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An unusual addition has been made to a 17th century wall painting in Lincoln Cathedral.

Rare update to historic wall painting celebrating bellringers

Jeremy Wheeldon, Master of the Company of Ringers of Lincoln Cathedral, has had his name added to the wall of the Ringers’ Chapel, continuing a tradition that spans the centuries.

The Company of Ringers at Lincoln Cathedral is the oldest to have a continuous history of ringing. It was founded in 1612 with letters patent being issued in 1614 which also granted the company use of the chapel at the foot of the southwest tower of the Cathedral, which is today known as the Ringers’ Chapel.

The east wall of this chapel is covered with a 17th century wall painting recording the names of the Masters of the Company of Ringers. The earliest date shown is 1614, but the original painting, which is still visible underneath, dates from the 13th century. The practice was revived in 1913 following restoration of the Ringers’ Chapel and continues to the present day.

Jeremy has been Master of the Company of Ringers at Lincoln Cathedral since 2015 and has been ringing regularly at the Cathedral for 27 years. He learned bellringing as a teenager in the 1980s under the tutelage of former Master Jack Millhouse, whose name also appears on the wall.

Jeremy said

“It is such a great honour to see my name added to the wall in the Ringers’ Chapel, alongside such notable ringers, and to see this tradition continued. It’s incredible.”

Jeremy’s name has been added in the same style as the previous additions by Jay Chapman, a signwriter based in Newark. Jay usually works in oil paints and enamel, but for this job special breathable water-based paint was sourced as he was painting directly onto the lime plaster.

Jay has been a signwriter since he left school and completed his training at Huthwaite College in Sutton. The varied job sees him paint everything from shop signs to vintage vehicles and even giant underwater hoses; but Jay admits that painting in a cathedral is rare.

“I love working on quirky numbers like this; it’s great because I’m never going to do this again and there’s going to be a piece of my work in the Cathedral for years and years to come, long after I’ve gone.”

He also added that it is rare to meet the person whose name he is writing, “It’s so nice to meet Jeremy, it so seldom happens. I do lots of honours boards and it’s very rare I meet the face behind the name.

“Jeremy’s name’s there forever now – it’s not going anywhere.”

Planning for the new addition has included visits to the Cathedral to measure the space and creating drawings and templates of what the finished name will look like. Jay explains that it is important that the new lettering blends in well with what is already there, “To match the style of the existing lettering we have taken lots of photos and have picked the best letters for Jeremy’s name. Lots of the letters on the wall are completely different so we have taken the best ones for this particular name.

Each signwriter leaves a little of their own style in each name – that’s their signature. I’m trying to recreate the look, but with a tiny bit of me in it.”

The bellringers ring the bells at the Cathedral every Sunday, as well as on special occasions such as weddings, to mark the New Year and for special civic celebrations.  The full team of ringers comprises 16 full time members plus additional ringers who join occasionally, plus those who are currently learning the skill.

Anyone interested in joining the bellringing team, please email:  lincoln.cathedral@cb.ldgcb.org.uk

Chichester Cathedral will celebrate the 60th anniversary of John Piper’s High Altar tapestry with a season of events and experiences – part of its major 2026 exhibition, Glowing + Alive.

Glowing + Alive – Chichester Cathedral – Friday 13 February to 15 November

It includes exhibitions, talks, tours and creative workshops for all ages, offering a range of ways to engage with one of the most significant works of modern sacred art in Britain.

Installed behind Chichester Cathedral’s High Altar in 1966, Piper’s seven-panel tapestry remains one of the boldest and most significant works of modern art ever placed within an English cathedral – a vivid and uncompromising commission that introduced contemporary abstract form and radiant colour into the heart of the building at a time when Britain was emerging from post-war austerity.

Sixty years on, it continues to captivate visitors, inspiring wonder and reflection.

Running from Friday 13 February to 15 November, Glowing + Alive explores the story behind the tapestry’s creation – from its commissioning to the artistry and craftsmanship involved – and how this visionary artwork brought a striking new sense of light, colour and symbolism into Chichester’s historic Cathedral.

Curators, Reverend Vanessa Baron, Canon Treasurer, and Rebecca Lewry-Grey, Visitor Experience Manager at Chichester Cathedral, said:

“Glowing + Alive tells the story of an extraordinary meeting of minds – John Piper’s deep reverence for the Church and its material history, Dean Walter Hussey’s conviction that sacred spaces should speak in a contemporary voice, and Bishop George Bell’s belief that the arts belong at the heart of Christian life.

‘The commission brought colour, confidence and daring modernism into the Cathedral, and visitors are still drawn into the tapestry’s symbolism today – pausing, questioning and interpreting what they see.

‘This season allows us to uncover the correspondence, design process and craftsmanship behind this significant and, at the time, controversial work.” 

The exhibition title,  Glowing + Alive was inspired by a letter found written to Dean Walter Hussey about the tapestry.

The Cathedral will host a series of events, specialist tours and creative sessions designed to help visitors explore the tapestry and the Cathedral’s artistic heritage in greater depth which include new artworks by Alice Carter, special tours and weaving workshops.

Glowing + Alive runs from 13 February – 15 November 2026. Entry to Chichester Cathedral is free – donations are welcome.

For more information and to book events and tours click here.

Thank you for your vote. That is a wonderful window, great choice. We’ll announce the winners soon.

In the meantime you can read more about our Divine Light campaign below and see many more wonderful stained glass windows.

Stained-glass windows combine light and colour with imagery and sophisticated design to illuminate interior spaces, communicate religious and other messages, and perhaps offer us a glimpse of heaven.

Pt 1 – The Middle Ages & Reformation  Pt 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century  Pt 3 – Modern Age

Visitors are often captivated by the stained glass of England’s cathedrals, but few realise that it represents a significant national art collection. For example, the City of Birmingham’s most internationally renowned artworks are arguably the four windows – the Nativity, Ascension, Crucifixion and Last Judgement.

Designed by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris in the late nineteenth century for St Philip’s, now Birmingham Cathedral, where they can be viewed daily. Perhaps because they are built into cathedral walls, stained-glass windows rarely appear in exhibitions. But they are frequently visited and admired in situ, as cathedrals have always been public spaces, attracting worshippers, pilgrims, individuals seeking sanctuary, tourists, and, critically, donors.

Glass is formed from a mixture of silica (sand), minerals and binders such as sodium carbonate. Coloured or stained glass is produced when these are combined with metallic oxides or salts at very high temperatures. Stained glass was initially invented and developed in the Middle East. The Romans later introduced glass blowing, which enabled them to create glass jewellery, decorations and drinking vessels. In early Christian times, small glass pieces began to be incorporated into windows. St Benet Biscop introduced coloured-glass windows from Rome and his monastic church St Paul’s Jarrow, home to the Venerable Bede, contains excavated fragments of England’s oldest-known window glass (dating from the seventh century). The earliest notable surviving stained-glass schemes are at Canterbury and were created following Archbishop Thomas Becket’s murder in the Cathedral in 1170. It has recently been established that Canterbury’s Ancestors stained-glass panels may have been made even earlier, 1130–60 (prophet Methuselah). England’s cathedrals can therefore boast stained-glass treasures and stained-glass production for nearly 900 years.

Filling large architectural window openings with stained glass requires the combined skills of glassmakers, masons and artisans. Artists’ designs must accommodate often complex window and tracery shapes. Designs and storyboards must meet the approval of the donors and clergy who coordinate the work, as well as that of the communities for which these windows are intended. Immense artistic and technical skills are required to then create scenes in coloured glass, vitreous paint and lead (often working from large-scale cartoons).

Abbé Suger (1085–1151) argued that light as it entered a church through stained glass became divine light, symbolising God’s presence on Earth. He went on to build the abbey and royal church of Saint-Denis, north of Paris, which was designed to be a ‘temple of light’. His Cathedral made innovative use of ribbed vaults, pointed arches and large stained-glass windows. Saint-Denis marks the transition from Romanesque to Gothic architecture.

English stained glass and the desire to fill cathedral buildings with divine light are closely associated with the evolution of Gothic architecture – the first architecture breaking entirely new ground since Roman times. Gothic windows became taller and thinner over time – see for example the Five Sisters grisaille lancet windows at York (above). Lancets were soon merged and divided by straight and curving stone tracery, and also came to occupy more of the wall space, as we can see at Gloucester Cathedral. Simultaneously, the glass designs filling these windows reflected developing styles in ecclesiastical art.

Even today, amidst the abundance of TV and video, the light passing through Wells Cathedral’s exquisite Jesse Window (above), with its curling vines and its S-shaped Virgin placed beneath Christ crucified on a swaying tree, creates a stunning display, spilling onto the adjacent stonework. Despite our limited knowledge of the medieval religious world, attending evensong at Wells Cathedral is an otherworldly experience.

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

Glass is inevitably vulnerable to forces such as weather, wars and iconoclasm, as well as to periods of straightforward indifference, but it is nonetheless remarkable how much medieval stained glass has survived. Few medieval windows remain untouched today, however, and sometimes only fragments remain from vast windows (Winchester Cathedral provides a striking example). The glass of the West Window at St George’s Chapel, Windsor was removed and stored during the English Civil War (1642–51). It underwent restoration in the 1760s and then again in the 1840s, when seven new figures were introduced by Thomas Willement. Several of these figures are composites of glass from different periods. Similarly, the lower panes of Carlisle’s East Window (below)) – the glass in the upper part of which dates back to the mid-fourteenth century – were created by Hardman & Co. in the 1860s.

After the disruptions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries – partly Reformation- and Renaissance-driven – and the consequent loss of ancient glassmaking techniques, the nineteenth century saw a revived interest in medieval stained glass. This period once again valued stained glass for purposes of devotion, teaching and decoration. The mid- and late nineteenth century was a golden age of stained glass production, with many windows being created as memorials. Reacting against the industrialisation of glassmaking, some artists, like the pre-Raphaelites who formed William Morris & Co., explored radical new techniques and approaches (early examples at Bradford Cathedral, and then later at Birmingham). Arts and Crafts practitioners such as the influential Christopher Whall (Gloucester Lady Chapel) sought to return to closer working with glassmakers and experimented with new handmade glass techniques.

At this time women glass designers came to the fore. Mary Lowndes (1857–1929), formerly an assistant to Henry Holiday (Chelmsford), co-founded the Glass House studio in Fulham in 1906, which nearly fifty years later Moira Forsyth used to create her Rose Window for Guildford Cathedral.

Perhaps surprisingly considering the democratic worship style of the twentieth century, stained glass remained popular. Arguably England’s most coherent and impressive stained-glass cathedral is Coventry, where in the 1950s architect Basil Spence worked with John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens on the huge abstract Baptistery Window. In addition to commissioning art and furnishings for Coventry Cathedral, Spence worked with Lawrence Lee and his students from the Royal College of Art – many of whom went on to become famous glassmakers – on a major scheme of windows that, unusually, was designed to be read from the east. At Coventry we also find new techniques, as with Margaret Traherne’s use of dalle- de-verre glass in the Chapel of Unity. At Manchester Cathedral, Antony Hollaway’s West Windows, installed between 1972 and 1995, inject an array of colours into the Perpendicular church and take on traditional biblical themes in a distinctively modern abstract style.

It is inspiring to see thought-provoking new glass being commissioned in the present day. Such commissions include abstract glass for ancient cathedrals – see for example the powerful Rose Window by Alan Younger that immediately greets visitors to St Albans Cathedral, or Mel Howse’s transformative Illumination Window at Durham. Thomas Denny’s creations at Leicester Cathedral – the Richard III Redemption Windows (2016) – meanwhile seek to engage with viewers on a more reflective and personal level.

Caring for England’s cathedral glass collection is crucial. There have been many excellent conservation projects in recent years; for example, Barley Studio conserved Lichfield’s sixteenth-century Herkenrode windows and installed an external layer of protective isothermal glass (p. 32), and Holy Well Glass cleaned and conserved Exeter’s sixteenth-century windows. But in 2023, stained glass was added to the Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts due to a halt in mouth-blown sheet glass production in England, the limited number of workshops offering specialist training, and the decline in higher institutions providing technical and art-historical training in stained glass. Added to this are the complicated systems for commissioning and approving new glass schemes for churches and cathedrals. Jack Clare of Holy Well Glass believes this has resulted in a ‘massive gap in designing new work to scale’.

For this book we follow fifty windows or glazing schemes chosen by each of the cathedrals of the Church of England, as well as from two Royal Peculiars (Westminster Abbey and St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle) and St German’s Cathedral, Isle of Man. Together they exhibit remarkable craftsmanship and stories from every century from the twelfth century onwards. Although there are highly significant artists – including outstanding modern practitioners such as Keith New (1925–2012), John Maine (b. 1942) and Mark Cazalet (b. 1964) – who could not be included in this volume for reasons of space, the entries collected here indicate the depth and range of stained-glass artistry in our cathedrals.

England’s remarkable cathedral glass collection is accessible nationwide and open year-round. We encourage people to go and seek out cathedral glass for themselves, and to enjoy engaging with it as our predecessors did in previous centuries.

Janet Gough, April 2025

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

 

Picture credits –  York Glaziers Trust © Chapter of York; David Brook; Andy Marshall; Mel Howse and Vitreous Art Ltd; Portsmouth Cathedral; Marcus Green; Lichfield Cathedral; The Chapter, Canterbury Cathedral; Dan Beal; Lynne Alcott Kogel; Wells Cathedral; Holy Well Glass; Kevin Lewis; Tom Soper Photography; Rob Scott; Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford; Gordon Plumb; Winchester Cathedral; Janet Gough; Kevin Caldwell © Off the Rails Australasia Pty Ltd; Steven Jugg; Declan Spreadbury/Salisbury Cathedral; Gordon Taylor; Bradford Cathedral/Philip Lickley; Chris Parkinson; Gill Poole; Chris Hutt; Paul Barker; Christopher Guy/Worcester Cathedral; Mark Charter; © David Whyman; Clive Tanner; Peterborough Cathedral; Bill Smith/Norwich Cathedral; Peter Hildebrand/Visit Stained Glass; Luke Watson; Patrick Fitzsimons; Bristol Cathedral; David Pratt; Aaron Law; Manchester Cathedral/Nathan Whittaker; Liverpool Cathedral; Gareth Jones Photography; Salisbury Cathedral; St Albans Cathedral; Dr Chris Brooke; Southwell Cathedral Chapter; Blackburn Cathedral; Richard Jarvis and Aidan McRae Thomson of Norgrove Studios Ltd.

Exeter Cathedral will be hosting a sound and light show that promises to take visitors on a journey through the rich history of storytelling.

Titled The Storytellers, the art installation is the creation of artistic collaboration Luxmuralis and will be transforming the historic building’s architecture with literary-inspired projections from 7-10 January.The Storytellers will take visitors through multiple spectacular sound and light artworks exploring literary themes allowing people to walk through ancient texts and become immersed in the realms of famous authors’ imaginations.

Photo Credit: The Storytellers by Luxmuralis at Winchester Cathedral.

Organisers at Exeter Cathedral are delighted to welcome Luxmuralis back to the cathedral for their sixth installation. The Very Reverend Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter, said:

“Exeter Cathedral provides the perfect canvas for Luxmuralis’ Storytellers sound and light show. In 2026, not only will the cathedral’s nave and quire be transformed by mesmerising projections, but we’re extending into the newly renovated east end and Friends’ Cloister Gallery as well – all beautifully illuminated by the artworks.

“We are particularly excited by this year’s literary-themed son-et-lumiere because Exeter Cathedral is home to a huge library with many fascinating stories to tell – including the 10th century Exeter Book, the oldest book of English literature in the world.

“Luxmuralis’ shows are always very popular and provide the ideal opportunity to come and see this fantastic building in a new light.  We much look forward to welcoming visitors from all over Devon and beyond.”

Luxmuralis is an artistic collaboration between sculptor, Peter Walker, and composer, David Harper. Together they specialise in immersive fine art, light and sound installations, providing access to visual artwork in public as well as unexpected places including cathedrals and sacred spaces.

Peter Walker, Artistic Director of Luxmuralis, says he is excited to bring the experience to the cathedral in Exeter:

“We are delighted to return to Exeter Cathedral – a most remarkable setting for journeying visitors through our unique light and sound installations. The Storytellers will take visitors on a truly immersive experience through the genres of stories and novels, fantasy, romance legends and the stories we recall from childhood as nearly every inch of the Cathedral is brought to life with light and sound installations”

During their visit to the immersive show, visitors can also enjoy refreshments in the cathedral’s Refectory and visit the cathedral’s shop – both of which will be atmospherically illuminated to complement Luxmuralis’ experience.

Tickets are £10 for adults, £5 for children (Ages 4-17) and £25 for a family of four ( adults, 2 children.).

Tickets can be purchased via the Exeter Cathedral website here. Advance booking is recommended.

Photo Credit: Main Image, The Storytellers by Luxmuralis at Durham Cathedral.

Stained-glass windows combine light and colour with imagery and sophisticated design to illuminate interior spaces, communicate religious and other messages, and perhaps offer us a glimpse of heaven.

Pt 1 – The Middle Ages & Reformation  Pt 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century  Pt 3 – Modern Age

Visitors are often captivated by the stained glass of England’s cathedrals, but few realise that it represents a significant national art collection. For example, the City of Birmingham’s most internationally renowned artworks are arguably the four windows – the Nativity, Ascension, Crucifixion and Last Judgement.

Designed by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris in the late nineteenth century for St Philip’s, now Birmingham Cathedral, where they can be viewed daily. Perhaps because they are built into cathedral walls, stained-glass windows rarely appear in exhibitions. But they are frequently visited and admired in situ, as cathedrals have always been public spaces, attracting worshippers, pilgrims, individuals seeking sanctuary, tourists, and, critically, donors.

Glass is formed from a mixture of silica (sand), minerals and binders such as sodium carbonate. Coloured or stained glass is produced when these are combined with metallic oxides or salts at very high temperatures. Stained glass was initially invented and developed in the Middle East. The Romans later introduced glass blowing, which enabled them to create glass jewellery, decorations and drinking vessels. In early Christian times, small glass pieces began to be incorporated into windows. St Benet Biscop introduced coloured-glass windows from Rome and his monastic church St Paul’s Jarrow, home to the Venerable Bede, contains excavated fragments of England’s oldest-known window glass (dating from the seventh century). The earliest notable surviving stained-glass schemes are at Canterbury and were created following Archbishop Thomas Becket’s murder in the Cathedral in 1170. It has recently been established that Canterbury’s Ancestors stained-glass panels may have been made even earlier, 1130–60 (prophet Methuselah). England’s cathedrals can therefore boast stained-glass treasures and stained-glass production for nearly 900 years.

Filling large architectural window openings with stained glass requires the combined skills of glassmakers, masons and artisans. Artists’ designs must accommodate often complex window and tracery shapes. Designs and storyboards must meet the approval of the donors and clergy who coordinate the work, as well as that of the communities for which these windows are intended. Immense artistic and technical skills are required to then create scenes in coloured glass, vitreous paint and lead (often working from large-scale cartoons).

Abbé Suger (1085–1151) argued that light as it entered a church through stained glass became divine light, symbolising God’s presence on Earth. He went on to build the abbey and royal church of Saint-Denis, north of Paris, which was designed to be a ‘temple of light’. His Cathedral made innovative use of ribbed vaults, pointed arches and large stained-glass windows. Saint-Denis marks the transition from Romanesque to Gothic architecture.

English stained glass and the desire to fill cathedral buildings with divine light are closely associated with the evolution of Gothic architecture – the first architecture breaking entirely new ground since Roman times. Gothic windows became taller and thinner over time – see for example the Five Sisters grisaille lancet windows at York (above). Lancets were soon merged and divided by straight and curving stone tracery, and also came to occupy more of the wall space, as we can see at Gloucester Cathedral. Simultaneously, the glass designs filling these windows reflected developing styles in ecclesiastical art.

Even today, amidst the abundance of TV and video, the light passing through Wells Cathedral’s exquisite Jesse Window (above), with its curling vines and its S-shaped Virgin placed beneath Christ crucified on a swaying tree, creates a stunning display, spilling onto the adjacent stonework. Despite our limited knowledge of the medieval religious world, attending evensong at Wells Cathedral is an otherworldly experience.

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

Glass is inevitably vulnerable to forces such as weather, wars and iconoclasm, as well as to periods of straightforward indifference, but it is nonetheless remarkable how much medieval stained glass has survived. Few medieval windows remain untouched today, however, and sometimes only fragments remain from vast windows (Winchester Cathedral provides a striking example). The glass of the West Window at St George’s Chapel, Windsor was removed and stored during the English Civil War (1642–51). It underwent restoration in the 1760s and then again in the 1840s, when seven new figures were introduced by Thomas Willement. Several of these figures are composites of glass from different periods. Similarly, the lower panes of Carlisle’s East Window (below)) – the glass in the upper part of which dates back to the mid-fourteenth century – were created by Hardman & Co. in the 1860s.

After the disruptions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries – partly Reformation- and Renaissance-driven – and the consequent loss of ancient glassmaking techniques, the nineteenth century saw a revived interest in medieval stained glass. This period once again valued stained glass for purposes of devotion, teaching and decoration. The mid- and late nineteenth century was a golden age of stained glass production, with many windows being created as memorials. Reacting against the industrialisation of glassmaking, some artists, like the pre-Raphaelites who formed William Morris & Co., explored radical new techniques and approaches (early examples at Bradford Cathedral, and then later at Birmingham). Arts and Crafts practitioners such as the influential Christopher Whall (Gloucester Lady Chapel) sought to return to closer working with glassmakers and experimented with new handmade glass techniques.

At this time women glass designers came to the fore. Mary Lowndes (1857–1929), formerly an assistant to Henry Holiday (Chelmsford), co-founded the Glass House studio in Fulham in 1906, which nearly fifty years later Moira Forsyth used to create her Rose Window for Guildford Cathedral.

Perhaps surprisingly considering the democratic worship style of the twentieth century, stained glass remained popular. Arguably England’s most coherent and impressive stained-glass cathedral is Coventry, where in the 1950s architect Basil Spence worked with John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens on the huge abstract Baptistery Window. In addition to commissioning art and furnishings for Coventry Cathedral, Spence worked with Lawrence Lee and his students from the Royal College of Art – many of whom went on to become famous glassmakers – on a major scheme of windows that, unusually, was designed to be read from the east. At Coventry we also find new techniques, as with Margaret Traherne’s use of dalle- de-verre glass in the Chapel of Unity. At Manchester Cathedral, Antony Hollaway’s West Windows, installed between 1972 and 1995, inject an array of colours into the Perpendicular church and take on traditional biblical themes in a distinctively modern abstract style.

It is inspiring to see thought-provoking new glass being commissioned in the present day. Such commissions include abstract glass for ancient cathedrals – see for example the powerful Rose Window by Alan Younger that immediately greets visitors to St Albans Cathedral, or Mel Howse’s transformative Illumination Window at Durham. Thomas Denny’s creations at Leicester Cathedral – the Richard III Redemption Windows (2016) – meanwhile seek to engage with viewers on a more reflective and personal level.

Caring for England’s cathedral glass collection is crucial. There have been many excellent conservation projects in recent years; for example, Barley Studio conserved Lichfield’s sixteenth-century Herkenrode windows and installed an external layer of protective isothermal glass (p. 32), and Holy Well Glass cleaned and conserved Exeter’s sixteenth-century windows. But in 2023, stained glass was added to the Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts due to a halt in mouth-blown sheet glass production in England, the limited number of workshops offering specialist training, and the decline in higher institutions providing technical and art-historical training in stained glass. Added to this are the complicated systems for commissioning and approving new glass schemes for churches and cathedrals. Jack Clare of Holy Well Glass believes this has resulted in a ‘massive gap in designing new work to scale’.

For this book we follow fifty windows or glazing schemes chosen by each of the cathedrals of the Church of England, as well as from two Royal Peculiars (Westminster Abbey and St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle) and St German’s Cathedral, Isle of Man. Together they exhibit remarkable craftsmanship and stories from every century from the twelfth century onwards. Although there are highly significant artists – including outstanding modern practitioners such as Keith New (1925–2012), John Maine (b. 1942) and Mark Cazalet (b. 1964) – who could not be included in this volume for reasons of space, the entries collected here indicate the depth and range of stained-glass artistry in our cathedrals.

England’s remarkable cathedral glass collection is accessible nationwide and open year-round. We encourage people to go and seek out cathedral glass for themselves, and to enjoy engaging with it as our predecessors did in previous centuries.

Janet Gough, April 2025

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

 

Picture credits –  York Glaziers Trust © Chapter of York; David Brook; Andy Marshall; Mel Howse and Vitreous Art Ltd; Portsmouth Cathedral; Marcus Green; Lichfield Cathedral; The Chapter, Canterbury Cathedral; Dan Beal; Lynne Alcott Kogel; Wells Cathedral; Holy Well Glass; Kevin Lewis; Tom Soper Photography; Rob Scott; Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford; Gordon Plumb; Winchester Cathedral; Janet Gough; Kevin Caldwell © Off the Rails Australasia Pty Ltd; Steven Jugg; Declan Spreadbury/Salisbury Cathedral; Gordon Taylor; Bradford Cathedral/Philip Lickley; Chris Parkinson; Gill Poole; Chris Hutt; Paul Barker; Christopher Guy/Worcester Cathedral; Mark Charter; © David Whyman; Clive Tanner; Peterborough Cathedral; Bill Smith/Norwich Cathedral; Peter Hildebrand/Visit Stained Glass; Luke Watson; Sheffield Cathedral; Patrick Fitzsimons; Bristol Cathedral; David Pratt; Aaron Law; Manchester Cathedral/Nathan Whittaker; Liverpool Cathedral; Gareth Jones Photography; Salisbury Cathedral; St Albans Cathedral; Dr Chris Brooke; Southwell Cathedral Chapter; Blackburn Cathedral; Richard Jarvis and Aidan McRae Thomson of Norgrove Studios Ltd.

Glass production is an ancient art form, but it has remained consistently popular over the past hundred years or so. Glassmaking has also continued to evolve: this section is bookended by women artists (Chester and Durham), and the work of female practitioners is discussed in a number of other entries as well. The Glass House studio in Fulham was to become home to a number of women artists, including Moira Forsyth (Guildford and Norwich).

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

The two world wars provided the occasion for installations such as the Dunkirk and D-Day Windows at Portsmouth Cathedral. Bomb damage furthermore necessitated the replacement of many medieval and Victorian windows.

War-damaged Coventry Cathedral was completely rebuilt in a modern style in the space of five years by Basil Spence. Spence worked with artists such as Lawrence Lee – who with his students from the Royal College of Art created experimental abstract windows – and John Piper, who created the astonishing Baptistery Window with Patrick Reyntiens.

Compared with Continental Europe and the Catholic Church, the Church of England has commissioned relatively little abstract glass – although compelling examples at Derby, Blackburn and St Albans are all included here. Christopher Webb’s windows at Sheffield Cathedral meanwhile illustrate theological concepts and biblical and local stories in a more traditional style, combining draughtsmanship with sophisticated glass techniques.

Freedom of style and dynamic design in six new West Windows by Antony Hollaway have added intense colour and joy to the Perpendicular Manchester Cathedral. New subject matter is evident from the Prisoners of Conscience Window at Salisbury, and from the treatment of both personal and historical themes – with King Richard III presented as Everyman – in Thomas Denny’s windows at Leicester. Denny, whose work features in several cathedrals, is notable for his exceptionally imaginative narrative and reflective compositions, as well as for his use of traditional glassmaking techniques and extensive painting and etching.

CHESTER CATHEDRAL – Cloister Windows (1920s)

Thirty-four windows with 130 lights, presented as an Anglican calendar, most from the studio of F.C. Eden (1864–1944) and A.K. Nicholson (1871–1937), alongside designs by Chester artist Trena Cox (1895–1980), cloister window 2.4 × 0.4 m

The Cloister Windows at Chester Cathedral are at the heart of the monastic site that was once home to the Benedictine Abbey of St Werburgh. Their unique scheme of glazing depicts the liturgical calendar.

That scheme was part of the vision for Chester Cathedral of Frank Selwyn Macaulay Bennett, Dean of Chester 1920–37. Dean Bennett believed that Chester Cathedral should be ‘open without fence or fee’, and so removed the entrance fee for visitors to the Cathedral – making him the first Anglican dean to do so. He saw the value in caring for history and heritage, and he quickly set about restoring and developing parts of the Cathedral that had fallen into disrepair, including the cloister and garth. A glazing scheme for the cloister seemed to Bennett to accord with the medieval appearance of the space, which provides a warm and quiet area in which visitors can walk and reflect.

The scheme for the Cloister Windows takes the Anglican liturgical calendar in use in the early twentieth century as its thematic guide, with a section on the south walk reserved for English post-Reformation ‘saints’. The majority of the window were commissioned from the London studios of Frederick Eden and Archibald Nicholson. Two four-light windows depicting historical figures and relating to the Abbey of St Werburgh were commissioned from Arts and Crafts artist Trena Cox, a Chester resident.

As a scheme of windows on a single theme visible at eye level, the Cloister Windows were and continue to be immensely popular with pilgrims to Chester Cathedral. They provide an opportunity to ‘walk’ the liturgical year, to contemplate the changing seasons, and to admire the skill employed to make Dean Bennett’s project a reality.

EXETER CATHEDRAL – Drake Memorial Window and Blessed James of Ulm, Patron of Glaziers (1921)

Commemorating Frederick Drake, Cathedral glazier for forty years (1880–1920), Friends’ Cloister Gallery, above door of former Chapel of the Holy Ghost, 3.1 × 1.8 m (full window), 1.6 × 0.4 m (figure and inscriptions)

Three generations of the Drake family worked as glaziers at Exeter Cathedral, and all three are associated with this window. In 1921 Frederick Morris Drake installed a window in the outer wall of the passage connecting the south tower with the chapter house to commemorate his father, Frederick Drake – who had been appointed Cathedral glazier in 1880 – and his foreman glazier, William Bellringer. Its central figure is Blessed James of Ulm, the patron of glaziers, who was surrounded by earlier glass that had recently been returned to Exeter Cathedral by the Architectural Association.

After the Second World War the window was restored by Frederick’s granddaughter, Daphne, who added a dedication to her father, Frederick Morris, and her uncle, Wilfred (also a glazier). The earlier glass was used elsewhere in the Cathedral.

After the Drake memorial glass was repaired and conserved in 2024, it was reinstalled facing the opposite direction, with back lighting, since the wall containing the window had become an internal wall of the newly constructed Friends’ Cloister Gallery (built on the footprint of the medieval east cloister and designed by Camilla Finlay of Clews Architects).

Blessed James was a fifteenth-century stained-glass craftsman who entered the Dominican order. Frederick Drake’s face is used in the window’s portrayal of Blessed James, here shown wearing Dominican robes and an apron with glazier’s tools in the pocket.

In this remarkable composition, the vidimus being held is that of the Grandisson Window which Frederick Drake designed for Exeter Cathedral. Located over the south door in the west front, it commemorates John Grandisson, Bishop of Exeter 1327–69.

Unfortunately, Drake’s Grandisson Window was destroyed in 1942, but in 1949 Lyon John Rosevear used Frederick Drake’s original cartoon to recreate it.

GUILDFORD CATHEDRAL – East, Rose Window (commissioned 1939 – dedicated 1952)

Gifts of the Holy Spirit, designed by Moira Forsyth (1905–91) in Norman slab glass and made in the Glass House, Fulham, above high altar, diameter 3.2 m

The eyes of visitors arriving at the West Door of Guildford Cathedral are immediately drawn to the striking East, Rose Window. It was designed by Moira Forsyth on instructionsfrom the Cathedral architect Edward Maufe. The window signifies the Cathedral’s dedication to the Holy Spirit.The central panel shows the Holy Spirit as a descending dove, below which is the legend ‘Veni Creator Spiritus’ (‘Come, Holy Spirit’).

In the outer border beyond the depicted Attendant Angels appear the Latin names of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Pietas (True Godliness), Consilium (Counsel), Intellectus(Understanding), Sapienta (Wisdom), Fortitudo (Steadfastness), Scienta (Knowledge) and Timor Domini (Fear of the Lord, or Contemplation).

Forsyth’s work is shot through with a seriousness of theological intent and is underpinned by the extreme care she took at the design stage. She drew upon tradition as well as such Arts and Crafts-inspired techniques – she trained at the Royal College of Art under Martin Travers – as the use of slab glass. Her windows also feature heavy cross-hatching and lettering.

Forsyth related the circumstances of the window’s creation: ‘The first window of any importance I was commissioned to make was the East Window for Guildford Cathedral of which only the Crypt had been built at the time … the window was made under extreme difficulties. The first bombs on London damaged our glass studio (Lettice Street) and I had to restore what I could of the cartoon and complete the glass sections, which were stored in the crypt. Only when the Cathedral was completed did I realise how high the window was in the structure and [that it] looked comparatively small … but as the glass was all Norman slab (alas no longer available) it does radiate enough colour to make it intelligible.

SHEFFIELD CATHEDRAL – Te Deum Window (1948)

Designed by Christopher Webb (1886–1966), Chapel of the Holy Spirit, window 7 × 4 m

The parish church of Sheffield became a cathedral in 1914. Shortly afterwards, a scheme to enlarge the building was prepared by Sir Charles Nicholson and partially carried outfrom 1936 onwards. Although the scheme was eventually replaced by a less ambitious programme, its surviving buildings contain sixteen windows designed between 1935and 1948 by Christopher Webb.

Many of Webb’s windows in the Cathedral depict episodes and figures from the city’s history. His finest work, however, is the Te Deum Window in the Chapel of the HolySpirit. Completed in 1948, it would have been the liturgical East Window of the Lady Chapel in Nicholson’s scheme. The chapel is now dedicated to the Holy Spirit, and its chief gloryis Webb’s magnificent interpretation of the fifth-century Te Deum hymn. The window is a memorial to George Campbell Ommanney, vicar of the adjoining parish of St Matthew,Carver Street from 1882 to 1936. Father Ommanney was a leading Anglo-Catholic priest whose devoted ministry in his deprived parish wonadmiration even from those of very different theological outlooks from his.

The Te Deum is a hymn of praise to God from all created beings. At the centre of the window is Christ in Majesty – ‘thou art the King of glory’, as the hymn says – placed above the Virgin and Child (‘thou didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb’). Close to Christ are red-winged angels – cherubim and seraphim – and in other lights we see prophets, Apostles(each with their traditional attributes), martyrs, and ‘the holy Church throughout all the world’. Interestingly, numbered among the martyrs are Bishop James Hannington, missionary to Uganda, and Jan Hus. From the modern global Church we see Archbishop William Temple, Bishop Philip Lindel Tsen (China) and Bishop Vedanayakam Samuel Azariah (India).

BRISTOL CATHEDRAL – Windows in the East Walk of the Cloister (1953)

Seven cloister windows dating from the sixteenth century, reglazed in 1950s incorporating medieval, Victorian and 1950s decorative glass by Arnold Wathen Robinson (1888–1955), each three-light window 1.9 × 1.4 m

Much of the medieval glass in Bristol Cathedral was blown out in the Bristol Blitz of January 1941. Some of the rescued fragments were included in a schemeto glaze the cloister that was carried out in 1951. The scheme tells the story of the Augustinian abbey on which the Cathedral was founded, with the central panels depicting historical figures (beginning with St Victor and ending with King Henry VIII) associated with the abbey. Both the borders and the tracerysections of the windows are made up of late medieval fragments, while larger pieces of medieval glass are interspersed between the figurative windows.

The glazing was carried out by Arnold Wathen Robinson, who was also responsible for the war memorial windows on the north side of the nave, and for the scenes of the childhood of Christ in the Berkeley Chapel. Born in Gloucestershire in 1888, Robinson was an apprentice to Christopher Whall between 1906 and 1912, after which hereturned to the West Country, where he eventually took over the Bristol firm Bell & Co. in 1923.

The cloister scheme affords the viewer the unusual opportunity to see medieval glass at close quarters. The rich variety of medieval artistry and craftsmanship can be discerned in the jewel-like colouring of the decorative elements, the sensitive handling of faces and hands, and the humour evident in the rendering of animals. Two notable details include a close-up view of the face of an angel who is holding the chains of a thurible, and a pair of comedically portrayed sprites (above).

PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL – Dunkirk and D-Day Windows (1956)

Two windows by Edwards & Powell, south wall, Chapel of Healing and Reconciliation, 2.6 × 0.6 m (each window)

Portsmouth Cathedral is known as the ‘Cathedral of the Sea’, and the maritime history of Portsmouth is evident from a whole variety of memorials, windows and objects found within the building. A crucial moment in this history was the 1940 rescue of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Dunkirk by the famous ‘little ships’. This was at the instigation of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, who also commanded the seaborne forces for the D-Day landings of 1944.

In January 1945, with the victory of the Allies assured but the war not yet over, a plane carrying Ramsay and his staff crashed on take-off, killing everyone on board.

On the south side of Portsmouth Cathedral is the Chapel of Healing and Reconciliation, and windows there contain images of both Dunkirk and D-Day. These are also a memorial to Admiral Ramsay, and to those who served under his command. They were installed in 1956 by Carl Edwards and Hugh Powell’s glassmaking firm (whose makers’ mark, ‘E & P’ over a pestle and mortar, with the date 1955 beneath, is in the bottom left-hand corner of the Dunkirk Window).

The ‘SN’ immediately above the stained-glass image of Dunkirk is for St Nicholas, patron saint of sailors, while the ‘SG’ in the D-Day Window signifies St George, patron saint of soldiers. Adjacent to these initials are images of a nettle and a flower, which make reference to Hotspur’s speech in favour of courage and bold action in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1: ‘out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety’. Careful observers of the windows will note that, above the depiction of seaborne sailors and soldiers hemmed in by shellfire sending up huge plumes of water, the skies are full of aeroplanes. In this way all three services of the British Armed Forces are represented.

COVENTRY CATHEDRAL – Baptistery Window (1962)

198 colourful textured abstract panes occupying full height of bowed baptistery, designed by John Piper (1903–92) and made by Patrick Reyntiens (1925–2021), north-west end of nave, 17 × 26 m

The Coventry Cathedral Baptistery Window is one of the country’s finest, and largest, twentieth-century stained-glass windows. It is made up of 198 lights that combine to produce a breathtaking explosion of colour. The lights curve slightly around a small platform that supports the font, which is made of a rough-hewn boulder from a hillside outside Bethlehem.

Each pane of the window faithfully reproduces John Piper’s richly textured designs, which included different forms of collage, layers of paint, and wax resists. So skilfully does Patrick Reyntiens’s glasswork bring the designs – including Piper’s apparently random blobs of colour – to life that the result is almost mobilein its intensity. The final installation is commonly referred to as the Piper/Reyntiens window, on the grounds that the window’s fabrication is as significant to its impact as the design.

Like most other coloured glass in the Cathedral, the Baptistery Window is abstract. The emphasis placed on the ‘blaze of light’ in the centre of the window conveys the glory of God in the sacrament of Baptism. Above are the deep blues of the heavens, and below are the varied greens of the earth. The best way to mediate the window’s overwhelming impact is to stand far back – to look at it from across the space of the rear of the nave – and then proceed to walk up and engage with one of the lower panes in detail. The variety of colour in the individual lights speaks of the beautiful, complex diversity that the Cathedral celebrates in its call to reconciliation. These lights come together in a form that, in the words of Bishop Cuthbert Bardsley, ‘expressed faith in an entirely new way[,] with the subject emerging through the glory of the colour’.

NORWICH CATHEDRAL – Benedictines in England Window (1964)

Designed by Moira Forsyth (1905–91) and made by Dennis King (1912–95) of King & Sons, Bauchun Lady Chapel, window 5.8 × 3.5 m

Of the twenty medieval cathedrals in England, nine were Benedictine priories. The phenomenon of monastic cathedrals was virtually unique to England and had a profound impact on other English cathedrals, both before and after the dissolution of the monasteries.

Norwich was the last of the monastic cathedrals to be founded (in 1096) and the first to surrender to the Crown (in 1538) – the latter ensuring a complete continuity of personnel between the last Prior and his monks and the first Dean and his canons. Since the second half of the nineteenth century, the mission and ministry of Norwich Cathedral have been decisively shaped by its Benedictine heritage.

The Benedictine Window is a strong statement of the importance of that inheritance. It is located in the fourteenth-century Bauchun Chapel of Our Lady of Pity (named for its benefactor, William Bauchun, a merchant and lay servant of the Priory, who is depicted holding the chapel). In accordance with the tradition of narrative historia, the window traces the development of Benedictine monasticism from Benedict’s career as a young hermit to the commissioning of Augustine by the Benedictine Pope Gregory the Great (597) and the accomplishments of notable monastics in England. Benedictine contributions to the visual arts figure prominently: note St Augustine’s icon of Christ and St Æthelwold holding his Benedictional. The bell adjacent to St Dunstan is a reminder of his skill as a metalsmith and musician; St Benet Biscop, the builder of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, is shown with the window glazing he introduced.

It is worth noticing two misattributions: neither Bauchun nor Julian of Norwich, shown habited here, belonged to a religious order. This window was among Moira Forsyth’s own favourites, in part because of the importance of leading in the design, and in part because of her love of lettering.

DERBY CATHEDRAL – All Souls and All Saints Windows (1964)

Two stained-glass windows designed by Ceri Richards (1903–71) and made by Patrick Reyntiens (1925–2021), nave East Windows, 5.25 × 2 m

Visitors to Derby Cathedral are immediately drawn into a space that is suffused with daylight, thanks to the clear glass on the north and south walls and in the retrochoir. The interplay of light, colour and beauty make a profound impact – after which the visitor encounters the only two stained-glass windows in the early Georgian nave.They bring drama, colour and theological depth to Derby Cathedral’s worship.

These windows were installed in 1964. They were designed by the celebrated artist Ceri Richards and made by Patrick Reyntiens. Their sharp blue and yellow colours and their fluent abstract shapes and patterns are more basic and elemental than anything else in the Cathedral, giving the viewer a glimpse of the primordial struggle between darkness and light. The harmony of the right-hand window expresses the triumph of light over darkness and the reconciliation of all creation through Christ, who is depicted through the emergence of a cross.

In the All Souls Window on the left-hand side, Richards offers a meditation on the soul of humanity emerging from its physical limitations. We see this process reaching its consummation in the right-hand All Saints Window (its name being a reference to the Cathedral building’s tenth-century designation as the Collegiate Church of All Saints).

The blues and yellows pick up the colouring of the famous metal-work screen in Derby Cathedral, which was executed by the Derby- based early Georgian ironworker Robert Bakewell. The windows in the north and south aisles and Bakewell’s chancel screen together offer the worshipper an integrated view across the breadth of the nave. They speak eloquently of both the gift of our humanity and the experience of being lifted to the divine through the Holy Eucharist.

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL – West Windows, including St George Window (1972–95)

Five stained-glass windows, including the first-completed St George Window (1972), 4.7 × 2.25 m, all by Antony Hollaway (1928–2000), set in Perpendicular-style windows along west façade of the nave

Out of terrible tragedy, new beauty can sometimes emerge. In December 1940 Manchester Cathedral endured a German bombing attack that shattered all of its windowglass. Restoration of the main fabric of the Cathedral was complete by 1955, but the replacement of the building’s stained glass only went as far as the use of a traditional design for the East Window above the Lady Chapel.

In the 1960s, however, a decision was made to use contemporary designs for the remaining windows, with Antony Hollaway being commissioned (with support ofcathedral architect Henry Fairhurst) to design five windows along the west façade of the nave. The patronal saints St George, St Mary and St Denys are bookended in this series by depictions of the Creation and Revelation; the design and installation took place between 1972 and 1995.

The five windows were produced in deep hues to take account of their west-facing location. They ought to be read together for full insight into their splendour and grandeur,but each is a masterpiece in its own right. The four-lightwindow celebrating St George, the first of the five to be completed, was funded by Mrs Frances Anderson in memory of her husband. An off-centre white cross for England is overlaid by a full-height scarlet cross for St George, the strength and verticality of which are derived from the closegrouping of small, narrow slivers of rose and pink. These two crosses drawthe eye to the forked tail of the dragon to the left and overlay the sinuousbody writhing at the bottom of the window. Small, pebble-like panes to the right, representing the dragon’s scales, cluster below the outstretched bar of the red cross. This, the most representational design of the five windows, leads satisfyingly into the more abstract designs of the other four.

RIPON CATHEDRAL – St Wilfrid Window (1977)

Harry Harvey (1922–2011), east wall of north transept, 2.9 × 1.2 m

This striking window is by Harry Harvey, a renowned York artist, and dates from 1977. It was given in memory of Charles Sykes, who was a successful businessman in the West Yorkshire wool trade.

It illustrates the life of St Wilfrid, builder of the first church on this site in AD 672 and forever associated with Ripon. Remarkably, Wilfrid’s crypt survives as the oldest complete structure of any English cathedral.

Bearing a sword and shield is the Archangel Michael, who was linked with key moments in Wilfrid’s life. In the centre is the imposing figure of Wilfrid as Bishop of Northumbria. Around him in the fragmented glass are the symbols of the four Evangelists: to the left the head of a man (Matthew) and that of a lion (Mark); to the right the head of an ox (Luke) and that of an eagle (John).

A left-hand panel features the word ‘Lindisfarne’ written vertically beside a scene of the young Wilfrid being sent by Eanflæd, Queen of Northumbria, to study and serve at Lindisfarne, where he lived for four years from the age of fourteen.

On the right are St Andrew and St Peter, each with his name written vertically. Wilfrid dedicated his Ripon church to St Peter and his church in Hexham to St Andrew.

At the bottom left is a scene from Wilfrid’s birth, when his home was seen to be on fire; neighbours rushed with buckets to douse the flames, only to learn from a maidservant that all was well – the flames were a heavenly sign of the child’s holy calling.

The final scene on the right illustrates the story of Wilfrid teaching the South Saxons to fish at a time of acute famine. Wilfrid was successful inconverting the last pagan kingdom in the country to Christianity.

CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL – Chagall Window (1978)

Commissioned by Dean Walter Hussey, designed by Marc Chagall (1887–1985) and made by Charles Marq (1923–2006) at Reims Cathedral, north choir aisle, c.3.5 × 1.25 m

Dean Walter Hussey was responsible for commissioning a number of Modernist artists to produce works for the Church: both at Chichester Cathedral and while he was a vicar in Northampton. He believed that these artists brought a dignity and force to their art that could help the Church communicate its message.

One of his Chichester commissions was a stained-glass window from Marc Chagall. It came about after Hussey saw a set of stained- glass windows produced by Chagall for a hospital synagogue in Jerusalem. These windows were displayed in the Louvre in Paris in 1961 before being shipped to their ultimate home.

The Chichester window is predominantly red in colour, with a number of small figures scattered throughout. Some of these are people, some are animals, and a few are part-animal and part-human. Most are singing or playing musical instruments, recalling the universal outpouring of praise described in Psalm 150. The figures appear to be floating, a motif which is typical of Chagall’s work and which goes back to the folk imagery of his childhood home in rural Russia.

