Wells Cathedral Email Newsletter
April 2015
This is a printed copy of the email newsletter from Wells Cathedral. If you would like to
receive this by email please send your details to marketing@wellscathedral.uk.net or follow
the link on our website.
Below is a snapshot of what's coming up this month at the Cathedral. Remember - news and
events are also always available via our website at www.wellscathedral.org.uk and our
Facebook page.
What's On in April
Friday 3rd April 7.30pm
MUSIC FOR GOOD FRIDAY
Bath Camerata will give its annual concert on
Good Friday, 3 April, with proceeds from the
retiring collection supporting Wells Cathedral
Music. The music this year will be Bernstein’s
Missa Brevis, and Brahms’s Ein Deutsches
Requiem. This is a very popular event. Doors
open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start.
Thursday 9th April 1.05 - 1.45pm
FREE LUNCHTIME ORGAN RECITAL. Latvian Organist Liliita Ozola will travel to Wells
to give a lunchtime organ recital on Thursday 9 April from 1.05pm-1.40pm. The
programme will include Bach’s Passacaglia, Mullet’s Tue es Petra, and Stanford’s
Sonata no. 5 Quasi una Fantasia.
Admission: free. Retiring collection in aid of Wells Cathedral Music.
Wednesday 22nd April 7.30 - 8.40pm
SUMMER ORGAN FESTIVAL: ANDREW MILLINGTON.
The opening recital of the 2015 Summer Organ Festival is given by Andrew Millington,
Director of Music at Exeter Cathedral. Whitlock March: Dignity and Impudence; Gibbons
Voluntary for double organ; J.S. Bach, arr. Ponsford Largo (Harpischord Concerto in F
minor); Buxtehude Prelude and Fugue in G minor; Franck Choral III in A minor; Alcock
Fantasie Impromptu; Derek Bourgeois Serenade; Messiaen Joie et clarté des Corps
Glorieux (Les Corps Glorieux); Duruflé Toccata (Suite for Organ). Tickets: £10.00
(including a post-concert drink); available from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office (01749
672773) and at the door.
Wednesday 8th April (1.00 - 3.00pm)
HOLIDAY ‘HAVE A GO’ WORKSHOPS
Our popular 'Have a Go' holiday workshops continue over the Easter school holidays. All
materials will be provided for this creative Easter session to be held in the Cathedral's
Education Room! Adults and children welcome. £1.00 per person. No need to book, just
turn up and be prepared to have fun!
Welcome support for the Cathedral from the First
World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund
We were delighted to welcome the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, George Osborne, to the Cathedral
last week and also the news that the Cathedral has
been awarded £160,000 from the WW1 Centenary
Cathedral Repairs Fund. This is in addition to
£160,000 received in previous rounds.
During the visit, Dr Paul Richards, the Cathedral
Administrator, said “We are delighted to have received the support of the Cathedral
Repairs Fund for two important projects. The latest award will mean we can repair
damaged masonry which has allowed water to penetrate inside near where we hold
daily services.
“Our thanks go to the Chancellor and the government for setting up the Fund.
Conserving the medieval Cathedral for the centuries to come is an on-going challenge
and such financial support is a very welcome investment in this work.”
Join us for our Jesse Window Celebration Weekend,
16th and 17th May
The last pieces of scaffolding were removed from the
Jesse Window at Wells Cathedral in November after a
major conservation project lasting over three years and
costing half a million pounds. One of the most
remarkable examples of 14th century stained glass in
Europe, the Jesse Window narrowly escaped the
Reformation and the English civil war.
Dating from 1340, the window shows the story of the birth, death and resurrection of
Jesus surrounded by his ancestors, all the way back to Jesse, father of King David.
To celebrate the completion of the conservation of the window the Cathedral is hosting a
celebration weekend on 16th and 17th May which will include a programme of activities
including free stained glass tours led by our enthusiastic and specialist guides, themed
family activities and a Day Conference with specialist speakers.
FREE STAINED GLASS TOURS
The special stained glass tours are usually only available at a cost so this is a limited
offer to celebrate the unveiling of the Jesse Window!
To join one of our free tours (which also includes a free cup of tea in our café!) simply
choose the date and time of your choice and arrive in good time at the Cathedral with
your ticket. Note that binoculars would help in enjoying the experience as some images
in the window are high up!
