Nuns' Vows at Ladywell Convent (1962) | British Pathé

This archive footage from 1962 gives an extraordinary insight into the life of a nun at Ladywell Convent in Surrey covering everything from their skills in farming to taking vows.

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(FILM ID:167.06)
Godalming, Surrey.

Exterior. L/S of Ladywell Convent in Godalming. L/S of a tractor ploughing a field, C/U of a hand on the wheel, M/S of the tractor driver who is a novice nun, she is wearing a habit and head-dress. M/S as she drives the tractor up the field. L/S of four other nuns cutting up branches from trees along the side of the road. M/S of a nun holding one end of a saw and cutting up the branch, M/S of the same shot from above, she gets up and walks down the bank to help drag the branch away. M/S of another nun weaving a fence out of branches.

M/S of two nuns in a farmyard, they are holding a piglet and looking at its feet, it is squealing a lot. Another nun comes out of the stall behind them carrying two buckets. C/U of the pigs foot as the woman looks at it, L/S as they lead the piglet into the stall. M/S of a nun grooming a calf, C/U of the calf. C/U of another nun wearing glasses, she nods and smiles at the girl who is grooming. L/S of the calf being groomed in the farmyard. L/S of a nun painting Latin letters under a carving on the outside wall, C/U of her face. M/S of the carving and the writing. The narrator says these ladies are Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood and they spend five years in the Convent before going off to do missionary work.

L/S of the Convent with the gardens in front, the camera pans up to the cross on the top. L/S of the interior of the Convent with the nuns sat in the pews. A group of nuns dressed in wedding gowns are walking up the aisle. The narrator explains that this is Clothing Day, and signifies their wedding to God. M/S of the crucifix and candles on the altar and a mural in the background. M/S of the nuns walking up the aisle, some are dressed in Chinese robes and there are several different nationalities in the group. M/S as the nuns reach the altar and genuflect, they walk off to the side. C/U of a nun dressed in white watching them seriously.

L/S of one of the novices as she gets up and walks to the altar. M/S as she approaches the altar and kneels before the priest who is seated, two other priests are stood by him. C/U as a nun takes off the novices veil and the priest cuts four strands of her hair whilst reciting a Latin prayer. Various shots of the novice as the nuns and priest clothe her in a white robe and tie a tasselled rope around her waist. M/S of the nuns watching from the pews. Various shots as the novice is dressed in more white garments. M/S of the mural on the wall. C/U as the wimple is fitted to her head. M/S of another nun watching. C/U as the novice is handed some rosary beads, which she kisses, and a bible. Various shots of nuns watching the ceremony.

M/S as the priest and the novice both hold a candle, this is passed to another nun. He then gives her a cross to kiss. M/S as she kneels in prayer, L/S as she gets up from the altar and returns to her seat. M/S of the nuns watching. M/S as she kneels back at her seat. C/U of a nun watching. M/S of a Chinese girl kneeling at the altar, the camera pans down over her traditional red and black robes. L/S of the novice at the altar in front of the priests.

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