Hussey’s theme for the window was ‘The Arts to the Glory of God’, and this brightly coloured window certainly meets that description. Chagall was aware of the spiritual depth of his stained glass; he said in an interview that ‘every colour should encourage prayer’, and he saw his work in stained glass as a form of prayer in itself. The window was made in the workshop of Charles Marq at Reims Cathedral, with Chagall working on it in the studio at his home. It was delayed because the requisite red glass was only manufactured twice a year, in June and December. When the window was finally completed and installed, Hussey, now retired, returned to Chichester for the unveiling on 6 October 1978.

LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL – Benedicite or Great West Window (1979)

Handmade English glass in three lancets (16 m high) and a fan light, by Carl Edwards (1914–85), made at the Glass House, Fulham, spans 149 m2 of glass

Work began on the Great West Window in the 1970s as the Cathedral was nearing completion. The subject of the window is the Benedicite, the Canticle to the Apocrypha, which begins ‘O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.’

The stained glass consists of three lights, tracery, and a large fan light. The window covers approximately 149 square metres, more than twenty-three times the surface area of one of the nave windows. The base of the centre light depicts aMersey scene, showing both the Royal Liver Building and the Mersey Ferry.

The artist Carl Edwards wrote the following description of the window: ‘It is the treatment and disposition of the colour … where the difference is greatest when compared to the other windows in the Cathedral. Great vertical passages of colour run the entire length of the lights, and parallel with the blue run long vertical passages of gold, which issue from the large figure of our Lord in the fanlight. Reds and greens and other contrasting tints and hues relieve the illustrated parts of the Canticle which interrupt the vertical lines of blue and gold.

The treatment, types of glass and use of thick leads follow the techniques used for the nave windows. English handmade glass is used because its varying texture and thickness mean that the window’s colours are always capable of attracting attention, however indifferent the light may be on a dull winter’s day. The surface of the glass is kept free from half-tones, allowing the maximum amount of light to penetrate the Cathedral.

SALISBURY CATHEDRAL – Prisoners of Conscience Window (1980)

Vibrant blue stained glass in five lancet windows designed by Gabriel Loire (1904–96), made at Maison Lorin studio in Chartres, Trinity Chapel at east end of the Cathedral, 5.8 × 1.5 m (central light) and 4.9 × 0.9 m (sides)

‘Who else in this 20th century of frightfulness could be more appropriately commemorated in a new window in an ancient cathedral than the men and women who, at the cost of mental anguish, physical pain, spiritual humiliation, isolation or premature death, have upheld by nonviolent witness the dignity of the human person against falsehood and tyranny?’ – Dean Sydney Evans

On his appointment as Dean of Salisbury in 1977, friends of Sydney Evans expressed their interest in what he would do about the Cathedral’s interior.‘Once inside you feel that somehow the glory has departed,’ one complained. Evans attributed this feeling to the muted colours of the Chilmark limestone and Purbeck marble from which the Cathedral is built. He determined that a new window would transform the experience of anyone gazing at the unimpeded vista from west to east – catching, as he put it, ‘the eye of the morning and the eye of the visitor and the inner eye of the worshipper’.

For four decades Gabriel Loire’s window has done just that, with its gorgeous colour glowing gently at the Cathedral’s east end on the gloomiest of winter afternoons. Working on the outskirts of Chartres, Loire was well acquainted with the rich shades of blue that characterise Chartres Cathedral’s unparalleled medieval windows. These he brought to Salisbury, to stunning effect.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that Evans should have chosen prisoners of conscience as the subject of the window. Salisbury treasures its copy of Magna Carta, the first charter that attempted to curb the tyranny of the monarch. The window honours the modern victims of unchecked tyranny. Their haunting faces fill the north and south lancets. And in the centre the window recalls the viewer to Christ, who suffered gross injustice at the hands of men, and whose sacrifice, glorified by God, offers hope to all.

ST ALBANS CATHEDRAL – Rose Window (1989)

Sixty-four openings of 18,000 pieces of hand-blown ‘antique glass’ as creation and the created universe, Alan Younger (1933–2004), north transept, diameter 9.1 m

Lord Grimthorpe’s heavy, clear-glazed Rose Window at St Albans Cathedral was replaced in 1989 by a glorious explosion of colour created by Alan Younger.

The great weight of Grimthorpe’s masonry immediately suggested to Younger a rich, fully coloured scheme using tiny pieces of glass to achieve a jewel-like effect. The modern window is formed of sixty-four openings and contains 18,000 pieces of hand-blown glass (known as antique glass).

Rose windows serve as symbols of creation and of the created universe. Younger chose to explore this theme using basic geometric shapes such as squares, circles and triangles. Their arrangement was informed by a simple mathematical idea from the Middle Ages: that to multiply three by four is, in a mystical sense, to infuse matter (the window’s four major circles could represent the elements) with the spirit (the window’s large triangle symbolises the Trinity). The resulting number twelve signifies order and the universal Church.

Younger’s hope was that the window would make an immediate impact upon anyone entering the building, while also rewarding the kind of extended observation that reveals the window’s intricate rhythms and mathematical groupings.

The colour, emphasis and mood of the Rose are constantly shifting as a result of changes in the light, both over the course of a single day and as one season transitions into another. The dark glazing and wire protection grill visible from the outside have led to the Rose being called the ‘Magic Window’ by the local population; the kaleidoscope of colour high in the north transept only becomes apparent when you enter the Cathedral. The window was dedicated by Diana, Princess of Wales.

SOUTHWELL MINSTER – Angel Window or Great West Window (1996)

Grisaille glass window conceived by Martin Stancliffe (1944–2025), designed by Patrick Reyntiens (1925–2021) and made by Keith Barley (b. 1951) at Barley Studio in York, 17 × 10 m

The Perpendicular Great West Window of Southwell Minster came alive in 1996, when Patrick Reyntiens filled it with scores of light-filled angelic intelligences, according to adesign suggested by architect Martin Stancliffe. The grisaille glass, with its subtle shading and layering, allows the sun to blaze through the window. Reyntiens perceived a triadic structure in the stone tracery, and sought to suggest a kind of trinitarian circling in his groupings of figures.

The angels in the lower of two rows look out at us quizzically as they mediate the days of Creation – from the explosion of light on the left, to the appearance of dry land and the separation of day and night, to the creation of birds, fishes, animals and, finally, humankind. Nestling beneath are tiny scenes of angelic intervention from Scripture. From left to right we have an angel expelling Adam and Eve from Eden, Jacob wrestling with his angel, Tobias being led by an angel, the Annunciation, Christ in the wilderness, Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and finally the angel appearing to the two Marys at the sepulchre.

Centred among the angels is the smaller figure of the Minster’s patron, the Virgin Mary. We can see the Holy Spirit brooding above her, as well as the words ‘I am who I am’ from the burning bush (Exodus 3:14) written in Hebrew (see right). The Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55) is written around the border. Above Mary, the angels become more active as their ninefold order proceeds ever nearer to the divine hand at the summit: some fling incense with abandon, while others trumpet or just wheel, coruscating like fireworks. The blue of the wise cherubim and the red of the loving seraphim predominate at the upper levels. As Reyntiens noted, ‘It is all just joy and worship’.

BLACKBURN CATHEDRAL – Cathedral Lantern Glass (1999)

Fifty-six panes of vibrant coloured glass designed by Linda Hadfield (b. 1957) for Laurence King’s (1907–81) 1950s Lantern Tower

The biblical theme of Christ as the Light of the World reaches new heights in the Lantern Tower – a striking pillar of light crowning Blackburn Cathedral.

At the east end of the building are the sanctuary, transepts and eastern chapels. Above the central altar is the ‘Corona’ – the Crown of Thorns – designed as the ‘crowning glory’ of the new Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1977. The original structure, designed by Laurence King in the 1950s, was made of concrete, to which was affixed mosaic-patterned stained glass designed by John Hayward.

Neither material stood the test of time, however, and in 1998 the Lantern Tower was rebuilt in natural stone, incorporating fifty-six new panes of traditionally made stained glass. Designed by Linda Hadfield, the new glasswork explores the theme of the Spirit of God, with dominant elements of water and fire.

Hadfield wrote of her design for the glass, ‘it encapsulates the warm reds of the morning sun contrasting through various shades to the cool blues of the evening shadows… at night, when lit, the Lantern will be a welcoming beacon for all, a pillar of fire glowing to the honour of God, mingling with the light of Heaven to dispel the darkness of the night.

When illuminated from within, the Lantern Tower shines over the town, the diocese and the county beyond, serving as both a beacon of light and a symbol of hope and trust in God. On bright days, a kaleidoscope of oranges, reds, yellows and blues cascade onto the Cathedral’s pillars, arches and floors, moving around the building as the sun changes position.

ELY CATHEDRAL – Processional Way Windows (2000)

Fourteen geometric grisaille lights, 1.8 x 1.6 m, designed by Helen Whittaker (b. 1974) and made by Barley Studio, for the 2000 Processional Way by Jane Kennedy (b. 1953), linking the Lady Chapel to the Cathedral, three blocks of four lights and two lancets

The Processional Way at Ely Cathedral was built in 2000. The first major addition to the Cathedral since the Reformation, it recreates the lost medieval passageway that once connected the Lady Chapel to the Cathedral. It was designed by Jane Kennedy, then Surveyor to the Fabric, to harmonise with its surroundings and reflect Ely’s heritage.

The windows were designed by Helen Whittaker and made by Barley Studio of York. They were one of Whittaker’s first commissions after she joined the studio. There are fourteen geometric lights, which together are intended as a timeless design sympathetic to the surrounding architecture. As with medieval grisaille (from the French gris, meaning grey), they incorporate white (clear) glass with geometric patterns and some coloured glass – predominantly grey, green and yellow. All ofthese components have medieval origins. Grisaille windows were developed during the thirteenth century and let in more light than pot-metal glass, thereby enhancing their architectural settings.Their purpose was both decorative and functional.

Whittaker’s aim was that the windows should not be a focal point, but that they should rather encourage people to move through the Processional Way. She used her training in geometry to create circles that would guide visitors through the space. All of the geometric patterns are framed with lead lines and delicate painted foliage. Incorporated into the design are small roundels containing images of Ely’s founding saint, St Etheldreda (shown with her crown and crozier), and symbols of the Virgin Mary (the monogram MR and a fleur-de-lis), the Dean and Chapter of Ely (three keys) and the Diocese of Ely (three crowns – said to represent the first three royal Abbesses of Ely).

LEICESTER CATHEDRAL – Redemption Windows (2016)

Two stained, painted and etched windows in three vertical panels by Thomas Denny (b. 1956), St Katherine’s Chapel near King Richard III’s tomb, 3.45 × 2.03 m

In Thomas Denny’s 2016 Redemption Windows we see King Richard III – who is buried at Leicester Cathedral – and are invited to contemplate the moment of his final humiliation as he is slung naked over the back of a horse. Symbols of power lie discarded, while Christ offers the grief-stricken Richard the consolation he yearned for in the final chapters of his life. In an adjacent light, a lone figure, presumably Richard, embarks on a hazardous journey through the valley of the shadow of death, with a tangle of thorns and woodland edged by camping soldiers perhaps foretelling his end.

In an evocation of the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35), Christ sports a medieval hairstyle, while the depicted landscape is local to the Cathedral. History is no longer rooted in biblical times but is instead repeating itself, with time opening out so we can feel, in Denny’s words, ‘the potential for something extraordinary to happen at any time’. Denny’s windows are both revelatory and familiar, local and universal.

Red predominates. Ruminating on the lack of natural light in the north-facing chapel where the windows are housed, Denny noted the red glow reflected from the Buddhist Centre opposite – ‘one faith giving light generously to another’. This observation led Denny to the conclusion that red should dominate his palette, with blue, violet and green providing support.

Denny has said that the possibility of redemption and reconciliation is ‘at the heart of life and … of these two windows’. He was working at the same time on the Reconciliation Window installed in St John’s Church, Tralee in 2017. In Ireland the burden of history is a reality, and for Denny the two commissions became intertwined, with each reflecting a strong sense of history being animated.

DURHAM CATHEDRAL – Illumination Window (2019)

Window comprising sixty-four acid-etched and enamelled plates in four lights, with tracery above, by Mel Howse (b. 1968), north quire aisle near the Shrine of St Cuthbert, 7 × 4 m

In the north quire aisle of Durham Cathedral, opposite the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a window commemorating the life of Sara Pilkington, a Combined Arts student from Durham University. Following Sara’s death from a cardiac-related condition, her parents worked with the Cathedral to create this striking memorial. Designed and made by the award-winning glass artist Mel Howse, the Illumination Window was dedicated on 11 May 2019.

The artist’s brief was to create a window that would be ‘beautiful, meaningful, uplifting, spiritual and celebratory’. There is no black in the design; instead, a white structure runs through a palette of glowing colours, which Howse describes as ‘a fitting symbol in memory of Sara … a young and vibrant woman’. Sixty-four etched and enamelled glass plates continue upwards into shaped tracery lights. The glasswork was produced using hand-worked techniques including acid-etching and enamelling, with minimal use being made of lead.

The window’s innovative, semi-abstract design is inspired by Cuthbert’s island sanctuary of Inner Farne. Howse imagined Cuthbert as being surrounded by ever-shifting weather, water and birdlife. Patterns, shapes and colours change with the light, creating flowing, liquid textures. The name ‘Illumination’ was chosen in order to suggest the bringing of light and understanding – physically, spiritually and academically. It also references the Lindisfarne Gospels, an illuminated manuscript that was produced in the saint’s honour.

Overlooking Palace Green, the Illumination Window both commemorates Sara and celebrates the special, historic relationship between Cathedral and University. A place for moments of quiet reflection in times of need or, equally, joy, it has become a focal point for the Cathedral’s student ministry. From a place of darkness and sorrow comes light, colour and love.

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

Picture credits –  York Glaziers Trust © Chapter of York; David Brook; Andy Marshall; Mel Howse and Vitreous Art Ltd; Portsmouth Cathedral; Marcus Green; Lichfield Cathedral; The Chapter, Canterbury Cathedral; Dan Beal; Lynne Alcott Kogel; Wells Cathedral; Holy Well Glass; Kevin Lewis; Tom Soper Photography; Rob Scott; Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford; Gordon Plumb; Winchester Cathedral; Janet Gough; Kevin Caldwell © Off the Rails Australasia Pty Ltd; Steven Jugg; Declan Spreadbury/Salisbury Cathedral; Gordon Taylor; Bradford Cathedral/Philip Lickley; Chris Parkinson; Gill Poole; Chris Hutt; Paul Barker; Christopher Guy/Worcester Cathedral; Mark Charter; © David Whyman; Clive Tanner; Peterborough Cathedral; Bill Smith/Norwich Cathedral; Peter Hildebrand/Visit Stained Glass; Luke Watson; Patrick Fitzsimons; Bristol Cathedral; David Pratt; Aaron Law; Manchester Cathedral/Nathan Whittaker; Liverpool Cathedral; Gareth Jones Photography; Salisbury Cathedral; St Albans Cathedral; Dr Chris Brooke; Southwell Cathedral Chapter; Blackburn Cathedral; Richard Jarvis and Aidan McRae Thomson of Norgrove Studios Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A renewed interest in stained glass, led by antiquarians and collectors, instigated its return to cathedral interiors. As we have already seen, in 1805 the existing East Windows at Lichfield were glazed with sixteenth-century glass from a former Flemish convent.

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

Following a period in which medieval taste was recreated somewhat impressionistically, the Gothic Revival of the nineteenth century adopted a more scholarly, historical approach. This movement was led by architect A.W.N. Pugin, who collaborated with but eventually parted ways from Thomas Willement (St George’s Chapel, Windsor), William Warrington, and William Wailes (Chemist’s Window, Newcastle) before his successful collaboration with John Hardman (Worcester West Window by Hardman’s nephew John Hardman Powell). Willement led the return from a painterly approach in glass window production to leading coloured pieces of glass and framing figures in architectural canopies. This shift coincided with a desire to conserve medieval glass – old and new glass would often be brought together in the same window.

From the 1840s onwards, there was a general move away from treating churches as clear-glazed Protestant preaching boxes in favour of a more sacramental and ritualised form of worship. This partly accounts for an explosion of interest in coloured-glass windows, which often had a strong biblical narrative dimension. Many nineteenth-century windows were commissioned as memorials, and consequently the involvement of patron, clergy and architect is evident in the selection of subject matter and iconography. Large narrative schemes were developed for cathedrals such as Truro (by Clayton & Bell) and Wakefield (by C.E. Kempe).

A group of Pre-Raphaelite artists reacted against the nineteenth-century commercialisation of glassmaking and formed Morris & Co. Bradford Cathedral has early Morris & Co. windows, which inspired Heaton, Butler & Bayne’s Women of the Bible Window (also in Bradford Cathedral). Pre-eminent among the Pre-Raphaelite stained-glass artists was Edward Burne-Jones, who worked with William Morris to produce four windows for the remodelled church that became Birmingham Cathedral, culminating in Burne-Jones’s Last Judgement masterpiece.

Concern about the separation of the artist from the production of glass manifested itself in the Arts and Crafts Movement. We see both Henry Holiday (at Chelmsford) and Christopher Whall (in the Lady Chapel at Gloucester), the latter of whom was a mentor to several other artists, making and using their own artisanal – often ‘slab’ – glass. Other nineteenth-century innovations included opalescent glass of the kind used by US glassmaker John La Farge – a rare example inthe UK exists at Southwark Cathedral. Women glassmakers were also emerging during this period, most notably Veronica Whall, who worked with her father at Gloucester, and Mary Lowndes, who established the Glass House studio in Fulham.

HEREFORD CATHEDRAL – Patchwork Window (created by 1835)

Four-light window including fragments of fifteenth-century glass, south nave aisle, 5 × 3.75 m

Hereford Cathedral has many fine ancient and modern stained-glass windows, but some of the most interesting take the form of what the Cathedral’s archivist refers to as ‘patchwork’ windows. Comprising fragments of medieval glass, these windows’ jumbles of colours and juxtapositions of random images and lettering make for an eye-catching and oddly satisfying whole.

The identity of the person who commissioned the south nave aisle window has been lost to history, but the window is nonetheless full of rich and tantalising hints regarding the story behind it. The four lights consist of fragments of fifteenth-century glass depicting scenes from the life of Joseph. Discernible are Joseph’s dream of the sun, moon and stars, of wheatsheaves bowing down to him, and Joseph being bundled into a pit by his brothers (Genesis 37:9, 5–7, 23–4). There is also older tabernacle work and ornate borders to admire. Even though the window does not show a complete image, the overall effect is delightfully colourful and charming and can keep an attentive observer busy for hours. There are further fragments of glass, believed to be left over from the creation of this window, in the Cathedral’s collections.

Above the patchwork, there are more modern compositions in the trefoil tracery showing David with his harp and the Blessed Virgin Mary cradling Jesus in her arms. More prosaically, in the cinquefoil tracery are the ancient arms of deanery and diocese.

A former dean has described this window as ‘a parable of seeing God through tiny glimpses’. The fragments may not make much sense in isolation, but they add up to a rich image of glory and hint at things not yet understood. For the pilgrim, the act of seeking a narrative within disparate pieces can be a strangely personal and profound experience.

ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL, WINDSOR CASTLE – The Stained Glass of Thomas Willement (1840–61)

Heraldry windows in quire clerestory, history of English monarchy and Church in quire aisles, and restoration of the West Window, all by Thomas Willement (1786–1871), quire aisle, each window 5.1 × 1.5 m

Thomas Willement’s connection with St George’s Chapel lasted for twenty-one years. He was initially engaged to restore the Chapel after the removal of eighteenth-century limewash from the walls revealed medieval paint underneath. Willement had a deep interest in heraldry, and his work at Windsor allowed him to indulge his enthusiasm.

The first windows which Willement made for St George’s are in the quire clerestory, and each simply contains the coat of arms of a Garter Knight with a crest and mantling.

The quire aisle windows depict kings and queens from Edward III to William IV. These figures are presented in their ecclesiastical contexts: Henry VIII and William IV are shown with the emblems of the new bishoprics that they created. Many of these monarchs are buried in the Chapel, but it is interesting to note which monarchs Willement did not choose to feature. His version of royal history removes various contentious elements, and so Mary I is omitted entirely (one window shows Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, Edward VI and Elizabeth I), James II only appears as a child in Charles I’s window, and Richard III is nowhere to be seen.

The window depicting Edward III – founder of the Order of the Garter – shows him alongside his wife, Philippa of Hainault. A seventeenth-century illustration provided the model for Edward; Philippa was modelled on a drawing of a fourteenth-century depiction of her on the east wall of St Stephen’s Chapel Westminster, which by Willement’s time had been destroyed.

Although there are religious elements in these windows, they could fit just as easily into a palace. The impression projected by the heraldic and figural windows is one of royal power and continuity in a chapel focused on the Order of the Garter.

BRADFORD CATHEDRAL – Women of the Bible West Window (1864)

Biblical scenes featuring women in naturalistic poses and vivid colours, Robert Turnill Bayne (1837–1915) and Alfred Hassam (1842–69) for Heaton, Butler & Bayne, c.4 m wide

Bradford Cathedral’s magnificent West Window by the firm Heaton, Butler & Bayne, consisting of designs by Robert Turnill Bayne and Alfred Hassam, is a favourite of staff and visitors alike.

It was commissioned in 1863 to commemorate Catherine and Jane Wells, the two sisters of a Bradford solicitor called William Wells, which is probably why the window almost exclusively features women. There are female figures from the Old and New Testaments in its top two panels and five episodes from the New Testament in its main panels, each of which portrays women experiencing the extraordinary presence or call of God as they go about their daily routines.

This beautiful Pre-Raphaelite window is vibrant with colour even on the dullest of days. Hassam’s use of purple, often in combination with red, is particularly striking. The window is also notable for the naturalism of its figures; it shows pairs or groups of figures engaged in conversation and making lifelike poses and gestures. There are also distinctive background details, particularly in the lower right panel, which depicts Christ and the Samaritan woman standing by a well (John 4:4–42), with foliage springing up from where water has splashed on the ground.

The five main panels present: the Angel Gabriel greeting the Virgin Mary (top left); Mary Magdalene being greeted by the risen Christ (top right); Jesus with the sisters Mary and Martha of Bethany (lower left); Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well (lower right); and the angels telling the women the news that Jesus is risen, on Easter morning (centre).

NEWCASTLE CATHEDRAL – Chemist’s Window (1866)

The so-called ‘Chemist’s Window’, dedicated to Joseph Garnet, may appear unremarkable at first glance, but a remarkable story lies behind it. Garnet, a chemist with a shop on a nearby street called Side, was a devoted member of St Nicholas’s Church (now Newcastle Cathedral). He passed away in 1861, and only after his death did the full extent of his quiet philanthropy become known. Garnet had used his time and resources to help many in need, and in recognition of his selflessness his friends – who had worshipped at St Nicholas’s alongside him – raised funds for a window in his memory.

The window’s design is inspired by the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats from the Gospel of Matthew (25:31–46), where Jesus teaches that judgement will be based on how we have served the poor, hungry and imprisoned – on whether we have seen Christ in the least among us.

What makes the ‘Chemist’s Window’ striking is that the face of the person helping those in need is always that of Joseph Garnet himself. The backdrop includes his chemist’s shop and the street where he lived.

The window was created in the studio of William Wailes, a prominent artist whose stained-glass workshop in Newcastle was one of the largest and most prolific in England. The window was removed after being damaged during enemy action in 1941 and was subsequently held in storage, with some considering its sale in 1973. But in 1980 the Pharmaceutical Society sponsored the window’s reinstatement, which was overseen by the Cathedral architect, Ronald G. Simms. The glass was reset and placed against clear leaded glazing.

The window’s powerful scenes challenge us to reflect: could we place our own faces and our own streets in this narrative of service and compassion.

ST GERMAN’S CATHEDRAL, ISLE OF MAN – Jacob’s Ladder or Bethel Window (1878)

Designed by Alexander Gibbs (1832–86) and made by Alexander Gibbs & Co. of Bloomsbury, north transept, 6.3 × 2.5 m

The story of Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28:10–19) is portrayed in the North Transept Window of St German’s Cathedral, which was installed as a memorial to Rowley Hill, Bishop of Sodor and Man from 1877 to 1887. The glass is predominantly yellow on an elevation of the Cathedral that receives no sun.

Bishop Rowley complained that he was the only diocesan bishop in the Church of England without a cathedral (although there was the ancient Cathedral in ruins on St Patrick’s Isle off Peel). He set about rectifying this situation by building a new Cathedral in Peel. He struggled to finance the building work on an island where there were high levels of churchgoing but also high levels of poverty.

He therefore went on tours, preaching around England to enable the realisation of his vision. The stress of building St German’s and the huge political opposition he encountered is reported to have been the death of him; he died aged fifty-one, years before the necessary legislation was passed by an Act of Tynwald. Ninety-three years after his death, in 1980, Bishop Rowley’s vision was finally implemented.

The background to the story depicted by the window is Jacob’s having fled from his brother Esau, whom he has just defrauded of their father’s blessing. He finds a place to sleep for the night and receives a remarkable dream that suggests to him that the spot on which he has been sleeping is the gate of heaven. When he awakes he is awestruck by this experience and renames the place ‘Bethel’, which means ‘House of God’.

In the Celtic world, people often speak of ‘thin places’ – locations where the veil between heaven and earth is almost transparent. For many worshippers, St German’s is just such a place.

WORCESTER CATHEDRAL – Creation and Fall West Window (1875)

Eight vertical lights (each 8.6 × 0.7 m) with brightly coloured glass in medallions; tracery and rose window (diameter 4.2 m) above; designed by John Hardman Powell and made by Hardman & Co. of Birmingham.

Recently restored and cleaned, this glorious window fills the west wall of the nave. It was gifted by Lord Dudley as part of the great restoration of the Cathedral in the late nineteenth century and was produced by the world-leading Birmingham-based firm Hardman & Co., whose principal designer John Hardman Powell was the protégé and son-in-law of the Gothic Revivalist A.W.N. Pugin. Its Flowing lines, roundels, Curvilinear figures and gorgeous colours – including a now famous pink giraffe – were evidently inspired by thirteenth- and fourteenth-century glass.

The window is based on the Book of Genesis; its eight main vertical lights tell the story of the Creation and the Fall. The large roundels depict the first six days of the Creation, and the upper and middle sections contain scenes of the expulsion from Eden and of life after the Fall. Each large roundel is surrounded by six smaller roundels expanding on its theme in strikingly vivid and innovative ways.

Alongside the six-day story of Creation there are also scenes depicting the elements, images contrasting virtues with vices, and panels showing the seasons. The quatrefoils at the head of alternate lights show the four winds. At the top of the window, the wheel constructed in Geometric style as a rose within the tracery portrays God Almighty surrounded by angels with musical instruments. The other tracery lights show angels in various scenes of adoration, or abstract foliate designs.

The pink giraffe has quite a following. She has been known as Georgina for many years and continues to bring wonder and amusement to visitors to the Cathedral. The quality of the glass, design and execution is exquisite, and as the light changes with the hours and the seasons, Georgina takes her place in the joyful glass of Worcester’s largest window.

TRURO CATHEDRAL – Glazing Master Scheme (1887–1910)

Ambitious single-studio scheme of eighty windows (c.300m2) by Clayton & Bell, conceived for new cathedral by Edward White Benson (first Bishop of Truro 1877–83)

Truro Cathedral’s unified glazing scheme affords a remarkable insight into the High Victorian mind. It tells us what, at the height of Britain’s imperial power, the man who was soon to become Archbishop of Canterbury regarded as the vital lessons to be learned from history.

Bishop Edward White Benson was appointed in 1877 to a new diocese without a cathedral. He seized the possibilities offered by this unique and astonishing opportunity – a completely blank canvas.

The architectural competition he launched was won by a romantic Gothic Revival design. Three magnificent rose windows and the great windows of the quire confidently asserted the Christian faith of the Trinity and Gospels. Then, using a single stained-glass studio, Clayton & Bell, Benson and his confidants carefully selected 108 historical characters – people whose faith shaped what they did, and whose actions changed the face of Europe and beyond – to be portrayed in stained glass. Woven into the sequence are local industries and ten Cornish notables, entirely appropriate for ‘Cornwall’s cathedral’.

Through the prism of a striking selection of characters (including Charlemagne, Joan of Arc, Thomas More and Isaac Newton), Christianity emerges from Truro’s windows not as an impediment to, but as a driver of, progress. The windows present an alternative history to the standard version we receive today, focused not on nations, war or technological change, but on the motivational force of faith and its enormous impact on European culture, science, religion and geopolitics over hundreds of years.

The Victorian era throbbed with imagination, as is evident from its novels, narrative poetry and paintings. Truro Cathedral stands as a testimony to the energy and ambition of the age, and is a compelling example of storytelling set in stone and glass.

 

Above : Fishermen at Newlyn, and Dolcoath Mine – one of the largest, deepest and most productive mines producing copper and, later, tin in Cornwall. These 1907 windows are making a point, celebrating Cornwall’s traditional industries at a time of economic decline.

BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL – Last Judgement Window (1897)

Stained-glass window (one of four), designed by Edward Burne-Jones (1833–98) and made in the workshop of Morris & Co., west end, 2.64 × 1.3 m

The Last Judgement is perhaps the masterpiece of Edward Burne-Jones and Morris & Co.’s work in stained glass (William Morris died before the window was finished). Situated at the west end of the Cathedral, this monumental window draws the worshipper into the drama of the Last Judgement with its expressionist quality of movement, the total fluency of its glazing, and the striking density of its colours (it features more ruby glass than any other window from before 1945).

Split into three parts, the drama begins with Christ enthroned in glory and surrounded by a circle of angels, with the Archangel Michael blowing a trumpet. Below this section is a dark and ruined cityscape with both Renaissance and contemporary features that amounts to a challenge from the socialist artists for the city to live up to higher standards. The bottom of the window shows a crowd of people – young and old, rich and poor – standing on tombs as they await the Judgement. The window was extensively restored by Holy Well Glass in 2024, and it is a delight to be able to see its details with a new clarity.

The window, and Burne-Jones’s artistic vision, exhorts the viewer to attend to the Last Judgement parables of Jesus, particularly the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25. A major part of the Cathedral’s life is a regular breakfast under the window for those who are homeless or hungry. There is something beautiful and poignant in the juxtaposition of an outstanding artwork with toasted sandwiches, tea and conversation on these mornings, and in how the window and the stories behind it shape the Cathedral’s corporate life. The window is a constant reminder to look for the face of Christ in the faces of one’s neighbours.

GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL – Lady Chapel Windows (1899–1910)

Designed by Christopher Whall (1849–1924) in conjunction with his daughter Veronica Whall (1887–1967) and made in Whall’s workshop, Central South Window, 9.75 × 3 m

At the east end of Gloucester Cathedral, beyond the Great East Window, lies the 1480s Lady Chapel. In 1897/8 the Dean and Chapter took the courageous decision to commission a relatively unknown and distinctly modern designer, Christopher Whall, to design new glass for the Lady Chapel.

Whall was part of the Arts and Crafts Movement, which placed a strong emphasis on beauty and on a return to artisanal skill. The work produced by Whall and his workshop collaborators is characterised by vibrant colours, the use of textured slab glass, and a close attention to detail. There is a thematic unity in both the telling of the story of Mary in the horizontal panels and the ordering of subjects in the windows from top to bottom.

 

Of particular note is the arrangement of the British saints in the lower lights. Saints from the North are on the north side of the Lady Chapel and those from the South are on the south side. Whall respected and made the most of the remaining medieval glass that was available in the windows. The best examples of Whall’s resourcefulness in this regard are the shaft of starlight shining down on the Nativity and – a favourite with children who manage to find him – a farting grotesque.

There is a touching poignancy in the portraits of St Cecilia and St Christopher above the chantry chapels. The two saints face one another and were respectively designed by Whall and his daughter Veronica, with each artist using the other as a model. Veronica inherited her father’s business on his death in 1924 and continued to run the studio until 1953.

CHELMSFORD CATHEDRAL – Holderness Window (1905)

Designed by Henry Holiday (1839–1927) and made at Lowndes & Dury, south aisle, immediately west of the south port entrance, 4.6 × 2.5 m

The Holderness Window was designed by Henry Holiday, an artist who (as is evident from the window itself) was profoundly influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood – a number of whose members he counted as friends. Holiday succeeded Edward Burne-Jones as principal designer at Powell’s Glass Works in 1861, but by the time the Holderness Window was designed his involvement with the Arts and Crafts Movement had led him to set up his own glass works in Hampstead.

The window commemorates Caroline Maude, the wife of Lt Hardwicke Holderness. Above, below and upon its triptych of images, quotations from Scripture help us to interpret its iconography. The arrangement is held together by an overarching scriptural sentence on the nature of marriage: ‘For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh’ (Matthew 19:5–6).

The figure in the left-hand panel walks a pilgrim road, and the words above and below him read ‘we walk by faith’ (2 Corinthians 5:7) and ‘thou wilt shew me the path of life’ (Psalm 16:11). In the right-hand panel dark water surrounds a woman’s figure; submerged as she is, she is held by red- winged angels, and below her, words from Psalm 130 speak of death and loss: ‘out of the depths have I cried unto thee’. The same woman’s figure appears in the central panel, surrounded by spirals of mist and lifted up by the same red-winged angels. The verse below her reads: ‘this mortal must put on immortality’ (1 Corinthians 15:53).

Together the three panels speak powerfully of faith and love in the face of loss, and of a married intimacy, made in Christian hope, that transcends even death.

SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL – Harvard Chapel Window (1905)

Opalescent window by American artist John La Farge (1835–1910) depicting the Baptism of Christ, north transept, 3.7 × 2.1 m

The ancient Parish Church of St Saviour became Southwark Cathedral in 1905 when the new diocese of Southwark was formed in response to the massive increase in the population of South London. The Cathedral precinct is restricted in size and is dwarfed by the twenty- first-century urban development of Bankside.

The Cathedral has a unique location in the heart of historic Southwark, by the southern approaches to London Bridge – for centuries the only southern access to the City. The Cathedral windows are largely from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Many provide a colourful testament to the Cathedral’s long association with talented writers, poets and preachers, as well as with royalty.

The windows in the north aisle – all created by the C.E. Kempe studios between 1900 and 1920 – illustrate the lives of Oliver Goldsmith, Samuel Johnson, Henry Sacheverell, John Bunyan, Alexander Cruden and John Gower. The latter was a friend of Geoffrey Chaucer, author of The Canterbury Tales, whose window completes the series. Beneath a ‘tabard’ representing the Tabard Inn in Borough High Street, we see the pilgrims streaming out on horseback towards Canterbury.

The only stained glass in the south aisle is Christopher Webb’s fine memorial to William Shakespeare. The Kempe windows in the south aisle were blown out during an air raid in 1941 – in some ways a blessing, as clear light now floods the building’s interior.

In 1905 an opalescent window (unique in the UK) by the American glass designer John La Farge was commissioned for the Cathedral’s Harvard Chapel by Joseph Choate, the US Ambassador. The ‘Baptism of Christ’ window commemorates John Harvard, from whom Harvard University takes its name, who was born in Southwark and baptised in St Saviour’s Church in 1607. John Harvard emigrated to Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1637.

WAKEFIELD CATHEDRAL – Children’s Window (1905)

Part of larger scheme of twenty-five windows by C.E. Kempe (1837–1907), produced by his company C.E. Kempe & Co. in London, east end of the south quire aisle, 3.6 × 1.6 m

The Cathedral Church of All Saints Wakefield houses an exceptional collection of Victorian and Edwardian stained-glass windows. Twenty-five of these were designed and made by Charles Eamer Kempe, who established his stained-glass window company C.E. Kempe & Co. – which at its height employed up to fifty people – in London in 1868. The Wakefield Cathedral windows span a period of just over thirty-five years, the earliest having been installed in 1872 and the last in 1907.

The Children’s Window, which was made in 1905, is situated at the east end of the south quire aisle. It is dedicated to the memory of William Walsham How, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Wakefield. Walsham How was commonly known as ‘the children’s bishop’ due to the work he had done in London’s East End while serving as Bishop of Bedford. He was also a favourite bishop of Queen Victoria’s.

The Children’s Window was commissioned on behalf of the children in the Wakefield diocese after Walsham How’s sudden death on 10 August 1897, which took place while he was on holiday in Ireland.

The central panel of the window depicts Jesus carrying a child. Typically for Kempe’s work, it takes inspiration from fifteenth-century glass, uses deep colours that contrast with white glass (the latter of which Kempe often decorated with silver stain), and features delicately painted details on patterned backgrounds. In the left-hand panel towards the bottom of the window there is an image of a golden wheatsheaf; this was Kempe’s trademark from 1895 to 1907.

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL – Annunciation Window (c.1910–18)

First of five six-light Perpendicular windows, attributed to Burlison & Grylls, in Lady Chapel (on south-west of the Cathedral), 2.8 × 1.6 m

Rochester is the second-oldest see in England. Its Lady Chapel on the south-west was completed in the early sixteenth century – a final major rebuild before the dissolution of the monasteries. A tall Perpendicular space was created with five magnificent six-light Perpendicular window arches. No medieval glass now remains, but the Lady Chapel windows have been filled with early twentieth-century stained glass attributed to the firm of Burlison & Grylls. The three South Windows tell Jesus’s early story through his mother’s eyes.

The first window, which is dedicated to Archdeacon John Tetley Rowe (d. 1915), depicts the Annunciation as described in the Gospel of Luke (1:26–38): we see the Angel Gabriel appearing to the Blessed Virgin Mary to announce that she will conceive and give birth to Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Mary is depicted on the right side of the window, dressed in a deep-blue robe symbolising humility and heavenly grace. Her face is serene yet touched with awe, reflecting her humble acceptance of her divine role. On the left, Gabriel stands gesturing towards Mary with both reverence and authority, embodying the solemnity of his message.

The Holy Spirit – represented as a luminous white dove – descends from above the depicted scene via golden rays of light. These rays stream down towards Mary, signifying the intervention of the Holy Spirit through which the conception of Jesus takes place.

The composition uses strong blue, red, green and yellow glass, most pronounced in the robes and haloes of the figures. These are set against a background of clear glass with a hint of green, and diamond-shaped leading. The whole is filled with delicate yet vibrant, partially symbolic floral and leaf patterns, bringing an ethereal light into the chapel.

PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL – Dean Barlow Memorial Window (1914)

The seventeenth-century antiquary Symon Gunton recorded that the windows in Peterborough Cathedral were ‘very fair, and [that] the Cloister Windows were most famed of all, for their great Art and pleasing variety’. Unfortunately, the iconoclasm of the English Civil War laid waste to most of the Cathedral’s medieval glass; the only surviving fragments of that great collection can now be seen high up in the eastern apse of the building.

Peterborough Cathedral has a small collection of post-medieval stained glass. The majority of the windows are memorial windows; these include works by Clayton & Bell; Heaton, Butler & Bayne; Burlison & Grylls; Lavers, Barraud & Westlake; and others – not forgetting a fine window designed by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, made in the celebrated studio of William Morris & Co. in 1862.

One of the most pleasing works of stained glass in the Cathedral is the William Hagger Barlow Memorial Window, which is located on the north side of the New Building. Manufactured in 1914 by James Powell & Sons of Whitefriars, the window still contains elements of a late Pre-Raphaelite style, though the design transitions into the idiom of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Observers particularly appreciate the well-balanced colour scheme of the light and lofty three-light= window. Beneath St Peter and St Paul in the two side lights are scenes of their missionary work. The centre light contains Christ in Majesty, surrounded and crowned by angels and cherubim. Such details draw the pilgrim closer, prompting them to explore the underlying biblical narratives and to appreciate the superb craftsmanship of this very fine window.

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

Picture credits –  York Glaziers Trust © Chapter of York; David Brook; Andy Marshall; Mel Howse and Vitreous Art Ltd; Portsmouth Cathedral; Marcus Green; Lichfield Cathedral; The Chapter, Canterbury Cathedral; Dan Beal; Lynne Alcott Kogel; Wells Cathedral; Holy Well Glass; Kevin Lewis; Tom Soper Photography; Rob Scott; Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford; Gordon Plumb; Winchester Cathedral; Janet Gough; Kevin Caldwell © Off the Rails Australasia Pty Ltd; Steven Jugg; Declan Spreadbury/Salisbury Cathedral; Gordon Taylor; Bradford Cathedral/Philip Lickley; Chris Parkinson; Gill Poole; Chris Hutt; Paul Barker; Christopher Guy/Worcester Cathedral; Mark Charter; © David Whyman; Clive Tanner; Peterborough Cathedral; Bill Smith/Norwich Cathedral; Peter Hildebrand/Visit Stained Glass; Luke Watson; Patrick Fitzsimons; Bristol Cathedral; David Pratt; Aaron Law; Manchester Cathedral/Nathan Whittaker; Liverpool Cathedral; Gareth Jones Photography; Salisbury Cathedral; St Albans Cathedral; Dr Chris Brooke; Southwell Cathedral Chapter; Blackburn Cathedral; Richard Jarvis and Aidan McRae Thomson of Norgrove Studios Ltd.

 

 

 

 

Canterbury Cathedral’s Miracle and Bible Windows were created in the wake of Archbishop Thomas Becket’s murder inside the Cathedral in 1170 – an event that sent shock waves across Europe. The windows together form England’s oldest comprehensive stained-glass scheme. As sophisticated as anything produced in France during the same period, these round-headed Romanesque windows are brimming with discrete scenes set in lead-divided panels. They were produced using deeply coloured pot-metal glass sourced from continental Europe, with details added in vitrifiable paint.

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

Medieval glass rendered saints and biblical subjects in exquisite detail (see for example the Jesse Window of Wells Cathedral. It also developed in tandem with Gothic architecture and with stylistic changes taking place across the other ecclesiastical arts.

Windows became taller and thinner from c.1200 onwards, and over time stone window traceries became more complex (Carlisle provides an outstanding Decorated example. The grand rose window (as at Lincoln) was also a popular form. Grisaille glass – clear glass flashed with grey tones and light colour, and painted with foliate patterns or emblems – is exemplified by the prominent Five Sisters Window in York Minster.

The final flourish of the Middle Ages was the production from the mid-fourteenth century onwards of vast Perpendicular windows – wide as well as tall – in Gloucester, York and St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

The Protestant Reformation led to the destruction of some images deemed to be superstitious – the personification of the three persons of the Trinity, for example – as well as to later hesitations over what could be included in window design (see the 1630s Old Testament scene at Oxford). Winchester’s Great West Window is now filled with fragments of broken medieval glass that were reassembled in the late seventeenth century.

Christopher Wren made superlative use of clear glass to light St Paul’s, the first Protestant-built cathedral. Biblical figures and narratives slowly returned to cathedral windows, sometimes painted on clear glass in enamel paints (partly because continental pot-metal coloured glass was difficult to source). This was done in a more painterly manner than medieval glasswork, often using larger pieces of glass (reducing the amount of lead required), and with scenes that spread across consecutive lights. A fine example of this kind painted glass survives in the Moses Window at Salisbury.

CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL – The Sower Among Thorns and on Good Ground, Second Bible Window (c.1180)

Stained-glass panel from one of two (originally twelve) Bible Windows, north choir aisle, 0.66 × 0.7 m

Part of a now largely lost cycle of twelve windows illustrating Old and New Testament subjects, this panel is one of a pair devoted to the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1–23).

The Sower is embedded in his surroundings; he is painted with elongated limbs in an elegant pose as he casts seed onto fertile ground. Some falls among thorn bushes and appears to be lost. He looks back – perhaps to the past – but strides confidently forward into a future when the field under his feet will bear the fruits of his labours. His basket is woven in a herringbone pattern and attached to a long strip of cloth that is slung over his neck. The artist’s attention to detail is such that even the small feet protruding from the bottom of the basket are depicted. At the edge of the field, in a great clump of swirling folds, is the man’s cast-off cloak.

The Sower’s rich clothing – with high boots, hose, an undertunic and an overtunic decorated at the neck – highlights his importance.

The figure is set into an impressive landscape which – unusually for a medieval work of such an early date – covers the entire available space. The Sower is shown striding along a freshly ploughed field that has the characteristic ridge-and-furrow appearance associated with medieval ploughing techniques. The diagonal arrangement of the straight lines of the furrows is juxtaposed with curved hills and animated clumps of vegetation. This creates a sense of drama, space and distance that departs from the usual medieval approach of depicting landscape with just a few token elements. Here in Canterbury, the artist treats the landscape as a subject of equal importance to the central figure of the story.

YORK MINSTER – Five Sisters Window (c.1250)

Five Early English lancet windows, filled with more than 100,000 pieces of grisaille glass, north wall of north transept, each window 16.2 × 1.5 m, total area 121 m2

In the years c.1225–50 Archbishop Walter de Grey rebuilt the transepts and crossing of York Minster, creating a new and well-lit space in the latest architectural style. In 1226 de Grey secured the official canonisation of his twelfth-century predecessor William Fitzherbert, and it was in the new transepts that pilgrims to St William’s shrine could assemble in eager expectation.

Entering from the city under the striking new Rose Window in the south transept, they would have been amazed by the unprecedented quantity of glass ahead of them in the north transept. In a world in which the average person had little, if any, glass in the windows of their home, the sparkling cliff-like majesty of these five lancets would have invited comparison with the heavenly Jerusalem of the Bible, ‘with walls like unto clear glass’ (Revelations 21:18).

The window was deliberately light and bright in its decoration, with elegant painted foliage decoration interspersed with small amounts of colour. The intricate geometry of the window’s patterning, with a different design being applied for each light, made great demands on the technical skills of the anonymous glaziers. It was the window and not its makers that ultimately made a name for itself, and from the eighteenth century it became known as the Five Sisters. Its fame spread, thanks in no small measure to the popularity of Charles Dickens’s novel The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, in which was recounted the romantic but entirely spurious tale of five maiden sisters whose embroidery was the basis for the stained-glass design. The story was first published in March 1838, shortly after Dickens’s own visit to Yorkshire. Despite damage and deterioration over time, the window continues to inspire the Minster’s visitors.

LINCOLN CATHEDRAL – Bishop’s Eye Rose Window (c.1330s)

Reconstructed as two curvilinear leaves, originally depicting the Last Judgement, later more fragmentary, overlooking the south-west transept, diameter nearly 8 m

Overlooking the south-west transept of Lincoln Cathedral, the kaleidoscopic ‘Bishop’s Eye’ window is as imposing as it is enchanting. Alongside the better-known ‘Dean’s Eye’ window to the north, the Bishop’s Eye is a rare extant example of a medieval English rose window. With its singular design and a diameter of almost 8 metres, it forms a significant part of the Cathedral’s medieval glazing heritage.

Like many historic windows, Lincoln’s South Rose has undergone various alterations and amendments over the centuries. The original Early English Gothic window, dating from the beginning of the thirteenth century, failed catastrophically and had to be rebuilt just a century later. The window we see today therefore dates from the first half of the fourteenth century. Its delicate Curvilinear tracery creates a semblance of two immense veined leaves, and this organic theme is enhanced by the fragmentary glass contained within.

