A Very British Cult: Rogue Priests and the Abode of Love

by Stuart Flinders, Kris Dyer (narrator), W.F. Howes Ltd. (publisher)

This is the almost-forgotten story of Victorian Britain's strangest religious sect and its wealthy, mostly female, followers who believed they could ascend directly to heaven. Henry James Prince was a rogue Anglican Priest with a flare for the dramatic, and the founder of the Agapemone, or 'Abode of Love'. He also claimed to be the immortal conduit of The Holy Spirit and purportedly engaged in free love and ceremonial sex with his mostly female followers. But Prince's eventual death didn't mark the end of this strange set... he was promptly replaced by another. John Hugh Smyth-Pigott - otherwise known as the Clapton Messiah.

The Abode transformed a sleepy, rural corner of Somerset into one of England's most notorious locations. While the followers shut themselves away and waited patiently for the end of the world, outrage grew - the word 'Agapemone' because a byword for licentiousness or idleness, used by Charles Dickens and Ford Maddox Ford. The reclusive Clapton Messiah became a fixture in the nation's papers, with frenzied efforts to discredit the organisation and undermine its leader. And still the cult grew.

Expertly drawing on primary sources to tell the story of the Agapemonites in details for the first time, Stuart Flinders shines a light on the people drawn to the cult - the forced marriages; the swindled fortunes; the women condemned to asylums; and those who managed to escape from the Abode. It is also the story of two extraordinary men, whose claims of divinity were at the heart of this very British cult.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published November 7, 2024

Reviews

[Theresa Mddlbck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this - remarkable how the described themes of manipulations are so applicable to these days. The writing style was witty with a sense of dry humour which I really enjoyed and made the topic more digestible. Was great to include original pieces of interviews and newspapers

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title, A Very British Cult, was very apt for this book - yes, it was a cult, but it all sounded very polite and restrained - even the illegitimate children and deaths that might have been related to being part of the cult created no greater level of interest in me. I got bored about halfway through and would definitely have DNFd if it hadn't been an audiobook - I had to force myself to listen to the last 10% last night so that I could get it finished before it was returned to the library today.

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at a small cult in Somerset, the Agapemonites. Unfortunately, despite interviews with descendants, the book relies mostly on newspaper articles and how the cult was perceived from the outside. It seems despite the reference to the occasional diary, no one residing at Agapemone kept records?

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating bit of British religious history

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawing on first hand accounts, news reports, family memoirs and court records author Stuart Flinders uncovers the story of a largely forgotten Victorian cult, and it’s a story that richly deserves to be told. I’d never heard of it and found the tale fascinating. A rogue Anglican priest called Henry James Prince founded the Agapemone, or The Abode of Love, claiming divine inspiration, and gathered around him a large and loyal following, mainly of young – and wealthy – women. After his death his place was taken by another rogue, John Hugh Smyth-Pigott, who went one step further and claimed to be Christ. He became known as the Clapton Messiah. The Agapemone, based in Somerset in the 1840s, became Prince’s fiefdom and all sort of shenanigans went on there, arousing the ire of many commentators, becoming a byword for licentiousness and depravity. I don’t quite see why the author calls it a particularly British cult, as such cults happen all over the world, usually follow the same pattern and are equally damaging for the adherents, but this one was indeed largely based in England, and its followers were largely British. Poor things. Many of the women were badly damaged by their involvement in the cult and their stories are sad ones. The last one died only in 1956. Well-researched and comprehensive, we owe a debt to Flinders for uncovering this hidden history. Occasionally the book felt a bit repetitive and occasionally lacked clarity, but overall I found it a compelling tale and one that deserves to be resurrected.

[machinaheart]

The audio book reader did not work for me, somehow I could not follow quite right. I cannot put my finger on it. it may have been better for me to read this one.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book about a Victorian sex cult? Yes please. Not as scandalous as I had hoped it would be. Could have been fleshed out more but likely sources were limited.