A convenient online booking facility can be accessed for these tours by clicking on the
tour of your choice on our website. Dates and times include:
Saturday May 16th
10-10.45am
11-11.45am
1-1.45pm
2-2.45pm
3-3.45pm
Sunday May 17th
12.30-1.15pm
1.30-2.15pm
DAY CONFERENCE (Education Room)
We are also offering tickets to a special Day Conference we will be holding in the
Cathedral's Education Room on Saturday 16th May (9.30am-4pm).
Invited speakers include Jill Channer (Independent Historic Building and Architectural
Glass Consultant and member of The Wells Cathedral Fabric Advisory Committee), Dr
Tim Ayres (York University), Prebendary Dr Catherine Wright (Cambridge University)
and Steve Clare (Stained Glass Conservator – Holy Well Glass, Wells).
We will look at the significance of the window in the quire of Wells, the theology
underlying windows depicting the tree of Jesse, and the process of conservation.
A limited number of tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis. These will
cost £15 each and will be available to purchase via the Cathedral Shop Box Office
(01749 672773).
More details about all the activities taking place will be available on our website as they
are confirmed.
Monthly Calendar of Events
The Calendar of Events for April can be found on our website.
NEW! Free weekly ‘Exploring the Embroideries’ walks
(Wed and Sat mornings)
New for 2015! FREE themed ‘Exploring the
Embroideries’ walks will take place each Saturday and
Wednesday from April to October showcasing the
Cathedral’s beautiful embroideries.
Wells Cathedral Quire contains over a hundred beautiful
embroideries from the mid 20th century relating to the
Bishops, local history, saints and legends, as well as the
magnificent Millennium set of altar frontals and
vestments for every season of the church year.
When:
Our free embroideries walks start at 11.40am and last 20-30 minutes. There is no
booking required, simply gather at the Information Desk in the Entry Cloister to join the
tour of your choice. We will offer a different theme each month.
Plus! Stained Glass Window Walks
Why not make a morning out of your visit? Join us from 11.15am each Saturday and
Wednesday when our FREE stained glass window walks take place showcasing the
Cathedral’s unique stained glass. Our stained glass window walks will finish in time for
you to then join an embroideries walk if you wish and finish with a refreshing drink in our
Cathedral café!
‘How Wells Cathedral survived the Reformation’ Tour
A few tickets remain for this popular tour which includes half an hour in our unique
Cathedral Library seeing two examples of books from this period, and exploring their
context.
The tour is suitable for both individuals and for groups bookings. Each tour lasts
approximately one and a half hours and costs £10 per person. Please note that the
Library is accessed via a spiral staircase which may prove a barrier to those with mobility
problems.
To book
Booking is essential and places are limited. We are pleased to offer a convenient online
booking system for each of the dates available for this tour. Please visit our website for
more details, email us at visits@wellscathedral.uk.net or call 01749 674483 for
enquiries.
For more details on this and our other Cathedral tours please visit our Tours of the
Cathedral page on our website.
Service information and music list
Our Service Information and Music List for the month of April is available to view on our
website.
Easter cards and gifts
Our new range of Easter cards and gifts have proved to be
extremely popular. The new range includes toiletries and
locally-produced honey products, ganache chocolates,
Fairtrade decorated chocolate chickens and rabbits.
Also now in stock are a new range of Richard III and Magna
Carta items.
If you aren't able to drop into the shop we can offer a convenient mail-order service.
Simply call us on 01749 672773 and we'll pop your item in the post for you (plus p&p).
And don’t forget – our Easter “spot the Louis” competition is coming soon!
Retirement of Bishop Peter of Taunton
Bishop Peter Maurice will be retiring as Bishop of Taunton
at the end of April 2015.
A special service will be held here at Wells Cathedral on
Saturday 18th April at 2pm and light refreshments will be
available after the service. Everyone is welcome to join us
to give their farewells and thanks for Bishop Peter’s ministry.
Bishop Peter Hancock, Bishop of Bath & Wells says, “We are hugely grateful for Peter’s
ministry over the past 12 years. This occasion will enable us to join together in worship
to give thanks to God for Peter and Liz’s time with us as well as a take a moment to say
farewell.”
Cathedral/ Cathedral School Confirmation Date
The Cathedral/ Cathedral School Confirmation this year will take place on Sunday 4th
May. If you would like to make this step of discipleship and be confirmed please contact
a member of the Chapter or Cathedral clergy who will then discuss with you a suitable
form of preparation.
Cathedral Library book of the month for April
Our book of the month for April is British Zoology
(4 vols) by Thomas Pennant (Warrington, 1776).