The window’s colourful patchwork of glass exists more by necessity than by design, however. Much of the medieval glass was damaged or destroyed during the upheaval of the English Reformation and the Civil War, and the window was left in a dilapidated state for over a century. A general reordering of the Cathedral’s stained-glass collection was carried out during the latter half of the eighteenth century, and the huge Rose Window was reglazed in its current form. Today it contains an amalgamation of medieval glass assembled from various windows from around the Cathedral, but enough surviving fragments of the fourteenth-century glazing scheme remain in situ to suggest a representation of the Last Judgement – a subject which would have mirrored, and amplified, the iconographic programme of Lincoln’s North Rose Window.

WELLS CATHEDRAL – Jesse Window (c.1340)

Seven lights with twenty-seven panels in lustrous symmetrical Curvilinear scheme, high gable at east end of quire, c.7.5 × 6.5 m

Wells has an amazingly varied collection of glass, from windows made up of fragments in the Lady Chapel, to small detailed medieval traceries in the quire aisles, to tiny windows using silver stain, to dramatically coloured glass from Rouen and a magnificent Edwardian River of Water of Life. High up at the east end of the quire shines one of the Cathedral’s greatest treasures: the Jesse Window.

It is part of a seven-window scheme that forms a beautiful reredos above and around the high altar. It dates from c.1340 and is approximately 90 per cent original medieval glass. The artists are unknown, but it is clear from the window’s internal stylistic variations that three were involved. The window represents Christ’s authority as it derives from his descent from Abraham – it shows family, prophets and kings. Jesse himself lies asleep at the base of the central light with a rod rising from his person, as Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 11:1), as well as a white vine that winds itself round all the other figures. Above Jesse is the Virgin Mary with the Infant Christ in her arms. A green cross emerges from behind her throne, upon which Christ is seen crucified. In the traceries above are Resurrection scenes featuring figures rising from their tombs, trumpeting angels, and probably Christ our Saviour and Redeemer.

The window has the wonderfully lustrous quality of medieval pot-metal glass. It is also notable for its depth and brightness of colour, as well as for its delightful symmetry on the levels of both composition and colouring. A programme of conservation began in 2012, with each panel of the window being taken to the workshop of Holy Well Glass in the city of Wells for careful cleaning and, where necessary, repair.

CARLISLE CATHEDRAL – East Window (1359)

Flowing Decorated tracery with stained glass of the Last Judgement from 1350s, attributed to Ivo de Raughton, lower panes on the life of Jesus by Hardman & Co. of Birmingham (1861), 17.6 × 8 m

The wonderful Curvilinear East Window of Carlisle Cathedral remains one of the largest and most complex examples of Flowing Decorated Gothic tracery in England. Its origins can be traced to the lengthy rebuilding works of the fourteenth century that followed a fire which took place in 1292 – lengthy because of frequent raids on the city by the Scots and because of recurrent outbreaks of the Black Death that killed at least a third of Carlisle’s population.

In 1359 John de Salkeld, a yeoman from Little Salkeld, near Penrith, donated 40 shillings ‘to make a window anew in the chancel’. The upper, medieval section of the surviving window is attributed to Ivo de Raughton and depicts the Last Judgement, a popular subject in the Middle Ages. Most of the lower glass of the window had disappeared by the mid-eighteenth century and been replaced by plain glass with a coloured border; there is no record of what imagery may originally have been on display.

By the mid-nineteenth century restoration work was urgently required, with the window tracery being described as ‘in a bad state in every respect’: ‘the glazing is so greatly dilapidated that in bad weather the rain pours in’. In 1861 Hardman & Co. of Birmingham were commissioned to refill the lower panes in memory of Hugh Percy, Bishop of Carlisle (1784–1856). The glass imagery depicts the life of Jesus.

GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL – Great East Window (c.1360)

Floor-to-ceiling tiered and canted window depicting the Church’s earthly authorities, saints, Apostles, Mary and Christ, and the heavenly realm of angels, 22 × 14 m (roughly the size of a tennis court).

The term ‘wall of glass’ is overused today, but at Gloucester it is a medieval reality. Between 1345 and 1355 the quire of St Peter’s Abbey (now Gloucester Cathedral) was remodelled to make it a fit resting place for King Edward II. As part of this Perpendicular remodelling the east wall of the Cathedral was demolished and a new giant window was installed.

Gone were the small, dark windows of the Norman apsidal east end, and in their place was glass reaching from floor to ceiling. This achievement is all the more impressive when we consider that the window was created and installed in the shadow of the Black Death, which had ravaged the population of England from 1348 onwards, wiping out a third of the population. Despite the vicissitudes of time, at least 70 per cent of the original 1350s glass remains in situ.

The window’s central focus is the Coronation of the Virgin Mary, but it also depicts a harmonious and well-ordered world. Using only four colours of glass, the medieval artists brought to life the temporal and spiritual rulers of the Earth, as well as the saints, Christ, Mary, the Apostles and the angels.

They also incorporated a collection of coats of arms at the base representing the lords and the people. These coats of arms are the origin of the name that began to be used in the twentieth century: ‘the Crécy Window’. Subsequent research on the heraldry has made clear that the coats of arms are not limited to those of individuals who fought at the Battle of Crécy (1346), but that they are rather those of the great families at Edward III’s court who supported him in his many military campaigns. The window is therefore once again referred to as the ‘Great East Window’.

YORK MINSTER – Great East Window (1405–8)

117 narrative panels in rows of nine from the Creation to the Apocalypse, with over 300 panels in total, by John Thornton of Coventry (active 1405–33), 23.2 × 9.8 m

In the winter of 1405, as a political crisis rocked the city of York, the Cathedral Chapter entered into a contract for the creation of the largest expanse of stained glass ever made in medieval England.

The project was breathtakingly ambitious, spanning as it did both the beginning and the end of human history – from Creation as it is related in the first book of the Bible (Genesis), to the end of the world and the second coming of Christ as explored in the last book (Revelation – known as the Apocalypse in the Middle Ages). With the Archbishop of York having recently been executed for treason and the city’s civic privileges having been suspended by the King, apocalyptic imagery must have seemed all too relevant to the surrounding community.

No one had ever attempted an Apocalypse in stained glass before, and the window, completed in 1408, is a tribute to the audacity and imagination of the medieval Cathedral community that commissioned it, as well as being a monument to the genius of the window’s creator, John Thornton, the master glazier of Coventry to whom the commission was entrusted. Although Thornton is known to have been a glass-painter, it was his reputation as a designer of rare talent and a project manager of exceptional skill that commended him to his York clients.

Not only was he able to develop an action-packed narrative out of one of the most challenging books of the Bible, he was also able to create a masterpiece in the stained-glass medium, delivered on time and on budget.

ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL, WINDSOR CASTLE – West Window (constructed c.1500, glass installed by 1509)

Seventy-five lights containing stained-glass painted figures, of which sixty-five survive from before 1509, including several by Flemish glazier (and King’s glazier from 1505) Barnard Flower (d.1517), 11 × 9 m

The West Window of St George’s Chapel dominates the nave. Containing over 500 square feet of stained glass, it features seventy-five depicted figures: twenty-five popes, seventeen kings, twelve knights, ten bishops or archbishops, eight saints and three ‘civilians’. Currently the figures are grouped by type, but this was not always the case.

The earliest glass in the window probably dates from shortly after the construction of the Chapel began in 1485, though it is possible that it was originally intended for use in the east end. The glass in the West Window appears to have been removed during the Civil War, and it was not until 1767 that it was filled with ‘such Painted Glass as [could] be collected from other parts of the Chapel’. A full restoration was carried out in 1841–2, and seven new figures were added by Thomas Willement. Willement also changed the window’s plain white backgrounds to decorated ones and created some ‘composite’ figures from damaged glass, as well as inserting new glass to repair broken sections.

The most intriguing figures are the civilians. One is a mason and is assumed to be William Vertue, the master mason during the Chapel’s construction. Another holds a scroll, and may represent the Clerk of Works. His head has been replaced by that of a bearded king. The third civilian has a purse hanging at his belt. It may be that all three of these figures were a collaboration between Adrian of Mechlin and Barnard Flower, the King’s glazier who also worked at Fairford Church and King’s College, Cambridge.

The inclusion of the civilian figures in the procession of kings, popes and bishops reminds the viewer of the process of the building of the Chapel and the labour that went into its construction.

ST EDMUNDSBURY CATHEDRAL – Susanna Window (c.1500)

Apocrypha story of Susanna and the Elders, containing glass from Rouen in lower section with English glass at the top, west end of south aisle, 6.7 × 3.1 m

The Susanna Window contains the oldest glass in St Edmundsbury Cathedral – it is thought to have been made in Rouen, France, in the early sixteenth century. The glass was collected from other parts of the building and placed in the chancel window in the 1820s, when the Cathedral was the Parish Church of St James. Later in the nineteenth century it was moved to its present location in the far south-west corner.

The need for a new window in that part of the building was due to the demolition of an adjoining structure. Previously, a coffee house had joined the church’s south side to the twelfth-century Norman Tower that stands 10 metres to its left. The Norman Tower was a gateway to the Abbey of St Edmund during its heyday as a European pilgrimage destination. The coffee house was demolished in order to facilitate the restoration of the Norman Tower in the nineteenth century, and its removal led to a need for an additional window in the Cathedral.

The bottom half of the window shows the story of Susanna and the Elders from the Apocrypha, in which the Elders hide in Susanna’s garden and falsely accuse her of adultery. When she is brought to trial, however, the young prophet Daniel defends her, exposing the inconsistencies in her influential accusers’ story so that, in the end, it is they and not Susanna who are stoned to death. In the panels above are heads of kings and prophets; the glass depicting St John is a later addition.

LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL – Herkenrode Glass (created 1530s, installed in Lichfield Cathedral 1805)

340 panels using brightly coloured pot-metal and flashed glass, with grisaille, silver-stain and enamel paints, in twelve windows, seven in east-end Lady Chapel, window height c.11 m

The eastern windows of Lichfield Cathedral are to be found in the Lady Chapel. They house the sixteenth-century coloured glass which started life in the Cistercian convent in Herkenrode in modern Belgium and was brought to Lichfield by Brooke Boothby, a local landowner, in 1802. The glass had been taken down for safety by the nuns when they left the abbey during wartime.

The windows depict the Annunciation, the events of Passion Week, the Resurrection, the Ascension, Pentecost and the Last Judgement. Two of the panels portray the donors who paid for the glass, and are shown in their oratories with their patron saint. In one section the Abbess stands in front of Herkenrode Abbey with her crozier and her flock of nuns The panels provide fascinating insights into the Renaissance period.

When the glass arrived in Lichfield it had to be fitted into the existing fourteenth-century openings. This has led to a certain eccentricity in the telling of the Gospel story, such that the viewer is required to take on an active role by tracing the sequence of events – a sequence which is arranged around the central image of the resurrected Christ breaking bread with his disciples. That scene is placed above the altar.

In recent years the glass has been cleaned and conserved, meaning that the vibrant colours and the details of this magnificent artwork can now be fully appreciated. One other unexpected benefit is that on sunny days the morning light in the chapel causes the colours to fragment, so that the floor, the walls and anyone standing in the chapel become part of a wonderful multi-hued pattern.

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, OXFORD – Jonah Window (1631)

Flemish-style stained and painted glass by Abraham van Linge (active c.1623–42), survived the Civil War, north aisle, 4 × 2 m

The early 1630s saw a major reordering of Christ Church Cathedral, in the course of which a set of windows was commissioned from the Dutch stained-glass artists Abraham and Benjamin van Linge.

A lengthy poem published in 1656 describes the windows, which included representations of key events and figures from the Scriptures – among them the fall of humanity, Abraham and Isaac, Jonah, the Nativity, the Last Supper and the Crucifixion.

Within twenty years, however, all but one of the windows had been reduced to fragments. A decree issued on 2 June 1651 demanded that ‘all Pictures representing god, good or bad Angells or Saints shall be forthwith taken downe out of our Church windows, and shall be disposed for the mending of the Glasse that is out of repaire in any part of the Colledg’. The only window that survived was Abraham van Linge’s depiction of Jonah sheltering under his gourd (Jonah 4:6), watching and waiting for the hoped-for destruction of Nineveh.

One theory as to why this particular window survived is that, on account of his being neither God, an angel, nor a saint, but merely human, Jonah was considered to be an acceptable subject. Perhaps the Puritans considered his faults – especially his failure to accept the authority of God – a worthy object lesson.

The window also survived the Victorian restoration of Gilbert Scott, and today it stands as part of a range of stained glass extending from the Middle Ages to the twenty-first century and encompassing both biblical (e.g. Thomas Denny’s 2025 Prodigal Son) and hagiographical subjects (e.g. Edward Burne-Jones’s St Frideswide window). This breadth reflects a central feature of the story of Jonah (one that perhaps escaped the Puritan extremists): the fact of God’s essential compassion and mercy.

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL – Great West Window (glass replaced after 1660)

Window built c.1375, fragments of medieval glass reinstated in the late seventeenth century, 16 × 10 m

The Great West Window of Winchester Cathedral, with its jumbled imagery and chequered history, is a magnificent sight. It was originally glazed in c.1375–84 under the direction of Thomas of Oxford, at a time when the nave was being remodelled in the Gothic style. It would have been part of the overall vision for the Cathedral, allowing light to flood into the building and enhancing the glorious vaulting of the restyled nave.

But the window no longer survives as originally designed. It was damaged in the Reformation and then again during the seventeenth-century civil wars. Its shattered pieces were gathered, along with fragments from other windows. These were repurposed in calmer times to create the mosaic of coloured glass that we see today.

Much effort has been devoted to analysing the original scheme. The window is arranged in three panels, with each panel being three lights wide. The side panels would have depicted the Apostles and the prophets, while the uppermost panes of the central panel would have shown scenes from the life of Christ. A striking image of the crowned head of Christ survives; also discernible are St Peter with his keys, a sleeping soldier in chainmail, and various bearded and cherubic heads. There are panes showing architectural elements and ecclesiastical robes, a cheeky lion, a swan on its nest, wheels and feathers, scrolls, and words relating to the Annunciation and taken from the Apostles’ Creed.

People often gaze at the window, seeking out individual features or trying to reconstruct the medieval form of the whole. It may never be possible to do this with accuracy, but the window remains one of the great glories of the building – a powerful example of beauty emerging from brokenness, and a profound source of wonder and inspiration.

ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, LONDON – Christopher Wren’s use of clear glass throughout St Paul’s Cathedral (1710)

Clear-glass windows around the dome and in the south-west tower, architect Christopher Wren (1632–1723)

Christopher Wren’s innovative use of clear-glass windows in St Paul’s Cathedral and his City churches exemplifies his artistic mastery and theological intent. Wren’s approach was not merely aesthetic; it was also deeply tied to the evolving identity of the reformed Church of England in the seventeenth century. By allowing clear divine light to infuse these sacred spaces, Wren departed from the shadowy interiors of medieval Catholic churches, emphasising clarity, understanding and direct communion with God.

A striking example of this approach can be seen in the major set of windows encircling the base of St Paul’s great dome. These expansive clear-glass openings bathe the interior in natural light, lifting the eye heavenward and reinforcing the Cathedral’s grandeur. The effect is both spiritual and structural, as the dome appears to float above the nave, its architectural brilliance revealed in full detail. When the sun is low, the display of chiaroscuro around the pillars and architraves and across the memorials and the black and white tiled floor is subtle in its spirituality.

In the south-west tower of St Paul’s, large clear-glass windows illuminate the beauty of the geometric staircase, with the interplay of light and shadow highlighting the exceptional craftsmanship of Jean Tijou’s ironwork and demonstrating how Wren skilfully balanced functionality with elegance. Two windows also light up the Cathedral’s library chamber and triforium via curved internal window casements.

Beyond St Paul’s, Wren’s City churches further showcase his commitment to clear glass. In contrast to the stained glass of the pre-Reformation period, his designs prioritised unfiltered light, symbolising the reason and transparency that defined the Church of England’s post-Reformation Renaissance ethos, which placed man at the centre of things as well as Almighty God. By flooding his churches with divine light, Wren transformed London’s ecclesiastical landscape.

Above : Well-spaced clear-glass windows illuminate the south-west tower and Wren’s geometric staircase, with its exquisite ironwork by Jean Tijou.

Above : In the south-west tower, curved internal windows let borrowed light into the library and triforium.

WESTMINSTER ABBEY – Great West Window (1735 – depicted in top lights)

Thought to have been designed by James Thornhill (1675–1734), made by William Price (d. 1765), 13.7 × 9.4 m

The Great West Window of Westminster Abbey (completed in 1735) is believed to have been designed by James Thornhill and executed by the glassmaker William Price. This remarkable work, which depicts Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with the Twelve Tribes of Israel, is a rare example of early Georgian stained glass and represents an intriguing moment in the evolution of religious imagery in the reformed Church of England.

The window’s subject matter reflects the doctrinally cautious approach of the early eighteenth-century Church – thereby marking a contrast with the medieval windows lost during the Reformation. Rather than depicting saints or scenes associated with pre-Reformation devotional practices, the window presents direct biblical narratives, demonstrating the gradual reintroduction of religious imagery in Anglican worship spaces.

Thornhill was a key figure in early Georgian art and architecture, following in the footsteps of Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor. Best known for his Baroque murals in the Painted Hall at Greenwich and the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral, Thornhill also contributed to Westminster Abbey’s Gothic fabric. He and Price had previously collaborated on the north transept’s Rose Window, making the West Window their second major stained-glass project for the Abbey.

The Great West Window is notable for its grand scale and striking composition. The lower panels display the crests of arms of King Sebert, Queen Elizabeth I, King George II, Joseph Wilcocks (the Dean of Westminster), and the City of Westminster. The glasswork was likely executed using enamel-painted glass, which allows for detailed pictorial representation and vibrant colour.

Set within the architectural context of Hawksmoor’s west towers, the Great West Window exemplifies Westminster Abbey’s eighteenth-century transformation – into a space that was both a site of commemoration and a place where artistic and religious traditions were tentatively reinterpreted for a new age.

ELY CATHEDRAL – St Peter Window (1770)

‘Best thick crown Bristol glass’ for enamel-painted plain glass sheets by James Pearson (c.1740–1838), north nave triforium, 2.9 × 2.4 m

In a window in the north nave triforium of Ely Cathedral, today only visible from the Stained Glass Museum gallery, is a figure of St Peter holding keys and several heraldic shields. It dates to 1770 and was originally part of the incomplete glazing scheme for the five-lancet East Window of the choir commissioned by Matthias Mawson, Bishop of Ely from 1754 to 1770. These rare examples of eighteenth-century painted glass are important remnants of a major reordering of the Cathedral’s east end undertaken in the Georgian period.

Bishop Mawson commissioned the artist James Pearson, a Dublin-born glazier based in London, to produce the new window. It was his earliest recorded commission. The design was to feature full-length figures of St Peter, St Etheldreda and St Paul – with shields below representing the Royal Arms and the See of Ely – in the upper compartment. The outer lights were to be filled with arms of the Cathedral prebendaries. The lower compartment of the window was to feature a Nativity scene with angels descending in attitudes of joy, with the Evangelists appearing in the side lights.

The contract with Pearson specified that the final design and painted glass should be approved and inspected by Mawson or an appointed representative, and that the window should be made of the ‘best thick crown Bristol glass’. Pearson agreed to undertake the design, making, carriage and installation for £200. However, when Mawson died in November 1770 the East Window was left incomplete. The completed figure of St Peter was ultimately reset alongside some of the arms of the prebendaries in the north triforium when plans for a new East Window were being devised in the 1840s as part of the extensive Victorian restoration of the building.

SALISBURY CATHEDRAL – Moses Window (1781)

Plain crown-glass sheets painted in coloured enamels, with lead and copper tie bars, by James Pearson (c.1740–1838) from a painting by John Hamilton Mortimer (1740–79), eastern gable, 5.9 × 1.8 m (central light) and 4.8 × 1.2 m (sides)

In the eastern gable of Salisbury Cathedral, above the high altar, is a three-light window by James Pearson depicting ‘Moses and the Brazen Serpent’. It was installed in 1781 and was based on a painting by John Hamilton Mortimer, whose death delayed the delivery of the cartoons by six months. When the window was finally finished, it was exhibited by Pearson at the Pantheon in London prior to its installation at the Cathedral. The unusual methods involved in its construction attracted significant interest.

The window is made up of large sections of crown glass and is only 1–2 mm thick. The detail was painted in coloured enamels that were fired in a kiln to fix them onto the glass surface, and the sections are leaded together. Copper ties join the leadwork to a wrought-iron frame, which is screwed to the stonework at its edge.

The lights were removed and re-leaded by Salisbury Cathedral’s Stained Glass Department between 1979 and 1983, but, in a testament to Pearson’s skill, very little deterioration of the painted detail had taken place. External isothermal glazing was provide further protection.

The window depicts the Old Testament scene in which God’s people are attacked by snakes. Moses responds by fashioning a serpent of bronze and raising it on a pole; all who look upon the bronze serpent are saved. Christian tradition understands this as a foreshadowing of the Crucifixion of Jesus. He too is raised – upon the cross – and all who place their trust in him are saved. Hence the choice of biblical text at the bottom of the window: ‘just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believes in him may have eternal life’ (John 3:14–15).

Part 1 – The Middle Ages and the Reformation

Part 2 – The Long Nineteenth Century

Part 3 – The Modern Age

 

Picture credits –  York Glaziers Trust © Chapter of York; David Brook; Andy Marshall; Mel Howse and Vitreous Art Ltd; Portsmouth Cathedral; Marcus Green; Lichfield Cathedral; The Chapter, Canterbury Cathedral; Dan Beal; Lynne Alcott Kogel; Wells Cathedral; Holy Well Glass; Kevin Lewis; Tom Soper Photography; Rob Scott; Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford; Gordon Plumb; Winchester Cathedral; Janet Gough; Kevin Caldwell © Off the Rails Australasia Pty Ltd; Steven Jugg; Declan Spreadbury/Salisbury Cathedral; Gordon Taylor; Bradford Cathedral/Philip Lickley; Chris Parkinson; Gill Poole; Chris Hutt; Paul Barker; Christopher Guy/Worcester Cathedral; Mark Charter; © David Whyman; Clive Tanner; Peterborough Cathedral; Bill Smith/Norwich Cathedral; Peter Hildebrand/Visit Stained Glass; Luke Watson; Patrick Fitzsimons; Bristol Cathedral; David Pratt; Aaron Law; Manchester Cathedral/Nathan Whittaker; Liverpool Cathedral; Gareth Jones Photography; Salisbury Cathedral; St Albans Cathedral; Dr Chris Brooke; Southwell Cathedral Chapter; Blackburn Cathedral; Richard Jarvis and Aidan McRae Thomson of Norgrove Studios Ltd.

 

Harvest is being celebrated in our cathedrals with services focussing on climate change, farming, food poverty and sustainability.

Harvest Festival at your local Cathedral

The diverse range of farming that the county of Essex offers was celebrated at Chelmsford Cathedral when it hosted the County Harvest Festival Service at the end of September.

The opening procession featured all creatures (and agricultural machinery) great and small, including a barn owl from Barleylands Farm which flew down the middle of the aisle.

The Diocesan Rural Advisor, The Revd Canon Janet Nicholls said,

‘The County Harvest Festival provides a pause in this challenging agricultural year to come before God in thankfulness and prayer for the commitment of our farming community. 

‘The service also provides the opportunity for our farmers to showcase the vital work of the countryside in the heart of the city. ‘

Harvest Festival at Salisbury Cathedral 

Salisbury Cathedral celebrated Harvest Festival with two services on Sunday inviting donations of non-perishable groceries for the Salisbury Food Bank.

The Wiltshire County Harvest Thanksgiving Choral Evensong, held in the afternoon, featured a Procession of Offerings and representatives from Wiltshire’s farming and agricultural community and the Cathedral Choir sang at both services.

St Edmundsbury Cathedral hosted the County Harvest Festival on Sunday for a day of seasonal celebration, community gathering, and thanksgiving.

Suffolk’s agricultural tradition was celebrated during the day with stalls, activities and displays on the Green that included Suffolk Punch horses, Red Poll cattle, and Suffolk sheep, alongside a tractor and combine harvester for visitors explore.

This was followed in the afternoon by a Harvest Service in the cathedral and every visitor was encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the local food banks, Gatehouse and Storehouse.

A special feature in this year’s Harvest Festival was the Love British Food Harvest Torch.

Since 2014, the Harvest Torch has become well known as the emblem of Love British Food and has journeyed around many of our cathedrals for their county harvest festivals.

The torch was designed and sculptured by Andy Hall FWCB from Devon and Blacksmith and was National Blacksmith of the Year.

The Reverend Clive Fairclough, one of the diocese’s rural chaplaincy team, was thrilled to be offered the harvest torch to travel around rural Suffolk. He said.

“This beautiful sculpture is a wonderful symbol of British agriculture with its ears of corn, fruits of the earth, mushrooms and bullrushes of the meadows.”  

This year, the torch has travelled around Suffolk to several of the county’s agricultural shows earlier in the year.

The torch will now continue to Westminster Abbey for the National Harvest Festival on Thursday 16 October which celebrates British Food Fortnight.

Winchester Cathedral celebrated harvest and explored climate change and other environmental issues at the Big Green Weekend held at the end of September.

There were farm animals, falconry displays, tractors, a Hampshire Fare market, and a Big Top marquee full of topical displays, speakers and organisations who are working towards a more sustainable future.

It also used the end of the Big Green Weekend to share its plans for solar panels on its roofs, announce that its popular Christmas Market will be even more sustainable than ever and that next year’s flower festival will once more aim to use as many British-grown flowers as possible. It also outlined some of the action it is already taking to mitigate climate change including a bio-diversity project in the north paddock of the Cathedral estate.

Earlier in September, Winchester Cathedral had invited a group from Christian Climate Action (CCA) to address the congregation in which they urged the church to show leadership on the crisis, and recognise the need to consume less and live differently.

Ely Cathedral will celebrate the harvest this weekend with this year’s theme, ‘Farming The Fens’.

There will be a tractor outside the Cathedral and the Nave will be filled with flowers designed by the Flower Guild, as well as harvest themed displays from G’s, the NFU and a number of local schools.

Prickwillow Museum will demonstrate their model pumping station, a wooden wind pump, plus lots of scale models of interesting things including a wind tunnel.

Wicken Fen, the National Trust’s oldest nature reserve, and one of Europe’s most important wetlands, will share their ambitious landscape-scale conservation project, helping to create a diverse range of new habitats.

There will also be two Smoothie bikes, where visitors can power their own smoothie making using local fruit and veg; the opportunity to make a small scarecrow, corn dollies; a seed swap and storytelling of local folklore character Tiddy Munn

Harvest Festival Worship will take place throughout the weekend and includes a harvest supper, harvest prayer and praise and a Harvest Festival Eucharist.  As part of the Harvest Festival, the recently planted orchard in the Dean’s Paddock will be open to visitors. Volunteers will be on hand to chat about the project and Ely Cathedral’s work to improve biodiversity on their land.

Ely Food Bank will be collecting donations though out the weekend. More here.

Newcastle Cathedral’s Harvest Festival will be a joyful celebration of the season, filled with music, prayer, and reflection on the gifts of the harvest.

The service at 10am on Sunday 19 October will feature uplifting music from some of the Cathedral Choir’s youngest voices.

The service will also give thanks for the generosity of the Cathedral community, whose Harvest donations this year will help to support West End Refugee Service (WERS).

The Harvest Festival will also showcase artwork created by members of the congregation.

This artwork – by asylum seeker and refugee members of our Bible study group – has been inspired by the Cathedral and the natural world. It

has been created in collaboration with artist Rory Williams as part of a project supported by Newcastle City Council’s Arts Development Team.

All services are FREE to attend with no pre-booking required and this service will also be live-streamed via Newcastle’s YouTube channel.

Wakefield Cathedral celebrated harvest last weekend giving thanks for the season and encouraging people to share their creations online.

There were activities and free downloadable craft sheets for families to enjoy at home, Messy Cathedral, which included crafts and a communal meal, and eco-themed events were also part of the cathedral’s Harvest celebrations and seasonal programming.

Hereford Cathedral will celebrate harvest over the 21- 23 October with a bring and share harvest supper and harvest praise.

On Saturday the cathedral will host the county harvest festival which will offer harvest workshops arranged by the education department, a craft and mini food fair, a new red tractor standing sentinel outside the cathedral, major fruit and flower displays, apple trees and an appearance of Ronaldo, Weston Cider’s Herefords bull.

Songs of Praise for harvest will take place on Sunday 23 October at 3.30 pm and will include the NFU, Young Farmers and local apple growers.

Pictured by the car is the Dean of Portsmouth, Dr Anthony Cane and the Revd Canon Harriet Neale- Stevens with food donations collected during their harvest weekend events as part of the citywide With Thankful Hearts campaign. Harvest events also included a barn dance and hog roast.  Food donations, for distribution through the Roberts Centre, can be left in the Cloister throughout the year.

Visitors can discover hidden treasures from Exeter Cathedral’s collections for the first time in a brand-new exhibition space.

Exeter Cathedral’s Hidden Treasures Unveiled

Located in the cathedral’s 19th century Pearson Building, the new ‘Treasures Exhibition’ will offer the public a chance to view some of the cathedral’s most ancient and precious collections, which have never before been on permanent display.

These include Exeter Cathedral’s foundation charter dating back to 1050; Exon Domesday, the only surviving source for the Great Domesday Book; the only surviving examples of medieval wax votives in England, and the 10th century Exeter Book which is considered to be the oldest surviving book of English literature in the world.

The new space is part of Exeter Cathedral’s 2020s Development Appeal Project, which is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund alongside The Wolfson Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and The Julia Rausing Trust.

The project aims to connect visitors with their heritage while also making sure that the historic building is preserved for future generations.

Alongside the exhibition, the space will also showcase a series of new works created as part of the Cathedral’s community projects. There are four newly crafted misericords – or ‘mercy seats’ – featuring intricate designs created by winners of a creative competition and hand-carved by woodcarver William Barsley,  a new triptych textile artwork, inspired by themes of birth, marriage, and death, co-created by artist Davina Kirkpatrick and members of the local community.

Visitors will also hear a dedicated soundscape created by Soundscape Artists Nicole Redfern and Daniel Harvey working alongside local schools and community groups  using the sounds of the historic building to support visitors in engaging with their sensory experience.

For the Very Revd Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter, this is an exciting opportunity for visitors to engage with their heritage and see the cathedral’s special collections:

“I am delighted that the Treasures Exhibition is now open at Exeter Cathedral. We care for a wide range of precious objects which until now, it has been almost impossible to put on display here in Devon. 

‘So, really for the first time, people will be able to see and appreciate some of the highlights of the cathedral’s collection, and this Exhibition will greatly enhance any visit.”  

Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “It’s fantastic to see the new Treasures Exhibition open in Exeter Cathedral, sharing some of its remarkable heritage for the first time. Thanks to National Lottery players, visitors will now have the opportunity to explore some of the most significant and rare artefacts in our history, brought to life in a space that celebrates Exeter’s past and present thanks to the 2020s Development Appeal project.

‘It’s a shining example of how heritage can inspire, educate and connect people across generations,’ he added.

More information about visiting the exhibition can be found on the Exeter Cathedral website here.

 

The three cathedral choirs of Bradford, Lichfield and St Pauls will join their voices for the oldest choral music event in the world.

Three cathedral choirs: 370 years of choral music tradition.

Next month St Paul’s Cathedral will host the 370th Clergy Support Trust’s Festival Service -an afternoon of thanksgiving for the ministry of clergy with the Lord Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehgani.

Bradford Cathedral Choir

Bradford Cathedral Choir has been part of the city’s choral community since well before St Peter’s Church became Bradford Cathedral, over 100 years ago. There are two fully independent lines of boy and girl choristers, drawn from schools throughout the region, and a number of teenage Junior Choral Scholars.

The choir sings regularly for five services a week, including compline on Thursday evenings, undertakes regular tours, gives concerts, and occasionally makes recordings and broadcasts. The choir is led by their Organist and Director of Music, Graham Thorpe.

Lichfield Cathedral Choir

Made up of four sections which form many different combinations – the Boy Choristers, the Girl Choristers, and the VI form Choral Scholars (all of whom attend the Cathedral School), and the Lay Vicars Choral – the choir at Lichfield is led by their Director of Music, Ben Lamb and the Assistant Director of Music, Martyn Rawles.

During school term time, the Choir usually sings seven services each week: Choral Compline on Monday, Choral Evensong Tuesday to Friday, and the Eucharist and Evensong on Sunday. The Choir also gives occasional concerts and recitals, and has made frequent broadcasts, both on television and radio.

The founding of the choir can be traced back to the early days of the current cathedral in the 13th century.

St Paul’s Cathedral Choir

Bradford and Lichfield Cathedral Choirs will perform alongside St Paul’s Cathedral Choir – who have been part of the Festival for over three centuries  and are currently led by their Director of Music, Andrew Carwood MBE.

Speaking on last year’s Festival Service, Andrew said:

“It is a rare and wonderful joy to work with such incredible choirs each year, and even more so when you are part of an almost unbroken line of choirs singing together under the dome of St Paul’s stretching back over nearly 370 years.”

The choir have performed at some of the cathedral’s most important services – including their Grenfell Tower Memorial Service and the Service of Prayer and Reflection for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Join the Festival

The Festival Service is free to attend, and will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday 13 May 2025, 5pm.

The Festival is the biggest fundraising event of the year for the Clergy Support Trust and is free to enter with a retiring cash collection and  contactless donation points beside St Paul’s own donation points at the Cathedral doors

It is recommended that tickets are. Booked in advance to avoid disappointment as the Festival regularly attracts over 1,000 people.

Book here.

 

Coventry Cathedral, whose ruins are a potent reminder of the cost of war, will commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a wide range of events and worship both at home and abroad.

VE DAY 80 – join us in a shared moment of celebration and remembrance.

More VE Day 2025 events here.

The Dean of Coventry, the Very Revd John Witcombe will travel to Berlin for the anniversary to join a special service in their partner church, the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, with the Federal State President of Germany and other ecumenical and international representatives.

The service will be broadcast live on German national TV, and the Dean has been asked to introduce the Coventry Litany, which will be read in seven different languages. He said ..

‘I am honoured to have been invited to participate in the national service of remembrance taking place in the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche in Berlin, with Federal state President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and other international representatives. 

‘I will be introducing the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation, a prayer for God’s forgiveness for all that divides people and nations, which will then be led by voices from different countries before I conclude, praying in the words of St. Paul, “Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.”

The Litany of Reconciliation, known as the Coventry Litany, is prayed every weekday at noon in the cathedral and throughout the world by partners in the Community of the Cross of Nails.

It was written by Canon Joseph Poole in 1958 and centres on the phrase Father Forgive which was inscribed on the wall of the ruined Cathedral by Provost Dick Howard after the Blitz, where it can still be seen today.

The words echo the prayer of Jesus as He hung dying on the cross: ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’.

BBC Radio 4 Today programme will broadcast from Coventry Cathedral for VE Day.

On May 2nd there is a joint VE/VJ Day 80 Concert fundraising concert for the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation which will feature live performances from special guests including the Brass Band of Central England, renowned Cellist Guy Johnston, and the UK’s premier wartime act, the D-Day Darlings.

On Thursday 8th May, historians Adam Wood and Adam Neale will host two illustrated talks to commemorate the anniversary titled Bombs in Coventry: The 1939 IRA Attack & The 1940 Blitz.

The 1939 Bombing of Broadgate – Adam Wood

On 25 August 1939 a bicycle was parked up against the kerb outside Astley’s shop on Broadgate, with a deadly cargo in its carrier basket. It was a Friday lunchtime, and the street was packed with people. At 2.30pm a huge explosion threw passers-by to the floor and blew the glass from the windows of shops and offices the length of the street. More than sixty people were injured, a dozen seriously, and five people lost their lives. Hear the human stories of those involved, and how the families of the dead attempted to rebuild their shattered lives.

The Coventry Blitz of 1940 – Adam Neale

On the night of 14 November 1940 the biggest air raid in history began. Bombs began to fall on one of the oldest cities in England. Learn what really happened: whether it was preventable, the heroic struggles, and real-life testimonies of people who were there as the city burned.

The talks will take place at the John Laing Centre at 2pm (tickets available here).

This will be followed by Choral Evensong on Thursday, 5th May, at 5:15pm.

Andrew Alldrick, Coventry Cathedral’s Bell Ringing Master, was recently featured in Country Living magazine, and he will be ringing the bells as part of the national VE Day initiative at 6:30pm on Thursday 8 May.

Thursday 8th May will mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. To commemorate this occasion, the Government has announced an events programme between Bank Holiday Monday (5th May) and VE Day (8th May), culminating in a nationwide celebration of this historic day. You can check out all the events near you by clicking here.

 

‘Tis the season of giving and seven of our cathedrals are celebrating the extraordinary generosity of the Julia Rausing Trust after receiving awards of more than £6m.

Generous Gifts for our cathedrals this Christmas from the Julia Rausing Trust

Bristol, Chester, Ely, Exeter, Manchester, Wells Cathedrals and York Minster have each been granted awards – part of heritage grants across the UK from The Julia Rausing Trust of £16.7m including £6.2 million to cathedrals, £6.2 million to botanic gardens and £4.3 million to museums and galleries.

Bristol Cathedral has been awarded a generous £475k grant from The Julia Rausing Trust towards its Access for All project.

This funding will kick-start a transformational project which will drastically improve the way visitors and the community can enjoy The Cathedral without experiencing physical barriers to accessibility.

The grant to Bristol Cathedral, will support the installation of a new platform lift and work to raise the Cloister floor to its original level in the Victorian era. This will create new level access for those in wheelchairs or experiencing mobility issues, so visitors can travel from the Cathedral Nave down to the ground floor of the south range without the need to navigate sets of steps and level changes.

The Very Reverend Dr Mandy Ford, Dean of Bristol –

“We are so very grateful to The Julia Rausing Trust for this generous grant which will allow us to address Bristol Cathedral’s biggest accessibility challenge, ensuring that anyone who visits can experience a warm welcome and take part in Cathedral life in a way that works for them.”

Chester Cathedral has been awarded over £1.4m from the Julia Rausing Trust to fully refurbish, rebuild and develop its Grand Organ.

This generous funding will allow the instrument to be fully restored and rebuilt, where necessary, using modern organ building techniques and materials.

The whole organ will be thoroughly cleaned and the console replaced, alongside AV support and following restoration, each of the almost 5,000 pipes will be individually adjusted for sound and tuned within the Cathedral building.

The organ is at the heart of the cathedral.  It is played daily and is an integral part of Chester’s worship and mission. It was built in 1876, by the local firm Charles H Whiteley (at a cost of £1,800), and is their only major work. It was rebuilt in 1910 by Hill, and again in 1970 by Rushworth and Dreaper.

The instrument has been showing significant signs of wear, and without urgent repairs, it could fail entirely at any time, and indeed, some parts have already failed.

Canon Rosie Woodall, Canon for Worship and Spirituality at Chester Cathedral said:

“The Cathedral is currently renewing its strategic planning for 2025-2030, and the Grand Organ project was firmly placed as a priority project. 

“The extraordinary generosity of The Julia Rausing Trust has given us the security to finally plan its refurbishment – thus enabling music to remain at the heart of our worship for many more years to come.”

Manchester Cathedral has received a grant of £300,000 from the Julia Rausing Trust towards the repair and conservation of its bell tower.

The Very Reverend Rogers Govender, Dean of Manchester Cathedral, said:

“As a Grade I listed building, we take conservation very seriously and it has become apparent the beams and structures surrounding the Cathedral bells in our West Tower have fallen into disrepair and need attention.

“We are extremely grateful to receive this support from the Julia Rousing Trust towards the repair of our bell tower so the city can continue to hear the much-loved sound of the Cathedral bells for years to come.”

Anthony O’Connor, Manchester Cathedral’s Director of Fundraising and Development, said:

“The total cost of the project to repair the Cathedral’s bell tower stands at around £600,000, so we are delighted to receive this grant which will also stand us in good stead to attract further match funding. 

“Thank you to the Julia Rausing Trust for working with us and supporting this vital heritage conservation work.”

Wells Cathedral has been awarded £800,000 for its Vicars Close Project, to preserve and open up to the public the oldest intact medieval street in Europe still used for its original purpose, to house the cathedral’s adult choir.

The Dean of Wells, the Very Revd Toby Wright, said:

“We are immensely grateful for the generous support of the Julia Rausing Trust to enable us to undertake urgent repair work to the Vicars’ Close Project and open it up to the public.  

“Vicars’ Close is the oldest intact medieval street in Europe (1348) still used for its original purpose: to house the Cathedral’s adult choir. It has been integral to the history and fine choral tradition of Wells Cathedral for centuries and its continuity of use is incredibly rare. As a group of buildings, it is possibly without parallel.

This crucial project will create a legacy that will safeguard the future of this extraordinary heritage and enable an exciting, new, visitor experience and programme of events to uncover and celebrate this remarkable place, opening it up to the public for the first time.

“Chapter of Wells are delighted to be working with the Julia Rausing Trust to open this space up to many new visitors, and to work in conjunction with apprentices, young people and a wide range communities to ensure the survival of this world-renown jewel. This support makes a huge difference’

And a grant of £500,000 awarded by the Julia Rausing Trust will close the fundraising campaign for York Minster‘s new Centre of Excellence for Heritage Skills and Estate Management and fund the first major project to take place in the centre: the conservation of three stained glass windows in the Minster’s South Transept, and up-close analysis of the iconic Rose Window.

The generous gift from the Rausing Trust will deliver far-reaching impact across the heritage sector. Funding for the Minster’s Centre of Excellence for Heritage Skills and Estate Management will provide new facilities for craftspeople, including York Glaziers Trust and the Minster’s team of stonemasons, and house cutting edge digital facilities to aid in the conservation of the Minster and heritage estates worldwide.

On-site accommodation will allow the Minster to host training events with craftspeople from across the world, as well as offering its apprentices the chance to live and work in its new Heritage Quad to help combat the high cost of living. The latest in stone-cutting technology will speed up conservation efforts to the fragile medieval building, freeing up capacity for Minster’s team to liaise with, train, and learn from, similar heritage sites across the world using a new conferencing suite in the centre’s Tech Hub.

The first project to take place in the new centre will see the conservation of three stained-glass windows and analysis of the condition of the iconic Rose Window, all of which were heavily damaged by the 1984 fire that tore through the Minster’s South Transept.

The Very Reverend Dominic Barrington, Dean of York said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have received incredibly generous support from the Julia Rausing Trust. This exceptional donation of £500,000 will have an incredible impact across our work, the glorious building of which we are custodians, and the heritage sector more widely.

“This last year, we have paid homage to the determination, bravery and skill of the people who helped to save, conserve and restore York Minster 40 years ago. This funding will allow us to continue to build on this legacy, creating facilities and sharing training that will help us, and others like us, overcome the many challenges facing historic buildings.

“Our heartfelt thanks to Hans Rausing for his generous support in memory of Julia Rausing.”

Simon Fourmy, Director of Julia Rausing Trust, said:

“From the splendour of a medieval cathedral to the innovation of a Victorian glasshouse, via a fascinating and inspiring array of museums dotted across the country, the UK boasts exceptional heritage. Supporting heritage for the benefit of all was an important part of Julia Rausing’s giving and so it is fitting to continue her legacy through these new heritage-themed grants.”

The Julia Hausing Trust was established by Julia’s husband, Hans Rausing following her death earlier this year. It intends to make grants in Julia’s name, supporting causes she was particularly passionate about. It aims to give away £100m each year to UK charities.

Overall, more than 2,000 grants have been made totalling over £500m.

Angels: our Winter Campaign. Sharing love and hope. Take a look at these stunning angels. Some old, some new. All of them gorgeous.

Angels in our stained glass, carved in our stones, stitched into our kneelers, whittled into our roof bosses, fashioned in our reredoses, placed atop our Christmas trees and in our festive decorations – angels are in the very fabric of our cathedrals and at the heart of the Christmas story.

This winter we will bring you an angel a day (mostly) from every one of our cathedrals – from the medieval stone carving fragment of the angel Gabriel discovered at Lichfield Cathedral during an archaeological survey in 2003, to the lovingly knitted small woollen angels adorning Derby Cathedral this festive season.

As the Christmas story reminds us, angels are messengers from God, coming alongside us to embody God’s love for everyone and declaring the hope and peace that Christ brings for all the world.

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13.2

We hope you enjoy this campaign. Look out for an angel from one of our cathedrals every morning on our social media platforms … you can find us on Bluesky now too!

Here is where you can find us on Social Media.

• Facebook – Association of English Cathedrals
• X / Twitter – English Cathedrals
• Instagram – English Cathedrals
• Bluesky – Association of English Cathedrals

 

Here are the Angels from our #CathedralAngels campaign.

Bradford – Angels by William Morris

The three windows at the east end of Bradford Cathedral were originally one large window designed by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. and inserted in the then Bradford Parish Church in 1863.

The window, with three rows of tracery above seven lights divided by a transom, was the work of several artists. Morris himself designed the angels in the tracery, which originally occupied three tiers, surrounded by slit lights, beneath the dove in the octofoil of the apex.

From 1958-1963 the east end of Bradford Cathedral was re-built and extended, with the Morris & Co. glass being removed and re-inserted in a new position. Sir Edward Maufe, RA was responsible for the extension work and reconfigured the original stained glass window at the east end as three windows for its new position.

When the window was re-designed for the new position, five of the six angels in the top tier of tracery were given to the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, the sixth being too damaged to preserve, having been inserted the wrong way round in 1863. The other two tiers of tracery were arranged to form one tier, eight angels being used along with the octofoil and some corner lights, while four were altered to make more corner lights. Three windows were now made, a centre one of three lights, with a two-light window on each side in the semi-octagonal apse.

John Aldam Heaton, a Bradford textile manufacturer who later became an arts and crafts designer- who recommended Morris & Co. for the stained glass work in 1863- said of the window at the time that, “Compared with modern work generally, the drawing will be found particularly vigorous and forcible; the faces and the limbs boldly defined by line, rather than shaded or minutely worked up, the flesh tints particularly well obtained – a matter often missed – and the colour generally founded on an artist’s appreciation of the value of gradation and harmony, rather than delighting in crude colours and striking contrasts.”

Cathedral Isle of Man

The South Transept Window depicts Jacob’s ladder with angels ascending and descending (Genesis 28. 10-15).

The window is in memory of the Bishop who built the ‘new Cathedral’ (Bishop Rowley Hill 1877-1887).  St German’s only became the Cathedral of Sodor and Man 100 years later in 1980 when legislation was passed by Tynwald.

St Edmundsbury

This carved angel features on a pair of limed oak stalls that were designed by Stephen Dykes Bower in the 1960’s for St Peter’s Church, Birch, Essex, in the St Edmundsbury Gothic style.

Dykes Bower was St Edmundsbury Cathedral’s architect from 1943 until his death in 1994 and transformed the space with his chancel extension, north transept and Edmund and Lady Chapels. The limed oak stalls were given to the Cathedral by the Diocese of Chelmsford when St Peters became redundant in 1990.

