Distinct section of the wall. White door at left. Center: round grid with holes and a mail slot under it. At right, small open door leaving to see a wooden cylinder with openings.
Turn. Pine, gilded bronze. 18th century

Turn

Cloister Turn

In the past, the Ursulines isolated themselves from the outside world with physical and spiritual walls: the cloister. Objects and mail could only reach the sisters through the turn: a wooden cylinder which opened on one end and rotated on its axis.

Visitors would have to present themselves to the “turn sister” through a circular gate. The sister would then unlock the turn door. They could place their packages inside the turn and the sister could then rotate the turn to reach the packet.

When Cardinal Roy was a child, he lived near our Monastery, and the sisters were quite fond of him. When he would knock at the turn, the sisters couldn’t see anyone, because he was too small, but they would know it was him and offer him a cookie or snack.