When he became a hermit, he thought of all the benefits of a life of poverty and chastity.

The prospect of a life of solitude was attractive to him as getting away from society and his past was the purpose of the exercise.

To try it out the Abbot sent him to the Tower, an ancient ruin on the edge of the monastery property. He was to spend three months there to see if this was the life for him.

He jumped at the opportunity. He saw it as diving straight in and was excited at the prospect.

To make it authentic once inside the monk who accompanied him and who never said a word the whole journey locked the door at the base of the tower and left him alone. He knew each week a box of supplies would be left for him.

Inside the tower, it was austere as he imagined. A single room at the top of the tower, a crude mattress on the floor, a table and chair and in one corner a small bookshelf crammed with meditative books.

Continue reading: Thursday photo prompt – Tower – #writephoto | Morpethroad