Westminster Abbey

Angels which decorate the case of the grand organ in Westminster Abbey.

The organ was installed for the coronation of King George VI in the Abbey in 1937.

Hereford Cathedral

These angels are located in the choir stalls at Hereford Cathedral.

Photo by Caroline Potter

Bristol  – Toddlers’ Carols, Wednesday 18 December – 9.00am, 11.00am & 2.00pm

Families are invited to a short, informal service designed for babies, toddlers, and preschool children.

With the Cathedral beautifully decorated for Christmas, attendees can enjoy singing favorite carols in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Noise and movement are embraced, and everyone is welcome to join. No need to worry about noise or wrigglers! Everyone is welcome!

Chelmsford

The Holderness window in the Cathedral’s South Aisle is a favourite with visitors for it’s beautiful depiction of red-winged Seraphim angels. It was designed by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Henry Holiday, one of England’s finest stained glass artists.

The window portrays the passage of the human soul along the steep path of life, through the river of death before it reaches Paradise. Made by the firm Lowndes and Dury, who also have work at Gloucester Cathedral and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the window was commissioned by Lieutenant Holderness in memory of his wife Caroline who died in 1905.

Wakefield

1)    An angel from one of our stained glass windows. It’s taken from H.M Barnett’s ‘Infant Jesus and Christ in Majesty’, made in 1888, which can be found by the candle tree in the cathedral. The window itself stands out as a very purple anomaly in our otherwise mainly golden Kempe windows collection.

2)    This angel (below) is painted on the cathedral wall and was only discovered in 2012 during cleaning as part of our improvement project. They don’t know how old it is, only that it is medieval and is thought to be part of a doom painting. You can see the angel’s red wings, black body, and swinging a red thurible in front of it as a weapon.

St Albans

Six beautiful angels decorate Abbot Ramryge’s chantry chapel. The Abbot died in 1521 and his chapel was the last monument built within St Albans Abbey before the monastery was dissolved in 1539. The bare niches remained unfilled until 2007.

Artist Claudia Brown created these sculpted and etched Ramryge Angels in Perspex to complete the chapel’s decoration.

Gloucester

Eyes are lifted to the heavens as we admire the angel musicians carved into the Quire vault of Gloucester Cathedral, circling a figure of Jesus Christ.

Each angel holds a musical instrument, such as a harp, a reminder of the Cathedral’s rich tradition of worship through music, led by our choirs in praise of God.

Southwark

You don’t have to look very far to find angels when you visit Southwark Cathedral.

From wood carved angels in the Quire to pearl robed stained glass angels and the Virgin and Child flanked by angels in the Lady Chapel, there are plenty to be found.

York Minster

The view is looking up towards the Minster’s organ, with these angels greeting people as they pass through the King’s screen beneath the organ into the quire.

Carlisle

Carlisle Cathedral is famous for its starry ceiling, but did you know this beautiful decoration also incorporates angels, added in the 1850s? There are three pairs of truncated brackets projecting from the clerestory, each of which bears a large angel. There is also a continuous frieze of smaller angels along the cornice of the clerestory walls. Each angel has a unique face and holds a different object or has their arms in differing positions.

In the book, “Heavens Above” by James Palmer, it is noted that “On 20th January 1855, The Carlisle Patriot reported that a serious accident had befallen a young Belgian artist who was attaching a large model of an angel to the end of one of the six oak hammer beams that protrude from the clerestory wall above the choir. He fell from his scaffold onto the temporary platform spanning the choir at clerestory level. Both the artist and the angel suffered serious injury. The artist recovered but the angel was damaged beyond repair, at a loss of £40.”

Rochester – Detail from the fresco.

It was painted in 2004 to celebrate the 1400th anniversary of our consecration.

Chichester Cathedral

The angel with the heart (below) is from Bishop Durnford’s Tomb in the North Nave Aisle.

This angel (below) with the mitre is from Bishop Sherbourne’s tomb in the North Quire Aisle.

Manchester

Now displayed in Manchester Cathedral’s Nave, the Angel Stone is one of the Cathedral’s oldest artefacts.

The stone was discovered during excavation work in the south porch in 1871 and although the exact date is uncertain, it is believed to date back to the 11th or 12th Century.

Birmingham – Heavenly Host

Christ and The Archangel Michael are framed by angels, distinguished by the different colours of their haloes and wings. It is believed that the faces of the angels were inspired by Burne-Jones’ daughter Margaret, with whom he had a close relationship.

Margaret can be seen in a number of portraits he produced, and there is a very strong resemblance between the two. One angel holds a golden key and a double chain which refers to binding of the dragon in Revelation 20. Another angel holds the Book of Life; which is understood to serve as a testament to those saved who will enjoy eternity with the Lord.

Ripon

There are some 70 angels looking down from on high in the Mediaeval quire at Ripon Cathedral.

A few years ago one of the heavenly host fell to earth from the canopy directly above the choir stalls where the lay clerks (adult singers) sit, prompting a large-scale restoration project costing £120,000.

Restoring Fallen Angels, in 2019, saw carvings, canopies and misericords restored to their former splendour with centuries of dust and dirt removed. The remarkable carvings, which are of national significance, draw tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Durham Cathedral – RAF Memorial Window – The Seraphim

Durham Cathedral’s RAF Memorial Window was designed by Hugh Ray Easton (1906-1965) with a memorial to the British Armed Forces directly below.

In the glass you will see Durham City shown beneath a large black eagle that is flying above. The eagle is holding up a kneeling airman as he is received into paradise and welcomed by an angel. There are then four more angels at the very top. The inscription at the base of the window reads “As Birds Fly So Shall the Lord Of Hosts Protect Jerusalem”.

Durham Cathedral – St Cuthbert’s Coffin

St Cuthbert Coffin, which you can see at Durham Cathedral’s Museum, was made for St Cuthbert in 698 eleven years after his death.

The coffin is made from oak wood, and provides a unique example of techniques used for decorating wooden items in the 600s. Most of the fragments were recovered from Cuthbert’s tomb when it was opened in 1827, you can see at the ‘head’ end of St Cuthbert’s coffin carved figures of the Archangels Gabriel and Michael.

Southwell – Angel Window

Described accurately by the artist as “a great gathering of angels enjoying being with God; just all joy and worship”.

This inspirational contemporary window sits in perfect harmony with the medieval tracery.

Like all great windows it ‘works’ in a variety of different lights, but is especially glorious on a mellow autumn afternoon, as the sunlight makes the angels sparkle.

Taken from https://www.visitstainedglass.uk/location/southwell-minster

Peterborough

This ornate and intricately painted angel depicted playing the violin is located on Peterborough Cathedral’s Presbytery Ceiling.

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

This angel was designed by George Gilbert Scott as part of his restoration in 1871-2.

The window of St Michael leading his army of angels which was made by Clayton & Bell and installed in 1875. It’s by far the largest window in the Cathedral!

Newport Cathedral

From the Presentation window in Newport Cathedral, by Hardman’s in 1880/1881.

St Paul’s Cathedral – Victorian angels to brighten up a ‘dreary’ St Paul’s Cathedral.

During a visit to St Paul’s, Queen Victoria remarked that it was ‘most dreary, dingy and undevotional’; a comment that would lead to a scheme of ceiling mosaics being installed above the Quire.

These were designed by William Blake Richmond (1842-1921) an artist who turned his hand to large-scale stained glass and mosaic work later in his career. Work on the mosaics began in 1891 and was completed in 1904.

These vibrant, sparkling designs include several angels, the Creation and other Bible stories, Old Testament and historical figures, the Crucifixion, the Risen Christ and many animals, birds and flowers.

Limerick

This angel has presided over events in the Cathedral for over a century.

It is one of a pair and forms part of the reredos of the Great High Altar in Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick.  The reredos and surrounds were carved in 1907 by Michael Pearse, father of Patrick and Willie Pearse, executed leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916.

Newcastle

Newcastle artist Ralph Hedley carved the outstanding woodwork of the quire for the Cathedral’s inauguration in 1882.

Perhaps, most of all, it is the angels on high who dominate.

Legend says Hedley used his young daughter as a model. The angels provide a glorious heavenly choir to accompany the voices of the present Cathedral Choir.

And now some more angels from cathedrals across the country starting with …

 

Wells Cathedral

 

Salisbury Cathedral

 

Portsmouth Cathedral

 

Liverpool Cathedral

 

Guildford Cathedral

 

 

 

Worcester Cathedral

 

Blackburn Cathedral

 

This angel appears on the edge of the pulpit at Blackburn Cathedral.

The pulpit was one of the first gifts of ‘new’ furniture to mark the transition of Blackburn Parish Church to Blackburn Cathedral. Completed in 1940 as a memorial to local physician Dr. James Ramsey, it is a particularly fine example of work in the Gothic Revival style.

It was designed by W. A. Forsyth and installed into its current position in the 1970s. The delicately carved angel appears at the foot of the steps.

Ely Cathedral

 

Coventry Cathedral

 

Winchester Cathedral

 

Leicester Cathedral

 

Chester Cathedral

 

Canterbury Cathedral

 

Exeter Cathedral

 

Norwich Cathedral

 

Sheffield Cathedral – Angel on the Chancel Roof

 

The world’s oldest surviving slave song manuscript will form the centrepiece of a new exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral next month.

Oldest surviving slave song manuscript inspires new work at Gloucester Cathedral

The 18^th-century slave song, from the voices of enslaved people on the sugar plantations of Barbados, is a UNESCO world heritage document and will be a highlight of the new exhibition to celebrate Gloucester’s diverse people and history.

Curated by Voices Gloucester for Threads 2024, an annual heritage textiles programme, the exhibition will showcase new artworks and textiles including two new projects showcasing international artists and local quilt makers.

Inspired by the historical slave song, Gloucester-based artist Rider Shafique, of Bajan descent, and British-Jamaican photographer Vanley Burke have created new art that explores the impact of the transatlantic slave trade from their perspectives as descendants of Caribbean enslaved people.

Newly commissioned quilts, led by Gloucestershire-based textile artist and curator Jo Teague, forms part of the programme entitled ‘Belonging and Unbelonging’, and will explore themes of migration, displacement, neurodiversity, cultural histories, and the ways in which the people of Gloucester have influenced the wider world.

Canon Rebecca Lloyd, Gloucester Cathedral’s Canon Chancellor and Director of Learning and Participation said: “The Cathedral is honoured to host these important works and celebrate the rich tapestry of Gloucester’s diverse people and stories while sparking important conversations on identity and justice.

“This exhibition embodies our commitment to being a place where everyone is welcome, where all voices are heard, and where art can inspire positive change within our community.”

Local artist and curator of the exhibition Jo Teague added:

“Voices Gloucester is proud to celebrate the radical flair of artists and quilt makers. This exhibition offers a unique opportunity for talented local makers to share their craft alongside two artists engaged in an internationally significant dialogue.

 Through these quilts, we will tell the intricate stories of our community, while honouring Gloucester’s rich history. Long recognised as a female art form embodying love, thriftiness, and personal narratives, quilting holds a special place in our cultural heritage. Through this exhibition, we aim to spark a renewed conversation about the history of women’s work and quilting, and to elevate quilting within the visual arts.”.

The exhibition runs from 6 – 30 September and will be complemented by a series of talks at The Folk of Gloucester, Museum of Gloucester and Gloucester Cathedral

Discover this programme and book your place at these events online here.

Vicars’ Close smallest resident, Monty, gives the funding news a paws up!

Wells Cathedral in £4.4m grant boost to save unique Vicars’ Close

Wells Cathedral has just announced it has received a £4.4m funding boost from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards its campaign to save Vicars’ Close, an extraordinary series of 30 medieval houses and buildings that is world-renowned for being the most complete and continuously occupied medieval street in Europe.

The project will cost a total of £7m and includes critical conservation works and a new visitor experience which will open up four of the unique buildings to the public for the very first time.

With the NHLF grant and £1m already raised in donations, Wells cathedral needs to raise £1.6m to complete this transformational project.

 

The proposed plans for the Grade I listed street include No 27 becoming a visitor centre, and Nos 12, 22 and Vicars’ Hall having public access all year round. The gardens of No 12 and No 22 will be redesigned with medieval inspiration and use the latest research to investigate the horticulture of the high and late Middle Ages.

No 22 is particularly noteworthy as one of the houses that is most authentic to its original layout.

Although some of the houses have been open for temporary exhibitions and events, this will be the first time that permanent access will be established, so that visitors can always enjoy these remarkable buildings.

Vicars’ Close was built in 600 years ago and has housed generations of singers as part of the world-famous Vicars’ Choral and it still retains that function today with the altos, tenors and basses still living there, providing a remarkable example of continuity from when the Cathedral first appeared in an English landscape ruled by Henry II (1133-1189) to the present-day.

The houses are arranged in two terraces and face each other, with distinctive octagonal ashlar chimneys set on the front eaves of the wall. Uniquely for a street of this period, an ocular trick is built into the design, where the width of the terraces narrows from south to north, as well as the height of the buildings. Although subtle, this gives the impression the street is much longer when entering from the cathedral side.

The walls of the houses mostly consist of rubble stone that has been sourced from the local area, such as Doulting, Draycott and Chilcote and over the centuries, temporary or small works have been undertaken which can be seen in some of the houses.

Urgent repairs are now needed so the Grade I listed buildings can continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. The repairs are specific to each property, and consist of re-roofing, new insulation, drainage improvements to prevent water damage, wall conservation, and exterior joinery repairs.

The Dean of Wells, the Very Reverend Toby Wright, said,

“Vicars’ Close is a truly remarkable place, possibly without parallel anywhere in the world. 

“We have a responsibility not only to protect the architectural site but also to share its extraordinary heritage and enable more people to engage with it. 

“We are absolutely thrilled that The National Lottery Heritage Fund has made such a generous and significant contribution to help us achieve that ambition. We are now asking for public support to raise the last £1.6m and ensure that one of the most historic places in the UK will be protected for future generations – even a small donation will make a big difference.”

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

“Places of worship, and the buildings associated with them, are some of our oldest and most cherished historic buildings and many play a key role as a gateway to our heritage and communities. 

“Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, this project will enable vital steps towards securing a brighter and more sustainable future for Vicars’ Close and enable new audiences to enjoy this remarkable survival and explore the heritage it holds.

“We are delighted to invest in the restoration and reimagining of the buildings of Vicars’ Close, ensuring that this heritage will be valued, cared for, and sustained, for everyone, now and in the future.”

You can donate here.

Photos: Members of Wells Cathedral’s Vicars’ Choral outside their homes on  Vicars’ Close,  (L-R: Stephen Harvey, Simon Clulow, Natalie Manning, Matthew Minter) © Mark Pickthall

Wells Cathedral is hosting the annual Wells Arts Contemporary, Carlisle and Portsmouth are hosting summer exhibitions by local artists, Chester Cathedral has been transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour, Coventry Cathedral is Seeking the Light and Liverpool Cathedral gets ready to unveil works by Anish Kapoor, the centrepiece of its centenary celebrations. 

Cathedral Art Exhibitions this Summer

Just some of the art exhibitions you can discover in our cathedrals this summer.

Hundreds of original paintings are on display at the Fratry Hall at Carlisle Cathedral for the Carlisle and Cumbria Artists 55^th annual exhibition this summer.

The exhibition includes local landscapes, still life and abstract work in a wide variety of techniques and styles and runs to August 11.

Carlisle and Cumbria Artists’ first exhibition took place at Carlisle Town Hall in 1968. It was organised by the late Mrs Molly Mawson to raise money to save the 15^th-century Tithe Barn. The first exhibition was so successful that the Dean asked Mrs Mawson if future exhibitions could raise money for the Cathedral.

Since then, it has been an annual event in the city’s social calendar, raising valuable funds for the Cathedral and other local charities.

Later this month Portsmouth Cathedral will welcome the Portsmouth & Hampshire Art Society –  the oldest and most prestigious art society in Hampshire.

In its 115^th year, the cathedral will host its Summer Exhibition offering work exploring diverse styles and techniques with a number of workshops on offer to hear from artists or sketch and paint.  Opens August 17.

Find out more here.

Chester Cathedral has welcomed British artist, Liz West back to the city six years after her work Our Colour Reflection occupied the Cathedral Chapter House.

The work, Your Kaleidoscope, features two of the artist’s works – Presence and Hymn to the Big Wheel.  Presence transforms the South Transept, taking the form of a tunnel, creating a kaleidoscopic artery down the centre of the transept.

Meanwhile, Hymn to the Big Wheel is an immersive sculptural work exploring the illusion and physicality of colour and natural light in space.

Liz West is a British artist (b.1985) who graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 2007. West’s broad body of work encompasses wall-based artwork, sculpture, and site-specific installations.  She creates vivid environments that mix luminous colour and radiant light, provoking a heightened sensory awareness in the viewer through her works.

Your Kaleidoscope can be seen until 31 August

Seeking the Light by Alexandra Kingswell has just opened in Coventry Cathedral.

This exhibition is a celebration of colour and strong geometric shapes that complement John Piper’s baptistery window below which it is displayed.

Alexandra did a degree in communications design and had a career as a graophic designer before turning her attention to fine art.

She said: “My work could be described as a love affair with colour, and a fascination with numbers.

“I use strong, bold colours and put them into relationship  with each other to see what happens – to see how they affect each other …

Seeking the Light until 31 August.

Now in its thirteenth year, the Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) exhibition has just opened in Wells Cathedral.

This annual showcase attracted almost 2,500 entries from around the globe narrowed down to just 121 successful artworks by a panel of selectors including Jacquiline Creswell who has just been announced as the new arts curator for the Association of English Cathedrals and is passionate about the role of art in sacred spaces:

‘Churches have employed the visual arts for centuries …..They have found that art has the power to attract and engage people who are otherwise outside the formal structures of faith, belief and belonging.’

From painting and textiles to printmaking and photography, the exhibition is in two parts: a white wall gallery within the Cloisters, and 19 site-specific art installations selected from almost 300 entries for their sense of spiritual intensity in response to this unique medieval building.

Wells Art Contemporary was set up in 2012 to support and inspire artists but also to engage with the community and this year WAC has worked with three local community groups to create unique pieces that are included in the exhibition.

Running alongside the exhibition, there are free drawing sessions for the public on the Cathedral Green. Check the website for DRAW! times and dates.

Entry to WAC is included with admission to the Cathedral. A virtual exhibition will also be available to view for those who are unable to visit in person. 

And drum roll please … Liverpool Cathedral is about to open a unique exhibition by the celebrated artist Anish Kapoor to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

The exhibition, Monadic Singularity opens this Saturday (August 10) and marks Kapoor’s first solo show in a UK cathedral and his first major solo exhibition in Liverpool since his seminal 1983 exhibit at the Walker Art Gallery. It is on until 15 September

Read all about it here.

Monsters of the Sea, a Cathedral Big Wheel, a beach, a fox, a sheep, a host of family activities, organ proms, and pop-up cafes too – welcome to your cathedrals this summer. What will you discover?

 

Worcester Cathedral

Worcester Cathedral is stepping back in time with a Medieval takeover for a week from Monday 12 – Sat 17 August by creating a medieval village with a range of family activities on offer including soft archery, fire pit building, a dragon quest trail and storytelling.

Other events include tower climbs, medieval talks in the Abbot’s Kitchen, medieval dancing workshops and medieval library tours. The week will finish with a medieval banquet in the Great Hall – dressing up encouraged!.

For all the events and more about King John’s Day on Thursday 15 August –   You can find a day-by-day breakdown on the website here to help plan your visit and pre-book activities as required.

 

Peterborough Cathedral

Peterborough Cathedral has just announced a special after-dark showing of its popular summer exhibition, “Monsters of the Sea,”

This exclusive event on August 10 will give visitors the unique opportunity to explore the “Monsters of the Sea” exhibition after hours, delving into the fascinating world of sea creatures large and small with a live performance by acclaimed mezzo-soprano and classical cross-over artist, Gabriella Pineda-Rodriguez.

Get tickets and find out more about what’s on this summer including free outdoor yoga and an immersive soundbath here.

 

Birmingham Cathedral

A Big Wheel, the Cathedral Square Wheel, is open in the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral inviting visitors to ride above the city skyline. Open every day from 11 -10pm.

Visit www.birminghambigwheel.com for more information.

Birmingham Cathedral is running four summer holiday club sessions for children this summer that cover science, craft, music and creative writing, one running per week. Find out more here.

And it has brought back its free guided tours every Monday and Thursday during July and August 2024. The tours are led by the cathedral’s knowledgeable volunteer tour guides and will generally cover the history of the cathedral, with a particular focus on the Burne-Jones windows.

No need to book, just meet us at the main entrance to the cathedral.

And for one night only, Festival of Voices is an evening of spoken word and poetry, celebrating diverse voices from across the city, the region’s heritage and the cathedral’s four remarkable stained-glass windows.

Poetry will be read by Birmingham Cathedral’s poet-in-residence, Nafeesa Hamid, inspired by the work of Edward Burne-Jones and will see the launch of the Tracing Glass podcast – bringing together voices from across the city to reflect on the themes of the windows, in collaboration with We Don’t Settle.

 

Blackburn Cathedral

Blackburn Cathedral has a full programme of musical events by candlelight, the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain in concert, theatre productions and an August Bank holiday Organ Concert.

 

Coventry Cathedral

Coventry Cathedral has announced a new family series for the summer – its Let’s Grow Series will see free weekly sessions every Thursday inviting families to think about how to best care for our environment with art, poetry, crafts and more.

There are free family sessions too at the Live and Dye Garden, an urban growing space in the Cathedral grounds with a focus on plants that can be used for either medicinal purposes or harvested and used for dyes, inks and other design resources. In partnership with Food Union the Cathedral is holding free gardening sessions and workshops.

 

Chichester Cathedral

Chichester Cathedral has family-friendly outdoor theatre, creative workshops and guided tours as well as seasonal trails for everyone to do. 

 

Newcastle Cathedral

Family tours, ceramic workshops and a summer of organ recitals are part of what’s on at Newcastle Cathedral.

Sheep is once more the theme at Newcastle Cathedral later this summer when it becomes the location for the last stop along the Illuminated Sheep along Hadrian’s Wall’ art tour. A non-illuminated sheep will be on display in the cathedral from September when churches across the diocese will be invited to decorate it and there are talks and craft activities running alongside.

 

Lichfield Cathedral

The Beach is returning to Lichfield Cathedral – the most landlocked of our cathedrals – for its third year, offering  sand, decking, deck chairs, children’s activities, and refreshments. On selected dates there are also crafts, a magician and his circus, storytelling, trails, summer school and more. And for the first time in six years, Lichfield sees the return of its tower tours. We have a full article about the return of the towers that you can read here.

Find out what’s on this summer at Lichfield Cathedral here.

 

Norwich Cathedral

Norwich Cathedral has announced the launch of its new family trail, Flint the Fox, inspired by a stone carving found in its architecture.

The stone carving can be found in one of the Cathedral’s archways and is helping families explore the 900-year-old building this summer.

Two children’s activity days during the school holidays will have a Flint the Fox theme, there’s a free Cloister Club for primary school-aged children every Tuesday with different activities , meanwhile on Thursdays under sevens can enjoy a special Fox’s Tales story time session.

And there’s a new Follow the Fox trail leaflet to help families explore the Cathedral independently. Flint will also be the new face of the Cathedral’s Explorer Backpacks which children aged five to 11 years old can borrow.

Clare Williams, the Cathedral’s Head of Schools and Family Learning, said:

“We are delighted to introduce Flint the Fox to everyone this summer and beyond. Flint’s story is something which can capture the imagination and encourage greater engagement for our younger visitors, and we hope this will add to the feeling that the Cathedral is a place for all ages to explore and enjoy.”

 

Portsmouth Cathedral

There are specialist summer tours at Portsmouth Cathedral exploring its architecture and its memorials. Brass rubbing trails are running throughout the summer and there are regular Wednesday workshops for families. This summer the cathedral will host the Portsmouth and Hampshire Art Society summer exhibition. This is the oldest and most prestigious art society in Hampshire and has been in existence for 115 years. Every Wednesday there are art workshops for visitors to explore the diverse styles and techniques of different artists from the local community.

 

Carlisle Cathedral

Carlisle Cathedral’s Rest Under The Stars project is back for its final installation in the cathedral for summer.

The installation has been on tour around Cumbria and returns to the Cathedral this summer with new awnings and new soundscapes – creating a whole new experience for 2024 and will be on display within the South Aisle of the Cathedral until the end of August.

Carlisle Cathedral has plenty of other events happening throughout the summer holidays including Angels’ View Tours of the Cathedral (*except Sundays), weekly activity groups – Little Stars (aimed at ages 0-7 years old) and Summer Stars (aimed at ages 8-11 years old) – and a special Squishy Slime Lab with The Science Booth.

 Tickets for all of the events (except Rest Under The Stars where booking is not required) can be booked at www.carlislecathedral.org.uk/tickets . 

 

Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral’s summer Organ Prom returns this August with part of the programme chosen by the public. The music ranges from hits from the big screen, popular classics, a new piece by Andrew Lloyd Webber composed for this year’s D-Day anniversary and popular songs like Over the Rainbow.

Now a firm fixture in the summer events calendar, the Organ al on Saturday 10 August is a relaxed informal evening, where audience members are invited to wander around the Cathedral, enjoying a drink while listening to the music played on the mighty Willis organ.

The organists will be David Halls, the Cathedral’s Director of Music, and John Challenger, Assistant Director of Music.

John Challenger said:

“I’m so looking forward to welcoming everyone to our 2024 Organ Prom. The Prom has become a firm fixture in Salisbury Cathedral’s summer schedule, and it’s always such a delight to have the building so full of people all sharing a love for music, the pipe organ, and just having a great time together! With two hours of wide-ranging music to look forward to in this amazing space, with the infectious enthusiasm of David Owen Norris as our compere, and with a glass of something in your hand, you can be sure that a great evening awaits.”

Tickets for the Organ Prom are £10, with under 18s £5. Available now, click here.

 

More ..

And there are pop up café’s this summer at Carlisle, Coventry and Bradford cathedrals.

It will mark Bradford’s second year when the pop up café opens from 31 July for a month, selling a range of hot and cold drinks, cakes and made-to-order food Wednesdays – Saturdays.

The Very Revd Andy Bowerman, Dean of Bradford, said:

“It’s been an exciting few weeks planning the return of the Pop-up Café and we hope this will be, once again, a welcome addition for those visiting Bradford Cathedral, with something to eat and drink the perfect way to wrap up a visit to this beautiful space.

“We’d like to invite you to the Cathedral this summer to discover more about our history, find some time for prayer and reflection, and to explore our amazing windows and monuments. “

There’s free family activities at Bradford Cathedral this summer too with family-friendly guided tours, trails and quizzes available.

This is just a selection of what you can discover in our cathedrals this summer. Do check local websites before travelling for up to date information.  

“Volunteering in the Nave Choir gives me a sense of achievement, a sense of purposeful practice, a skill, and a fabulous new circle of friends and I feel very fortunate to be part of it.”

Victoria, a member of Chester Cathedral’s Nave Choir

As part of our week-long celebration of our unsung army of volunteers without whom our cathedrals would be so much less, today we shine the spotlight on Chester Cathedral’s Nave Choir – the oldest volunteer choir in the UK.

The oldest serving voluntary choir in the UK – Chester

It celebrated its 150th anniversary in November 2017 and is the oldest continuously serving voluntary choir in the UK.

It was established on Advent Sunday in 1867 by the then Dean John Saul Howson, in the first year of his tenure, and is indicative of the fervour with which he approached a major refurbishment of the Cathedral and its worship in the 1860s and 70s – part of his ambition to break down barriers and broaden the appeal of sung worship so everyone felt welcome.

Soon after its establishment, it was reported, the 200-strong Nave Choir were able to attract some 2,000 people to worship at Chester Cathedral.

The Nave Choir represented Dean Howson’s efforts to broaden the appeal of sung worship to ‘ordinary’ people and provide an alternative to the regular services in the quire that were ‘attended only by the elite.’ Although initially arranged quite informally, by November 1870 it is clear that the Nave Choir – as it had become known – was a more organised affair, with the lay clerk and master of choristers Edward Cuzner as their regular conductor.

Chester Cathedral Nave choir remains a voluntary choir with a high standard of singing. It is directed by the professional musicians of the Cathedral’s Music Department. It continues to be a valued part of the Cathedral’s Music Department, providing sung worship for Compline most Sunday evenings throughout the year, several large services, Evensong, and occasionally joining parishes in the Diocese for their worship.

Much of this information was gathered from a Guide to the Exhibition at Chester Cathedral Library to mark the 150th anniversary of the instillation of the Very Revd John Saul Howson as Dean of Chester and his Establishment of the Nave Choir which can be read here.

We talked to Victoria, one of the members of the Nave Choir, who shared her story and told us what being part of the Nave Choir means to her:

“I feel very privileged to give my time to sing in the Nave Choir, the country’s longest-running Cathedral voluntary choir.

“I first fell in love with choral music at the age of 13 when I was taken to a service at Chester Cathedral and heard a John Rutter anthem. From there, I joined the Nave choir as a teenager and then subsequently was the first Head Girl of the first Girls’ choir at the Cathedral in 1996. I have continued to sing in chamber choirs ever since, and music has helped me through stressful times including through Medical School, working long hours as a Junior Doctor and now during a busy role as a GP.

“My three children all sing and it is fabulous to have a shared interest.

“Volunteering in the Nave Choir gives me a sense of achievement, a sense of purposeful practice, a skill, and a fabulous new circle of friends and I feel very fortunate to be part of it,’ she added.

Scientists are vacuuming the roofs of our most ancient cathedrals in search of space dust that may unlock the secrets of the origins of the solar system and even life itself.

Hunting for Space Dust on the roofs of our Cathedrals

A team of planetary experts has drawn up a list of 13 cathedrals that it believes may be ideal locations to collect micrometeorites.

Samples have already been taken from our oldest cathedrals of Canterbury and Rochester and the scientists hope to tick Salisbury and Winchester off their list too.

Cathedral roofs are ideal for cosmic dust hunting, as they are large, inaccessible and largely untouched – and churches keep good records of work done, helpful for dating material.

The scientists hope that by putting their finds under the microscope they will learn more about how oceans and life are formed on Earth.

Samples already taken include grains that are up to seven billion years old that came from other solar systems and entered our own after its birth 4.6 billion years ago.

Dr Penny Wozniakiewicz, a planetary scientist from University of Kent at the centre of the project, said:

“We have a list of about 13 cathedrals we want to target.

“Initially, we did just collect the cosmic dust with a dustpan and brush, but we now have our own vacuum cleaner. Generally, we collect from where it’s washed from sloping roofs to flat ones and into gutters.

“There are a number of reasons why we are targeting cathedrals, apart from their iconic status, which might help us gain funding, there are also scientific reasons. They are large areas, and they have been collecting for a long time.

“Cosmic dust is mixed in with far greater quantities of terrestrial dust, created, for example, by welding or drilling or ash from combustion, but the proportion that is from space, and the number of different cosmic varieties, is likely to be greater on a cathedral than a house.

“Also, we often know the ages of church roofs, and they keep records of work done, so that can help us date material and pick out more quickly what is bona fide cosmic dust.

“Not many people get on church roofs to disturb the dust too. If you were collecting somewhere like a playground or road, identifying cosmic dust would be much harder,’ she added.

Meteorites originating primarily from asteroids and comets that settle on Earth as cosmic dust have an upper size limit of around 2mm.

If they are larger when they enter the atmosphere, they instantly burn up upon entry, but the smaller ones have so little mass that they are instantly decelerated and may survive.

Over 100 million of these land on Earth every year, some of which offer samples of different types of asteroids.

Dr Matthew Genge, planetary scientist at Imperial College, said:

“We are looking for information about how life and oceans developed on Earth. The asteroids and comets that have produced cosmic dust may have been the building blocks.

“The Earth had hot origins and water didn’t survive when it started. In our research, we would look at the composition of the water within the rock. We are looking at the starting material, and that can also tell us how other planets were built.

“We have also found some grains inside the dust that appear to come from outside our solar system, that pre-date our solar system. Our solar system is 4.6 billion years old. The oldest grains found so far are about seven billion years old.

“At present, we don’t know of any whole cosmic dust particles that are from other planets – only grains within particles – although that is possible, especially moons. Some of it might reach Earth. Potentially there are dust particles from Jupiter’s moons. We’re just scratching the surface.

“It’s incremental little discoveries that build up until there’s a breakthrough.”

Dr Genge said:

“They are everywhere. We will have cosmic dust on our clothes. But also surrounding us are billions of ordinary terrestrial dust particles making it hard to detect cosmic dust.”

Scientists can sift out cosmic dust from terrestrial material by identifying signs of exposure to radiation from the sun and the rest of the galaxy.

But collecting the cosmic dust is only the beginning of the research process, and arguably the easier part. The bags of dust will now be sterilised so that they are safe to work with, and then the scientists will examine each particle under a sterile microscope.

“We will spend hours and hours and hours and hours just extracting spheres and hoping that one is a cosmic spherol,” saysDr Matthian van Ginneken, also from the University of Kent.

They will be sharing their findings, and what these mean for our understanding of the solar system, in the coming months.

This includes the creation of scaled-up 3D printings of the micrometeorites they find, thanks to funding from a Royal Astronomical Society grant.

Photo credit – Gary University of Kent

A door a day – Cathedral Doors Winter Campaign 2023/24

The highest door, the smallest door, the newest door, the oldest door, and in Sheffield, a door completely made of steel gifted to the cathedral to celebrate its city’s heritage and history.

We have got the lot in our Cathedral Doors campaign.

Here they all are in alphabetical order. Which one is your favourite?

Birmingham Cathedral

In the north-west corner of Birmingham Cathedral are the main doors to the former vestry.  It’s distinctive ‘Gospel’ door handles show a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle.

These represent the four gospels of Matthew (a man), Mark (a lion), Luke (an ox) and John (an eagle). The doors lead to the recently-refurbished cathedral staff offices, which were completely renovated during 2022 to provide a modern and airy space for the cathedral community to work together from in the heart of cathedral life.

 

Blackburn Cathedral

The entrance to Blackburn Cathedral features a sculpture in the arched space above the door – known as a Tympanum. Created by Siegried Pietch, a German sculptor working in the UK just before WW2. He was imprisoned here during the war years, but stayed in the UK and developed his work in English churches. The sculpture depicts Jesus as authority over the world. One of the doors also features the shield of The Sacred Heart – denoting that this church is dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus.

 

Bradford Cathedral

This doorway to the Song Room dates from 1681 and is the only remaining part of a Bone House built in the 17th century to house remains already buried inside the parish church as was before it was granted cathedral status,  to enable more burials inside the church itself. .

The old Bone House was destroyed when the Song Room was built in the 1950s, as it was past repair, but its date-marked doorway was retained, along with the names of two churchwardens of the time – John Greenwood and Josiah Niccoll,

The Song Room is the home of the Bradford Cathedral Music department, where the chorister and adult choir rehearsals take place.

 

Bristol Cathedral

At the top of the night stairs, leading to what used to be the Abbey dormitory, hangs an old oak door. Despite the embossed dates on the door, in the year 2000 an expert noticed the door’s similarity to a more ancient example from another church, which was dated to 1120-1140. We now know that the Bristol door has hung in the Abbey since its foundation in the mid-12th century, making it one of the oldest doors in the country!

 

 

Canterbury Cathedral

The image with the little hatch is a doorway dating from about 1400 leading into the office of the cellarer, who was the monk responsible for food and drink at the monastery. The hatch was for serving ale to monks. The wooden door itself is medieval.

 

Carlisle Cathedral

Fratry Door. The door to the Fratry was lifted and turned around (including the Stone frame) as part of the Fratry Project, which aimed to bring the medieval building back-to-life, making it a cultural hub in the city centre with the addition of the pavilion café, as well as education, exhibition and event spaces in the Fratry Hall and Undercroft. The project, which took 10 years from conception to completion in 2020, has won a great number of awards including the RIBA North West Award 2022, RIBA North West Project Architect of the Year 2022 and the RIBA National Award 2022.

 

Chelmsford Cathedral

St Cedd’s Chapel is used for daily worship and private prayer and an arched glass screen and doors were commissioned to help shelter the chapel from the business of the main Cathedral building. Daedalian Glass created panels laminated with black voile fabric to create a sense of peace and privacy while maintaining a sense of openness. The glass sits within sculpted bronze gates, the work of Giuseppe Lund who designed the Queen Elizabeth Gate in Hyde Park.

 

Chester Cathedral

The Pilgrim Porch, installed in 2022 as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, allows our medieval wooden doors to remain open to the city, giving a view of the interior of the Cathedral church from the outside: reinforcing the idea that we are an open, welcoming Church. Artist Stephen Broadbent has designed the sculptural bronze porch with ceremonial glass which features, etched in the design of a labyrinth, images significant to churches across the diocese.

 

Chichester Cathedral

In the western arm of the Cloisters is St Richard’s porch, this being the door through which Richard de Wych (Bishop of Chichester 1245- 1253) would have entered the Cathedral.

 

Coventry Cathedral 

The mid-13^th century South Porch is the earliest surviving part of St. Michael’s Church, also known as Coventry Cathedral.

It would have once been the most important entrance to St. Michael’s before the Coventry Blitz and can be found opposite St. Mary’s Guildhall.

 

Derby Cathedral

This photograph shows the main entrance doors at the west end of Derby Cathedral. The main doors are guarded by the Cathedral’s impressive entrance gates, made by Robert Bakewell. The gates were moved from St Mary’s Gate in the City in the year 1957. The gates were refurbished in 2012 and renamed Queen Elizabeth II Gates to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

 

Durham Cathedral 

The North Door is one of the historic treasures of Durham Cathedral, dating from the early 12^th century.  It is made of oak wood, is 3.2 metres wide and 5.6 metres high and recently went under important restoration work.

On the outside of the door is a replica of the Sanctuary Ring. Until 1623, when the right to sanctuary was abolished, people accused of certain crimes could enter the Cathedral by grasping the ring. They were offered a safe place or ‘sanctuary’ for 37 days, after which they either had to face trial or leave the country. The original Sanctuary Ring is now displayed in the Cathedral Museum.

 

Ely Cathedral

The West doors have a ‘secret’ spyhole to allow the person inside (presumably a monk) to see when to open them and let, perhaps a procession (on Palm Sunday for example) through at the right moment in the liturgy.

The metal figures of birds that are studded onto the surface of the doors are a punning emblem in memoriam of Dean Peacock.

You wouldn’t think it, but the wicket door is relatively recent, there was a rather smaller one, but it was enlarged to the current size only about 50 years ago.

 

Exeter Cathedral

“Paid ye carpenters 8d for cutting ye hole in ye north transept door for ye Bishop’s cat.”

Of the many doors in Exeter Cathedral, it is a simple small door in the north transept which visitors want to seek out.

The great pair of Romanesque towers now forming the transepts of the cathedral’s decorated Gothic cathedral have massive walls more than two and a half metres thick. In 1376-77 a chamber with a flight of stone stairs was excavated within the thickness of the north wall of the north tower in order to accommodate a clock.

The present clock is one of four medieval astronomical clocks in the south west of England which not only show the time but also represent the state of the moon. The clock face high up in Exeter Cathedral’s north transept fills the round headed opening of a former Romanesque window, with the clock’s driving mechanism in the space within the wall.

For centuries, it was common practice for cats to be used to keep places free of pests and Exeter Cathedral’s records include quarterly payments of 13d (one penny per week) for “the cat” during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. There was a brief period when this was doubled which may indicate that sometimes two cats were on the payroll.

The employment of a cat appears to have ceased by the time William Cotton became bishop in 1598. When Bishop Cotton arrived in Exeter he found both the cathedral and his palace in a poor state of repair, and it is from Bishop Cotton’s time that the cathedral records contain the entry “Paid ye carpenters 8d for cutting ye hole in ye north transept door for ye Bishop’s cat.”

It is this cat hole, cut in the door below the clock face more than 400 years ago, which can still be seen today. Animal fat was used to lubricate the clock mechanism which would have been a great attraction for vermin. Hence the need for the cat to have access to this space in the north wall. It is not known whether Bishop Cotton’s cat received any payment for its services.

The association of mice with clocks has long been immortalised in the nursery rhyme Hickory, Dickory, Dock often illustrated with a picture of a mouse climbing the outside of a longcase clock. However, the origins are much more likely to date back to clocks lubricated with animal fat and where mice would probably run up the long weight lines regulating the clock mechanism. However, there is no evidence of the nursery rhyme originating in Exeter Cathedral.

Fortunately, today Exeter Cathedral has no need for the services of a feline ‘mouser’. Sometimes a resident cat from homes in the Close may venture into the building and occasionally a cat has been persuaded to pose in the famous door. However, the cats most likely to be seen by visitors to Exeter Cathedral are those carved in stone or perhaps a model cat placed in the cat hole to entertain children and adults alike.

Thanks to Diane Walker for this.

Image Credit: Peter Smith Newbery Smith Photography

 

 

Gloucester Cathedral

Little is known about this hatch-like door, which is located to the West (right) of the Lavatorium in the North Walk. One theory suggests that the hatch was connected to the water supply which served the adjacent washroom; another theory suggests it housed a bell used to call the monks at mealtimes.

 

Guildford Cathedral

St Ursula’s Porch. The entrance to the South East side of Guildford Cathedral is via St Ursula’s Porch. St. Ursula is the Patron Saint of the Ursuline Order of Nuns, who founded schools for the education of girls and women throughout Europe. She is also the Patron Saint of Catholic education, of students and teachers, and of the University of Paris.

The doors to this entrance were made at Bromsgrove, each weigh approximately half a ton. The handholds are formed as bishop’s staffs or crooks and indicate that this entrance is primarily regarded as the Bishop’s Entrance.

 

Hereford Cathedral

Door to the Cloisters. This door is a door within a door and has moved position twice in its life here at Hereford Cathedral.

It dates from 1472-5 and originally the original door into the College Cloisters opening out directly onto Cathedral Close. It features a Wickett gate, which is a pedestrian gate built within a door.

It has lots of nails!  Set in 26 rows horizontally and 19 columns vertically, and is mounted on three large iron hinges.

Stained Glass window door. This secret door is built within one of the stained glass windows next to the muniments room here at Hereford Cathedral.

One of six windows in the choir clerestory, the three on the north side have geometric patterns. Two on the south side originally also had geometric patterns, but these were replaced with clear glass in 1930.

Those on the north installed c1845 as part of the cathedral restoration, made by Castell of Whitechapel.

The door leads from a walkway above the choir out onto the roof .

 

Leicester Cathedral

Work being finished on the North Porch in advance of Leicester Cathedral’s reopening on Advent Sunday this year. This door will be the entrance to Cathedral until the completion of the new Heritage and Learning Centre in Summer 2024.  We can’t wait to welcome people back through it for the first time since we closed for renovations in January 2022.

 

Lichfield Cathedral

The great West Door of Lichfield Cathedral are beautifully ornate. The scrolling ironwork was produced in the 13^th century by the same man who created the ironwork for the Eleanor crosses (the most famous of these being Charing Cross). Edward I commissioned these crosses as a memorial to his wife, they were put up to show where his wife’s coffin had rested on its way to Westminster.

 

Limerick – St Mary’s Cathedral

According to tradition, Domnall Mór Ua Briain, the last King of Munster, gifted his palace to the Church in 1168 thereby creating Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick.

It is understood that the only part of the palace to survive is the doorway, thus making it the city’s oldest doorway still in use!

See more on the St Mary’s Cathedral website here.

Lincoln Cathedral

Central Tower Trap door. The trap door in the Bell Tower (top right of this image) had to be made wider when Great Tom – the Cathedral’s big bell – was recast at Whitechapel in November 1834.  It took a team of 8 horses 7 days to arrive at Lincoln with the new bell in April 1834.

Great Tom then had to be hoisted up 165 feet through the central tower to the Bell Chamber.  It took a team of 50 workmen and bell ringers 2 hours 44 minutes to do this and the opening in the floor of the clock chamber had to be widened by removing part of the vaulting.  Even then, it was a tight fit.  So, to avoid damaging the new bell, they tied two small boys onto the bell so that they could guide it through the opening!  The bell weighs five tons and 8 hundredweight (in old money) or 5.49 metric tonnes.

 

Liverpool Cathedral

The Great West doors at Liverpool are English oak and each weigh over a ton. They were designed by the Cathedral Architect Fredrick G Thomas and fitted in 1981 which was too late for the Queen’s visit to consecrate the Cathedral in 1978 and therefore the Choir were banked up to cover the fact!

 

Manchester Cathedral

Manchester Cathedral’s north doors are surrounded by a beautiful archway of stone carvings depicting instruments of the Passion, including the tomb, crown of thorns, coins, and a central stone of Christ in Majesty.

This ornate entrance was originally used by the Barons and clergy as it was close to their residence, now Chetham’s School of Music, while the south entrance was used by the townsfolk.

The north porch also includes carved angels holding shields with symbols of St George, St Denys and St Mary, to whom the church is dedicated, and the Lancashire rose.

 

Newcastle Cathedral

These wooden doors are part of a memorial screen connected to the main west entrance of Newcastle Cathedral, dedicated to First World War combatants, including members of the Northern Cyclist Battalion. Positioned above these doors are depictions of various saints, including St George, St Michael, and St Nicholas, the patron saint of the Cathedral and historic inspiration for Santa Claus.

 

Norwich Cathedral

The Prior’s Door (ca. 1300) leads from the northeast corner of the Cloister into the South Aisle of the Nave and would have been the primary entrance into the Cathedral of the monastic community.

The elegant but vigorous figures show Christ in Judgement displaying the five wounds of his Passion and flanked by three pairs of figures: two angels bearing instruments of his Passion; to the left, St Peter wearing the papal tiara and pallium and holding the remnant of a key and the Church, and to the right St Edmund, King and Martyr, the chief saint of East Anglia; to the left, St John the Baptist wearing his camel’s-hair coat and to the right Moses, with horns and carrying the Tables of the Law.

 

Portsmouth Cathedral

The West Doors of Portsmouth Cathedral were installed in 1997. Manufactured by the Sculpture Library, London, these doors are made of bronze and nearly weigh 2 tonnes. The design was created by Professor Bryan Kneale, the former Head of Sculpture at the Royal Academy, depicting the tree of life. They were gifted through donations, including from The News, a local paper.

 

Ripon Cathedral

The heavy oak pulpitum doors to the quire at Ripon Cathedral have six painted wooden shields on them.Amongst the heraldry depicted on the shields are a mitre, representing Archbishop Thomas Rotherham, who was Archbishop of York from 1480-1500, and the estoiles (wavy stars) of the cathedral’s founding father Wilfrid who built his magnificent basilica here in 672.

It is imagined that Archbishop Rotherham helped with some of the restoration when part of the tower fell and when the nave was rebuilt (and also when the choir stalls and misericords were made).

