.

Did you know the community of Syon Abbey lived in Lisbon for 267 years?

The Syon Abbey Collection includes archives and manuscripts created during this time, including several items written in Portuguese.

📷 EUL MS 389/FIN/1/1 & EUL MS 262/add1/56

#PortugalDay #DiaDePortugal #Nuntastic #SyonAbbey

LibGuides: Special Collections: Syon Abbey Collection: Introduction LibGuides: Special Collections: Syon Abbey Collection: Introduction

The Syon Abbey Collection is available for everyone to access for research, interest or enjoyment.

Find out more the collection, its contents, and how you can access it in our special online guide ⬇️

#SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives #Manuscripts #RareBooks

Cropped detail from a document recording the admittance of Right Reverend John Keily, the Lord Bishop of Plymouth as Brother of the Syon Abbey Chapter in c 1920s. Next to the text, is a pen and ink drawing of Syon Abbey nuns - wearing the distinctive habits and Bridgettine crowns - standing on a ship, presumably depicting one of their sea voyages.

On 20 May 1594, 22 sisters and 8 brothers of Syon Abbey arrived by ship in Lisbon, Portugal.

The community remained in Lisbon for 267 years, and their collections include fascinating archives, manuscripts and books from this time.

📷 EUL MS 389/CRE/1/29

#OnThisDay #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives

Black and white photograph showing a nun wearing the Bridgettine habit standing in a field with two goats on either side of her. In the bottom left hand corner is typed: 'The Farm Syon Abbey'.

On National Pet Day, we're celebrating all the pets in our archives: cats, dogs...even goats!

This postcard shows Sister Mary Peter on the Syon Abbey farm in 1954 with her favourite animals - arguably her pets!

📷 EUL MS 389/PUB/3

#NationalPetDay #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #ArchiveAnimals #Archives

Rectangular piece of card featuring a pen and ink drawing of a religious sister (possibly a novice) wearing a white veil. Her face is turned to the side and you cannot see her face. She is looking towards her right arm, which is outstretched. A spider is dangling from her fingers. At the bottom left of the drawing is written: 'O you pretty dear!'

Drawing of a cobweb in the top left hand corner with a spider sitting in it, and another spider dangling down the page from the web. The handwritten text below the web and above the dangling spider reads: 'Shall I ever overcome my horror of spiders! Well - I must [must underlined]. And perhaps in time to like them & train them to come when I call them, & fetch & carry things. Anyhow, I'd train them not to leave their webs where I can't reach them with a duster.' Below the dangling spider, the handwritten text reads: 'Now why should [should underlined] I have to like them!'.

These early 20th century drawings from the Syon Abbey archive are by an anonymous sister, who - despite her 'horror of spiders' - did try her best to like them!

📷 EUL MS 389/CRE/5/3

#SaveASpiderDay #NationalSaveASpiderDay #Spiders #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives

Image showing first few lines of a letter written in brown ink on yellowed paper with several holes. It is dated 'Jan[ua]ry th[e] 27 1756', and begins 'My Dearst Mama'. Caption underneath: 'Letter from Sister Catherine 'Kitty' Witham [Ref: EUL MS 389/PERS/WITHAM]'.

On 27 January 1756, Sister Kitty Witham wrote a letter to her mother from Syon Abbey in Lisbon, in which she vividly described her experience of the Great Lisbon Earthquake in November 1755.

Find out more here ➡️ bit.ly/3wDNyvr

#OnThisDay #TerremotoDeLisboa #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives

Six cropped images of handwriting in the Syon Abbey Collection. The images are entitled: '15th Century', '16th Century', '17th Century', '18th Century', '19th Century' and '20th Century'.

Today is National Handwriting Day! ✍️

Reading handwritten records can be a challenging or enjoyable aspect (often both!) of archival research.

Our Syon Abbey Collection contains six centuries of handwriting!

#NationalHandwritingDay #HandwritingDay #Handwriting #Archives #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic

Shelf showing three very large books

Finally, we take a look at some of the larger books in the Syon Abbey Library.

