Fr Edgar Miller OSB 1943-2026
The funeral Rites of Fr Edgar, who died at Ampleforth Abbey on 23 September, will take place on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 October.
His body will be received into the Abbey church at 6.00pm on Thursday 15 October. His funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11.30am in the Abbey church on Friday 16 October, followed by burial in Monks' Wood.
James Miller was born in Preston in 1943 and was educated at Ampleforth College. He taught for two years at a prep school in Preston before joining the monastic community at Ampleforth Abbey in 1963, taking Edgar as his religious name. Fr Edgar was ordained priest in July 1970.
During his time in the monastery, Fr Edgar fulfilled a number of roles. He was Estate Manager from 1972-1986 and Warden of the hospitality accommodation in The Grange from 1986-1989. Fr Edgar’s great love was woodwork and carpentry, a subject he taught for a number of years, first at the Junior House of Ampleforth College and then at the prep school, St Martin’s Ampleforth. Each of his pieces was engraved with his signature: a windmill, a reference to his own surname but also the integration of manual work and the spiritual life.
In September 1990 Fr Edgar also became priest in charge at the chapel of ease St Aidan’s, Oswaldkirk, and much of the woodwork around the altar was made in his workshop. Fr Edgar served this church and community until the closure of the church in 2021. In recent years he also provided assistance at the parish of St John the Evangelist, Easingwold.
A number of years ago Fr Edgar was assigned the role in the monastery of hosting visitors from Eastern Europe and from this Fr Edgar developed strong ties with families in Hungary and the Czech Republic, whom he would visit every year.
In the monastery Fr Edgar continued to devote his time to developing the monastery workshop. He was appointed chaplain to the staff of the Abbey Trust in 2022 and became a member of the Staff Wellbeing Action Group.
May he rest in peace.