 

Rochester Cathedral

This is the Gundulf Door at Rochester Cathedral. It’s not on public view and is in the North Nave Quire Transept. It is believed to be the second oldest door in England. It dates back to 1080. It has been dated using dendrochronology which shows that the trees were felled between 1075 and 1108. The ironwork provides more evidence of the dating and it comes from the time when Bishop Gundulf rebuilt the Cathedral shortly after the Norman Conquest. It’s the only surviving piece of decorative iron and woodwork from this Cathedral.

 

Salisbury Cathedral – the highest

The highest door in Salisbury Cathedral is 375 feet or 114m in the air, just a little under 9 metres below the top of the Spire. This is known as the weather door and is only used when essential maintenance needs doing – such as replacing the anemometer (used to measure the wind).

Here’s the door and the view from outside that only a lucky few will get to see.

 

 

Sheffield Cathedral

To commemorate the gift to Sheffield Cathedral of the world’s first stainless steel door by G. Ethelbert Wolstenholme Secretary – Treasurer of the Sheffield Diocesan Trust & Board of Finance (1914 – 1940).

This plaque was presented by his children 15 January 1982.

 

Southwark Cathedral

Southwark Cathedral stands at the oldest crossing point of the River Thames and has been a place of worship and welcome for over 1,000 years.

These doors sit on the south west of the Cathedral and are regularly used by visitors and worshippers alike to access the Churchyard and Herb Garden or to re-enter the Cathedral leaving the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area outside. Photo credit Roy Matlofsky.

 

Southwell Minster

The magnificent original Norman Porch at Southwell Minster has a 14^th century wooden door surrounded by seven different orders of limestone moulding including one of the extremely rare ‘beaks head’ decoration.

 

St Albans

The West Porch and Doorway to St Albans Cathedral: the west front of the cathedral was rebuilt by Edmund Beckett, Lord Grimthorpe, in 1880. He carefully preserved the old monastery doors, which can still be seen inside the building. Over a century later, in 1988, this grand and formal entranceway was completed with Sally Scott’s engraved glass of the Virgin and Child.

 

St Davids Cathedral

Here is a little-known door from St Davids Cathedral, our partner at the Church in Wales. It can be found on the North side of the substantial screen in the cathedral and opens the way to a tiny staircase leading to the top of the screen which gives way to an incredible view of the organ pipes packed into a tight space.

 

St Edmundsbury Cathedral

Hedgehog Highway.

St Edmundsbury Cathedral’s newest door is also it’s cutest door.

The hedgehog highway was installed in The Yard door this April and is designed especially for our prickly pals to reach our outdoor quiet space, safely. An official opening of the hedgehog highway took place on the same day as the official opening of The Yard.

The Yard is a social action project for young people in Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding area. The garden was originally an unused and overgrown area of the cathedral grounds that has been transformed to offer a safe space where young people can come and spend time, learn new skills, meet new friends and improve their mental health, wellbeing and resilience. Young people have taken part in every step of the project ensuring that it’s a space designed by them, for them.

Users of The Yard have welcomed sharing their area with hedgehogs. They’ve built a cozy hedgehog house and are hoping it gets discovered this autumn, in time for hibernation. Our environmentally friendly garden is full of slugs and worms for the hedgehogs to eat, and we never use slug pellets which can poison hedgehogs. We’ve also built a hedgehog-friendly habitat pile in case he would prefer to build his own house!

 

 

St Paul’s Cathedral

Doors that aren’t really doors: This is a monument in the North Nave Aisle of St Paul’s to William Lamb, Viscount Melbourne (1779-1848 and Prime Minister in 1834 and from 1835 to 1841) and his brother Frederick Lamb, Viscount Melbourne (1782-1853) by Carlo Marochetti RA, 1853. Metaphorical ‘doors to eternity’, they’re not really doors at all – they just appear to be! These are the Doors to Eternity.

 

Wells Cathedral

Undercroft Doors. In medieval times, this entrance was the only way to the Undercroft since it was constructed to be a treasury housing the Cathedral’s treasures and valuable manuscripts.

Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory gave the inner door a tree-felling date of c.1265.

The inner door opens inwards and consists of vertical planks strengthened by a ‘portcullis’ frame.

The intricate iron scrollwork with clusters of leaves, flowers and small birds—does not readily fit the wood, and may be recycled.

Above the door is a bolt hole, through which a huge bar could be dropped over the closed door at night.

The outer door is a few centuries younger (tree-felling date c.1450), fitted at a time when there were issues of security — there are several references to expenses on account of “the insurgents against peace of the church and the king”.

This door is even stronger by design, fitted with an impressive lock and bolting system, as well as vertical planks on one side and horizontal planks on the other.

Today, the outer door is kept permanently shut as the sacristy is on the side of it. Visitors can still admire the view of both via the Undercroft.

 

Westminster Abbey

Britain’s oldest door: The oldest door in Britain can be found in Westminster Abbey’s Chapter House. The wood for the door was cut down around 1032 AD, which was then built in the 1050s. This was during the reign of King Edward the Confessor who was responsible for building the Norman Abbey in the 11^th century.

 

Winchester Cathedral

The West Doors. The west doors are studded with grids of iron nails and have bold twisted ring handles on decorative back-plates. The date of the doors and ironwork is not known, but it is possible that they are examples of Laudian Gothic from the time of Bishop Walter Curle (1632-1645).

 

The Crypt Door.This door leads to Winchester Cathedral’s Crypt. The Crypt is the oldest part of the building (1079) and is a perfect example of the original Norman style of architecture with rounded arches and plain vaulting- the crypt door also leads to Antony Gormley’s ‘sculpture, Sound II’ which was designed to stand in water, and so, is ideally located in the Crypt.

 

 

Worcester Cathedral

Viking Door. This is no longer in use as a door and has a rather macabre history! The story is that some Viking raiders came up the River Severn and one of them stole the sacristy bell. The monks were furious at this sacrilege and killed him, nailing his skin to the door as a deterrent to others.

Our human history – national, international and personal – has its darker sides. None of us is completely without fault. Too often, when evil prevails, we stand by and we fail to do good. Too often, we fail to act for justice and peace.

 

 

York Minster

The great west door is the ceremonial entrance to York Minster, where worshippers have been welcomed for centuries. Above the door is a beautiful stained glass window commissioned in 1339, more commonly known as the Heart of Yorkshire.

For information about all of our Cathedrals – click here.

 

 

 

 

A door a day – Cathedral Doors Winter Campaign 2023/24

Cathedral Doors Winter Campaign

Cathedrals invite you to open the door this winter with the launch of an invitational new campaign showcasing their history and heritage and all that they offer in their communities.

Matthew 7:7 NRSV

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

This Advent and Christmastide, we invite you to join us as every day we’re opening a door into our cathedrals.

Throughout this season, we will showcase a door from every one of our cathedrals – and our partners from the Church in Wales – uploading the image onto our social media platforms.

We will bring you the highest door, the smallest door, the newest door, the oldest door, and in Sheffield, a door completely made of steel gifted to the cathedral to celebrate its city’s heritage and history.

Launching the campaign this Friday (1 December) is Leicester Cathedral – which has just re-opened its doors to worshippers and visitors after being closed for almost two years for its renewal and redevelopment project, Leicester Cathedral Revealed – read more about the project here.

Doors feature throughout the Bible, and our doors are always open for you to come in where you will find a warm welcome, be able to join a service, find a place to pray, light a candle, or simply sit a while.

All our cathedrals have rich programmes of events and worship for Advent and Christmas from the traditional to the not-so-traditional with music, festive markets, Christmas tree festivals, live nativities, light and sound digital art spectaculars, arts and craft events – and at their heart  every day worship, and the regular daily rhythm of prayer.

The Dean of St Albans, the Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, who chairs the Association of English Cathedrals, said:

“Every day of the year the doors of your Cathedrals are open to welcome worshippers, visitors and pilgrims. In this holy season, I invite you to come and discover your cathedrals and find out what is behind their doors for yourself.”

Watch out for the Cathedrals’ Winter Door campaign which launches on December 1 with Leicester Cathedral’s North Porch to mark their re-opening after two years. Every morning we will feature a door from every one of our cathedrals with some of its story and unique history. You can find the door campaign @engcathedrals on X and Facebook and Instagram.

Rochester Cathedral has received an award of excellence from the International Association of Lighting Designers.

A cathedral spokesman said its lighting and electrical design scheme, which was installed in 2022, “transformed” the building, which dates back to 1080.

The judges praised the scheme at England’s second-oldest cathedral for its “balance and adaptability”.

The Very Reverend Philip Hesketh, Dean of Rochester, said:

“It is amazing the effect that the lighting has had upon the Cathedral. The new lighting has enhanced architectural features and aspects unnoticed and areas that have been in the shadows for many a year – stunning.” 

The new lighting scheme, designed by CES Lighting & Electrical Specialists, was installed between 2021/2022 replacing the previous system which had been installed in the 1960’s. This new scheme has had a significant impact on the cathedral’s carbon footprint and allows the cathedral to highlight significant historical features and allow flexibility when different spaces are being used.

As the current building is nearly 1000 years old, the project was not without its challenges. The design needed to be fitted without disrupting or damaging its historic features. The team had to find innovative ways of mounting fittings for cable routes, fixings and custom brackets. The lighting scheme had to be easy to maintain and energy efficient.

The IALD International Lighting Design Awards are heralded as the top honour in the lighting design industry celebrating exceptional lighting design and this award is considered one of the highest accolades in the lighting industry.

The judges for the IALD Award of Excellence said of the project.

“There is a particular challenge to lighting a house of worship for both religious and secular functions. This design provides such a balance and adaptability with no compromise to the beauty of either application.”

 Rochester Cathedral would like to thank the Friends of Rochester Cathedral and the Rochester Cathedral Trust for raising the funds which allowed this vital project to happen.

Let’s get straight to it. The winner of our Cathedral Treasures competition is The Leaves of Southwell.

The Leaves of Southwell – Southwell Minster – securing over one fifth of all the votes.

A total of 4,477 people took the time to vote for their favourite treasure from the top ten finalists in our campaign that showcased 50 remarkable treasures and glories cared for and preserved by cathedrals in England and the Church in Wales taken from the latest publication Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales by Janet Gough, OBE, author, lecturer and advisor on historic churches and cathedrals.

The top three were:
1st, The Leaves of Southwell
2nd, The Nave Ceiling at Peterborough Cathedral
3rd, Derby Cathedral’s Bakewell Screen.

And fast on their heels and coming in very close together with just a handful of votes separating them were Ely’s Prior’s Door and the Astronomical Clock at Wells.

The Dean of Southwell, the Very Revd Nicola Sullivan said:

“Southwell is bursting with pride to hear that the exquisite  ‘Leaves’ have won amidst the fierce competition from all of England and Wales beautiful cathedral treasures.  These extraordinary carvings have given glory to God’s beautiful and abundant creation for over seven centuries and still thrill us today. Thank you to everyone who supported us.”   

Janet Gough, whose latest volume inspired the campaign said:

“The 1290s Leaves of Southwell are a brilliant first choice in the Cathedral Treasures competition – where leaves, animals and human heads are deeply and exuberantly carved on the capitals and elsewhere in the chapter house at Southwell Minster.

“It has been wonderful to see so many people engage with and get passionate about our Cathedral Treasures.

“As Simon Heffer noted in the Daily Telegraph on New Year’s Eve, cathedrals aren’t just buildings they are treasure houses and should not be overlooked as museums.’

Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales tells the story of the treasures from 44 Church of England cathedrals and six cathedrals from the Church in Wales, each one chosen by the Dean or senior clergy of the cathedral featured.

You can buy a copy for just £14.95 here.

Together the treasures span over 1,000 years of history with the earliest treasure, Ripon Cathedral’s ancient crypt of St Wilfrid established in 672 AD, the oldest building of any English cathedral still in use today, to the newest, the Newport Cathedral Rood, a modern work of art by Singaporean artist Tay Swee Siong that was installed in 2020.

We revealed one treasure every day for 50 days throughout Advent, we whittled them down to just ten based on the likes, shares and engagement throughout this social media campaign and launched a competition to find Britain’s favourite cathedral treasure from those top ten.

All participants in the competition go into a random draw this Friday to be in with the chance to win one of three copies of Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales.

 

We can now reveal the Cathedral Treasure that came second on our Cathedral Treasures competition.

The competition to find Britain’s favourite treasure from our winter campaign, #CathedralTreasures has now closed, the votes have been counted, and the winners are in!

Cathedral Treasures – The Results

Almost 4,500 people voted on their favourite cathedral treasure from the top ten finalists in our campaign that showcased 50 remarkable treasures and glories cared for and preserved by cathedrals in England and the Church in Wales taken from the latest publication Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales by Janet Gough, OBE, author, lecturer and advisor on historic churches and cathedrals.

4,477 voted for their favourite.

And we can now announce that in second place is: The nave ceiling at Peterborough Cathedral

The Bakewell Screen at Derby Cathedral was our third placed treasure. You can read about that here.

Commenting on the announcement, Janet Gough said:

“So wonderful to see the cathedral treasure at Peterborough cathedral voted into the number 2 slot.

“Peterborough Cathedral, a 12th century Norman Abbey which became a cathedral under Henry VIII, greets the visitor with an extraordinarily powerful West front – also visible from the railway.

“Inside, its remarkable CathedralTreasure – the early 13th century painted nave ceiling – runs from the east end to the crossing and is the largest medieval painted ceiling in Europe.

“It is made up of 57 lozenge shapes each filled with a painted figure, from the Lamb of God to Luna (the moon) and St Peter – after whom the cathedral and town are named.

“I love the figures of the seven Liberal Arts, but most unusual is an image of a monkey riding backwards on a goat while talking to an owl – perhaps an image of folly which may be the key to the whole ceiling being a metaphor of good prevailing over evil,” she added.

Find out more about the ceiling at Peterborough Cathedral here.

Janet’s latest volume, Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales tells the story of the treasures from 44 Church of England cathedrals and six cathedrals from the Church in Wales, each one chosen by the Dean or senior clergy of the cathedral featured.

Together the treasures span over 1,000 years of history with the earliest treasure, Ripon Cathedral’s ancient crypt of St Wilfrid established in 672 AD, the oldest building of any English cathedral still in use today, to the newest, the Newport Cathedral Rood, a modern work of art by Singaporean artist Tay Swee Siong that was installed in 2020.

We revealed one treasure every day for 50 days throughout Advent, we whittled them down to just ten based on the likes, shares and engagement throughout this social media campaign and launched a competition to find Britain’s favourite cathedral treasure from those top ten.

All participants in the competition go into a random draw this Friday to be in with the chance to win one of three copies of Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales.

The results of the Cathedral Treasure competition are in. Here is the third place.

Britain’s Got Treasures – say hello to our #CathedralTreasures campaign winners!

The competition to find Britain’s favourite treasure from our winter campaign, #CathedralTreasures has now closed, the votes have been counted, and the winners are in!

Almost 4,500 people voted on their favourite cathedral treasure from the top ten finalists in our campaign that showcased 50 remarkable treasures and glories cared for and preserved by cathedrals in England and the Church in Wales taken from the latest publication Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales by Janet Gough, OBE, author, lecturer and advisor on historic churches and cathedrals.

4,477 voted for their favourite.

And we can now announce that in third place is:

Derby Cathedral’s Bakewell Screen …

Commenting on the announcement, Janet Gough said:

“I am delighted to see the Bakewell Screen from Derby Cathedral, perhaps a less well-known cathedral – although full of treasures – voted one of the top three cathedral treasures in England and Wales.

“The 1720s Bakewell Screen is a masterpiece in painted and gilded wrought iron, traversing the full width of Derby Cathedral and dividing the chancel from the nave like any traditional rood screen.

“The screen’s transparency symbolises the light of reason beloved of the Age of Enlightenment and, made at the same time as Bakewell’s gates to Derby’s adjacent silk mill – today the Museum of Making – ushers in the Industrial Revolution,’ she added.

Read more about Derby Cathedral’s Bakewell screen here.

Tomorrow we announce second place.

Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales tells the story of the treasures from 44 Church of England cathedrals and six cathedrals from the Church in Wales, each one chosen by the Dean or senior clergy of the cathedral featured.

Together the treasures span over 1,000 years of history with the earliest treasure, Ripon Cathedral’s ancient crypt of St Wilfrid established in 672 AD, the oldest building of any English cathedral still is use today, to the newest, the Newport Cathedral Rood, a modern work of art by Singaporean artist Tay Swee Siong that was installed in 2020.

We revealed one treasure every day for 50 days throughout Advent, we whittled them down to just ten based on the likes, shares and engagement throughout this social media campaign and launched a competition to find Britain’s favourite cathedral treasure from those top ten.

All participants in the competition go into a random draw this Friday to be in with the chance to win one of three copies of Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales.

“This is what this cathedral stands for, that’s what these stones are a memorial to, they are a memorial to love.” 

David Monteith, Dean of Canterbury

Sharing the love on St Valentine’s Day at Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral is inviting people to show their love this Valentine’s Day with a special service of Evensong dedicated to love, and free evening entry until 9pm.

The new Dean of Canterbury, the Very Revd David Monteith, is inviting anyone who wants to express their love on St Valentine’s Day to come and do so in the setting of this most special building, part of a World Heritage Site and one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England.

So whether they want to say sorry to a loved one, mourn the loss of someone special – or even pop the question – the doors will be open for an Evensong all about love, and then free entry until 21.00 to express their love, light a candle, say prayers, or simply just to be.

The Dean said:

“This is what this cathedral stands for, that’s what these stones are a memorial to, they are a memorial to love.”

This special celebration of love is open to everyone, and will include a themed Evensong service at 17.30, and then the Nave will remain open for free until 21.00.

If you are planning on proposing to your loved one, do let the team at the cathedral know! 

More info can be found here.

The Association of English Cathedral Winter 2022 Campaign, Discover 50 Cathedral Treasures.

Vote for your favourite here and you could win a copy of “Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales.” a brilliant book by Janet Gough.

An Anglo-Saxon portable sundial, the Magna Carta, a pair of 15th-century pilgrim boots, a pre-Raphaelite painted altarpiece and the first Bible in the Welsh Language – just some of the 50 remarkable artefacts cared for and preserved by cathedrals in England and Wales that will feature in a special social media campaign by the Association of English Cathedrals based on a new publication Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales.

New winter campaign showcases the treasures and glories of Britain’s cathedrals – #CathedralTreasures

The AEC’s #CathedralTreasures campaign for Advent and Christmas is based on the latest volume by Janet Gough, OBE, author, lecturer and advisor on historic churches and cathedrals, which tells the story of the treasures from 44 Church of England cathedrals and six cathedrals from the Church in Wales, each one chosen by the Dean or senior clergy of the cathedral featured.

All 50 Cathedral Treasures can be seen in our Gallery – just click here – 50 Cathedral Treasures.

One treasure will be revealed every day for 50 days starting today, 22nd November 2022 and ending with the launch of a competition to name Britain’s favourite cathedral treasure on January 11, to coincide with Heritage Fund’s Heritage Treasures Day.

You can buy a copy of the book now by clicking here.

Together the treasures span over 1,000 years of history with the earliest treasure, Ripon Cathedral’s ancient crypt of St Wilfrid established in 672 AD, the oldest building of any English cathedral still in use today, to the newest, the Newport Cathedral Rood. This modern work of art by Singaporean artist Tay Swee Siong was installed in 2020, at the end of the first national lockdown, and is made from wire, and hangs near where the medieval rood would have been.

The Dean of St Albans, the Very Revd  Jo Kelly-Moore, and chair of the Association of English Cathedrals said:

“We are blessed with an abundance of treasures in our cathedrals. These are a vital part of our heritage and an integral part of our culture, our social history and our identity. In their diversity ultimately each of them is a symbol of what our Cathedrals stand for, to proclaim the glory of God and God’s love for all creation.   

“We are very pleased to be able to showcase a treasure a day, revelling in Janet Gough’s latest publication, and we hope it will inspire more people to visit our cathedrals here in England and our partners in the Church in Wales, to discover these and many other treasures within for themselves.

In introducing the book, Janet said:

“This beautifully illustrated compact paperback pays homage to the generations of craftspeople responsible for creating and maintaining cathedrals as we know them today.

“The 50 treasures also bear witness to centuries of Christianity and cathedrals as places of worship glorified by artistic expression – here in rood screens, crosses and liturgical items. These local and national treasures are a vital part of our heritage, testifying to the powerful and enduring links between cathedrals and the wider communities of which they are part.

“The histories and architecture of our cathedrals have been documented and described in many ways by many people over the years in books of all shapes and sizes. But here their stories are revealed afresh in the voice of the cathedral Dean who treasures it.”

The winter campaign, #CathedralTreasures will pop up across all AEC platforms, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and can be found in a specially curated gallery on the website.

The more likes and engagement each treasure gets each day will count towards its popularity for the final competition to find Britain’s favourite cathedral treasure from the top ten most “liked” treasures.

The public will then be invited to vote for their top three and three members of the public who vote will receive a free copy of Janet’s publication – chosen at random.

Get a copy of this fabulous book right now by clicking here.

Visitors will be able to see York Minster in a new light, St Paul’s and Chichester are taking part in the Big Draw festival, Bradford has a space-themed open day, Worcester Cathedral is hosting a Big Green Eco Family Fair, Gloucester is taking visitors behind the scenes, Chester will celebrate its medieval past with a special heritage discovery day this Saturday and Gaia, Luke Jerram’s art installation of our planet Earth has just landed in Wells Cathedral.

Cathedrals are getting ready for half term … what will you discover?

All our cathedrals have family friendly events planned for the half term holidays. Please do check individual websites for a cathedral near you to find out more.

Heritage Discovery Day at Chester Cathedral

Chester Cathedral will run its second annual Heritage Discovery Day this Saturday (22 Oct).

Visitors will enjoy a range of activities with medieval objects on display, live demonstrations of heritage skills, music-making, family activities, tours, and worship. Visitors will also be able to access parts of the site not normally open to the public with objects on display in the Cathedral too rarely seen by the public.

The Cathedral’s heritage professionals will be joined by colleagues from Chester, the north west and further afield, including the University of Chester’s ‘Mobility of Objects’ Arts and Humanities Research Council Funded Project.  This will see a pop-up exhibition where visitors can handle medieval and early modern objects excavated in and around Chester – shoes, keys, tiles, pottery, ceramics, rings, pilgrim badges and devotional tokens – and discover the stories they have to tell.

The Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford, Dean of Chester, says

“We are thrilled to be able to bring this event back to Chester Cathedral for the second time. Visitors hugely enjoyed getting to see and learn about our medieval history and talk to our heritage professionals who care for and interpret it for us today. The Heritage Discovery Day is a fantastic way for families and students alike to kick off the weekend and the start of half term and immerse themselves in Chester’s truly fascinating medieval history.”

Visitors are encouraged to book their free ticket to the day (and paid tickets for specific parts of the day) well in advance.

 

The Big Draw Festival at Chichester Cathedral

Inspired by the beautiful Sussex environment, visitors old and young will be invited to draw and colour in Chichester Cathedral nave using recycled materials.

This free event is drop-in and you can stay for a little as long as you like. Volunteers will be on hand to help you along the way too. More here.

 

Draw While You Explore! St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral is also inviting visitors to take part with a Draw While You Explore project that invites visitors to pick up a walking sketchbook and pencil and draw as they walk around the building exploring all aspects and views from the River Thames to its iconic skyline. Draw While You Explore sessions run from 10 -3 on Saturday 22 October and then daily from Monday 24 Oct to Sat 29 Oct.

The Big Draw Festival is a worldwide celebration of drawing with thousands of creative events, activities, and workshops across the globe and the theme for this year’s Big Draw Festival is ‘Come Back To Colour’.

Bradford celebrates all things space with the city’s famous astronomer and mathematician

Bradford has a special space-themed open day celebrating Bradford’s famous English mathematician and astronomer Abraham Sharp this Saturday.

There are talks, craft activities, space-themed music, an inflatable solar system and you can find out more about Bradford born, Sharp, his discoveries and see his calculation of Pi laid out in the Cathedral.

There will also be a talk from the Bradford Astronomical Society all about space, and lots of space-themed craft activities to take part in. The day runs from 12 noon to 4pm. book free tickets here.

Bradford Cathedral Family activities also returns during half term with autumn-related events and colouring on Tuesday 25 October as well as family-friendly guided tours.

For more information – and to book your free place – please visit Eventbrite here.

 

The Monks, Mischief and Marauders Tours at Peterborough Cathedral 

Peterborough Cathedral has a special family-friendly tour, a chance to climb the central tower, and a free Halloween trail taking its young visitors and their carers from darkness to light this half term.

The Monks, Mischief and Marauders Tour brings the history of the cathedral to life with stories about badly behaved monks, royal burials and civil war looters – and there’s a special illustrated children’s guide book to take home too.  There’s a tower climb and a Halloween Fear Not trail that takes people from darkness and fear into light and hope.

The tour takes place at 2.00pm each day from 26th to 28th October. Tickets are £5 per person or £20 for a family (2 adults and up to 3 children).

All bookings for these events can be made via the Cathedral website.

 

Access All Most Areas at Gloucester Cathedral this half term

Gloucester Cathedral is offering visitors  ‘Access All Most Areas’, enabling them to explore the building in a completely new way.

On Sat 22, Fri 28 and Sat 29 October will see a number of the Cathedral’s most historic, secret spaces open to the public, some for the first time, including the 17^th century Organ Loft, the Song School, and the Vestry which houses some remarkable medieval paintings.

There will also be the chance to explore the historic Parliament Rooms, where Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn once stayed, as well as the opportunity to experience the oldest part of the Cathedral, the Crypt, in the same way that the medieval monks would have, bathed in candlelight and filled with the sounds of plainsong chant.

Visitors are asked to book in advance via the Cathedral website, and tickets for the evening cost £7.50 for adults and £3 for children (under 5s go free). The first entry time is 6.30pm, and the last entry time is 8.45pm.

The Interim Dean of Gloucester, Canon Dr Andrew Braddock, said:

“Gloucester Cathedral is always a great place to explore. This October, we are delighted to be revealing more of the Cathedral’s secret places and unfamiliar stories.  From tales of courage to stories of faith, all are welcome to come and discover more about your Cathedral and its life this half-term.”

Head of Visitor Experience at Gloucester Cathedral, Lorna Giles, added:

“Visitors often ask us what’s behind the many ancient doors that are kept closed at the Cathedral, so we’re throwing them open and allowing people a real behind-the- scenes glimpse.

We can’t wait to show our visitors hidden medieval paintings, messages scratched into the stone hundreds of years ago and unique views of this breathtaking building!”

The all-new ‘Stones and Bones’ trail will also be available until Sat 5 Nov.

Further details about all these events can be found on the Cathedral website, as well as on the Cathedral’s social media pages.

 

Worcester Cathedral’s Big Green Eco Family Fair

Worcester Cathedral will host a Big Green Eco Family Fair in the Cloister, as part of its Living Gently on the Earth series this Saturday.

Thanks to National Lottery Funding, the Cathedral has been hosting the ‘Living Gently’ events for the whole community to come together and explore ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Big Green Eco Fair includes family friendly craft and nature activities, green products for sale, information and advice for sustainable living, campfire story time and the local orchard group apple press with Bramblewood Forest School, Bike Worcester, Greenpeace, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, The Woodland Trust, Act On Energy, Transition Worcester and more…

There will also be a drumming performance and workshop by Drumlove for all ages when the fair is officially opened by Robin Walker, MP, at 11am.

For more information, please visit www.worcestercathedral.co.uk/eco

 

Artist Luke Jerram’s Gaia in Wells Cathedral 

And Gaia, the huge touring art installation of our planet Earth by artist Luke Jerram, has just gone on display in Wells Cathedral.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, Gaia features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface compiled from Visible Earth series, NASA.

The artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet on this scale, floating in three-dimensions and creates a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA award winning Composer Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture.

There is a special programme of events, music and worship inspired by Gaia during half term and beyond, including a Stewards of the Earth project and Earth Explorer Trails and craft workshops for children.

Gaia is at Wells Cathedral until 10 Nov. More here.

 

New light and sound projection opens for half term in York Minster

And York Minster will be transformed this half term with a new light and sound installation to help raise funds to conserve the cathedral’s medieval stained glass and stonework.

Platinum and Light is a new projection and sound artwork from artists Ross Ashton and Karen Monid, who created the multi-award-winning Northern Lights installation seen in York Minster in October 2019.

The new show will run for eight nights from Thursday 20 to Thursday 27 October, with the projection lighting up the cathedral’s Nave, running the full length of its ceiling and down the West End while surrounding viewers with dramatic soundscapes and music.

The installation takes inspiration from Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the stories told through the Minster’s medieval architecture and historic collections.

The events will help raise funds for the Minster’s current project to conserve the medieval St Cuthbert Window, which is one of the largest surviving narrative windows in Europe, and the stonework of the surrounding South Quire Transept.

Designer and audio artist Karen Monid said: “We find York and the Minster an infinite source of inspiration for our work and to be invited back again to use this space, one of the most beautiful places in the world, to produce an artwork is a fantastic privilege.

The event opens on Thurs 20 Oct with the first show at 9.00pm, and then runs daily until Thurs 27 Oct with two showings each evening.

Tickets are available via the cathedral’s website at www.yorkminster.org and cost £7.50 each, or £25 for a family ticket for up to two adults and two children.

 

 

 

 

Blackburn Cathedral’s Crypt, which became one of the first mass vaccination sites in the country, will close this weekend after delivering almost 200,000 COVID-19 jabs.

Blackburn Cathedral’s vaccination centre to close after delivering 200,000 COVID jabs

The Covid clinic will move to new premises in the city in readiness for the start of the autumn vaccination programme which opens on Monday 12 September.

The Dean of Blackburn, the Very Revd Peter Howell Jones said: “We are proud to have played our part in this life-saving vaccination programme to immunise our communities against Covid-19.

“A cathedral is a place of welcome, a place of hope and a place of healing so it is apt that we were able to offer the space of our crypt to securely and safely host this clinic and be at the forefront of the fight against this pandemic.

“We pray every day for our nation and our community and especially for the sick and for the vulnerable and would urge everyone to take up the autumn vaccine boosters when they are eligible.”

Blackburn was one of a number of cathedrals at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic. Lichfield, Salisbury, Westminster Abbey and Bangor Cathedral in Wales all opened as vaccine clinics for their communities while Chester, Rochester and Worcester cathedrals became Covid test centres.

Abdul Razaq, Director of Public Health at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

“Blackburn Cathedral vaccination site has been an exemplar of close collaboration and integration of services between the Council, NHS and voluntary sector partners. 

“All those who have led the biggest NHS vaccination programme in Blackburn with Darwen can feel proud of their contributions, from centre managers to receptionists, from vaccinators to volunteers and faith leaders who have all supported operations at the site.

“The NHS continues to offer an accessible and convenient way to get vaccinated against Covid and flu. The vaccines remain our best form of defence this winter against serious disease, hospitalisation and death.”

Jane Scattergood, lead for the vaccination programme in Lancashire and South Cumbria, said:

“The Crypt was our first mass vaccination site and we have vaccinated almost 200,000 people from the cathedral site. I would like to thank the Cathedral leaders who have helped make this unique site so successful. It is sad to say goodbye, but we know people prefer a much more localised service in Blackburn and that’s what we will bring them.  The move will allow us to bring our offer to communities and workplaces making sure everyone gets the protection as quickly and conveniently as possible. 

“I would urge everyone who is eligible to get this vaccine as soon as they possibly can. The world has moved forward but COVID-19 is still a horrible virus that can make you seriously ill. The best way to protect yourself is to get every vaccine that is offered to you.”

The NHS will contact people when it is their turn to book in for the vaccine and as with previous campaigns, the oldest and most vulnerable will be called forward first. Anyone who has a vaccine booked for the Crypt will be contacted to move their appointment to the new location.

In its 307 years it has only ever been interrupted by the world wars and more recently, the coronavirus pandemic, but now it’s back.

The Three Choirs Festival returned to Hereford last Saturday and runs all week until this Saturday, July 30.

It grew out of visits by the lay clerks of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester to each other’s cathedrals for joint services and informal singing as long ago as the 17th century.

The festival celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2015, and is believed to be the oldest continuously running classical music festival in the world.

The centrepiece of the festival is a series of evening concerts in the cathedral, featuring the Three Choirs Festival Chorus and the Philharmonia Orchestra (a resident at the festival since 2012), alongside internationally recognised soloists.

Included in this year’s line up is internationally renowned classical saxophonist Amy Dickson who recently made history by becoming the first saxophonist to win a Classic BRIT Award for Best Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2016 and has also been nominated twice for a Grammy Award.

This year’s festival features over 50 works from 43 living composers, including headline commission “Voices of Power” tonight Thursday July 28.

Created by Jessica Walker with music by Luke Styles, it explores the impact women have made with words over the centuries.

Also featured at this year’s festival is a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Ralph Vaughan Williams, the Gloucestershire composer who also has close links to Herefordshire.

Highlights include performances of Vaughan Williams’ Te Deum in G by the festival’s own chorus, Silence and Music from I Fagiolini and a selection of folk songs arrangements from Finnish male voice choir Valkia.

Gloucester Cathedral’s director of music Adrian Partington said:

“Every year, it’s a privilege to be conducting in the same buildings, at the same festival, as great composers such as Howells, Elgar and Vaughan Williams have done before.”

Expect rainbows. Ripon celebrates the life and legacy of Wilfrid, its founding father.

Miracle maker, survivor, pioneer, controversial figure: Ripon Cathedral celebrates the life and legacy of Wilfrid, its founding father, with a year of spectacular arts, music, history and sound and light events to mark its 1350^th anniversary.

Rainbows and stars: Ripon Cathedral lights up to celebrate its founding father

Stars will be suspended from the nave, a Son et Lumiere show will bring his story to life recreating his miracles, unique works of art by four leading artists will transform the cathedral’s Anglo Saxon crypt –the last remains of the church Wilfrid founded on the site and the oldest surviving building in any English Cathedral – while throughout the year there will be arts, crafts, music, lectures, worship, pilgrimage opportunities, 27 individual flower displays each telling aspects of his life and times, and the traditional St Wilfrid’s Day Procession through the city.

Ripon Cathedral is no newcomer to spectacular events and installations, they flooded the West Front with words from the war poet, Wilfred Owen, and lit up in red to mark the centenary of the Armistice in 2018, and during lockdown they suspended tens of thousands of paper angels in the nave, a far-reaching community project in response to the pandemic.

Now, in this their 1350^th anniversary year, they turn their attention to their founding father, Wilfrid – one of the greatest and most controversial English saints. He was born into a noble Northumbrian family, a patron of the arts, he studied at Lindisfarne before embracing the Roman ways, was deposed on more than one occasion, and yet helped to unite England behind a single Christian tradition.

It is said he was born in flames, survived shipwrecks and exile and his jailers could not keep him chained. He was a healer, he kept people from hunger by teaching them to fish, and the moon and stars shone so bright for him, that a lunar rainbow appeared on the anniversary of his death.

The Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd John Dobson said:

“Ripon Cathedral is here because Wilfrid was here. His life and legacy is written in these stones.  He was a miracle maker, a pioneer, a leader and a force to be reckoned with. He converted a pagan England and brought something of the beauty of Rome to these shores.

“In this, our anniversary year, we are committed to telling his story afresh, by breathing new life into our history and our heritage and sharing his love for beauty and the arts while ensuring worship is at the heart of all that we do, as Wilfrid, our forefather did before us,”  he added.

Tickets have just gone on sale for the anniversary launch weekend which will take place over the May Bank Holiday weekend; starting on 28 April with dancing in the nave to a local jazz and swing band, a beer festival, a pilgrimage from Bradford Cathedral, and a Son et Lumiere finale that promises to recreate Wilfrid’s miracles – including that of a lunar rainbow said to have appeared to the monks of Ripon Monastery one year after his death in 709 AD

Other headline events throughout the year include the premiere of new digital projections from the little-known Ripon Bible. Currently held in the special collection of the Brotherton Library at Leeds University, this illuminated document in its rich blues, golds, and purples is believed to have been created by the scholars of Oxford. Pages from it have been recreated in sound and light and will be projected across the interior of the cathedral, offering visitors the chance to see it for the first time.

There are lectures from historians Tom Holland and Max Adams; a series of tours taking visitors behind the scenes, an organ festival featuring an animation created for piano and organ to tell Wilfrid’s story, while four artists, including Sara Shamma, will transform Ripon’s ancient Anglo-Saxon crypt with specially commissioned works in paint, words, tapestry, and a new light and soundscape.

Jo Bussey, Director of Development, said:

“We are super excited to bring to life Ripon Cathedral’s rich heritage and history in such exciting and unique ways. There’s something for everyone, young and old, art buffs, historians, even pizza, and cake lovers.

“We want to celebrate our anniversary year by inviting people from near and far to come and experience Wilfrid for themselves, learn more about the history and life of this beautiful sacred space, and discover something new.”

 To find out more about the programme and how to book tickets, visit the Ripon cathedral website here.

Rochester Cathedral has just launched a new gin to raise much-needed funds following the pandemic.

Rochester Cathedral Gin, 604 on sale now.

The gin, called 604, celebrates the cathedral’s heritage as England’s second oldest cathedral and features its famous fresco on the bottle’s label painted to mark the Cathedral’s 1,400th anniversary in 2004. 

604 is a collaboration with the team at Copper Rivet Distillery in nearby Chatham.

Dr Philip Hesketh, the Dean of Rochester said:

“We are enormously grateful to the Copper Rivet Distillery for collaborating on this project which will help raise crucial funds for the Cathedral every time a glass of 604 is raised.”

There are just 240 bottles of 604 gin which went on sale yesterday (15 Nov) and are only available to buy in the Cathedral. It is inspired by historical recipes, using the botanicals: juniper, coriander, lemon peel, orange peel, orris root, and angelica root.

Bob Russell, Founder of the Copper Rivet Distillery and a member of the Rochester Cathedral Business Guild said he was delighted to have been chosen to produce the 604 Gin for Rochester Cathedral.

“Rochester’s ancient cathedral has been at the heart of Medway’s community for centuries. This collaboration underlines our commitment to the fabric of the community and shows the success that can be achieved when we work together towards shared goals.”

Rochester Cathedral is the fourth Church of England cathedral to launch its own label gin to raise funds. Blackburn, Bristol, and Portsmouth have all worked with local distilleries to create gins while Ripon Cathedral brought out a limited edition of 100 bottles of St Wilfrid Gin for Christmas 2019.

604 retails at £39.99 a bottle. All profits will go towards maintaining Rochester Cathedral, and keeping it open free of charge.

The gin has been featured on Kent Online here.

Chapterhouse Gin was inspired by herbs and spices grown and used by monks like those who lived, worked, and worshipped in the Augustinian abbey which later became Bristol Cathedral and has been created with local spirits producer, Espensen Spirit and so named for the Cathedral’s own Chapter House, synonymous with all our cathedrals.

Bristol Cathedral is following the tradition and heritage of its ancestors with the launch of its own brand gin.

The production of gin has been co-funded with the Friends of Bristol Cathedral.

The Very Revd Dr Mandy Ford, Dean of Bristol, said:

“Cathedrals and Religious Communities have been associated with brewing and distilling for centuries. This gin reflects that heritage and celebrates the flavours of our herb garden, with a hint of mystery from the frankincense which is used as a symbol of prayer in worship and we are delighted to have worked with Espensen Spirit on this project.

Sam Espensen, co-founder of Espensen Spirit, said:

“This has been a dream project for me, as Cathedrals have always been part of my life. I lived in Wells, went to university in Canterbury, graduated from that Cathedral and now I live in Bristol. I have always been fascinated by, and felt at peace in them.

Sam was inspired by the heritage of the cathedral using traditional herbs and spices for the botanicals including chamomile flowers, angelica root, coriander seed and lemon peel.

“I also wanted to take some inspiration from life inside the Cathedral, so the gin also contains a tiny bit of Frankincense – tricky to use – but a beautiful botanical when balanced right, giving a wonderful piney taste,’ she added.

The Revd Rachel Barrett, Chair of the Friends of Bristol Cathedral, said:

“This is an exciting new venture for the Friends of Bristol Cathedral. We are thrilled that Sam at Espensen Spirit has produced a gin that celebrates the beauty of one of the oldest parts of the Cathedral.

The gin is 45% ABV, and available in 70cl and 5cl bottles via bristol-cathedral.co.uk/chapterhousegin.

Bristol is the fourth cathedral to create its own bespoke gin, Blackburn created Cathedra Gin in 2018, and Ripon created a limited edition St Wilfrid’s Cathedral Gin with only 100 bottles distilled for Christmas 2019 , while Portsmouth launched its own gin earlier this year, the Dean’s Tipple.  

It’s been a long time coming, but next week will see the re-opening of a renewed Newcastle Cathedral – re-fashioned and refreshed to be a dynamic, attractive community hub for the city and beyond.

It’s been a long time but Newcastle Cathedral is set to reopen very soon.

On Thursday 12 August, visitors will finally be able to see for themselves the city’s iconic historic and spiritual landmark, following its £6m transformation project, Common Ground in Sacred Space supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Very Revd Geoff Miller, Dean of Newcastle, said:

“Common Ground in Sacred Space was launched as the Cathedral’s vision over ten years ago and has since involved the largest refurbishment since the works that took place here in 1882, when St Nicholas’ became a cathedral.

“At its heart, the project has been about creating a sustainable future for our magnificent Cathedral, celebrating its elegance, but also energising its mission to make this sacred place common ground. We are buzzing and bursting with excitement to welcome visitors of all faiths and none into our story.”

A service of rededication saw the Bishop of Newcastle, the Rt Revd Christine Hardman, bless a newly carved stone floor plaque to mark the refurbishment and heard the Cathedral Choir sing a specially commissioned piece of music to mark the occasion.

Caedmon’s Hymn was composed by Northumbrian composer John Casken from a translation by Newcastle’s Canon for Music and Liturgy, The Revd Canon Clare MacLaren.

Canon Clare said:

“Caedmon’s Hymn is a truly Northumbrian piece which has not, to our knowledge, been professionally set to music before – and a wonderful reminder of God’s ongoing providence and creativity, to mark the ‘new creation’ that is our beautiful new building!

Read Canon Clare’s blog piece on the new musical commission here.

Common Ground in Sacred Space has seen significant improvements to the public space outside and an overhaul of the Cathedral’s interior to accommodate more visitors, events and activities. It has been sympathetically restored and re-modelled into an accessible visitor attraction, whilst at the same time preserving and celebrating its ancient religious roots.

In the Nave, new underfloor heating and flexible seating accommodates new styles of worship plus it will enable the Cathedral to host large-scale business and cultural events.

Improved and enhanced visitor facilities include a retail area and a new community café – Café 16 – an initiative by Northumberland-based charity The Oswin Project that will help prison leavers to get their lives back on track.

New features include interpretation panels, lively animation and a new sound and light show, which are designed to bring 900 years of history to life, chronicling the development of the Cathedral as the ancient heart of a modern city.

Interactive digital displays tell the stories of some of Newcastle’s most significant characters commemorated in the Cathedral’s ledger stones. These historic grave covers have been protected and conserved as part of the redevelopments.

Historic architectural features have been newly conserved and brought to life, including the 15th century baptismal font and the Cathedral’s oldest resident – a 14th century effigy of a medieval knight, thought to be Peter le Marechal, sword bearer to King Edward I.

Outside, the Cathedral’s new churchyard trail and landscaped terrace will provide a sanctuary to unwind and learn more about the Cathedral in the context of the city’s historic quarter. There will be a paved ribbon of ‘Newcastle Beatitudes’ (or Blessings), where inscribed roundels punctuate the pavement, inviting visitors to pause and reflect.

Alongside the Cathedral’s regular pattern of daily Christian worship and choral music, the Cathedral will launch an exciting programme of events and activities inspired by the city and the Cathedral’s past and present.

Regular history and architectural tours will take place, and themed craft activities for all the family include: Archaeology and Discovery, where visitors can explore some of the scientific discoveries and feats of engineering that are referenced in the Cathedral building; Creativity and Wellbeing activities that place mental wellbeing front and centre, and Party and Play, which acknowledges the hard work and commitment of communities this past year.

In the autumn, there will also be the long-anticipated return of Lantern Tower Tours, for those who dare climb the 162 steps of Newcastle Cathedral’s Lantern Tower to overlook the city. A Virtual Lantern Tower Tour has been developed for visitors that are unable, or not quite confident enough, to make the climb.

Newcastle Cathedral opens to the public from Thursday 12 August 2021.

For daily opening times, worship, music services, and events and activities for all the family, visit: newcastlecathedral.org.uk

Exeter Cathedral welcomed their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall make Exeter Cathedral first stop on Royal Visit to Devon and Cornwall

This was the first stop of a Royal tour of Devon and Cornwall and the first official Royal visit in the country since the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The Prince and The Duchess were due to take a tour of Exeter Cathedral, escorted by The Very Revd Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter, viewing a collection of the Cathedral’s historic treasures, including the Exeter Book – thought to be the world’s oldest surviving book of English literature and a key element of Exeter’s UNESCO City of Literature status.

The Prince and The Duchess will also meet with some of Exeter Cathedral’s clergy, staff, volunteers, donors and supporters, as well as representatives from the Met Office, University of Exeter, Devon Nursing Cadets, Exeter UNESCO City of Literature, and a group leading Devon’s contribution to The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.

For The Very Revd Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter, the Royal Visit has come at the perfect time for a much-needed boost:

“It is an honour to be able to welcome Their Royal Highnesses to Exeter Cathedral.

“As a Cathedral, a city and a county, we have endured an incredibly challenging 16 months. So, to receive the first Royal visit since the easing of coronavirus restrictions is a wonderful way to lift the spirits of the whole community, and move forward in hope.”

Last year, the Prince of Wales agreed to become Patron of the Exeter Cathedral Development Appeal – set up to raise funds to conserve the building’s important architecture and improve the visitor experience for future generations. 

 Jill Taylor, Director of Development at Exeter Cathedral, said: 

 “Last year, we were thrilled that His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales agreed to become patron of our Development Appeal. We know that he takes a keen interest in our architectural heritage.

 “It is fantastic that Their Royal Highnesses will now see for themselves some of the crucial conservation work that has taken place – and meet our wonderful volunteers, donors, supporters and conservation experts.” 

Photo credits: Russell Sach

It’s all go at Worcester Cathedral this week as they get ready to host the Three Choirs Festival.

Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester – Three Choirs Festival.

The festival will see Worcester’s choir and the choirs of neighbouring Hereford and Gloucester cathedrals come together – part of a week-long programme of music.

This year’s festival, which rotates each summer between the three English cathedral cities, opens this Saturday (24 August) until Sunday 1 August, and incorporates the themes of journeying, exploration and looking to the future.

It will be the first for Worcester’s Director of Music, Sam Hudson, who took up post in September 2019 but missed out on the festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s festival features over a thousand performers across 77 events in a week-long programme of choral and orchestral concerts, cathedral services, music recitals, masterclasses, talks, theatre, exhibitions and walks.

At the heart of each Festival are the large-scale evening concerts featuring the Three Choirs Festival Chorus made up of the three cathedral choirs of Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester, internationally acclaimed solo artists and the Philharmonia Orchestra, which has been resident at the festival since 2012.