The shelf holds three enormous editions of the Revelations of St Bridget of Sweden. They were all printed in 1680, but each has a different, beautiful binding!

📷 Syon Abbey 1680/BIR/X

#LibraryShelfieDay #SyonAbbey

Hand carefully pulling a book from a shelf. The book has a medieval manuscript fragment supporting the spine.

One spine on this shelf immediately draws the eye!

A medieval manuscript fragment has been used to create an attractive support to the binding of this book printed in 1809. The book is a 'Dictionary of the Portuguese and English languages'.

📷 Syon Abbey 1809/VIE

#LibraryShelfieDay #SyonAbbey

Book held horizontally in front of shelves, showing the surname 'Sorrell' written on the fore-edge.

What might this book of the Revelations of St Bridget of Sweden look like from the other side?

Another surprise! The surname 'Sorrell' is written on the fore-edge.

Sister Constancia Sorrell professed at Syon Abbey in Lisbon in 1792 and died in 1845.

#LibraryShelfieDay #SyonAbbey

View of books on a shelf, taken from above. Written on the headband of one book is: 'ME 1730'.

Shelfies, like selfies, can be taken from different angles. This shelfie was taken from above & provided a little surprise!

Can you spot the initials 'ME' & the date '1730'?

We can't be sure, but this note may have been added by Syon Abbey nun, Sister Mary Elston.

#LibraryShelfieDay #SyonAbbey

Shelf showing four different editions of 'Mirrour of Religious Perfection'

I wonder whether we can find any traces of readership in the Syon Abbey Library?

Let us take a look in one of these editions of 'The Mirror of Religious Perfection', a book written by Lucas Pinelli and dedicated to the community of Syon Abbey...

#LibraryShelfieDay #SyonAbbey #EMReligion

One shelf of books, showing varying sizes and bindings of books.

Look at the higgeldy-piggeldy books on this shelf!

The books in the Syon Abbey library come in all different shapes, sizes and bindings.

Average-sized books and large books are stored separately, but even within these categories there is still a lot of variation!

#LibraryShelfieDay #SyonAbbey

Tiny book held open in front of the shelves

The tiny book dates back to 1520 and was printed in Germany ('Der Rosenkranz Unserer Lieben Frau'). It also includes some manuscript notes in German at the end of the book.

📷 Syon Abbey 1520/MAR

#LibraryShelfieDay #SyonAbbey

Shelf of small books in the Syon Abbey Library. Most have parchment bindings and hand-made modern orange labels created by the community of Syon Abbey.

Several shelves of 19th to 20th books from the Syon Abbey Library, mostly bound in leather bindings.

For Library Shelfie Day, we're bringing back our exploration of the Syon Abbey Library shelves! (Previously posted in the other place)

The Syon Abbey Library comprises more than 1,000 printed books belonging to a Bridgettine monastery (1415-2011).

#LibraryShelfieDay #ShelfieDay #SyonAbbey

Screenshot of the introduction to the exhibit 'Syon Abbey Collection - Discovering Sister Catherine 'Kitty' Witham

You can find out more about Sister Kitty & the Great Lisbon Earthquake in our online exhibition, where you will also find images & a full transcript of the letter.

Exhibition➡️specialcollectionsarchive.exeter.ac.uk/exhibits/show/syon-abbey/syon-abbey-introduction

#SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives

Image showing first few lines of a letter written in brown ink on yellowed paper with several holes. It is dated 'Jan 9th 1756', and begins 'My Dearst Mama'. Caption underneath: 'Letter from Sister Catherine 'Kitty' Witham [Ref: EUL MS 389/PERS/WITHAM]'.

The Great Lisbon Earthquake struck on 01 November 1755. The nuns of Syon Abbey were living in Lisbon at the time. Their archive contains a letter from Sr. Catherine 'Kitty' Witham, which vividly describes the earthquake & its aftermath.

#OnThisDay #TerremotoDeLisboa #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic #Archives