The Chaplain's Blog
Lawrence Basham
A Lakeland Vicar
Rev Lawrence Basham serves as Chaplain at Rydal Hall, offering spiritual guidance, pastoral care, and a welcoming presence to all who visit.
Before joining Rydal Hall, Lawrence served as a parish priest in Keswick (curacy) and later in the South Lakes, following earlier ministry as a youth minister in Yorkshire. Deeply rooted in his love for the outdoors, he finds spiritual renewal in the mountains and is an enthusiastic fell runner, often encountering God’s presence in the beauty and challenge of the fells.
Lawrence leads regular worship, reflection, and conversation, supporting individuals and groups in their spiritual journeys amidst the peace and wonder of the Lake District.
Grasmere Sports and the Gift of Hospitality
Rydal is a place of welcome, but also a place of peace. Among the gardens, water and fells, there is space to step away from the pressure to achieve and simply be
Like Sheep Without a Shepherd
In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus looks at the crowds with compassion because they are "like sheep without a shepherd."
Pitching Our Tent in the Land of Hope
The heart of the gospel is that God is with us. With us when the clouds gather. With us when life is not always sunny; The good news it is that we are never alone
March stands on a threshold
It is a month poised between what has been and what is coming.
Solvitur Ambulando – It is solved by walking
The phrase solvitur ambulando comes from the early world of philosophy, where it meant that some arguments could not be settled in theory, only tested in practice — by getting up and moving.
Standing at the Threshold: A New Year at Rydal Hall
There is something about a threshold that slows us down. A doorway. A gate. The hush before dawn. New Year’s Day feels like that kind of space — neither fully behind us nor yet clear ahead. Here at Rydal Hall, cradled by ancient hills and winter-bare trees, the turning of the year feels less like a firework and more like a held breath.