The Three Choirs Festival is the oldest, non-competitive classical music festival in the world, and celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2015.

It was last staged at Worcester in 2017 with 74 musically-themed events which attracted more than 20,000 ticket holders from across the world – including HRH The Prince of Wales who attended a performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius

The full programme and tickets can be found here.

In the last full week of the relay the route turned finally turned north again, with over 1,600 miles covered.

Cathedrals Cycle Route. How Week 5 Unfolded.

It started on Monday from Wells to Bristol Cathedrals, with a team including the Cathedral Cycle Champion, Ben Potter, riding a recumbent trike.

Ed from Sustrans and Lee, Bishop of Swindon, joined the demanding 87-mile ride from Bristol Cathedral to Christ Church, Oxford, paced by John on his e-bike.

The route turned west back to Gloucester Cathedral, from where some 15 riders set out towards Hereford and Worcester Cathedrals, meeting Sir Edward Elgar and his bike on the way. John, Bishop of Worcester, joined the group at Hereford. At 77, Mervyn was the oldest relay rider so far not riding an e-bike; he cycled the whole 60 miles then rode back to Gloucester the next day.

Isabel and Asha from Coventry Cathedral made up the first all-female cathedral team and took the baton to Birmingham. The week ended with the challenging 70 miles between Lichfield and Chester Cathedral where the team got drenched in between a dry start and a dry finish.

This week the route takes the riders on to Liverpool, Manchester, Blackburn and Carlisle before the grand finish at Newcastle Cathedral on Saturday, 10 July.

A team of cyclists set off from Newcastle Cathedral on Sunday May 30 – at the start of Cycling UK’s Bike Week on a relay to ride 42 Cathedrals in 42 days to launch this new kind of pilgrimage route, the Cathedrals Cycle Route (CCR).

The CCR is a unique partnership between Sustrans, Cycling UK, the British Pilgrimage Trust and the Association of English Cathedrals that links all 42 Church of England cathedrals in a new initiative to promote greener travel and mental and physical wellbeing.

The 2,000 mile Cathedrals Cycle Route is the invention of academic, entrepreneur and keen cyclist Shaun Cutler, from Northumbria University, and is designed to help us all out of lockdown with opportunities for short cycle rides between cathedrals, new partnerships and fundraising for physical and mental well-being activities.

Shaun said:

“The Cathedrals Cycle Route is about connecting our historic cathedrals and enjoying the spaces between them.

“Now more than ever, after a year of living with the coronavirus pandemic, this is a way to support people’s mental and physical health and promote the mission of England’s cathedrals through pilgrimage, wellbeing and heritage.”

Read more about the Cathedrals Cycle Route:

• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• The launch of the Cathedrals Cycle Route

Restrictions? What restrictions!

Worcester Cathedral Choir take to the gardens to rehearse for Three Choirs Festival

Restrictions on singing is not getting in the way for Worcester Cathedral Choir who have taken to the cloister gardens to rehearse for the next Three Choirs Festival which will take place this summer in Worcester.

This year’s festival, which rotates each summer between the three English cathedral cities of Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester will take place from Saturday 24 to Sunday 1 August, and incorporates the themes of journeying, exploration and looking to the future.

It will be the first for Worcester’s Director of Music, Sam Hudson, who took up post in September 2019 but has missed out on hosting a festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s festival features over a thousand performers across 77 events in a week-long programme of choral and orchestral concerts, cathedral services, music recitals, masterclasses, talks, theatre, exhibitions and walks.

At the heart of each Festival are the large-scale evening concerts featuring the Three Choirs Festival Chorus made up of the three cathedral choirs of Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester, internationally acclaimed solo artists and the Philharmonia Orchestra, which has been resident at the festival since 2012.

The Three Choirs FEstival is the oldest, non-competitive classical music festival in the world, and celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2015.

It was last staged at Worcester in 2017 with 74 musically-themed events which attracted more than 20,000 ticket holders from across the world – including HRH The Prince of Wales who attended a performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius

The full programme and tickets can be found here.

 

Are you ready? We are.

It’s time to Discover Cathedrals, Discover Pilgrimage. 

Immersive art installations to help us reflect on a year in the time of the pandemic open at Southwell, St Albans and Liverpool cathedrals, there’s outdoor cinema at Chester and Guildford, Leicester opens with Luke Jerram’s installation of Gaia, and Hereford Cathedral welcomes the Knife Angel.

There’s Dippy the Dinosaur at Norwich Cathedral in August, summer outdoor theatre at Chichester, Ely, Lincoln and Peterborough, flower festivals at Winchester and Manchester and Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon will land in Bristol Cathedral this August too.

And whichever English cathedral you visit this year, you will be able to arrive by bike with the launch of the Cathedrals Cycle Route on May 30, a unique partnership between Sustrans, Cycling UK, the British Pilgrimage Trust and the Association of English Cathedrals that will link all 42 Church of England cathedrals to promote greener travel and mental and physical wellbeing.

All our cathedrals are getting ready to safely welcome back visitors from Monday 17 May in line with Step 3 of the Government’s RoadMap.

For Salisbury Cathedral, it was bittersweet as they said goodbye to the Sarum South Primary Care Network vaccination team who have played a big part in cathedral life over the past few months, and have now moved into another cathedral building for the next phase of the roll-out programme.

A special farewell ceremony was held at the end of their last vaccination session in the Cathedral.

The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury said:

“We will be sad to see the NHS team go. Their distinctive blue cubicles, vaccinators and volunteers have become a familiar sight in and around the Cathedral, along with the thousands of patients turning up for their jabs. Their story is and will remain part of our story forever.”

Southwell Minster will host the Leaves of the Trees – an installation of 5,000 steel leaves by artist Peter Walker, embossed with the word HOPE and laid out on the floor of the nave, opens to visitors to Southwell Minster on May 17.

It has been designed to offer visitors the opportunity to reflect on the impact of the pandemic on their lives and the lives of their friends and communities.

The Very Reverend Nicola Sullivan, Dean of Southwell, said:

“We have all been affected by the terrible impact of the pandemic. We have had so few ways to grieve and Peter Walker’s simple but powerful installation will help us find healing and hope amidst our tears and loss.

“This is for everyone – whatever age or faith, and we invite everyone to come to their Cathedral for moments of quiet reflection,” she added.

Thousands of visitors are expected to flock to Liverpool Cathedral for its latest major art project, Peace Doves which will see over 15,000 paper doves suspended in the cathedral.

The installation created by artist Peter Walker, is accompanied by a soundscape from composer David Harper, and was originally scheduled to open last May but was postponed due to the pandemic.

Before lockdown visitors, local school children and community groups were invited to write messages of peace, hope and love onto thousands of paper doves.

Alongside Peace Doves, visitors to the cathedral will also be able to view the return of the popular Angel Wings moving light projection, created by Luxmuralis. And another new, interactive art installation also going on display is Peace to Ourselves. Visitors will be asked to place a button inside the shape of a giant dove and take a moment to contemplate the past year and remember those who have lost their lives.

The installations will officially open on May 21st as part of Liverpool’s LightNight event that evening. They will run until August 31st but must be booked in advance.

To book your slot for May visit.

Staff at Peterborough Cathedral are busy preparing to re-open to visitors and are extending their current opening hours. Visitors will be able to have a close-up view of the tomb of Henry VIII’s first wife Katherine of Aragon and the former grave of Mary, Queen of Scots. The historic transepts, the legendary chapel of St Oswald and the building’s 15thcentury clock – one of the oldest working time-pieces in the country – can also be accessed.

The Dean, the Very Revd Chris Dalliston said:

“This place of prayer, pilgrimage, events, tours and hospitality is historic but it is also a modern and crucial focus for this city and the chance to re-open it more fully is a great joy.”

Peterborough Cathedral’s events programme is also resuming with a vintage fair on Saturday 22nd May and paid-for guided tours will start again from Bank Holiday Monday, 31st May.

For more information please visit www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk or find the Cathedral on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

York Minster has three new exhibitions planned for the summer. Visitors will be able to see and hear the Grand Organ following its once in a century refurbishment and explore the cathedral’s next major conservation project, the medieval St Cuthbert Window, through an exhibition opening in June.

A photography exhibition exploring the craft skills which were applied to the £2m refurbishment project of the Grand Organ will run from 18 June – 18 July and on Saturday 12 June a new exhibition about the medieval St Cuthbert Window, which tells the story of the life and miracles of one of Northern England’s most significant saints, will open at the cathedral.

The exhibition, Light, Glass & Stone: Conserving the St Cuthbert Window, will run until 2024 and explore the cathedral’s current project to conserve the window, which is around 600-years-old and one of the largest surviving narrative windows in Europe.

Visitors will have the rare opportunity to see at close range medieval stained glass panels removed from the window as part of the work.

In August the Minster will celebrate the life and work of Grinling Gibbons, the most celebrated British woodcarver of the 17th century, as part of a national programme marking the 300th anniversary of his death.

Grinling Gibbons: Monuments to Glory, will open at the cathedral on Sunday 1 August. It will focus on three stone monuments which Gibbons produced for the cathedral of Archbishops Dolben, Lamplugh and Sterne, placing these in the context of his life and wider work. The year-long exhibition will be complemented by a sculpture trail inside the cathedral.

The Dean of York, Jonathan Frost, said:

“We’re delighted to be reopening and look forward to welcoming people back to the Minster.

“We have developed a programme of exhibitions and activities for the summer which will enable visitors and pilgrims to explore the layers of history held in the cathedral’s magnificent architecture, which has the Christian story at its heart.”

Lincoln Cathedral will open with a special ‘welcome back’ admission price of £5 for adults with children aged 16 and under free.

The Very Revd Christine Wilson, Dean of Lincoln, said:

“It is a pleasure to welcome tourists and pilgrims back to Lincoln Cathedral, and to be able to once again share the engaging history, faith and architecture of this inspiring place.

The daily worshipping life of the Cathedral continues, and as well as opening the building for tourist visits, the Cathedral will also be hosting events in the coming months, with music making a welcome return.

More details can be found on the Cathedral website – www.lincolncathedral.com.

Staff and volunteers at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds, are looking forward to welcoming visitors once again from 17 May. The Cathedral will be open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm and from 12.30 to 3.00 pm on Sundays.  There is no charge to visit the Cathedral, which relies on donations. Since March it has been possible to visit the Cathedral for personal prayer and reflection but now visitors can explore the building and learn about its history from volunteer Welcome Stewards. The Cathedral Shop and its restaurant, Pilgrims’ Kitchen, are open daily. There will even be the chance to donate a brick to the LEGO model of the Cathedral.

“Ensuring that everyone can visit safely remains a primary concern,” said Sarah Friswell, Visitor Experience Manager. “We hope that visitors, particularly local people, will take the chance to enjoy the richness of our heritage in Bury St Edmunds. There is much to discover.”

In the coming weeks, as the restrictions lift further, a programme of special guided tours and Tower tours will be announced.  Keep an eye on the cathedral website.

The team behind the Knife Angel project have announced it will sit outside Hereford Cathedral for 30 days this June as it restarts its national tour following the pandemic.

The sculpture by artist, Alfie Bradley, was created from 100,000 blades handed in to or confiscated by police forces across the UK and has toured a number of our cathedrals already including Chester, Coventry, Derby, Leicester, Liverpool and Rochester.

Earlier this month, the Hereford organising team visited the Ironwork Centre to discuss the logistics of safely moving the Angel to Hereford Cathedral. They have created the Hereford Crime Conference, pulling together education providers of all types, community leaders, emergency services and council representatives.

“During the Knife Angel’s visit we will run a series of workshops and interactive events. It is envisaged that this initiative will continue after the Knife Angel leaves Hereford,” a spokesman said.

Portsmouth Cathedral will reopen on May 17 with new visitor experiences created with funding from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage.

A new augmented reality experience will show an alternative version of what might have been if the proposed 1960s modernist designs for the nave by world renowned architects, Studio Nervi, had been built.

New audio guides and interactive tours available on the app will allow visitors to explore the cathedral at their own pace. There will be a choice of free and paid tours, as well as a special ‘explorers tour’ for families.

The Dean of Portsmouth, Reverend Dr Anthony Cane, said:

‘We have really missed being able to welcome visitors to our cathedral over the past months. We have been pleased to offer the opportunity to visit for prayer and some services, and as restrictions ease we look forward to opening up more of our building for visitors and pilgrims.

‘New digital experiences, including our app which offers audio guided tours, as well as virtual reality and interactive screens will add a wonderful new element when visiting the cathedral.’

Portsmouth Cathedral has also been working hard to improve other aspects of its visitor experience, such as its shop which now features a brand-new collection of unique products exclusive to the cathedral.

Please be assured all our Church of England cathedrals have achieved the Visit Britain’s industry standard and consumer charter mark We’re Good to Go which means visitors can be confident that cathedrals are taking all the necessary steps to help ensure people’s safety in line with latest Government and Public Health guidance including booking a ticketed slot at some places, hand sanitising stations, and please be advised face-coverings are now mandatory in places of worship unless you are exempt.

Please check each cathedral’s individual website for up to date information.

Lincoln, Carlisle and Ripon cathedrals have just announced they have received cash boosts from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.

Good News! Lincoln, Ripon and Carlisle cathedrals in cash boosts from the Government

Lincoln has received a Capital Kickstart Fund award of £973,600 which will be used to complete the conversion of the Old Deanery into a new visitor centre, conserve internationally important sculpture on the Cathedral and improve the visitor experience and setting of the Cathedral, which has been delayed as a result of the pandemic.

Carlisle Cathedral has received £250,000 for its ongoing major project– a welcome boost to continue work which had been put on hold due to the pandemic. This cash boost comes on the back of its Fratry Project which has seen a complete transformation of the Grade I-listed medieval Fratry into an open space for performance, education and events including the creation of a new welcome area and public café – providing dedicated space for the clergy to greet visitors and school groups, and allowing the cathedral to engage with more people in new ways and transform its teaching and learning activities.

Ripon Cathedral has been granted almost £24,000 from the Culture Recovery Fund to repair the nave roof and stop water seeping through its beautiful panelled ceiling.

These are some of the latest grants, awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and builds on over £1 billion awarded to a huge range of cultural and heritage organisations from the Culture Recovery Fund last year.

Twenty two heritage organisations, including our cathedrals, will benefit from £13.5 million in targeted grants allocated by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restart planned work that has been delayed or faces increased costs due to the pandemic.

Will Harrison, Chapter Clerk and Administrator at Lincoln Cathedral said:

“The creation of the Old Deanery Visitor Centre, and the vital conservation work on the West Front of the Cathedral is a once-in-a-lifetime project, and has been a major focus of our attentions for the last five years. Hospitality and welcome are at the heart of Cathedral life and we look forward to the day when we can safely welcome back visitors from across Lincoln, the county and beyond.

“We’re incredibly grateful for this grant, which will ensure that we can conserve the fabric of the Cathedral and, importantly, create a fantastic new accessible and engaging space which can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

“From restoring Georgian lidos and Roman baths to saving local screens and synagogues, our Culture Recovery Fund is helping to save the places people can’t wait to get back to, when it is safe to do so.
“All over the country, this funding is protecting the venues that have shaped our history and make us proud of our communities, whilst safeguarding the livelihoods of the people that work in them.”

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

“These are all ongoing major refurbishment and restoration projects, funded by us, which have been threatened by the pandemic. From the oldest surviving outdoor swimming baths to a Victorian pier, and from a much-loved park to an historic abbey, these are all places that will enrich hundreds of lives when they reopen. We are delighted this extra funding from the Culture Recovery Fund will ensure that these exciting projects will go ahead.”

The National Lottery Heritage Fund, along with the BFI, Historic England and Arts Council England, are currently assessing applications for the remaining £400 million in funding from the Culture Recovery Fund, which was held back to allow the Government to support organisations through the Spring and Summer.

To mark Heritage Fund UK’s #HeritageTreasures day on Monday … we thought we’d let you into a secret … well 42 of them to be honest.

With fascinating treasures and secrets spanning more than a thousand years, our Church of England Cathedrals offer a window on Britain’s social and political history.

Three of our cathedrals hold World Heritage Status, another is recognised as a UNESCO site. We can boast the world’s oldest surviving working clock, several copies of the Magna Carta, the Mappa Mundi, the largest medieval map known to exist.

We have Elgar’s baton, the Winchester Bible, the Lichfield Angel, a pair of pilgrim boots from a 15th century pilgrim, 15th century hand-copied manuscripts of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, one of three surviving original copies of Christopher Saxton’s maps of Tudor England, and a manuscript of illustrations issued by and signed by Charles I.

We have stained glass by Marc Chagall and David Hockney, ancient wall paintings, and a fragment of the flag that was draped over Nelson ‘s body on the Victory.

And if that’s not enough … we’re home to saints, kings, queens, princes, artists and authors … and that’s before you just look up at our soaring spires, our spectacular vaulted ceilings and contemplate our rich spiritual heritage.

This Monday we will be celebrating our #HeritageTreasures.

We look forward to a time when you can discover them for yourselves.

More info on the Heritage Fund website here.

Photo: Stained glass by Marc Chagall by Ash Mills

Cathedrals mark British Science Week with …. Sound and Light shows to take visitors into space and beyond

So, it thrilled audiences in Exeter and got Picture of the Day in The Daily Telegraph and now its heading up north to take visitors to Sheffield Cathedral on a journey into outer space.

Space, the sound and light art installation by the artistic collaboration, Luxmuralis will become The Observatory when it opens in Sheffield Cathedral this Friday (March 13) for eight days and coincides with British Science Week.

This immersive sound and light installation will offer visitors the chance to walk through space, experience meteor showers, explore the Big Bang Theory, watch original footage from the first moon landing in 1969, and wonder about the creation story as they see the earth from space for the very first time.

Sheffield Cathedral has also teamed up with Sheffield Astronomical Society whose volunteers will be giving free talks every evening; there will be an interactive engagement area where visitors can gaze into the night sky through powerful telescopes, and children will be able to draw pictures of space, rockets and aliens.

It was the first time Exeter Cathedral has been transformed by sound, light and digital imagery and the three-day event was a huge sell-out success. The Observatory is the latest in a number of art shows planned by Sheffield Cathedral as part of a three-year programme of fresh and creative engagement projects that started with The Angels Are Coming for Christmas that attracted 11,500 people.

The Very Reverend Peter Bradley, The Dean of Sheffield said: “It was a big decision for the Cathedral to commit to ‘The Angels are Coming…’ but we’re so glad we did. The response from the people of Sheffield and further afield was incredible. So we are thrilled to be working with Peter Walker and the Luxmuralis team again for ‘The Observatory’ and can’t wait to see one of Sheffield’s oldest buildings brought to life through imaginative use of light, sound and digital imagery.”

The Reverend Canon Keith Farrow, Vice Dean and Canon Missioner of Sheffield Cathedral said:

“Ancient churches would at one time have been brightly painted and coloured on the interior and the images would have told people the stories of faith and events in the Bible. Through imaginative and innovative use of sound and light we’re using modern technology to do the same.
“We hope through the experience of travelling through time and space, standing amongst the stars and journeying to the edge of the universe in this amazing place, will give people the chance to contemplate their own personal journey in life, “ he added.

THE OBSERVATORY
March 13- 20

Tickets are £6 for adults, £4 for children (aged 4 to 12). Children aged 3 and under FREE. A family ticket is £17.50 (2 adults and 2 children).
For a carer ticket, contact Sheffield Cathedral.

First entry to the Cathedral will be at 6:40pm and then every 20 minutes thereafter. Last entry at 9pm.
Allow approximately 1 hour for the whole experience.

For more information and to book tickets, go to the Sheffield Cathedral website or visit the Cathedral Gift Shop.

Pilgrimage: Southwark Cathedral’s Lent Art Installation

Pilgrimage is Southwark Cathedral’s Lent Art Installation that traces Thomas Becket’s last journey from Southwark to Canterbury 850 years ago through the medieval practice of Measuring to the Saint.

In medieval times, if you needed spiritual or physical help or healing, your body was measured from head to toe with a length of string or thread, this was then sent to the nearest Cathedral or Abbey, where the monks would make a candle from it, light it, and pray for your eternal soul.

Inspired by this simple act of connection and illumination, artist Michelle Rumney has created Pilgrimage which opened in the Cathedral on Ash Wednesday.

The artist has reflected on the ritual of pilgrimage for 2020 Year of Cathedrals, Year of Pilgrimage and created 12 wax candles representing people with a connection to pilgrimage, including Thomas Becket, and Marion Marples who led many pilgrimages from Southwark. These wax candles, which are as tall as the people they represent, will line the altar rail and be lit in their memory every day of Lent.

It’s 850 years since Becket gave his last sermon at Southwark and the artist has created 850 strings to veil the altar, representing people and animals Measured to the Saint – all still alive, The youngest (and shortest length) was a newborn grandchild of a member of the Southwark congregation, the oldest was a lady who turned 103 in December 2019. They also include the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of Wales

The Dean of Southwark, the Very Revd Andrew Nunn, said:

“This year’s Lent Art installation by Michelle Rumney brings us in touch with one of the practices of medieval pilgrims. Southwark Cathedral has a long association with the pilgrimage to Canterbury and the shrine of St Thomas Becket. This is the 850th anniversary of his martyrdom and as 2020 has been designated by the Church of England cathedrals as a Year of Pilgrimage this will be our particular focus.

“Millions of people come into our cathedrals and churches each year to light a candle for a loved one or for themselves. The creation of candles to represent modern day ‘pilgrims’ at Southwark and this whole concept of ‘Measuring for the Saint’ makes real the pilgrim’s journey of prayer. We hope that this installation will encourage people to pray for one another and to step out on the pilgrim path.”

Michelle Rumney is a Fine Arts graduate and works in mixed media including string, books and maps to create large scale paintings, paperworks and installations on the themes of repetition and transformation.

Her website is here.

There will be a special pilgrimage evening on Friday 6 March with Gregorian plainsong in a candlelit Cathedral.

Now in its ninth year, the annual Lent Art Installation at Southwark Cathedral brings new contemporary art to those who may not otherwise access it. This art piece then informs the preaching during Lent, to help lead the congregation and visitors through The Passion and becomes the focus of all that the Cathedral does during this key period.

Pilgrimage runs until Good Friday, 10 April. More info here > Southwark Measuring to the Saint

Here is a collection of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to cathedrals. Starting with the obvious.

What is a Cathedral?

A cathedral is a church. But it is a unique church because it contains the “cathedra” (the physical seat) of a bishop and serves as the central church of a diocese and a centre of worship and mission. More on what is a cathedral here.

Why is the bishops seat in that church and not another one?

Some of today’s Church of England cathedrals, like Salisbury, have been cathedrals since they were built. Others were churches made into cathedrals at a later stage, e.g. by Henry VIII when he took over as head of the Church: he made some monastic churches such as Peterborough his new cathedrals, whereas other monastic churches were demolished at the Dissolution. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, some large parish churches were turned into cathedrals to serve the growing populations in industrial parts of the country such as Newcastle, Bradford and Wakefield.

Are cathedrals just big churches? 

A cathedral is also a church – the cathedral title reflects its status in the diocese and role in the Diocese rather than a judgement about the size or significance of the building – though a cathedral will tend to be a large and significant building and will offer daily services and other activities such as civic events typical of a cathedral.

Does having a cathedral, make your town a city?

No. Cities in the UK have been granted city status by letters patent or royal charter; having a cathedral does not necessarily make a town into a city for modern official government purposes, although a town with a cathedral may still call itself a city for historical reasons.

Are cathedrals catholic?

The cathedrals represented by the AEC are part of the Church of England. The Catholic Church in England have their own cathedrals now. Historically, however, churches and cathedrals constructed before the establishment of the Church of England were part of the Catholic church.

Are cathedrals and abbeys the same thing? And what’s with the whole ‘minster thing’?

Not all minsters and abbeys are cathedrals. Abbey churches were part of abbeys, a kind of monastery or nunnery. Minsters are usually churches which were centres of mission in their areas in early medieval times, though the title has been revived recently to acknowledge other important regional churches. Some cathedrals such as York, Southwell and St Albans also use their historic titles of Minster or Abbey, but their status is no different to other cathedrals.

Which cathedral took the longest to build?

This is hard to answer as most cathedrals were (and are) continually being altered, repaired and added to over centuries. Salisbury Cathedral is unusual in having been built over just 38 years in a single style. Even with modern methods, Liverpool Cathedral took from 1904 to 1978 to complete.

Which cathedral is the oldest?

Canterbury Cathedral has the earliest foundation date: it was established by St Augustine in 597 AD. However, no structures from this era are still standing. The oldest surviving part of a current English cathedral is the crypt at Ripon, which dates from the mid-7th century, although Ripon was not actually a cathedral at that time.

What is that cathedral on the Cathedral City Cheese wrapper?

It’s imaginary and simplified. It looks like the towers are inspired by Wells Cathedral but the arch with the great window directly below looks like it would only work if it was constructed in concrete.

Which cathedral was Harry Potter filmed in?

Not ALL of the Harry Potter movies were filmed in a cathedral, but there are several that feature in his movies. Gloucester Cathedral Cloisters; Durham Cathedral; Christ Church College, Oxford (college hall, not the cathedral).

Which one is the tallest English cathedral

Salisbury cathedral has had the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom, at 404 feet (123 m). Lincoln’s was taller until it collapsed in 1549.

Where is the cathedral with the crooked spire?

Actually, there isn’t a cathedral with a crooked spire. What you’re probably thinking about is a church, St Mary and All Saints in Chesterfield.

Gloucester Cathedral has just announced grants from Allchurches Trust and the Garfield Weston Foundation that will enable it to continue its renowned stonemason training programme.

Over 50 stonemasons have been trained at Gloucester Cathedral by Master Mason, Pascal Mychalysin and his team over the past 30 years and the cathedral boasts an international reputation as one of the finest Conservation Stonemasonry workshops in Europe.

The funding will support the newest trainee, Martin Gwilliams during his two-year training programme through the Cathedral’s Workshop Fellowship (CWF which will culminate in a Foundation Degree in Applied Historic Building Conservation and Repair at the University of Gloucestershire.

Trainee Martin said:

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with Pascal and his team at one of the most beautiful medieval buildings in Europe. I can’t wait to get started!”

Master Mason, Pascal said:

“Training the next generation of stonemasons is part of the Cathedral’s heritage and something which is very close to my heart. The energy and enthusiasm trainees bring to the team is infectious and I am looking forward to supporting Martin as he perfects his trade at Gloucester over the next two years.”

Just last month, a rugby player, the first of six new gargoyles to represent the six districts of the county, was installed on Gloucester Cathedral.

They were all designed by Master Mason Pascal as part of a fund-raising project to raise £400,000 to save one of the oldest areas of the 900-year-old “architectural masterpiece”. It is only the second time in living memory that new gargoyles have been created for the cathedral.

Paul Playford, Grants Officer at Allchurches Trust, said:

“Our new heritage grant programme invests in future generations so that all can continue to enjoy our great past; with traditional skills being handed down. We’re delighted to have been able to fund Martin to grow his own stonemasonry expertise and experience with the exceptionally talented team at Gloucester Cathedral.”

Cathedrals call for a national fund following devastating fire at Notre Dame.

The pain we have experienced watching the fire at Notre Dame has been all too keen – it brought back memories of the last fire at one of our cathedrals, this was in 1984 at York Minster and that was due to a lightning strike. But it doesn’t mean it won’t, or can’t happen here again, and we have to be alive to that fact.

Many of our cathedrals are immensely fragile and require the very best of our efforts to preserve them and keep them safe.

What we need is sustained investment in our cathedrals; investment that keeps them safe and that comes from a regular fund for our daily maintenance.

We benefited hugely from the Government’s WW1 fund – and that was fine for major projects – but that alone is not enough.

We need a national response involving many partners. Our cathedrals are often amongst the oldest and largest buildings in our cities and amongst the most loved. And any fire has the potential to be devastating.

Our cathedrals are one of our country’s greatest assets and at the heart of our history, our culture and our social fabric, and a testament to our faith.

None of us want to see those harrowing images again. Let us never forget this tragedy by ensuring we are in a better position to protect our own national treasures; and that means regular funding to be able to maintain these wonderful buildings, to protect them and their contents, for all our future generations and the wellbeing of the present one.

We would be a much poorer country and people without them.

Statement from the Dean of Lichfield, the Very Revd Adrian Dorber on behalf of the Association of English Cathedrals.

Little known Anglo Saxon treasures from three of our cathedrals will feature alongside the tiny 7thcentury St Cuthbert Gospel, the Domesday Book and the Lindisfarne Gospels in a major new British Library Exhibition that opens later this week.

The Exeter Book, the 10th century anthology of poetry from Exeter Cathedral Library, the Lichfield Angel, a brightly coloured carved figure discovered recently under the floor in Lichfield Cathedral, and Rochester Cathedral’s Textus Roffensis, the only existing written copy of the first code of English Law, will sit aside more well-known manuscripts as part of The Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, World, War exhibition which opens in the British Library this week.

The exhibition spans 600 years of history, art and literature from the decline of Roman Britain to the Norman Conquest and tells the story of the people of the Anglo Saxon Kingdoms in their own words.
Treasures from the British Library’s own collection include the beautifully illuminated Lindisfarne Gospels, Beowulf, and Bede’s Ecclesiastical History and the world-famous Domesday Book, while the Codex Amiatinus, a giant Northumbrian Bible given to the Pope and taken to Italy in 716, returns to England for the first time in 1,300 years.

The Lichfield Angel: In 2003, excavations beneath the Gothic nave of Lichfield Cathedral to build a new platform for concerts uncovered a small pit, alongside which were three fragments of a bas-relief panel made of Ancaster limestone, carved with the figure of an angel. It is argued that the surviving portion of the panel represents the Archangel Gabriel, his wings still fiery with red colour applied over 1,200 years ago – a rare survival.

The Exeter Book: One of the oldest items in Exeter Cathedral Library, it constitutes the Library’s foundation volume. Its great importance lies in its contents, specifically a collection of poems, a verse anthology, and the fact it is written in Old English (or Anglo-Saxon) the oldest form of English, which was starting to die out as early as the 12th century. There are only four known poetic manuscripts: the Beowulf manuscript in the British Library, the Junius manuscript in Oxford, the Vercelli Book in Italy, and the Exeter Book; these four will be brought together for the first time in this exhibition.

The Textus Roffensis: A 12th-century manuscript, 100 years older than Magna Carta, which contains the only copy of the oldest set of laws in English. It was compiled by a single scribe at Rochester Cathedral in Kent in the 1120’s and is seen by some as containing foundation documents of the English state. Safeguarded by the Cathedral since its inception, the charter has now been digitised by the University of Manchester as part of a Heritage Lottery Funded renovation and community engagement project. It has been recognised as a manuscript to rival any in historical and cultural importance. Read more here.

Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms will be open at the British Library from 19 October 2018 to 19 February 2019

More urgent repairs will be made to 24 Church of England and seven Catholic cathedrals thanks to the announcement of £6.9 million in grants from the Government-sponsored fund set up to support vital repairs to some of England’s most important historic buildings.

ChurchCare, the cathedral and church buildings division of the Church of England, has today welcomed Chancellor George Osborne’s announcement that the final phase of the scheme will provide 31 cathedrals with grants of between £12,000 and £800,000 for essential and urgent repairs ranging from repairs to roofs and stonework through to complete re-wiring.

Lichfield Cathedral, containing treasures such as the St Chad’s Gospel and the Saxon ‘Lichfield Angel’ sculpture, receives the largest grant, of £800,000, for work to replace wiring and lighting systems in the medieval building.
The cathedral was facing the possibility of closure without funds for the essential work. The Dean of Lichfield, the Very Revd Adrian Dorber, welcomed the “timely and generous” grant.

“Lichfield Cathedral is over 700 years old and the last time it had to close its doors to the public was during a Civil War siege,” he said. “The possibility of closure was heart-breaking. Cathedral buildings offer so much to so many – at Lichfield we are running a Citizen’s Parliament to discuss the upcoming election, opening up new parts of the church to visitors via our tower and rooftop tours, and celebrating our fine musical tradition. Without this timely and generous grant all of this would have been under threat.”

Birmingham Cathedral welcomed the award of £500,000 to help replace obsolete lighting and wiring systems. The building, currently celebrating its 300th year, needs outdated and malfunctioning fittings replaced with more practical, sustainable and energy efficient alternatives to showcase its Baroque architecture and Edward Burne-Jones stained glass windows.

The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Birmingham said: “This is marvellous news and means that we can improve the facilities that we offer to everyone who comes to the Cathedral. Birmingham deserves the very best & we’re excited now to look forward to a newly refurbished interior.”

York Minster was delighted with the news that it has been awarded £100,000 of additional funding to support vital repairs to the stonework and roof of the Camera Cantorum. Dating from 1415, and located on the south side of the Minster, the Camera Cantorum is a two storey structure, which currently houses the Minster shop and the Minster Song School and is where generations of choristers have been trained. Twelve former choristers and an Alto songman were killed on active service in the First World War. An award of £200,000 was made in October 2014 in the first round of grant awards.

Commenting on the new funding, the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull, Dean of York and Chairman of the Association of English Cathedrals, said:

“The First World War Centenary Repairs Fund has provided cathedrals across the country with a vital financial lifeline to enable major fabric repairs that will protect and conserve our cathedrals for worshippers, visitors and communities. The additional funds to support the restoration of the Camera Cantorum at York Minster will help us to establish a living memorial to the lives of those local young musicians of great promise who gave their lives in service of the nation”.

Other cathedrals to receive grants include Durham, which has been allocated £568,000 for repair and conservation work on its central tower, and Ripon Cathedral, which incorporates the oldest feature of any cathedral in England, a Saxon crypt, receives £19,000 to repair 35 windows. And with £65,000, Sheffield Cathedral will be able to bring two chapels back into use by replacing failed lighting.

The Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge, lead bishop for cathedrals and church buildings in the Church of England, said:

“Cathedrals are not just beautiful buildings which are part of our heritage, they are active places of worship and community hubs. Keeping these magnificent, complex buildings standing, open and welcoming to all who come through their doors, is rightly a priority for the Church of England. Cathedrals have an economic and social impact and it is appropriate to see the Government making a significant contribution to their care. This final round of grants shows the diversity of projects which need support, but also the ambition and open-mindedness of cathedrals when it comes to making themselves the centres of their communities.”

The Chancellor George Osborne said: “Churches and Cathedrals are a unique part of our national heritage, and play a vital role in community life – we want to support them, and thanks to our long-term economic plan, we can.
“Whether it’s our country’s future or these important buildings, the sun is shining and we’re starting to fix the roof.”

The Church of England’s 42 cathedrals are estimated to contribute around £220 million to the national economy every year through employment and tourism. They welcome more than 11 million visitors annually, employ more than 7,000 people and are supported by 15,000 dedicated volunteers.

Sir Paul Ruddock, Chair of the Expert Panel, First World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund and Chairman of the Victoria & Albert Museum, said:

“Cathedrals are perhaps the most multi-faceted of historic buildings, still in use for their original purpose, and representing our own shared history. They are very much public spaces, there for everyone, a heady mix of sacred and secular, with vast appeal to millions of people. In chairing the Expert Panel which allocated this money I have been privileged to see first-hand the heights of success which cathedrals can achieve through use of their wonderful buildings. I am also acutely aware that there is still much work to do in order to keep them safe and open.”

Rt Hon Frank Field MP, Chairman, Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, said:

“In the year of the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, six copies of which are still held by cathedrals, it is timely to consider the place of the church in the life of the nation. In the case of cathedrals it is clear that they provide much more than services. They offer a spiritual and physical sanctuary from everyday life, a chance to experience something greater. It is right and proper that the Government is supporting the care of these places and the huge range of initiatives – from food banks and night shelters to concerts and exhibitions – that cathedrals run for the benefit of us all.”

Canterbury Cathedral has, in the past year, had its every move filmed for a new BBC Documentary series. The three part documentary entitled ‘Canterbury Cathedral’ offers an exclusive look behind-the-scenes into the life and community of Britain’s oldest Cathedral.

Filming began in November 2013 and finished in the late summer of 2014. The small production team from the BBC’s Religion and Ethics Department were granted unparalleled access to the Cathedral; the end result was an astounding 250 hours of material which had to be whittled down and edited into three hours for television.

The series takes audiences inside the community that is the mother church of the Anglican Communion. Viewers will glimpse an insight into the workings of the Cathedral, with access to the Dean and other clergy, together with the wider community of choristers (including the brand new all-girl choir), the stained glass conservators, stone masons, apprentices, and the many pilgrims who come here. Throughout the series, viewers will discover Canterbury Cathedral’s rhythms, history, fabric, rituals, music and treasures, and meet some of its international visitors.

The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury said: ‘Looking back to a year ago when we were first asked by the BBC whether a documentary might be possible, I remember a certain nervousness on the part of us all; but the team they sent us became part of our daily life and we got to know them well. The whole experience has been an enjoyable one and I very much look forward to the three programmes leading up to Christmas.’

‘Filmed during my first year at Canterbury, the series charts some of my earliest experiences here and is a memorable record of the events – and, even more, the characters – of those twelve months. The BBC team were brilliant at understanding the place and had an instinctive grasp of the rhythms and contours of its rich and colourful life’ commented the Canon Treasurer, Revd Canon Nicholas Papadopulos.

‘Canterbury Cathedral is far more than an ancient monument, far more, even, than a church. It does not impose anything on the millions of visitors that come for a thousand reasons, but few if any leave it unmoved. My hope is that we provide viewers with a fair and engaging insight into a team of people totally dedicated to the Cathedral and to maintaining not only its structure and grandeur but its mission too,’ David Waters, Assistant Producer of ‘Canterbury Cathedral’ says of the series.

‘Canterbury Cathedral’ will be broadcast on BBC2 at 9pm on Friday 12, Monday 15, and Friday 19 December 2014.

‘Canterbury Cathedral’ is a BBC Religion and Ethics Production. The Executive Producer is Julian Mercer and the Producer is Graham Johnston.

St Albans Cathedral is proceeding with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for its project called, ‘Alban, Britain’s First Saint: Telling the Whole Story’, which will reveal the unique place in British history of Alban and St Albans Cathedral and tell the whole story of a rich heritage, spanning over 1,700 years. Combining focussed conservation work, new interpretation, an inspiring programme of activities, and capital works to create new welcome and learning spaces, the project will attract wider and more diverse audiences. Together with the recent award to the St Albans Museums Trust, this demonstrates a significant vote of confidence from HLF in the undiscovered potential of St Albans as a top visitor destination.

Funding of £390,000 is helping the Cathedral develop its plans in detail over the next two years before applying for a full grant in 2016.
The project will see the restoration of the medieval shrine of Amphibalus, the design and implementation of a new way of telling the Alban story within the Cathedral, potentially including the recreation of a medieval scriptorium, and the laser projection of 12th century wall paintings, plus a programme of activities for visitors and pilgrims of all ages. The Cathedral’s Learning Department, incorporating its award winning Education Centre and revitalised Adult Learning Centre, will relocate to the upper floors of the Chapter House creating fit-for-purpose learning spaces for children and adults. A new welcome centre will provide an intuitive entrance for the Cathedral and improved visitor facilities. The project will create many additional opportunities for volunteers to develop new skills.
St Albans Cathedral sits at the heart of the local community, at the geographical and historical crossover between Roman Verulamium and Medieval St Albans, and between pagan and Christian Britain. Standing on the site of the execution and burial of Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr, it became the country’s first Christian shrine and pilgrimage destination, 200 years before St Augustine arrived in Canterbury. It is, therefore, the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in the country. Today it enjoys one of the largest regular Sunday congregations of any British Cathedral and welcomes 160,000 visitors a year.
The Very Revd Dr Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans said: “‘We feel strongly that far too few people realise the importance of St Alban as our first British saint and of St Albans Cathedral as our oldest place of Christian worship. The HLF grant is helping us put this right. It will enable us to present Alban’s story and the amazingly rich heritage of the Cathedral much more effectively. We shall rebuild the shrine of Amphibalus which was destroyed in the Reformation and restore it to its original glory. And we shall have a beautiful new entrance building with better facilities to welcome visitors and pilgrims. We are extremely grateful to HLF and all who have supported this project – and to God. Deo gratias!’.”
“This is great news for the Cathedral and for St Albans. The Cathedral’s ambition to tell their story acted as a catalyst for wider developments. In particular the Town Hall Museum and Gallery, the Roman Museum at Verulamium Park, the Clock Tower and medieval streets around the Cathedral. This funding success shows what can be done when the community works together. Congratulations are due to the Dean, the Cathedral Chapter and to the Heritage Lottery Fund for bringing life to the long term vision,” added Cllr Julian Daly, Executive Leader of the St Albans City and District Council.
Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF, said: “Over the past 20 years the Heritage Lottery Fund has invested more than £70m in cathedrals across the UK. As feats of architectural genius they are treasured by local communities and tourists alike. Their sheer scale and magnificence has the ability to leave us awestruck by the levels of craftsmanship and technical ingenuity that were achieved so many centuries ago. St Albans Cathedral has a great story to tell and we look forward to seeing plans evolve over the coming year.”

Situated on the banks of the River Thames by London Bridge and the Borough Market, the Southwark Cathedral Refectory is a great place to have lunch and afternoon tea but now it’s also a chocoholics’ paradise where you can indulge in the chef’s latest range of hot chocolates and chocolate delicacies.

The hot chocolate range includes a tempting spicy chilli chocolate drink, and a luxurious After Eight hot chocolate, as well as alcohol specials that include all major liquors.

Also on offer is a Homemade Chocolate Fondue including marshmallows, fresh fruit, fudge and cookies.

This new range is a welcome lift during the coldest and bleakest months of winter and is available any day in the Refectory from 10.00am to 6.00pm.

Come and beat the winter blues!

Salisbury Cathedral, home to the finest of the four surviving original Magna Carta 1215, is delighted to have been awarded initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help it prepare for the UNESCO listed document’s 800th anniversary celebrations in 2015.

Plans are advanced to re-display and re-present the Cathedral’s Magna Carta in the Chapter House alongside other documents from the Cathedral’s extensive archive, using the latest interpretation techniques to communicate Magna Carta’s historic background and modern significance to the many extra visitors expected in 2015 and beyond.

Martin Field, Deputy Chapter Clerk and Development Director said “We are delighted to have received this support from HLF allowing us to develop our exciting plans for a new Magna Carta exhibition and other celebratory activities in 2015, bringing Magna Carta to many new audiences. The ‘Great Charter’ has inspired and influenced people to stand up for justice and freedom around the globe and across the ages. People will be able to come to Salisbury and experience for themselves the extraordinary sway the ideas expressed in this document continue to hold.”

Canon Edward Probert, Canon Chancellor and Acting Dean of Salisbury said, “Magna Carta lay unnoticed in our archives for centuries before someone spotted it and realized its huge significance. I’m delighted that this funding from HLF will also enable us to employ a full time archivist so that other important manuscripts from our archives can be experienced by the public for the first time. Salisbury Cathedral’s archive is a real medieval treasure trove with documents going back to the founding of the first Cathedral at Old Sarum – so who knows what else might be discovered?”

Nerys Watts, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: “Salisbury Cathedral’s original 1215 Magna Carta is one of the world’s most important documents and is still hugely relevant to our lives today. This initial HLF support will mean the Cathedral can work up detailed plans to restore, re-present and open up the Magna Carta’s fascinating story for visitors long into the future. We are looking forward to seeing these exciting plans progress over the coming months.”

In order to ‘unlock’ HLF funding totalling over £500,000, the Cathedral needs to raise nearly £200,000 in partnership funding. Wilsons Solicitors LLP, the oldest legal business headquartered in Salisbury, has pledged £30,000 towards this total. Managing Partner Andrew Roberts said, “Magna Carta is probably the most famous document in English legal history. Its application of the rule of law to all, including the state, continues to underlie the personal and commercial freedoms that we enjoy today. We feel privileged to be the first business to support this internationally important project to showcase this document, its context and impact.”

Salisbury Cathedral will be looking to work with a range of partners to deliver its ambitious programme. These include The British Library, Lincoln Cathedral (which also has a copy of Magna Carta), Magna Carta 800th Committee/Magna Carta Trust, the Diocese of Salisbury, the American Bar Association, and local partners from the city, county and surrounding area.

Further details of Salisbury Cathedral’s Magna Carta 800th anniversary celebrations will be published in February 2014.

This week will be one of the busiest of the year for Church of England cathedrals as they prepare to welcome more than 100,000 people to their Christmas services. And this week 17 Church of England cathedrals have also learned that they will receive grants to help ensure they stay dry, safe and secure for the future. The grants add up to £952,000 and cover 21 key projects of repair, conservation and enhancement to the magnificent cathedrals under the Church of England’s stewardship.

A sum of £645,000 will be awarded from the Cathedral Fabric Repair Fund, a partnership between the Wolfson Foundation, the Pilgrim Trust and the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England (CFCE), all organisations with long records of supporting England’s historic church buildings and their contents. Over the past three years the Fund has awarded more than £1.8 million for essential and urgent works to keep cathedrals weatherproof and watertight, including major re-roofing and stonework repairs at cathedrals such as Lincoln, Norwich and Durham.

This is the final year of Cathedral Fabric Repair Fund’s initial three-year programme, and its present partners hope to see additional backers joining the scheme so that it will continue into the future. It has been estimated that England’s cathedrals need more than £10 million pounds a year simply for their routine care and maintenance – and they receive no direct government funding.

Janet Gough, Director, Cathedral and Church Buildings Division of the Archbishops’ Council, said: “This is a unique fund supported by grant-giving bodies who understand the need for a strategic funding programme to support critical repairs to our historic cathedrals, which have been and continue to be immensely significant in the nation’s life. We hope that on the basis of the present successful partnership that the fund will grow with further grant-making funds and private individuals joining in.”

Paul Ramsbotton, Chief Executive, The Wolfson Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be funding these buildings of spectacular attraction and significance. We are particularly pleased to see that cathedrals are using our grants to encourage further donations – and to help their ongoing fundraising efforts.”

Georgina Nayler, Director, The Pilgrim Trust, said: “The Pilgrim Trust has been contributing towards the repair of our beautiful and important cathedrals for over 82 years. We are delighted to be part of the Cathedral Fabric Repair Fund and to be working in partnership with the CFCE and the Wolfson Foundation to continue our support.”

The Rt Hon Frank Field MP, Chair of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England (CFCE), added: “One of the most significant aspects of these grants is that we have included a number of cathedrals for which fund-raising is less easy, and also several with innovative solutions to problems posed by 20th century materials and climate change.”

