THE Mother Superior of an Anglican order of nuns in Devon, Mother Hilary, who as reported in the “Crediton Courier” on February 22, has died, leaves just one member of the order left.

Mother Hilary of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus and Mary, based in Posbury St Francis, near Crediton, died on Saturday, February 9, at the age of 92.

She had been Mother Superior for 55 years.

Assistant Bishop Martin Shaw from the Diocese of Exeter, who had an aunt at the convent, said: “Mother Hilary always looked at me with a healthy scepticism, which she did to most priests.

“Throughout her life she was determined to defend the strong and traditional Anglo-Catholicism of the community.

“When I asked her about it getting smaller and smaller, she replied: ‘We shall die and we’ll go to God. If that’s not good enough for you Martin, I don’t know what is!’

“She lived a hidden and a determinedly faithful life.”

Mother Hilary, who was adopted, was 15 when she joined the sisters. At the time they were based on the Isle of Wight. She became a nun when she was 21.

The order moved to Posbury in 1942 during World War Two. The nuns dedicated themselves to prayer and to running a retreat house for the Diocese of Exeter and beyond.

They ran a small farm and had “one of the finest gardens in Devon”.

Sisters from the convent also joined mission teams at parishes around the UK.

Mother Hilary’s funeral requiem mass will be on Tuesday, March 12, at 11am, at Crediton Parish Church (Holy Cross).