This year’s 10 successful applicants were Chester, Gloucester, Guildford, Hereford, Leicester, Lincoln, Peterborough, St Edmundsbury, Southwark and Worcester Cathedrals. The Cathedral Fabric Repair Fund has been particularly pleased to be able to support important work such as:

• Repairing and re-covering the South Aisle roof at Gloucester Cathedral, above the dramatic main public approach. The Cathedral attracts some 300,000 visitors a year and this year was rated second in the country by Which? magazine for offering the best visitor experience while visiting an historic site.
• Replacing the oldest copper roofs at Guildford Cathedral, the only cathedral in southern England to be built on a new site since the Reformation. It was constructed in the Gothic style between 1936 and 1961 using modern materials such as brick and concrete. Despite their relatively recent 20th-century date, the drainpipes and gutters need to be upgraded to cope with the more intense rainfall which has been experienced in recent years.
• Repairing the high-level stonework of the Nave North Aisle at Worcester Cathedral, to prevent rainwater running down and eroding the 12th-century walling. The Cathedral, which has 260,000 visitors a year, has already raised funding to match the £100,000 grant, and the work will be carried out by its own team of stonemasons.

A further £307,000 of cathedral grant funding is being awarded under two separate grant schemes funded by the Church of England.

The Cathedral Amenities Fund, which makes grants for improvements to the setting of ancient cathedrals and greater churches, is offering grants totalling £236,000 for work including stabilising the ruins at Coventry Cathedral, re-paving around Pershore Abbey and Southwell Minster, and work on the main east entrance at Bradford Cathedral.

In addition, a total of £71,000 will be offered to Derby, Coventry, Exeter, Salisbury and Wakefield Cathedrals for the conservation of artworks and historic furnishings, including the restoration of the fine organ at Exeter Cathedral and a feasibility study for the conservation of the massive 1962 Graham Sutherland tapestry Christ in Glory at Coventry Cathedral.

What is a cathedral? What is the difference between a church and a cathedral?

And what is the meaning and definition of “cathedral”.

(More of your cathedral related questions can be answered here).

A cathedral is the seat of the bishop and a centre of worship and mission. The primary purpose of a cathedral is to be a place of Christian worship but it is also often the oldest building in continuous use in its surrounding area and of significance to the heritage, culture and community life of the area it serves.

What is a cathedral?

A cathedral is a church which holds the seat of the bishop (in Latin, cathedra) and is the mother church of its diocese, the area under the pastoral care of the bishop.  A cathedral’s primary purpose is to be a place of Christian worship but it is also often the oldest building in continuous use in its surrounding area and of significance to the heritage, culture and community life of the area it serves.

What is a cathedral used for?

A cathedral is principally a church, a place of Christian worship, and holds services every day.  As the mother church of a diocese, a cathedral is a focal point for services and celebrations for those worshipping in churches throughout the diocese.  In many cases a cathedral is the largest building available for public use for some distance and acts as a venue for concerts, lectures, degree ceremonies and other such events.  A cathedral is open every day of the year to welcome anyone wishing to visit.

What is a cathedral church?

Sometimes people talk about the cathedral church to distinguish the place of worship, the church, from the rest of the cathedral complex, the areas and buildings attached to the church.

What is a cathedral chapter?

The Chapter of a cathedral is the trustee body of the cathedral, which is a charity.  In medieval times, when a cathedral’s governing body met, it was customary to read a chapter of the Bible or a monastic order’s rule book, so the meeting became know as a Chapter meeting and those present as the Chapter.  Now a Chapter comprises the senior clergy of the cathedral, the Dean and Residentiary Canons, and others including lay people appointed as trustees.

What is a cathedral canon (or dean or precentor)?

A number of clergy work in each cathedral.  The most senior is called the Dean, who has oversight of all of a cathedral’s activities.  Others are called Residentiary Canons.  They have specific responsibilities allocated to them so they are often called by their area of responsibility, for example a Canon Precentor is responsible for a cathedral’s music and liturgy.  Cathedrals also have Honorary Canons who are clergy from the diocese working full-time in their parishes but who come to the cathedral on special occasions.

What is the difference between a cathedral and a church?

A cathedral is a church but, because it holds the seat of the bishop (in Latin, cathedra), it is called a cathedral and is the mother church of the diocese (the area under the bishop’s pastoral control).

What is the difference between a cathedral and a minster?

A cathedral holds the seat of the bishop (in Latin, cathedra) and is the mother church of the diocese (the area under the bishop’s pastoral control).  It’s possible for a Minster to be a cathedral (York Minster is a cathedral) but almost all minsters are large and important churches, with significance to their local areas and a greater role than just being a parish church, but they do not hold the bishop’s seat and are not cathedrals.

What is the difference between a cathedral and an abbey?

An abbey is (or was originally) home to a community of monks or nuns.  A church can still be called an abbey if it used to be the church of a monastic community.  Many of England’s cathedrals were run by monastic communities before the Reformation and the abbey church was given cathedral status when new dioceses were created and new homes for the seat of the bishop were needed.

What is a cathedral city / do you have to have a cathedral to be a city?

A cathedral city is a city which has a cathedral.  Historically, all towns with a cathedral were called a cathedral city but, more recently, city status has been granted by the monarch and there are many cities which don’t have a cathedral.  There are also some of the more recently consecrated cathedrals located in towns rather than cities, so nowadays the presence of a cathedral does not make the surrounding settlement a city.

More about cathedrals.

Cathedrals are the mother churches of their dioceses and act as focal points for services and celebrations for those worshipping in churches throughout the diocese.

• 38 out of 42 cathedrals are Grade I listed. Cathedrals are the oldest buildings in continuous use in their environments. They are complicated both archaeologically and architecturally. They are unique and priceless heritage assets.
• Cathedrals are open 365 days a year. They are open in times of national crisis and celebration and act as focal points in their communities. They provide unthreatening spiritual spaces for people.
• Cathedrals are often the largest buildings available for public use for some distance and act as venues for concerts, lectures, degree ceremonies and other such events.
• The cathedrals of England make a significant contribution to the life of the nation. Their social and economic impact was shown in research conducted in 2014. This showed that cathedrals were responsible for direct visitor-related spend of £125 million and for a total spend of £220 million, significant economic outcomes for the surrounding areas.
• Cathedrals offer facilities for visits by schools. Most cathedrals employ education officers who work within national curriculum guidelines to provide tours, trails and workshops which supplement classroom learning. The topics covered relate to religious education and history but also to a wide variety of other subjects – cathedrals are immensely rich learning resources.
• Cathedrals also offer opportunities for adult learning, providing guided tours for groups and openings to develop skills through volunteering. Very significant numbers of volunteers assist in keeping cathedrals open for the public to enjoy.
• Cathedrals are the main sustainers of the English Choral tradition, running choirs involving adults and children, both boys and girls. The English Choral tradition is a unique part of English culture but one which has suffered decline in recent years as choirs in parish churches have become less common. Cathedrals maintain the tradition and produce music of very high standard week in, week out. For those participating, cathedral music is a unique educational experience; singing as part of a professional team develops many transferable skills. The majority of cathedrals now have girls’ choirs as well as the more traditional boys’ choirs.
• Cathedral workshops employ a large proportion of the nation’s craftsmen with conservation skills, including stonemasons, carpenters, and stained glass specialists. Cathedrals have a very significant role in ensuring the continuity of conservation skills and in educating new craftsmen. Cathedrals work with both English Heritage and the National Skills Council to ensure that there are training opportunities for those interested in careers in conservation.

Now you know what a cathedral is, why not find out about each of them in our Cathedral A – Z by clicking here.

Worcester Cathedral is a magnificent sight as it rises majestically above the River Severn. Worcester has been the seat of a bishopric since the Seventh Century, and the Cathedral was served by monks until the Reformation. St Oswald and St Wulfstan were among the bishops.

It has been a place of Christian worship and prayer for fourteen centuries. The present building was begun in 1084 and is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The cathedral was founded in 680. During Anglo-Saxon times, Worcester was one of the most important monastic cathedrals in the country and was home to a community of Benedictine monks.

Reminders of this monastic life can still be seen: in various ruins around the Cathedral grounds; and also in the Cloisters, Garth Garden, stalls in the quire, and Chapter House which are still in use today.

Worcester was a great centre for learning and some of the texts produced by the monks can still be seen in the Cathedral library today.

It is the mother church of the Diocese of Worcester and for centuries, worshippers and visitors have made the journey to Worcester Cathedral to gain inspiration and knowledge and to experience this very special place.

Since the Eighteenth Century, the Cathedral has been famous for its part in the annual Three Choirs Festival, the oldest choral festival in existence.

Today the Cathedral is the centre of a vibrant community of clergy and laypeople, offering the praises of God each day, serving the city and diocese of Worcester, and attracting visitors from all over the world.

There is plenty on offer for families with activities and events throughout the year, trails, special services and daily tours. The cosy Cloister Cafe is the Cathedral’s on-site café, where you’ll find a delicious selection of food, drinks, cakes and ice creams. Meanwhile, The quaint Gift Shop is the perfect place to pick up a unique souvenir for a loved one.

The west elevation of the Cathedral is an iconic image, regularly communicated worldwide through television coverage of the matches at Worcestershire County Cricket ground to evoke a quintessentially English vista.

The Diocese of Worcester was created in 680. Bishop Oswald (961) founded a Benedictine monastic community attached to its Cathedral. Bishop Wulfstan (1062) survived the Norman conquest and began rebuilding the Cathedral in 1084. King John was among its later benefactors and asked to be buried within it.

Prince Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII, is also buried in the Cathedral. However when his brother, Henry VIII, dissolved the monasteries, the shrines of Oswald and Wulfstan were destroyed and the Cathedral was re-founded with the constitution of a Dean and Chapter.

The Cathedral suffered further damage during the Civil War. It was extensively restored during Victoria’s reign and a recent major project of restoration, started in 1988 was completed in 2011.

Today the Cathedral is one of the major tourist attractions in the City of Worcester and across the county. It attracts approximately 200,000 visitors each year and plays a central role in the culture and tourism of the City.

Its attractions include King John’s Tomb, Prince Arthur Tudor’s Chantry Chapel, magnificent Victorian stained-glass windows, St Wulfstan’s Norman Crypt, a 12th century Chapter House, thought to be the first round Chapter House in the world, Medieval Cloisters, stunning views across the beautiful Worcestershire countryside for the top of the tower, and examples of every period of early English architecture from 11th to late 14th Century.

The Cathedral is open daily, with free entry, and donations welcomed, and hosts a packed and varied programme of services and events throughout the year.

We look forward to welcoming you to this magnificent Cathedral in the heart of Worcestershire!

Watch our live peregrine webcam here.

Ripon Cathedral has a history stretching back almost fourteen centuries. Throughout this time it has offered an unbroken tradition of witness to the Christian faith, both in the city of Ripon and across North Yorkshire.

Dominating the Ripon skyline, this amazing building has inspired the likes of Lewis Carroll and Wilfrid Owen and continues to inspire and uplift visitors and worshippers alike.

The present church was founded by Saint Wilfrid and dedicated in 672, although it has been rebuilt several times since. The ancient Saxon crypt – one of the oldest in the country – is the only part of Wilfrid’s original church that remains to this day.

The Cathedral also has many other interesting features, not least the medieval woodcarvings that decorate the choir stalls, which are believed to have inspired Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland.

There has been Christian worship at Rochester for over 1,400 years. Founded in AD604, Rochester is the second oldest of England’s medieval cathedrals; the Nave provides the best sense of the Norman cathedral. The north transept is decorated with a magnificent new fresco depicting the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist as well as St Augustine’s baptism of King Ethelbert of Kent in around AD600. The Quire is where Rochester’s medieval monks worshipped every day and night and where daily Mattins and Evensong are sung today. The Crypt is largely built in the Early English Gothic style and is used for worship, socialising, exhibitions and education. Rochester is the cathedral that Charles Dickens wrote about in several of his books and a memorial is here in his honour.

Set in eight acres of lawn in the centre of Salisbury, The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of England’s finest, built to the glory of God entirely in the Early English Gothic style in just 38 years (1220 – 1258). This living church and internationally renowned heritage attraction continues to inspire all who visit, whether to worship or to admire its stunning medieval architecture.

With the UK’s tallest spire, Salisbury Cathedral is also home to the best preserved original Magna Carta (1215) and is full of hidden treasures including:
The world’s oldest working clock (AD 1386)
Britain’s largest secular cathedral cloisters
The largest and earliest set of quire stalls in Britain.

This sacred place offers a warm welcome to pilgrims and tourists alike. There are daily choral services and regular prayers plus special concerts, art exhibitions, community events and education activities throughout the year.

Watch the Salisbury peregrine falcons here on their live webcam.

People have been gathering on the site of Sheffield Cathedral for over a thousand years, as evidenced by a Saxon Cross now on display in the British Museum. Granted Cathedral status in 1914, the cathedral is the oldest building in Sheffield to be open 365 days a year. It is a Grade 1 listed building with significant local, regional and national importance.

Sheffield Cathedral is a beautiful building that tells the story of the origins of the city in the early 12th century, its development through the years, its industrial heritage and an association with the cutlery and silver industries. Today the Cathedral meets the needs of a multicultural community, welcoming thousands of visitors every year.

The Cathedral sits at the heart of this great city. It even has its own tram stop! It is loved passionately by the people it serves, offering guided tours and a range of cultural events, concerts and exhibitions to enjoy, as well as providing educational and musical opportunities for children and young people. The Cathedral also has its own award-winning family friendly 1554 Coffee and Gift Shop stocked full of locally sourced gifts, food and beverages, including the Heavenly Coffee! The Cathedral even has its own Sheffield ‘mark’.

Sheffield Cathedral aspires to be ‘A Place for all People’ (and dogs!). At its heart it is a place of worship with a growing congregation of people originating from countries across the world. Most importantly, it is a holy place where prayers are said daily and where people can seek quiet space and sanctuary within its ancient walls.

St Albans Cathedral is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. It stands over the place where Alban, the first British martyr, was buried after giving his life for his faith over 1,700 years ago.

The building’s amazing mixture of architectural styles bears witness to the many centuries of its life, first as a monastic Abbey and now as a Cathedral. Down all those centuries countless pilgrims have come to honour Saint Alban and offer prayers at his shrine – and they continue to do so today.

The present Cathedral was begun in 1077, using Roman bricks from the ruined city of Verulamium. The massive 11th century bell tower is the only remaining example of its type. The Cathedral has the longest nave in England where you can also see outstanding medieval wall paintings. FREE daily tours are available for you to find out more.

Gloucester Cathedral is a glorious sacred space and iconic landmark in the heart of Gloucester, with a history that can be traced back to 679AD. It is the mother church of the Diocese of Gloucester and welcomes around 350,000 visitors every year. The Cathedral is open daily, with entry by donation, and hosts a packed and varied programme of services and events throughout the year.

The foundation stone of the Cathedral that we see today was laid by Abbot Serlo in 1089; the East End was dedicated in 1100, and by around 1130 the Nave was complete. A great deal of the Romanesque church survives, including the entire Crypt, much of the East End, the great Nave pillars and the Norman Chapter House.

Following the burial of King Edward II in the North Ambulatory, the young King Edward III wanted a more fitting resting place for his father, so the remodeling of the East End took place between 1331-1355. The South Transept is the earliest surviving example of Perpendicular architecture, and the Quire and Presbytery were remodeled in what became the standard English style of architecture for more than 200 years.

The Cloister of Gloucester Cathedral represents some of the most significant medieval architecture in the world, famed for its remarkable fan-vaulting; this imaginative new style of architecture was developed here during the 1350s, and the current Cloister was completed by Abbot Froucester by 1412. Since then, the Cloister has taken on a new life as a popular filming location, starring as ‘Hogwarts’ in some of the Harry Potter movies, as well as featuring in the likes of The Hollow Crown, Wolf Hall and Mary Queen of Scots.

During the 1350s, the remarkable Great East Window was installed. At the time, it was the largest stained glass window in the world, measuring a staggering 22 metres in height and 12 metres in width.

The Cathedral’s architectural gems – including the tomb of Edward II, the Cloister and the Great East Window – can all be seen on a Highlights Tour. You can also descend the steps from the South Transept and discover the oldest part of the Cathedral on a Crypt Tour. Highlights and Crypt Tours take place daily, led by an expert Guide, and can be booked via the Cathedral Welcome Desk. Tower and Library Tours also take place at various points throughout the year too.

There is plenty on offer for families: in the Tribune Gallery, little ones can build their own gruesome gargoyle, discover the secrets of how the Cathedral was built and dress up as a Cathedral character, whilst the Family Discovery Guide will show you some of the building’s most fascinating spaces.

The Monk’s Kitchen is the Cathedral’s on-site café, where you’ll find a varied menu including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. Meanwhile, The Gift Shop is the perfect place to pick up a unique souvenir for a loved one.

Whatever your reason for visiting, a warm welcome awaits!

Birmingham Cathedral is a fine example of English Baroque architecture and has been a place of Christian worship since 1715. It is the oldest building in the city still used for its original purpose, and is home to four remarkable stained-glass windows, designed by Edward Burne-Jones.

Our windows attract followers of Pre-Raphaelite artwork from across the world, and work to conserve them is ongoing to enable them to be enjoyed for generations to come.

We are the third smallest cathedral in the UK in terms of size, but our central location sees around 20,000 people a day pass through our surrounding square – locally known as ‘pigeon park’.

Around 12,000 visitors each month attend services and visit us to enjoy the beautiful building. Entry is free and the cathedral is open daily.

The cathedral choir is made up of professional adult musicians and choristers from many different schools – their diversity reflecting the diversity of the city. They sing five services a week during term times, in various formations. The Choir also gives regular concerts in the Cathedral, in parish churches in our diocese and further afield.

As we move into the final week of COP26, Lichfield and Gloucester cathedrals share the steps they have taken towards safeguarding creation and working to be good stewards of God’s earth.

Lichfield Cathedral marks COP26 with its first Eco Award and Gloucester Cathedral gets its first electric vehicle.

Lichfield Cathedral has just announced it has been awarded Bronze Eco Church by the Christian charity, A Rocha UK that works for the protection and restoration of the natural world and is committed to equipping Christians and churches to care for the environment.

The Dean of Lichfield, the Very Revd Adrian Dorber, said:

“Receiving this award in the week in which the world’s eyes are focussed on COP26 demonstrates that we are serious about being an Eco Cathedral. 

“We have plenty of challenges ahead, be that insulation in the Cathedral or increased biodiversity in The Close. We’re hoping to install cycle racks and are committed to developing links with local environmental organisations. Together with the Cathedral School, we took part in Churches Count on Nature and each week we share a new lifestyle tip with the congregation.

Lichfield Poppy Fields Light and Sound show is running now.

Gloucester Cathedral has just unveiled its new electric vehicle as part of its commitment to reaching carbon net zero by 2030. The Vauxhall Vivaro-e will be used by the Cathedral’s maintenance and stonemasons’ teams to support upkeep of the historic site.

It is the latest in a series of green initiatives at Gloucester which has already achieved Eco Church Bronze and a Green Tourism Silver award.

This month also marks the fifth anniversary of Gloucester’s solar panels. Installed in November 2016 with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, they consist of 150 panels and produce over 25 percent of the building’s energy.

Gloucester is the oldest cathedral in the world to take this step and the project was included as a case study in a recent report published by heritage coalition Historic Environment Forum, released ahead of COP26, to showcase how UK heritage sites can deliver climate change solutions.

The Dean of Gloucester, the Very Revd Stephen Lake said:

“Caring for our planet is a fundamental part of our Christian life. We have placed environmental sustainability at the heart of the Cathedral’s business planning, and whilst there is still a long way to go, we are proud to be playing our part in the Church of England’s goals to reach net zero by 2030.”

Leaders from 196 countries have gathered for this major environmental summit. It comes just weeks after the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued the stark warning that described global warming as a “code red for humanity”.

Many of our cathedrals have renewed their efforts to be eco-churches. Almost half of all the 42 Church of England cathedrals have achieved an Eco Church Award –including two golds and six silvers, and all of them have signed up to the Eco Church journey.

Some of our cathedrals have solar panels, others electric vehicles, we have swapped lightbulbs for more eco-friendly LEDs, we have got rid of disposable cups and plates, we have planted wildlife meadows and woodlands, we’ve created bug hotels in our grounds to encourage diversity, have compostable waste, and two of our cathedrals have installed bee hives on their roofs and collect and sell honey.

Canon David Primrose, who led Lichfield’s application for the Bronze A Rocha Award said,

“Eco Church has provided a structured format for us to consider our environmental impact. A Rocha recognise the complex nature of our heritage buildings. We discovered there were many areas where we were already following good practice. It’s been really easy to see how everyone has a contribution to make. As well as recognising where we’ve qualified for Bronze, it has also enabled us to identify many areas for potential improvement so we can make progress towards Silver. All these activities are helping us to reduce our carbon footprint and to play our part in helping those whose lives are affected most by climate change.”

Take part in Gloucester Cathedral’s first ever ‘Stone Auction’

Visitors are invited out of this world with the immersive sound and light installation, SPACE VOYAGE which can be seen at Worcester and Rochester Cathedrals this autumn.

Space Travel: Coming to a cathedral near you!

The art installation, created by Luxmuralis, transforms the interior of these iconic buildings taking the visitor on a journey through space and far far beyond – and can be seen this September and October.

Stephen Edwards, residentiary canon of Worcester Cathedral, said:

“We’re very excited to be hosting the SPACE exhibition in September and it promises to be a spectacular show, featuring an immersive internal sound and light journey that will transform the interior of our majestic Cathedral.

“Projects like this are very exciting and important for the Cathedral as they allow visitors to experience our magnificent building in the evening, and in a different way.

“We are always keen to show off the diversity of our stunning building, attract new visitors and allow people the opportunity to experience the Cathedral in all its glory.”

SPACE  in Worcester Cathedral on the evenings of Wed 22, Thurs 23, Fri 24 and Sat 25 September 2021.

Tickets, priced at £10.54 for adults and £8.96 for children (including booking fee) are available for timed entry on the Cathedral website at www.worcestercathedral.co.uk/whats-on . Under 3s are free, but you will need to book a space.

Rochester Cathedral has announced it is rebooting its events programme postponed due to the pandemic with Space Voyage this October when this special sound and light installation will transform the interior walls of this, the second oldest Cathedral in England.

The Very Revd Philip Hesketh, the Dean of Rochester, said:

“We are all really excited about bringing this amazing light show to Rochester and finally being able to welcome people back into the Cathedral.

“This hopefully will see the relaunch of a two-year packed programme of events postponed by Covid.”

Space Voyage by Luxmuralis is the latest in a series of large-scale attractions at Rochester Cathedral. In summer 2019 the medieval nave was transformed into an adventure golf course in a collaboration with the Rochester Bridge Trust- designed to encourage young people to learn more about the engineering behind bridges and part of the cathedral’s building bridges theme with its local community.

It opened to rave (and not so rave) reviews. In February 2020, artist Luke Jerram’s installation of the moon, The Museum of the Moon, drew record visitor numbers to the cathedral with 120,000 visiting in 22 days.

Space Voyage takes place on the evenings of October 5, 6, and 7. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Tickets need to be pre-booked through the Rochester Cathedral website and timed entry will be in operation.

Online prices are £7 adults, £5 children (aged between six and 18), £20 family ticket (two adults and two children). Youngsters five and under go free, but must have a ticket.

For more information about the artists, please visit www.luxmuralis.com

Photo credit – Peter Walker Sculptor, David Walker, Luxmuralis – University Church Oxford

 

They might be at other ends of the country (almost!) but Ripon and Gloucester Cathedrals are on the same page when it comes to pilgrimage and are inviting visitors to Discover Cathedrals Discover Pilgrimage this September 4th

For the first time, visitors are invited to walk the Gloucester Pilgrimage together, leaving Tewkesbury Abbey to walk to Gloucester Cathedral just in time for Evensong on September 4 – known as Gloucester Day.

The Gloucester pilgrimage is a 15 mile walk that connects the Abbey and the Cathedral via several parish churches on a route that takes in the countryside and promotes spiritual, emotional and physical wellbeing, and caring for the planet.

It is part of the campaign to encourage more and more people to rediscover ancient and new pilgrim routes supported by the Association of English Cathedrals in collaboration with the British Pilgrimage Trust launched in 2020 (and postponed for the pandemic) and reimagined for 2021 as  ‘Discover Cathedrals, Discover Pilgrimage’ which aims to encourage everyone to enjoy nature and the world around them as we begin to look at how we might recover following a year like no other.

Gloucester Cathedral’s Canon Dr Andrew Braddock said,

“This contemporary, organised pilgrimage from Tewkesbury Abbey to Gloucester Cathedral invites us to connect with this ancient spiritual practice and make it our own. 

“We offer it as a Christian spiritual journey, open to all. 

Gloucester Cathedral welcomes visitors and pilgrims every day.We hope the outer physical journey will enable pilgrims to also make a journey of the heart, connecting more deeply with others, themselves, the landscape and God”.

The Gloucester Pilgrimage has been developed through collaboration between the Cathedral Ramblers, staff and volunteers and partner organisations.

All are welcome to join, registration is free and now live via the Cathedral website.

The Gloucester Pilgrimage will take place on Gloucester Day – Saturday 4 September 2021 starting from Tewkesbury Abbey at 8.30am (gather from 8.00am) and walking a specially devised route from the Abbey, arriving into Gloucester for a dedicated Evensong at Gloucester Cathedral.

Spaces are free and can be booked via the Cathedral website.

In Ripon, the long running pilgrimage from Ripon Cathedral to Fountains Abbey – which has been a regular Boxing Day event for 45 years – has been rearranged to take place  on September 4 as part of a local healthy journeying campaign by Ripon Together.

The pilgrimage which regularly attracts hundreds of pilgrims was cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

The Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Reverend John Dobson, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the people of Ripon and across the region to walk together from the oldest cathedral in the country to Fountains Abbey, one of Yorkshire’s World Heritage Sites.” 

 

Justin Scully, General Manager at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal said:

“The past 18 months have been tumultuous to say the least, so we’re delighted that the long running tradition of a pilgrimage between Ripon Cathedral and Fountains Abbey is taking place in September. 

“We know that the pilgrimage, which normally takes place on Boxing Day, is much loved by our community and we were so disappointed that we couldn’t run the event in 2020. 

“Late summer is a lovely time to get out walking and enjoy the beautiful area we call home and it’s great to be working with our friends at Ripon Together to make this special event happen this year.”

The Yorkshire Pilgrimage is free to take part, but you must book a ticket to maintain a safe journey. It includes special performances from Ripon City Band, currently in the national premiership of brass bands

Book tickets for the event here or buy paper tickets from Ripon Cathedral and Fountains Abbey Visitor Centre.

Ripon has officially launched its bid to become the UK Town of Culture 2028 under the theme “Small City, Big Landscape” celebrating and reimagining its rich pilgrimage heritage.

Ripon Launches Bid for Town of Culture

Central to the campaign is the idea of “pilgrimage” – a journey of discovery, connection, and transformation – which will underpin a year-long, place-based cultural programme reaching across Ripon and surrounding communities.

Charlie Studdy, a member of the Culture and Green Space Working Group at the Uredale Community Partnership, said:

“Ripon has been a place of pilgrimage since 672 AD. In 2028, we want it to be one again – this time for culture.

“Our vision is to build on Ripon’s unique, ancient foundations to create a sustainable, culture-led future, using the all-encompassing idea of pilgrimage.”

Pilgrimage is deeply woven into Ripon’s identity. The 7th-century crypt of St Wilfrid at Ripon Cathedral has attracted visitors for centuries, and the tradition continues with the annual Boxing Day pilgrimage to Fountains Abbey and the summer St Wilfrid’s Procession.

Mr Studdy said:

“Across Europe, pilgrimage routes like the Camino de Santiago attract millions. Today, people are seeking connection more than ever – whether through nature, creativity, or shared experience.”

The bid is led by the Uredale Community Partnership and includes support from Ripon Cathedral, Ripon Together, Ripon BID, Ripon Theatre Festival, Ripon YMCA, Ripon Disability Forum, Ripon Civic Society, and Ripon Arts Hub.

The Very Reverend John Dobson, Dean of Ripon and chair of the Uredale Community Partnership, said: “Ripon has always been at the heart of a wider rural area and has an impact far beyond the city boundaries.

“It is wonderful that the Uredale Community Partnership has been the catalyst for this bid and has been able to bring together so many committed partners across the area.”

The UK Town of Culture competition aims to spotlight under-recognised towns, with £3 million awarded to the winner and £250,000 for two finalists.

Ripon’s bid emphasises not only its cultural assets but also its wider influence.

The city’s Market Place has served as a hub of commerce for generations, and the nightly Hornblower ceremony—dating back to 886 AD—remains one of the world’s oldest civic rituals.

The city also has connections to literary figures like Lewis Carroll and war poet Wilfred Owen, and the surrounding landscapes of Hackfall Woods, Fountains Abbey, and the Ripon Canal continue to inspire artists.

Creative traditions range from the centuries-old Wilfrid Tarts to modern community projects like the Ripon Community Poppy Project.

Hereford Cathedral is displaying one of its most precious manuscripts in a new exhibition, Shaping Early Medieval Faith: The Hereford Gospels.

The exhibition, which opened this week in the cathedral’s Mappa Mundi & Chained Library Museum, explores how the Gospels were created and used through the centuries.

Written over 1200 years ago, the Gospels are the oldest text in the cathedral’s collection.

The exhibition will also share the results of fascinating new scientific imaging which has revealed even more of the manuscript’s history.

Also featured within the exhibition are loans from other collections, including:

• Gospel Lectionary on loan from Pembroke College, Cambridge
• A beautifully decorated 11th century gospel lectionary which may have been made in Hereford and includes illuminated portraits of the four evangelists
• Anglo-Saxon Sword – Found underneath the cathedral’s New Library Building, it is believed that the sword belonged to a child Marden Bell on loan from Herefordshire Museums and Galleries, Herefordshire Council. Believed to be from as early as the 9th century, the hand bell would likely have been used to bring people to services and has links to the initial burial place of the cathedral’s patron saint Ethelbert

The loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections.

Several other items from the cathedral’s collections will also be included, such as a copy of the earliest English poem written in the margin of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People and a guide to learning for 9th century monks.

A diverse programme of events has been planned alongside the exhibition, including lectures, embroidery sessions and ink making and calligraphy workshops.

The programme of events will also feature an online symposium (Friday 26 June) hosted by The Rt Revd Dr David Thomson and featuring Dr Andy Beeby, Dr Bill Endres, Pete Furniss, Dr Richard Gameson, Peter McIntosh & Elizabeth Semper O’Keefe.

Jennifer Dumbelton, Hereford Cathedral Librarian, said:

“The Hereford Gospels are an incredible manuscript, full of history and connection to the cathedral’s past. Shaping Early Medieval Faith is an exciting opportunity to see a wonderful range of artefacts which will help illustrate and celebrate the Christian story at Hereford Cathedral. I’m thrilled to see the Hereford Gospels celebrated by both local and national contributors and hope visitors find it as magical as I do.”

Sophia Weston, Deputy Chair of the Garfield Weston Foundation, said:

“As the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund celebrates its 10th round of funding in 2026, we are delighted to support this exhibition in Hereford, which will shine a new light on one of the cathedral’s most precious manuscripts, and give visitors the opportunity to discover this important piece of local history.”

Shaping Early Medieval Faith: The Hereford Gospels opened in the Mappa Mundi & Chained Library Museum at Hereford Cathedral from Monday 30 March – Saturday 12 September. Tickets can be purchased in advance from herefordcathedral.org or on admission.

York Minster has been awarded renewed Accredited Museum status for its Undercroft Museum, Treasury and Crypts.

The award recognises its exceptional standards in collections management, visitor experience and public engagement and follows a rigorous assessment process examining the cathedral’s governance, strategic planning, security and health and safety protocols, specialised collections care, and public engagement.

York Minster cares for over 300,000 historically significant objects, with the oldest dating back to the Roman Fortress that was located on the same site almost 2000 years ago.

Many of these are displayed in the Undercroft Museum at the very heart of the cathedral, beneath the Central Tower. The museum features interactive displays and hands-on activities that bring history to life.

Items found in the Undercroft Museum include the Horn of Ulf, an oliphant gifted to the cathedral by a Viking nobleman; the York Gospels, an illuminated manuscript that arrived in the city 1000 years ago which is still in use today; and items buried with Archbishop Walter de Gray, whose vision and ambition helped establish York Minster as one of the greatest churches in the kingdom.

In the Treasury, visitors can view part of the Roman Principia, the administrative and religious centre of the Roman fort on which the cathedral is built, through a glass floor, and explore temporary exhibitions that showcase unique selections from the Minster’s collections.

The Crypt is a sacred space which houses the tomb of Saint William of York, the only saint to be buried at the cathedral. His stone coffin has been worn smooth, a testament to the countless pilgrims that have reached out their hands and touched it over the centuries.

Dr Helen Rawson, York Minster’s Director of Collections, Cultural Heritage and Learning, paid tribute to the dedication and commitment of staff and volunteers across the cathedral:

“The award recognises not only the high standards of care and management of York Minster’s extraordinary collections, but the fantastic exhibitions, events, and programmes which provide opportunities for public engagement for our diverse audiences across the year. Our fun, family-focused activities include hands-on interactives in the Undercroft Museum, Little Explorers’ Backpacks equipped with torches and binoculars, and the exciting new Dragon Quest, tracking mythical beasts across the cathedral. 

“Our wide-ranging programme of temporary exhibitions currently focuses on the UK’s only national memorial to women killed in service in the First World War, in York Minster; and the conservation of the medieval St Cuthbert Window, allowing visitors to get up close to the extraordinary stained glass. There is so much to see and do.” 

The award is administered by Arts Council England and recognises museums and galleries which meet nationally agreed standards.

Entry to the Undercroft Museum, Treasury, and Crypts is included with a general admission ticket to York Minster.

 

 

A partnership project between Lincoln Cathedral, the University and a rural broadband provider, is playing a vital role in monitoring Lincoln Cathedral’s resident peregrine falcons.

Lincoln cathedral peregrine falcons! Four eggs and a bird’s eye view thanks to a partnership project

These last few weeks, viewers to the livestream will be seen four eggs laid at the cathedral thanks to the project which began in 2019 when researchers from the University of Lincoln set up cameras to observe the resident peregrines.

Watch the webcam live here or on the button below.

Rural Broadband experts, Quickline installed a broadband cabinet in the cathedral’s Bell Chamber, providing an opportunity to livestream footage to the world of the falcons’ daily lives.

Since then, the cameras have captured incredible moments, from the hatching of new chicks to the dramatic arrival of a new female in 2023 after the previous resident, one of the UK’s oldest recorded wild peregrines, died. Viewers have been treated to the rare sight of four chicks exploring the cathedral ledges before taking their first flights and in recent weeks, a pair of peregrine falcons have laid four more eggs at the cathedral.

Bruce Hargrave, Lincoln Cathedral Tower Guide, said:

“During the Spring and Summer, footage from the peregrine cams is livestreamed to YouTube which we are able to do because of Quickline allowing us to plug our CCTV cameras into their cabinet. “

Scott Wilson, Network Operations Centre (NOC) Engineer at Quickline, and also a graduate from the University of Lincoln, said:

“It’s very rewarding to play a part in helping to document the peregrine falcons and raise awareness of their conservation and goes to show how important good connectivity is and how far-reaching the impact can be.”

Salisbury Cathedral has commissioned a new stone statue of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu for the West Front of the Cathedral.

Archbishop Tutu (1931-2021) was one of the outstanding Anglicans of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, a fearless leader of his Church and a tireless advocate of justice. He was also a Sarum Canon, having been installed at Salisbury Cathedral in 2008, when he also preached and visited the Cathedral School.

The Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral, the Cathedral’s governing body, would like to honour Archbishop Tutu and acknowledge his links to the Cathedral’s foundation. If approved by the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, his statue will be positioned in a vacant niche on the West Front of the Cathedral, befitting a person of Archbishop Tutu’s global standing.

The proposed statue will join 81 others on the West Front. The oldest date from the early fourteenth century, while the most recent to be commissioned was of Canon Ezra Baya Lawiri in 2007. The new statue is approximately 2 metres high and will be carved from Chicksgrove limestone by local stonecarver and sculptor Jay Battle.

The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury, said:

“Salisbury Cathedral treasures its copy of Magna Carta, a landmark attempt to speak truth to the powerful and to call them to account. To honour Archbishop Tutu is to honour a holy and courageous leader whose faith compelled him to speak truth to the powerful and call them to account. We were honoured when he accepted the position of Sarum Canon and visited the Cathedral in 2008.

“Since his death the Chapter have sought a way to pay tribute to his life’s work and celebrate our connection in a visible and lasting way. Commissioning a new statue for the West Front is entirely fitting and will ensure that Archbishop Tutu’s service and example are remembered for many generations to come.”

The decision to approve a new statue resides with the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England. Following initial discussions between the Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral and representatives of the Commission, a formal application will be made in the coming months, and a final decision is anticipated later this year.

Lincoln Cathedral has announced its theme for 2025, Our Music, God’s Song which is dedicated to spreading its musical legacy across local schools with a new partnership role and Exeter too has created a new role as it recruits a community songwriting choir that will write and perform songs inspired by its famous Exeter Book.

Celebrating our musical heritage for the 21st century

Just two musical innovations from our cathedrals for 2025 that celebrates and shares our musical heritage.

Exeter Cathedral’s ancient book of riddles provides inspiration for new community choir.

Exeter Cathedral is recruiting a new community songwriting choir that will write and perform songs inspired by its famous Exeter Book – a 10th century collection of riddles, thought to be the oldest surviving book of English literature in the world.

Photo : Ella Foster

The ‘Book of Riddles Community Choir,’ is being formed in partnership with Devon-based band and artistic collective, Jack Dean & Company, who have written a new musical called ‘The Book of Riddles.’ The choir will be helping to write songs for the musical, before performing their songs at the cathedral.

For singer and writer Jack Dean, the Book of Riddles project is an opportunity to encourage local people to explore their creativity and create songs inspired by the origins of the Exeter Book.

He explained:

“We will be making and rehearsing songs inspired by riddles in the Exeter Book, some of which are humorous, some are religious, some are still unsolved; all of them are poetic and playful.

“It is a really rich starting point. We want to offer people a friendly, welcoming space to come together to sing, be creative and make some music. At the end of the project, we will celebrate what we have been making and rehearsing with a work-in-progress performance.”

Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the new choir is open to adults aged 18 and over, of all singing abilities. The choir is to meet weekly to write and rehearse and will be able to learn more about the story behind the famous book, with dedicated research sessions exploring Exeter Cathedral’s Library & Archive collections.

Lis Spencer, Community Outreach & Partnerships Officer at Exeter Cathedral, said the project is an excellent opportunity for Exeter residents to engage with their heritage:

“The Book of Riddles Project is an exciting opportunity to discover more about the Exeter Book – which is of great national and international importance – while also learning new skills including singing and songwriting.

“Even if you are not sure if singing is for you – all are welcome to come along and give it a go!”

Rehearsals for The Book of Riddles Community Choir will take place from 12 February – 23 April 2025 at 7pm. More information about the choir and how to sign up can be found here.

Lincoln Cathedral has marked its theme for 2025 Our Music: God’s Song with the announcement of a unique role.

The role of Cathedral’s Singing Partnership Lead is part of the Cathedral’s ambition to support local schools and help them enhance their musical provision through singing.

The news of the partnership role marks the start of Our Music: God’s Song – the Cathedral’s theme for 2025.

The year will see a focus on music of all kinds with performances throughout the year including Bach’s St John Passion, Lincoln Jazz festival, a special concert to mark the 80th anniversary of VE day performed by the Band of the Royal Air Force College, the popular ‘concerts by candlelight’ series, and much more besides.

Jack Holliday has been appointed to the role and will deliver workshops with several schools around Lincoln including St Faith and St Martin, and Nettleham Junior School.

The initiative has been designed to support delivery of music provision and to instil a passion for singing and music making in young people. It is hoped that as well as the workshops delivered by the Cathedral that the schools involved will be supported to form their own choirs for pupils.

Jack, an experienced musical director across a wide range of genres, said: “Music has been my career and my passion for as long as I can remember and all of that started when I was a child.

“The joy of singing is that you don’t need expensive instruments to take part, just the confidence to use your voice and some guidance to get you started. 

“Singing gives children an opportunity to express themselves and to demonstrate their creativity, and this project enables us to help more children discover and develop their voices.”

Aric Prentice, Director of Music and Master of the Choristers at Lincoln Cathedral, said:

“We’re privileged to be part of a centuries old choral tradition at Lincoln Cathedral and see daily the difference singing makes in people’s lives – both for those performing in the choir and for those who find peace, inspiration and joy in the music they hear at services and concerts in the Cathedral.

“There are numerous studies that show that singing helps to improve happiness and wellbeing, and that group singing helps to form social bonds. There are benefits to breathing and posture, it exercises the brain and help to develop expression and language skills. But more than anything, it is a wonderful skill that people can enjoy right through their life. It’s important for us to be able to share that with new generations of singers.”

Details of events, workshops and activities for Our Music: God’s Song can be found on the Cathedral’s website, and will be added to throughout the year.

All our cathedrals offer regular musical programmes that often include free lunchtime organ recitals. Do check your local cathedral’s website for up-to-date information.

Worcester Cathedral is preparing for a busy new year of music as it invites the community to come along to the spring series of lunchtime recitals which started in January

The cathedral will host renowned British concert pianist Viv McLean for a Valentine’s-themed programme that includes Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’, Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’, Chopin nocturnes, and George Gershwin’s celebration of life, love, and music, ‘Rhapsody in Blue’.

Described as “possessing the genius one finds in those who know how to forget themselves”, since winning First Prize at the Maria Canals Piano Competition in Barcelona Viv McLean has performed in all the major venues in the UK as well as throughout Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA.

There is also a range of candlelit concerts coming up at the Cathedral, including the music of Coldplay, The Drifters, The Beatles, Radiohead, U2 and Bowie, as well as live performances by Tunde of Lighthouse Family and Boney M. And tickets are also available for Worcester Festival Choral Society’s performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s inspirational 1727 oratorio St Matthew Passion on Saturday 22 March.

Gloucester Cathedral has just announced A Celebration of Gloucestershire” Concert – part of a series of events including a photography exhibition, family-friendly activities, and tours of the hidden library to celebrate Gloucestershire’s heritage and creativity.

Organised in partnership with the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, these events aim to showcase the county’s beauty, traditions and diversity.

The concert on Friday 21 February  features performances from Chipping Campden Morris Dancers, Stroud Symphony Orchestra and others, showcasing the talents found across the county.

Admission to the concert is free, but booking is required -more here:  Gloucester Cathedral website.

Canon Rebecca Lloyd, Director of Learning and Participation at Gloucester Cathedral said:

“It has been wonderful working in collaboration with the High Sheriff on this diverse and exciting programme of activities and events to celebrate the wonderful county we call home.

There is plenty to discover in this county, from its natural beauty and unique history to its stunning architecture, weird and wonderful folk traditions and, of course, our Cathedral which serves the whole county (and beyond).  I hope these events will remind us all how lucky we are to live in such an amazing place, and how the Cathedral reflects and celebrates the best of our city, county and diocese.”

Mark Hurrell, The High Sheriff of Gloucestershire added:

“I’ve greatly enjoyed working with the Cathedral team on A Celebration of Gloucestershire. The concert in particular will be a wonderful occasion, where we will bring together a wide variety of performers and celebrate the talents of those who live and work in this brilliant county. Let’s get together for a fun evening to celebrate the amazing activities that our county provides. Do come and join us!”

A retiring collection will support the Cathedral’s In Tune music campaign and the Anne Cadbury Fund for apprenticeships.

In Tune aims to raise £3 million by 2026 to fund the rebuilding of the Cathedral’s famous organ and a variety of exciting initiatives to unlock musical potential and opportunity across the city, county and diocese.

At the heart of Gloucester Cathedral’s rich musical tradition is a belief that music is for everyone and it is committed to offering inclusive musical and singing experiences, welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

Click here to donate to In Tune

And this weekend Bradford Cathedral partnered with The Cathedral Music Trust to host a Come and Sing event for Candlemas.

Singers of all ages and ability (the only stipulation was they had to be able to read music) were invited to join the cathedral’s voluntary choir at a special Candlemas Carol Service.

The Cathedral Music Trust is a national charity which supports the musicianship in cathedrals and churches through its programmes, training, advocacy and research. Its vision is to create a vibrant choral music scene that champions excellence and provides opportunities for people from all walks of life to thrive and develop.

 

 

 

 

 

The Dean of Bradford, the Very Revd Andy Bowerman will travel to the United Arab Emirates next week to take part in this year’s TriYAS Triathlon – his first ever triathlon.

Dean of Bradford in triathlon to raise funds to support Bradford Cathedral in its City of Culture year.

The triathlon will see Dean Andy swim 1.5km, cycle 40km and finally run 10km to raise funds to help support Bradford Cathedral, the city’s oldest building during its City of Culture year.

It costs almost £3k a day to run Bradford Cathedral and with no regular funding from the Government, and limited funding from the Church Commissioners, our cathedrals survive or fall by their ability to find creative ways and partnerships to generate the income needed to fund, not just operational costs, but also the huge costs of repair and maintenance.

The day-to-night triathlon, now in its fifteenth year, takes place on Saturday 8th February 2025 at the Yas Marina Circuit.

It bills itself as ‘a community where every participant, from kids to adults, first-timers to pros, and individuals to teams, finds their place.’
 
Dean Andy, before returning to Bradford in 2022, was based in Dubai, working with the Mission to Seafarers from 2018.

The Very Revd Andy Bowerman, Dean of Bradford, said:

“I’ve not run since I had a knee replacement in 2018 and my busy schedule as Dean has kept me away from the training track. But I’ve been busy preparing for the triathlon over the last few months, including running a weekly parkrun at Lister Park.
 
“The TriYAS 2025 triathlon will be a big challenge, but I’m looking forward to it, and I will be greatly spurred on by your support. 

“All the money raised will help support the amazing work of Bradford Cathedral in this exciting City of Culture year – and beyond.”

Liz Purchase, Head of Fundraising at Bradford Cathedral, says:

“Bradford Cathedral is at the heart of the city’s fascinating history and its people; it is a place of inspiration and peace, and an important asset for Bradford, but it costs over £2,850 a day to run.
 
“As well as conserving our beautiful building, we want to continue our amazing education and music work supporting children and young people from across the city, and welcome visitors from across the world.
 
“Our ‘Dean Andy Dares!’ campaign is a fantastic opportunity for people to support and help ensure the Cathedral, Bradford’s oldest buildings, has a future.”

To donate to this cause just click here.

Coventry, Ely, Newcastle and St Edmunsbury cathedrals have announced their plans for visitors during the nationwide Heritage Open Days which starts later this week.

Heritage Open Days – Cathedrals announce their plans.

This year the theme of Heritage Open Days (HODs) is Creativity Unwrapped and organisers want to share England’s colourful history of creativity and celebrate the experts and enthusiastic amateurs whose passions and skills add something special to our daily lives.

All our cathedrals will be offering something new to discover over the ten-day HODs festival which starts this Friday (September 8) until Sept 17^th with free events and experiences.

Find your nearest cathedral here … 

Coventry Cathedral is looking for stories and memorabilia to add to a new digital archive about the Second World War. The Cathedral is collecting stories as part of a nationwide campaign on the 9^th September, during Heritage Open Days.

The campaign is organised by Their Finest Hour, a team based at the University of Oxford and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is aiming to collect and preserve everyday stories and objects from the Second World War.

Items such as diaries, letters, photographs, memoirs, objects or stories about family experiences in the war are all wanted for the archive.

A spokesperson for Coventry Cathedral said:

“Any, from the extraordinary to the seemingly ‘ordinary’. We want our archive to reflect the diverse experiences of all those affected by the war: men and women across the British Empire and the Commonwealth who worked in industry, on the land, or in other roles; ran households and fought a daily battle of rationing; served in or supported the armed forces; and even those who refused to go to war for political or religious reasons.

You can bring your items to the cathedral between 11am and 3pm.

Other events for HODs include the chance to get up close with artist Martin Green as part of the cathedral’s Broken Angel project – to replace the shattered Hutton original window.

His practice fuses painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, assemblage. He also acts in what he terms ‘live curating’.

In the time since the last of the Broken Angel commissions, he has established a temporary working space in the Cathedral’s basement.

There’s also the opportunity to see the cathedral’s collection of John Piper vestments, tower climbs and entry to the Blitz museum.

More info here.

Ely Cathedral has extended opening hours during the Heritage Open Day weekend offering special evening tours including the tower tour and an evening cathedral highlights tour. Other offers include a living history poetry workshop exploring the story of Brythnoth, one of Ely Cathedral’s oldest residents,who is recorded in the old English epic ‘The Battle of Maldon’.

A tour of the Physick Garden to discover how the monks of Ely Monastery treated the sick using herbs and plants grown in their own garden.

Plus there’s the rare opportunity to visit Prior Crauden’s Chapel, a tiny hidden gem not usually open to the public.

Ely’s Stained Glass Museum will be open for free on Saturday 16 September.

Pre-booking for some events is required and numbers are limited. – find out more here.

Newcastle Cathedral will celebrate Heritage Open Days on Thursday 14 and Sunday 17 September.  Visitors can join volunteers at various locations within the Cathedral to gain an insight into the work they do with the opportunity to join as part of the team!

There’s also FREE ‘Mini History Tours’ and ‘Tower Tour Tasters’ across these two dates. Visit TicketSource to secure your tickets in advance, as these tours are subject to availability.

St Edmundsbury Cathedral is opening the doors of its Ancient Library for tours, and the Norman Tower Bellringers will give visitors a chance to view the rarely-seen bell tower – one of the oldest bell towers in the UK.

The Ancient Library at St Edmundsbury Cathedral was founded by Dr Miles Mosse in 1595 as a resource for clergy training. There are over 550 books in the Library, mainly printed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. As part of the Heritage Open Days, 30-minute tours of the library will be available 8, 9, 15 and 16 September. Visitors will be able to explore some of the books in the collection and learn a little more about them with Cathedral Library Guides.

The Norman Tower will be open to visitors to learn more about bellringing on Saturday 9 September. Tours are available at various times during the day and each include a demonstration of bellringing and a brief history of the Norman Tower, the bells and the art of bellringing.

The Norman Tower was previously the main gateway to the Abbey. The Norman Tower is detached from the Cathedral and was built between 1120 and 1148 and is one of the oldest Norman buildings in the UK and one of the most complete Norman buildings in England.

Sarah Friswell, Visitor Experience Manager at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, said:

“We’re thrilled to offer something a little different for visitors during Heritage Open Days. Our Ancient Library is a special space and is a real treat for book lovers and those interested in history. We’re also very grateful to have the Norman Tower Bellringers open up their space to the public.”

All Heritage Open Day sessions are free but must be pre-booked to secure a space. Visit stedscathedral.org/whats-on for more information on times available, and to book.

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Every year in September it brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history.

Twenty six cathedrals will benefit from the announcement today of grants totalling almost £450,000 to ensure the future of its choral music tradition and to inspire the next generation.

Funding boost for Choral Music

The funding boost from the Cathedral Music Trust will assist 26 choral foundations, support 50 professional posts, enrich over 250 weekly choral services and support over 1,000 young choristers and many more thousands of young people through community work.

Highlights of this year’s grants include helping rebuild Sheffield Cathedral‘s music department (£30,000 over two years), investing in school engagement programmes in Newcastle (£21,500) and Bradford (£15,000) and enabling Welsh cathedrals to establish new lay clerk positions – in Bangor and St Asaph (£15,000 each).

It will also support Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (£25,000) in developing a new choral/organ studentship pathway for former choristers.

A spokesperson for Sheffield Cathedral said:

“Sheffield Cathedral is on a musical journey, taking singing into schools to re-invigorate local music making, and to develop cathedral choirs which truly represent the diverse communities we serve. Music-making helps children to build confidence and to thrive. We are delighted Cathedral Music Trust is supporting us on this journey.”

Other Testimony:

“We could not sustain the high standard expected, nor include children from such a breadth of backgrounds, without your generous help. This grant will ensure that the choristers will build on their success both vocally and spiritually.” – St Davids Cathedral

“We want to ensure that family income and background are not a barrier to young people in Merseyside encountering inspiring choral music. The Cathedral Music Trust’s grant ensures that this can remain the case, through your support of our outreach choirs.” – Liverpool Cathedral

“This funding will enable us to continue developing our schools outreach programme, increasing access to singing for those children who might otherwise never encounter it.” – Bradford Cathedral

“This grant will allow us to develop pathways for our former choristers, enabling them to continue their involvement in cathedral music, and for the cathedral to benefit from their training, commitment and loyalty built up over their many years of service.” – Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

“This grant will enable us to continue to provide the highest quality singing tuition to all members of our choirs.” – Worcester Cathedral

Cathedral Music Trust is also grateful to the Edington Music Festival – the oldest festival of music within the liturgy in the world – whose £3,000 award has helped the Trust grant £21,500 to Newcastle Cathedral. This grant will enable every child to receive individual singing tuition from an expert teacher, whilst also revolutionising its Organ and Choral Scholarship programmes.

The Cathedral Music Trust campaigns on behalf of cathedral music, supports choirs and choristers in need and encourages the pursuit of excellence in choral and organ music.
It is indebted to the Friends of Cathedral Music and the Diamond Fund for Choristers.

Last September the Cathedral Music Trust published the Future for Cathedral Music which was the result of extensive research to identify gaps in provision for cathedral musicians of all ages. In response, the Trust is now in the process of developing a number of educational initiatives to inspire the next generation. The initiatives are aimed at opening up pathways into choristerships for young people of all backgrounds and supporting the development of early career conductors, singers and organists across the country.

You can view the full grants list here.

His power influenced Kings, he was a law-maker and he combatted Viking invasions and ensured the safety and stability of Worcester during one of the most turbulent periods in English history.

Wulfstan: law maker, preacher, innovator: His life uncovered to mark the 1,000 anniversary of his death.

This year marks the 1000th anniversary of the death of Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester (1002-16), Archbishop of York (1002-23) and revered uncle of St Wulfstan (1062-95).

Leading academics will explore the life of this important and powerful bishop at a two day conference at Worcester Cathedral next month to mark this anniversary .

Wulfstan was one of the most powerful bishops in the history of Worcester Cathedral, and left his mark on its library, lands and diocese.

He was a major player in the turbulent politics of the reign of King Æthelred the Unready, influencing the King’s policy in combatting the Viking attacks which eventually overwhelmed the Kingdom.

Under the conquering King Cnut, Wulfstan continued to guide national policy. He composed law codes for both kings and was a legislative innovator, protecting English rights.

As a bishop, he was a reformer and preacher. Writing around the year 1000, Wulfstan’s preaching is notable for its hellfire warnings of the imminence of the End of the World.

His staunch defence of the diocese against Viking invaders, greedy aristocrats and grasping kings ensured Worcester’s safety and stability during one of the most dramatic periods in English history.

This two-day conference on March 24th and 25th features eight internationally-known scholars who will speak about Wulfstan’s life, writings, political influence, and the crucial role he played in the early history of Worcester.

Throughout the conference attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and join in discussions with the speakers.

Speaker, Prof Andrew Rabin, University of Louisville, USA, said:

“It’s difficult to overstate Archbishop Wulfstan’s importance to the history of English law, the English church, and English national identity. He was a visionary social thinker whose works provide influential formulations of many of the values still central to modern society, including forceful arguments for the importance of ethical governance, the need for checks on royal power, and the notion that a just society rests on the well-being of all its members, not simply the wealthiest or most powerful. In a chaotic age, he was the most accomplished prose stylist of his generation, the most influential royal advisor to Kings Æthelred and Cnut, and the most powerful leader of the early eleventh-century English Church. Although many today don’t know his name, the world he created is still very much a part of the one in which we live.”

Prof Katy Cubitt, University of East Anglia, added:

“For me, the conference is an exciting opportunity to communicate the importance of Archbishop Wulfstan; a man who not only transformed the politics of his day, but also whose writings have shaped our understanding of the period. Wulfstan lived at a time of the greatest stress, when the Viking raids devastating England led to the downfall of the Anglo-Saxon King AEthelred and his replacement by the Danish victor, Cnut. His political influence is manifest in the law codes he drafted for both kings, and his sermons and other writings set out a spiritual interpretation based on sin, divine punishment and the need for penitence of the crisis. He was a towering figure in his own time and remains so today when his writings dominate scholarly debate concerning England at the turn of the first millennium. This conference brings together leading experts from across the world who will present new insights into the man, his career and his turbulent times in a lively and accessible way.”

Lectures will be held in the historic Abbot’s Kitchen in the Old Palace – one of the oldest buildings in the city and there will be an opportunity to take a tour of the Cathedral and the library and see some of the medieval gems and fragments of what remains of Wulfstan’s Anglo-Saxon world.

The Dean of Worcester, The Very Reverend Peter Atkinson, said:

“The Cathedral team is most grateful to Prof Katy Cubitt and Prof Andrew Rabin for working with us to bring together such a fantastic group of academic speakers and a wonderful programme, which will be of enormous interest not only to scholars, but to all who are fascinated by the history of Worcester and Worcester Cathedral.”

Tickets for the two-day conference are priced at £160 per person, including eight lectures, tea and coffee, a light lunch each day, a tour of the cathedral and/or library, a short dramatic recitation of highlights of Wulfstan’s preaching and an evening reception with drinks and canapes.

Attendees can also join the speakers at the conference dinner on Friday 24 March in the Cathedral’s early 12th Century Chapter House – thought to be the first round Chapter House in the world – at an additional cost of £35 per person.

For further information and to book, please email events@worcestercathedral.org.uk or visit the Worcester Cathedral website here.

The 8th-century Hereford Gospels, which feature wonderful examples of heavy Celtic influence and insular script have been displayed in a new exhibition just opened in the Cathedral’s Mappa Mundi & Chained Library.

Hereford Gospels go on display.

Bound to Impress is an exhibition celebrating the bookbindings within Hereford Cathedral’s historic collections and spans books made locally in the 12th century to expensive and elaborate 19th-century luxury bindings.

The 8th century Hereford Gospels are the oldest item in the Cathedral’s collection, the only pre-1055 item known. Other highlights of the exhibition include a small volume of the Bible in red and gold with gilt edges which was printed in 1653 by John Field, and the 17th century accounts of Hereford bookbinder John Cooper who is believed to have worked on the Hereford Gospels and a number of other medieval manuscripts.

Jennifer Dumbleton, Cathedral Librarian, said:

“Whether simple or detailed, bookbindings give us valuable information and can tell us about where they were made, who owned them and how they were used. The highly skilled craftsmanship used in their construction and decoration reflects their times’ tastes and technical innovations. We are really looking forward to sharing this exhibition which will give visitors the chance to delve deeper into the books which form our collections.”

Bound To Impress is on display within Mappa Mundi and Chained Library Exhibition until 22 April 2023. The exhibition is open from Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm and admission charges apply.

Visit the Hereford Cathedral website here before planning your visit.

The Final Treasure – Winchester Bible

We’ve got Treasures – 50 Cathedrals, 50 Treasures

We have now posted 50 cathedral treasures, one a day for the last 50 days.

Thousands of you have enjoyed seeing these cathedral treasures unfold every day across our social media platforms.

See the gallery of 50 Treasures here.

One viewer, responding on social media to Gloucester’s amazing cloisters, (Day 8) said:

“Absolutely beautiful. It always exudes stability in an unstable world. Lives have come and gone who cherished this place, but the cathedral endures.”

And in the New Year we will launch a competition to find Britain’s favourite treasure as voted by YOU chosen from the top ten most popular treasures shared during this campaign. So keep liking and sharing our #CathedralTreasures posts.

Save the Date, 11th January 2023

Launched just before Advent Sunday the #CathedralTreasures campaign has revealed historic documents like the Magna Carta and the Mappa Mundi, works of art dedicated to the glory of God like the Newport Cathedral Rood or Rossetti’s The Seed of David triptych and relics such as the Horn of Ulf or 15th-century pilgrim boots.

These are just some of the 50 remarkable treasures cared for and preserved by Anglican Cathedrals in England and Wales to feature in this special social media campaign by the Association of English Cathedrals based on a new publication by Janet Gough, OBE, author, lecturer and advisor on historic churches and cathedrals.

Called Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales, Janet’s latest volume tells the story of the treasures from 44 Church of England cathedrals and six cathedrals from the Church in Wales, each one chosen by the Dean or senior clergy of the cathedral featured.

Together the treasures span over 1,000 years of history with the earliest treasure, Ripon Cathedral’s ancient crypt of St Wilfrid (pictured abouve) established in 672 AD, the oldest building of any English cathedral still in use today, to the newest, the Newport Cathedral Rood. This modern work of art by Singaporean artist Tay Swee Siong was installed in 2020, at the end of the first national lockdown, and is made from wire, and hangs near where the medieval rood would have been.

The Dean of St Albans, the Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, who chairs the Association of English Cathedrals said:

“We are blessed with an abundance of treasures in our cathedrals. These are a vital part of our heritage and an integral part of our culture, our social history and our identity. In their diversity ultimately each of them is a symbol of what our Cathedrals stand for, to proclaim the glory of God and God’s love for all creation.

“We are very pleased to be able to showcase a treasure a day, revelling in Janet Gough’s latest publication, and we hope it will inspire more people to visit our cathedrals here in England and our partners in the Church in Wales, to discover these and many other treasures within for themselves.”

The winter campaign, #CathedralTreasures can be found across all AEC platforms, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and in a specially curated gallery on the website here.

The more likes and engagement each treasure gets each day will count towards its popularity for the final competition to find Britain’s favourite cathedral treasure from the top ten most “liked” treasures.

This will be launched on 11 January to coincide with the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s annual Heritage Treasures Day.

The public will then be invited to vote for their favourite and participants (chosen at random) will receive a free copy of Janet’s publication.

 

Choral Evensong typifies the English Cathedral tradition of choral worship. It features choral music, readings and prayers for the world and the church and for those in need and usually lasts around 40 minutes.

Back to school means our choirs are back and that can only mean one thing! Choral Evensong.

So join us at a cathedral near you, and mark the passing of the day.

If you can’t get along to your local cathedral, you are in luck because on Wednesday 14th September, Radio 3 will be broadcasting a recording of Evensong at Coventry Cathedral. You can listen to that here.

A chance to sing Choral Evensong in Bradford’s magnificent Cathedral.

This Sunday (September 11) Bradford Cathedral has a rare and exciting opportunity for everyone to sing evensong in their magnificent Grade I listed Gothic building, accompanied by the cathedral’s world-class choir.

Held in partnership with Cathedral Music Trust, the Royal School of Church Music and the Bradford Organists’ Association, this event will start at 1pm with a fun and relaxed rehearsal, with tuneful and accessible music, before the service itself at 3.30pm.

All music will be provided and notes learned on the day, so no preparation is required!

The service will then be followed by a drinks reception to celebrate the musical achievements of the afternoon.

Graham Thorpe, Assistant Organist at Bradford Cathedral who is organising the event said

“The inspiring musical experience of Evensong combined with a warm Bradford Cathedral welcome will stay with you for life. Evensong is a tradition as ancient as the stones of the building, and we are delighted to offer everyone a chance to experience it first-hand.” 

To guarantee a place please book your £10 tickets in advance as soon as possible here.

Not sure what Choral Evensong is? Visit our “Choral Evensong, Frequently Asked Questions” page. Just click here. 

And York school pupils currently in Year 3, who love singing, are encouraged to audition for a place in York Minster’s world-famous choir and the chance to be educated at St Peter’s School, York, the choir school for York Minster since September 2020. Formal singing experience is not required.

Children joining the choir, which is made up of 16 boys, 16 girls and 12 adult singers, will be part of an internationally-renowned team of singers whose voices are an essential part of worship at the cathedral. The choristers are trained by Robert Sharpe, Director of Music at York Minster.

Choristers perform at services, high profile occasions, events and concerts. They will also have the opportunity to take part in broadcasts for national media organisations such as BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM, to be involved in recordings for classical music labels, and to tour abroad.

York Minster’s choristers receive an outstanding education at St Peter’s School. The Chapter of York provides a substantial scholarship for each chorister towards school fees. Additional means-tested bursaries may potentially increase the level of funding to 100%

Robert Sharpe explained that the process aims to identify children with musicality and potential, rather than recruiting fully formed singers.  He said: 

“There will be many parents in and around York with a son or daughter who just loves singing and who may be searching for ways to nurture their child’s ability. Becoming a chorister at York Minster is an excellent way to harness a child’s musical talent.  Energy, enthusiasm and humour are just as important as musical talent.

“In addition to developing their musical skills, chorister training helps children to develop lifelong skills such as self-discipline, organisational skills, concentration, poise and attention to detail.  Choristers are educated at St Peter’s School which shares a common foundation of 627AD with the Minster, and is the fourth oldest school in the world.

“This is a unique opportunity for a child to have a superb education and to play a part in the life of one of the most important and beautiful cathedrals in the world.”

Commenting on the auditions, Jeremy Walker, Head Master of St Peter’s School York said:

“The wonderful experience of being a chorister at York Minster, combined with an outstanding education at St Peter’s, offers excellent and often life-changing opportunities for girls and boys with musical talents and interests.  I have first-hand appreciation of the incredible experience this provides, as a former chorister parent myself and Head Master of two cathedral choir schools, and encourage you and your families to find out more and consider an application.”

The new choristers will join York Minster Choir from September 2023.

About the 2023 Chorister Auditions

York Minster’s 2023 Chorister Auditions will be held in the week commencing 16 January 2023 at St Peter’s School, Clifton, York YO30 6AB.

The deadline for applications is 31 December 2022. For an application pack and more details, contact Sara Bath, Master’s PA, on 01904 527391 or email s.bath@stpetersyork.org.uk

And here is a wonderful example of Choral Evensong at York Minster. In full.

Find out more about Choral Evensong here.

Hereford and Exeter Cathedrals are hosting exhibitions this month that put stewardship and our care for creation at the heart of this season of Creationtide.

Ely Cathedral is holding its second Green Fair showcasing local environmental groups and eco-friendly stalls and Worcester Cathedral has a series of environmental events to help its community live greener and more economically as part of its Living Gently on the Earth project.

Season of Creation – Starts Now.

Artist Ilya Fisher’s Unravelling – a response to the climate emergency – opens in Exeter Cathedral this Saturday (3 September). Her work explores issues around climate change and attempts to make sense of the world around her. She combines photography and embroidery, creating layers that invite the viewer’s eye to explore.

Stitched words are a graphic element flowing around the image, prompting the viewer to engage with the topic. Central to Ilya’s practice is being mindful in choices such as printing, materials and size to reduce waste and pollution.

This series of artworks look at the climate crisis and our response to it and our need to look away, and our need to face it. It’s about the anxiety that is stirred up in us and the excuses we tell ourselves. And it’s about hope.

The Dean and Chapter of Exeter have welcomed the exhibition, which aligns with the cathedral’s current drive to engage with environmental issues, as the Revd Canon Cate Edmonds, Canon Steward at Exeter Cathedral, explained:

“By hosting Unravelling, we hope that the cathedral will play a small role in helping local people explore the critical issues of climate change.

“As well as reducing our own carbon footprint with some innovative building improvements, Exeter Cathedral is looking to work with partner organisations to offer a space for climate discussion with the wider community. There is an urgent need for all of us to explore these issues, and face them together.”

Unravelling is at Exeter Cathedral from 3 September until 30 October. Admission to the exhibition is included with the standard Exeter Cathedral entry price, and advance booking is not required. More information can be found at the Exeter Cathedral website.

 

Waste Not Want Not is the new exhibition at Hereford Cathedral that focuses on historic recycling.

The exhibition, which opens in Hereford Cathedral’s Mappa Mundi and Chained Library building on 12 September, will explore the historic use of recycling, and how this has managed to preserve artefacts and information which might otherwise have been lost.

The ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ exhibition will showcase items from the cathedral’s collections which have reused or repurposed older materials, and given them a new lease of life.

Ranging from old books and documents carefully re-using parchment, to reframing stained glass fragments or resetting silver and gems – there are many ways that the cathedral of the past ‘wasted not’.

In a culture dominated by fast, disposable and easy options, we can take inspiration from a time when resources were sparse and used in every way possible.

The exhibition features items such as a scrap of parchment used to record the receipt of a salary for the Dean’s Champion, and the oldest piece of manuscript book held in the collections, used as endleaves in a later volume.

Archivist Elizabeth Semper O’Keefe said:

“The story of archives can often be a story of chance survival against the odds, so it is fantastic to be shining a spotlight on some of these survivors and to celebrate their new purpose alongside their original use.”

Alongside the exhibition the cathedral will run a series of workshops, including one which will use ‘found papers’ to construct new notebooks.

The exhibition runs until Saturday 31 December. Normal admission charges apply.

To find out more about the Cathedral Library and Archives, please contact Elizabeth Semper O’Keefe on 01432 374 225 or library@herefordcathedral.org.

 

Ely has announced its second annual Green Fair will take place next Saturday (10 September) and showcases local environmental groups and eco-friendly producers and makers. 

As well as artisan products, stallholders will also include local commercial suppliers of low carbon solutions for the home or business such as electric heating systems, heat pumps and electric boilers, solar pv and home battery storage.

There is also the opportunity for visitors to discover more about our local environmental groups and how they can support them.

There will be demonstrations from Blended Monkey (pole lathe demonstrations) and Wild Oak Workshops, entertainment, food and drink.

The event starts at 10am on Cross Green next to the Cathedral and you can find out more here.

Photo – James Billings.

 

Worcester Cathedral’s Eco Group has also organised a Green Fair for next month as part of its ‘Living Gently on the Earth’ initiative – a series of free community events, talks and workshops on caring for our planet.

Thanks to National Lottery Funding secured by the Eco Group, the cathedral is hosting these events for the whole community to come together and explore ways to live an eco-friendlier lifestyle through cooking, gardening, money matters, shopping, travel and more.

These events will include a Big Green Family Fair on 22 October in the Cathedral’s medieval cloisters for the whole family to come together with eco-friendly crafts and produce.

The first event in this series will look at ‘from garden to dish” with a visit to Transition Worcester Community Garden and organic and vegetarian cooking on 25 September

Other events include how to live a less plastic life which will outline the threats presented by unnecessary packaging to our environment (both ecology and climate), the obstacles and challenges to addressing it within our lifestyle and society, and how to make a real difference without it costing the Earth.

A visit to a reclamation facility to better understand recycling, how to reduce use and save money in your home and how to travel greener.

The events are all free to attend thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund as part of its ‘Together for our Planet’ initiative

For more information about the Cathedral Eco Group, further details on the ‘Living Gently on the Earth’ events and to book free tickets, please click here. 

A collection of early English laws preserved in Rochester Cathedral’s twelfth-century manuscript, Textus Roffensis, has been added to the UNESCO Memory of the World UK Register.

Rochester’s Cathedral’s ancient manuscript, Textus Roffensis is added to the UNESCO register

The Register honours documentary heritage of national significance including the Death Warrant of King Charles I, Magna Carta and the Churchill Archives, and demonstrates the importance of this medieval manuscript.

Textus Roffensis was compiled in the early 1120s by a monk of St Andrew’s Priory at Rochester Cathedral.

The first half of the manuscript has been accepted onto the register; it contains copies of pre-Conquest laws written in Old English (Anglo-Saxon), many of which are unique to Textus Roffensis. Included among the unique texts is the earliest known set of English laws known as Æthelberht’s Code, dated to about 600 and from the Kingdom of Kent. It is also the earliest datable work of any genre composed in the English vernacular. Two later seventh-century Kentish laws, Hlothere and Eadric’s Code (c.679-c.685) and Wihtræd’s Code (695), are also unique to Textus Roffensis.

There are in total 35 early English law codes in the first half of the manuscript including laws by Alfred the Great, Æthelred ‘the Unready’ and William the Conqueror.

The latest of these is the oldest surviving copy of the Coronation Charter of Henry I, the fourth son of William the Conqueror. Written in Latin, it spells out the responsibilities and limits of the King toward the Church and the king’s noblemen. And, as such, has been interpreted as a precursor to Magna Carta of 1215.

Five hundred years of laws are preserved in this manuscript giving fascinating and unique insights into the lives of those peoples who inhabited an evolving England, and its adjoining regions, from the beginning of the seventh century to the beginning of the twelfth: the lives of women, men and children, the free and the unfree.

The Dean of Rochester, Philip Hesketh, said:

“Textus Roffensis is without question one of the most important of all medieval British manuscripts. It contains the largest medieval collection of early English law codes written in the original Old English.

“Complied at Rochester Cathedral between 1120-23 it was at the very heart of the emerging monastic community. It was returned home to the Cathedral in 2016 and the Textus now resides once more in the heart of the Medway towns and is displayed, free of charge, in the ancient crypt.

“This announcement by the UNESCO UK Memory Register rightly acknowledges that Textus is one of Britain’s greatest treasures,” he added.

The UNESCO UK Memory Register was established in 1992 to protect and catalogue significant documentary heritage to save for future generations.

Textus Roffensis is on display in the crypt of Rochester Cathedral and available online here.

Artists are putting the finishing touches to new pieces of work for a unique arts programme that will breathe new life into Ripon Cathedral’s story as it celebrates its 1350^th year.

Artists bring Rome to Ripon in new works specially created to celebrate the life and legacy of Ripon Cathedral’s founding father, Wilfrid

Syrian artist, Sara Shamma, Leeds artist, Jack Chesterman, sound artist, Paul Baily, from York, and local poet laureate, Olivia Mulligan have all been commissioned to produce new work for Ripon Cathedral to tell afresh the life and legacy of its founding father, Wilfrid through art.

Rome to Ripon is a partnership between Ripon Cathedral and Art in the Churches, an award-winning local charity that aims to bring major contemporary art into rural churches to reposition them as the beating heart of their communities.

This ambitious anniversary arts programme launches later this month with Chrissie Freeth’s Beyond Words, a series of 13 large scale tapestries from this artist who was shortlisted for last year’s Cordis Tapestry prize. Her work blends folklore, family stories, medieval iconography, and craftsmanship, and one of the pieces, Memento Mori, was selected for last year’s Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition.

The UK based Syrian artist, Sara Shamma, who splits her time between London and Damascus, has been commissioned to produce three portraits of Wilfrid and his contemporaries, and these will go on display in May and lead people into the cathedral’s Anglo Saxon crypt – the last remains of the church Wilfrid founded on the site in 672, and the oldest surviving building in any English Cathedral.

Inside the crypt, visitors will find Leeds based artist, Jack Chesterman’s paintings of scenes from Wilfrid’s life that will bring the seventh century into bold focus, while sound artist, Paul Baily who founded Re:Sound, an award winning music production company, has composed music that bridges time back to the cantors of 672, with call and response reverberating through the crypt, using lyrics written by poet, Olivia Mulligan.

The crypt will be lit by ever changing colours representative of the richness and splendour of Wilfrid’s crypt, which would have been filled with relics from his many journeys to Rome.

The final element of the arts programme will bring Peter Marlow’s The English Cathedral into the nave. Inspired by the sheer beauty of the Anglican cathedrals, internationally recognised photographer Peter Marlow undertook ‘a kind of reflective pilgrimage’ in 2010 to photograph the naves of every one of our 42 cathedrals.

Chris Baily, Producer of Art in the Churches said:

“This is a ground-breaking and awe-inspiring art spectacular that will bring Wilfrid to life in a way never before witnessed.

“Internationally renowned Syrian artist, Sara Shamma, re-imagines Saint Wilfrid along with his patron, Queen Eanfled, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore of Tarsus, in three dramatic portraits to be hung in the nave.

“And for the first time ever, modern artwork will be installed in the crypt. An immersive installation of light, painting, and sound, taking the visitor right back to the seventh century.

“This will be an experience that fires up all the senses, and one which we hope will inspire people from near and far to visit,’ he added.

Wilfrid – one of the greatest and most controversial English saints – was born into a noble Northumbrian family, a patron of the arts, he studied at Lindisfarne before embracing the Roman ways, was deposed on more than one occasion, and yet helped unite England behind a single Christian tradition.

It is said he was born in flames, survived shipwrecks and exile, and his jailers could not keep him chained. He was a healer, he kept people from hunger by teaching them to fish, and it is said that the moon and stars shone so bright for him, that a lunar rainbow appeared on the anniversary of his death.  In his early twenties, he made a pilgrimage to Rome and was much inspired by the lives of the saints there, and the great basilica churches. He brought some of the beauty of Rome back to England with him.

The Dean of Ripon, John Dobson, said:

“To reimagine this sacred space with new artworks from such a wide range of renowned artists, each working in different ways, is a fitting tribute to our founding father, Wilfrid. It will tell us something new about who we are, re-connect us with our past, and ground us in our future and I wholeheartedly commend this arts programme to all of you.  

“Do come and see for yourselves,’ he added.

Ripon Cathedral’s Anniversary Launch Weekend will take place over the May Bank Holiday weekend, starting on 28 April with dancing in the nave to a local jazz and swing band, a beer festival on the May Bank Holiday Monday in the cathedral grounds, a pilgrimage from Bradford Cathedral, and a Son et Lumiere finale that promises to recreate Wilfrid’s miracles – including that of the lunar rainbow.

Other headline events throughout the anniversary year include the premiere of new digital projections from the little-known Ripon Bible. A flower festival that will use floral design to recreate Wilfrid’s life and times, lectures from historians Tom Holland and Max Adams, a series of tours taking visitors behind the scenes, and a summer organ festival featuring a specially commissioned animation for piano and organ telling Wilfrid’s story.

To find out more about the programme and how to book tickets, visit the Ripon cathedral website here.

• Beyond Words – Chrissie Freeth – April 28 to May 26
• Rome to Ripon – Sara Shamma, Paul Baily and Jack Chesterman – May 27 – November 1
• Peter Marlowe The English Cathedral – May 27- July 26

“The county of Norfolk is steeped all over in the medieval pilgrimage tradition, testament to the magnetism and mystery of Walsingham. Pilgrims are going to love the experience.”  Dr Guy Hayward, Director of the British Pilgrimage Trust.

New waymarked pilgrimage route launched between Norwich and Walsingham

A new waymarked walking route between Norwich and Walsingham is being launched to celebrate the tradition of pilgrimage in the county, encourage more people to enjoy the rural landscape of the Wensum Valley and provide a boost to sustainable tourism in the local area.

Called the Walsingham Way, the new 37-mile path is inspired by a network of pilgrimage routes that once crossed the county as pilgrims from across Europe travelled to north Norfolk’s Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. Founded in 1061, it is thought to be the oldest shrine in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The project to waymark the Walsingham Way has been made possible thanks to a partnership enabled by Norwich Cathedral and involving many different organisations and individuals.

The modern-day Walsingham Way route – which will take about three days to complete on foot – can be started from either Norwich Cathedral or the city’s Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist.

Walkers will be guided by signs featuring the new Walsingham Way logo of two linked Ws that together form the letter M. The M, which is adorned with a crown, is a tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom the Walsingham Shrine is dedicated.

Along the way, walkers will enjoy beautiful views of the Norfolk countryside, including the river valleys of the Wensum and Stiffkey, and pass by many of the county’s villages and historic churches, before reaching Little Walsingham. Known as England’s Nazareth, the village is today home to both an Anglican and a Roman Catholic shrine as well as the ruins of the original priory church.

While the route is closely linked to Christian pilgrimage, the hope is that it will also be enjoyed by people of all faiths and none, and that it will also benefit tourism businesses in the area.

The Revd Dr Peter Doll, Norwich Cathedral’s Canon Librarian and Vice-Dean, said:

“The Walsingham Way has been established not only for those who wish to make a spiritual journey to a holy place but also for those seeking a connection with the natural environment, the heritage of the region, and physical and mental well-being.

“The hope is that it will draw green, sustainable tourism into the Wensum Valley and encourage additional visits to attractions along the route such as the Bishop’s Palace at North Elmham, historic churches, and the Shrines, Abbey Grounds, and other attractions at Walsingham.

“The route will hopefully also expand demand for accommodation and catering and drive the creation of businesses and jobs supporting the needs of walkers and cyclists along the route.”

Norwich Cathedral has been working in partnership with the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, the Anglican and Roman Catholic Walsingham Shrines, The Walsingham Development Group and many others.

Guy Hayward, Director and Co-Founder of The British Pilgrimage Trust, said:

“From witnessing how the Walsingham Way has developed over time, we are very excited about the regenerative potential created by the rediscovery of this long-forgotten pilgrimage route. The county of Norfolk is steeped all over in the medieval pilgrimage tradition, testament to the magnetism and mystery of Walsingham. Pilgrims are going to love the experience.”

The project has also been supported by funding from the European Union LEADER funding for rural economic development, the Diocese of Norwich, the John Jarrold Foundation, and Norfolk County Council, and by the considerable goodwill of volunteers, landowners and parish councils.

Canon Doll said:

“The waymarking of the Walsingham Way has been a long-term project that has been a real team effort and our thanks goes out to everyone who has helped to make this project possible.

“We hope that people of all ages will now enjoy walking the route and experiencing this special part of the Norfolk countryside. We are very lucky to have such beautiful rural landscapes in our county and it is important to highlight that we must all do our best to help protect these areas for the future by abiding by the Countryside Code while out walking.”

Part of the long-term ambition is to create a Walsingham Way website and to develop interpretation along the route to offer additional layers of historical and spiritual context.

Volunteer groups along the route have also already started projects to welcome new pilgrimage visitors. At Great Ryburgh, for example, the church has established an area for campers and will offer hospitality to walkers.

The plan is also for the Walsingham Way to connect with other walking routes, including existing routes such as the Wherryman’s Way from Great Yarmouth to Norwich, and paths being planned for the future such as a King’s Lynn to Walsingham route.

More information about the Walsingham Way can be found at cathedral.org.uk and walsinghamway.blog

There’ve been a few changes at our Cathedrals between then and now … #ThrowbackThursday

But they’re still as impactful.

They stand, as they always have done, as silent but permanent signs of God’s presence alongside us.

This week we’re supporting the Government’s Love Culture campaign by inviting visitors to come and #EnjoySummerSafely in one of our cathedrals.

With our soaring spires, spectacular vaulted ceilings and rich spiritual and historical heritage, our cathedrals are wonders of architecture and sanctuaries of peace. With fascinating treasures and secrets spanning more than a thousand years, they offer a window on England’s social, political and spiritual history, while observing a daily rhythm of prayer and worship – even in lockdown.

They’ve survived wars, fire, lightning, pestilence, the Reformation. We’re home to saints and sinners, kings and princes, queens and cortesans, rich and poor, writers, actors, artists, thieves and ordinary men and women. We have a rich story to tell and you don’t have to go far to discover something amazing.

All our cathedrals that are able to open have achieved the ‘We’re Good To Go’ official UK charter mark to signal that they follow Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines and have a process in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing.

Take a look at how they are doing it at Canterbury Cathedral, our oldest and most famous site of Christian worship, a World Heritage Site and centre for pilgrimage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1YAoMBaRSg&feature=youtu.be

Website here > Canterbury Cathedral

Remember to check cathedral websites for up to date visiting times. You may need to book a ticket.

What else is happening at cathedrals across the country – find out here.

Ripon Cathedral is in the Diocese of Leeds, as is Bradford Cathedral and Wakefield Cathedral. It’s all very confusing and far better to concentrate on the places themselves than the machinations of the Church of England.

That’s what I do anyway.

It’s much more important to see Ripon for what it is, a fine beautiful cathedral with a warm welcome, a big heart and much to enjoy.

The front where the main door is to be found is just spectacular.

“Morning!” Boomed the lady welcoming me:  “Are you here to find out about joining the choir?”

I wasn’t, but she effusively told me about what to look out for and what not to miss, and so my mission began. I was warned not to miss the crypt and so this is where I began. One of the guides warned of the steep steps and made sure the light was on.

The crypt was built in 672 by St Wilfred and the whole cathedral stands atop it making it one of the oldest places of worship in the country and the oldest structure of any English cathedral. Pausing for a moment in the dimly lit room can be a deeply meaningful experience. Having it to myself made it very special.

Another feature is the screen which is really beautifully carved, it gives the sense, as you enter the quire, of great peace and tranquility a sense which continues with you as you journey into this quiet part of the church near the altar.

Here, you can not help but be taken by the beautiful ancient wood carving on the stalls and wonder what stories they could tell having stood there for hundreds of years.

Given the importance of Ripon, it’s astonishing that it didn’t gain cathedral status until the 1830’s but it has stood, resolute through all that time when so many of the great churches of Yorkshire were trashed during the Reformation.

And like other churches and cathedrals, they adapted to the new normality of Covid-19 by live streaming services and now, like other places of worship, they were able to open again. Judging from the warmth, the enthusiasm and the generosity of the staff and volunteers, reopening is something they have been absolutely desperate to get on with. Go and experience for yourself, you’ll be very welcome.

Marcus has already written about his various visits to our cathedrals including Truro, Blackburn Cathedral,  Birmingham and Worcester.

He is a part-time management consultant focused on voluntary sector leadership. He is also the CEO of Action Pre-eclampsia. His photography has been widely published everywhere from the Washington Post to Vogue. In 2019, in advance of the Year Of Cathedrals, Year of Pilgrimage he decided to attempt to visit and photograph every Anglican and Catholic Cathedral in England and Wales.

Follow Marcus on Twitter, @MarcusChurches and visit his website here.

A unique project offering a one-day pilgrimage route to every Church of England cathedral is being reimagined and relaunched for a world slowly emerging from lockdown.

Pilgrimage re-imagined for an emerging post lockdown world

This week the collaboration between the Association of English Cathedrals and British Pilgrimage Trust, forged for 2020 Year of Cathedrals Year of Pilgrimage, launched new circular pilgrim routes exploring over 25 cathedral cities and the stories that made them.

The routes are all circular and specifically designed to comply with the guidance to avoid non-essential travel on public transport as the country begins to emerge from lockdown and cathedrals start the journey back to re-opening. The new routes bring the cities into sharp focus, emphasising a heightened sense of place and history, to encourage pilgrims to explore what makes the cathedral integral to the lives of the people there.

The Very Revd Adrian Dorber, who chairs the Association of English Cathedrals said:

“During lockdown we’ve all become more familiar with home territory but this initiative invites us to take a purposeful walk around our cities and look at the faith, beliefs and stories of human endeavour that shape them still. As our cathedrals begin to re-open and offer prayerful hospitality to all comers I’m delighted to endorse this initiative and encourage everyone to take a look at local treasures.”

For example, a 3.5 mile circular route designed for Wakefield Cathedral takes in the city’s Hepworth Museum – an award-winning contemporary art gallery named after Barbara Hepworth, one of the 20th century’s most important artists who was born and brought up in Wakefield – and the city’s Grade 1 listed Chantry Chapel, the oldest and most ornate of the five surviving bridge chapels in England. And Blackburn Cathedral’s circular route visits the Cotton Exchange and other places associated with its cotton trade heritage featured in the Netflix series The English Game. These places all play an important part in each city’s story – past and present.

New circular pilgrimage routes for Birmingham, Bradford and Liverpool cathedrals celebrate the cultural and religious diversity of those cities, taking in mosques, temples, synagogues, a Hindu mandir, a Buddhist vihara and a Sikh gurdwara, while Canterbury’s new route visits 20 of its holy and heritage pilgrim places in just 4 miles.

Dr Guy Hayward, co founder of the British Pilgrimage Trust said:

“To place our cathedrals in their city’s context creates a potentially richer experience for our pilgrims. These circular routes around cathedral cities help all of us get to know our cities better, and we want our cathedrals to be seen as so much more than places of worship, to see them in the context of their cities, both historically, and in relation to other faiths and those of no faith at all.

“Cathedrals are the most searched for pilgrim destinations on our website and offer something for everyone – especially in these uncertain and challenging times.

“We want to encourage tourists back into England’s cities that have been empty for so long now, and show them that we can all be pilgrims, and that spiritual travel is about to flourish once again,” he said.

Dr Dee Dyas, Reader in the History of Christianity and Director of the Centre for Pilgrimage Studies at York University, added: “Recent events have shown that our journeys through life can suddenly take unexpected, unwelcome turns. Cathedrals offer peaceful stopping places along the way where we can pause, find comfort, have hope renewed, and think about new ways forward.

Most of my visits to cathedrals have been solitary affairs, but when I went to Rochester I was meeting the Reverend Erica Wooff for the first time. She and I had become Twitter friends, but had never met.

Now Rochester wasn’t a cathedral I knew much about, but coming in along City Way, your first glimpse is impressive, even with the vast Norman Keep of Rochester Castle next door.

A Visit to Rochester – Marcus Green

Last summer you may recall certain quarters were outraged about the use of Rochester’s nave as an adventure golf course, and similarly the placing of a Helter Skelter in Norwich Cathedral.

So I thought if I am going to see this adventure golf, try it out, and try and understand a little bit more about Rochester, then going with a vicar was an excellent idea.

The first thing I noticed was some of the footprint of the ancient cathedral had been marked on the ground which was both fascinating, and gave a sense of the very deep roots of its history.

We went in through the Great West Door, which is quite simply breathtaking and remains broadly unchanged since the 1100’s and there we were in an instant, blasted straight into the sound of laughter, children having fun and whoops of delight as they finished their adventure golf.

Of course, Erica and I played our round of golf as we got to know each other and soon enough we were wandering around the rest of the cathedral. The golf only took up the nave and there was much more to see. Astonishingly as we walked into the choir all was peaceful, the golf had faded away and this most important part of the cathedral, leading to the altar was as quiet as any other cathedral.

A must see here is the “Wheel Of Life” painting, said to be the oldest in England.

One real surprise was finding the Chapter Room, its doorway is stunning, but beyond is the modern library, it’s been done really well.

The Lady Chapel is open and welcoming, with some really interesting windows and an unusual placement, it’s also really peaceful.

One of the good things about Rochester is there has been a lot of thought put into the unobtrusive interpretation boards which tell you much about where you are in the Cathedral. I suspect a lot of thought was put into the golf too, my own view was they carefully balanced getting people through the door, the golf, and God – and got it right.

I hope this summer will see all the cathedrals re-open and who knows what surprises we will find!

 

Marcus has already written about his visits to Truro, Blackburn Cathedral,  Birmingham, Worcester, and Carlisle Cathedral.

He is a part-time management consultant focused on voluntary sector leadership. He is also the CEO of Action Pre-eclampsia. His photography has been widely published everywhere from the Washington Post to Vogue. In 2019, in advance of the Year Of Cathedrals, Year of Pilgrimage he decided to attempt to visit and photograph every Anglican and Catholic Cathedral in England and Wales.

Follow Marcus on Twitter, @MarcusChurches and visit his website here.

Boost to Exeter Cathedral as Prince Charles named patron of development appeal.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has accepted an invitation from the Dean and Chapter to become Patron of a new development appeal for Exeter Cathedral.

The £4m appeal aims to raise funds for much needed conservation works to the East End of the Cathedral and its Chapter House, and will allow visitors to discover some of the Cathedral’s hidden gems and learn more about its archaeology and its conservation.

Exeter Cathedral has initially been granted round one development funding of £659,400 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, allowing it to progress with its plans. Detailed proposals are then considered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund at second round, where a final decision is made on the full funding award of £4,290,500.

This news that the Prince of Wales lends his support as patron to the appeal brings a huge boost to the team at Exeter Cathedral at a time when all cathedrals have closed their doors due to the COvid-19 pandemic.

The Dean of Exeter, the Very Revd Jonathan Greener said:

“We are thrilled that His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is lending his support to Exeter Cathedral. This is one of Europe’s great medieval cathedrals and the most significant building in Devon. However, it is also in great need of investment to ensure it remains sustainable, well-cared for, and fit for all our purposes in the 21st century. This is such good news, especially at this challenging time, and we are most grateful to The Prince of Wales for his encouragement.’

The appeal will be wide ranging, aiming to attract the support of all who value the Cathedral, its heritage and traditions. In addition to repairing and renovating the fabric of the Cathedral and other historic buildings in its precincts, it will improve accessibility and hospitality for a wider range of visitors, and increase an endowment fund for cathedral music.

Founded in 1050, Exeter Cathedral is the focal point of the city and boasts many unique heritage features. Its library and archives contain the Exon Domesday and the Exeter Book – widely considered to be oldest book of English literature in the world.

Last week Exeter announced that Exeter Cathedral Library and Archives had retained full accreditation status from The National Archives – they were the first cathedral establishment to ever receive the award back in 2014 and to retain it they need to re-apply every six years.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines heritage as ‘our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations’. It sees both our cultural and natural heritage as irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world’s heritage.

World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.

UNESCO seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty, the ‘Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage’, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

UNESCO’s World Heritage mission is to:

• encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage;
• encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List;
• encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites;
• help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training;
• provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger;
• support States Parties’ public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation;
• encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage;
• encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world’s cultural and natural heritage.

The United Kingdom is a signatory to the World Heritage Convention, and UNESCO has designated 29 sites in the United Kingdom as World Heritage Sites. Of these, 18 are in England and include Canterbury and Durham Cathedrals and Westminster Abbey.

The Canterbury World Heritage Site includes St Martin’s Church, which is the oldest church in England, the ruined St Augustine’s Abbey, which was also founded during the early stages of the introduction of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons, and Canterbury Cathedral, a stunning Romanesque and Gothic building which is the Mother Church not just of the Church of England but the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Durham World Heritage Site includes Durham Cathedral, which is the ‘largest and finest’ example of Norman architecture in England and whose vaulting was part of the advent of Gothic architecture, and Durham Castle, a Norman building which was once the residence of the Durham prince-bishops and is now the home of University College, Durham University. The Cathedral houses relics of St Cuthbert and Bede.

The Westminster World Heritage Site includes the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret’s Church. These buildings have been the centre of the administration of England since the 11th century, and later of the United Kingdom. The Palace of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament, is an example of Gothic Revival architecture but its origins are far older and Westminster Hall, part of the Palace complex, was built in 1097. Since the coronation of William the Conqueror, all English and British monarchs have been crowned at Westminster Abbey. St Margaret’s Church, adjacent to the Abbey, is the Palace’s parish church.

In addition, Salisbury and Lincoln both have their Magna Cartas and Hereford has its Mappa Mundi on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.