Thomas Pennant (1726-1798) was a Welsh
naturalist and antiquary and he is regarded as
the leading British zoologist before Darwin. We
have the four volume set which is well illustrated
with engravings of the birds, mammals and other creatures described.
News from our Music Department
For a round-up of news from our Music Department please visit our website.
In our thoughts : Amnesty Victim of Injustice
Amnesty Victim of Injustice for April – China
In June 2014, activist Liu Ping was sentenced to six and a half years in prison. She is
one of many who have been harassed or detained for their links with the New Citizen’s
Movement, a peaceful network of activists which aims to promote government
transparency and expose corruption. Liu Ping says she was tortured while in pre-trial
detention and remains at risk of further torture and ill-treatment. She is being denied the
medical care she needs and there are serious concerns for her health. Liu Ping is held in
Jiangxi Nanchang Women’s Prison.
Former Prisoner Update – May 2014 Burma
Dr Tun Aung, a community leader, who had been sentenced to seventeen years
imprisonment, has been released. Burma’s Human Rights Commission said letters from
Amnesty members had helped obtain his release.
Weds
1
Thurs
2
Fri
3
9.30 am
10.00 am
11.30 am
12.30 pm
12.30 pm
5.15 pm
7.30 pm
10.00 am
12 noon
5.15 pm
7.30 pm
Sat
4
5.15 pm
9.00 pm
Sun
5
9.30 am
11.30 am
3.00 pm
Mon
6
Tues
7
Weds
8
Thurs
9
Fri
10
Sat
11
Sun
12
Mon
Tues
13
14
Weds
15
Thurs
16
Fri
17
12.30 pm
5.15 pm
12.25 pm
5.15 pm
9.30 am
5.15 pm
11.30 am
5.15 pm
5.15 pm
Sat
18
2.00 pm
Sun
Mon
Tues
Weds
19
20
21
22
5.15 pm
6.15 pm
12.25 pm
5.15 pm
9.30 am
1.00 pm
5.15 pm
1.05 pm
5.15 pm
1.05 pm
5.15 pm
12 noon
5.15 pm
5.15 pm
8.50 am
12.25 pm
9.30 am
5.15 pm
7.30 pm
Calendar of Events April 2015
Holy Communion
Children’s Holiday Workshop ‘I don’t believe it’
Confessions in the Corpus Christi Chapel
Meditative Event for Holy Week in the Lady Chapel
Maundy Thursday
Meditative Event for Holy Week in the Lady Chapel
Evening Prayer said
Maundy Thursday Solemn Eucharist
Good Friday
Sung Matins
Three Hours Devotion
led by the Reverend Canon Nicholas Jepson-Biddle
Evening Prayer said
Concert: Bath Camerata – Music for Good Friday
Easter Eve
Evening Prayer said
Easter Vigil sung by The Great Choir
Easter Day
All services will be sung by The Great Choir
Cathedral Eucharist
Sung Matins
Solemn Evensong
Easter Monday
The Choir of St John’s Church, Glastonbury to sing Evensong
Taste and See in the Chapter Room
Holy Communion
Evening Prayer said
Holy Communion
Children’s Holiday Workshop ‘Have a Go’ Egg Painting or Easter
Garden in the Education Room
Evening Prayer said
Lunchtime Organ Recital: Lilita Ozola (Latvia)
Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing Evensong
Lunchtime Concert: Penzance Orpheus Ladies Choir
Evening Prayer said
Eucharist with Healing
The Sussex Festival Singers to sing Evensong
The Sussex Festival Singers to sing all services
Baptism Service
Evening Prayer said
Holy Communion
Evening Prayer said
Holy Communion
Evening Prayer said
Mothers Union Prayers
Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing Evensong
Evening Prayer said
Concert: Opus Anglicanum, in memory of John Touhey
Diocesan Eucharist in thanksgiving for the ministry of The Right
Reverend Peter Maurice as Bishop of Taunton
Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing Evensong
Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing all services
Wells Cathedral School Beginning of Term Service
Holy Communion
Holy Communon
Solemn Evensong
Summer Organ Festival: Andrew Millington (Exeter Cathedral)
Thurs
23
Sat
25
Tues
28
Weds
29
Thurs
30
5.15 pm
6.15 pm
1.05 pm
5.15 pm
12.25 pm
7.00 pm
9.30 am
5.15 pm
5.15 pm
Solemn Eucharist
Bell ringing as part of Ringing for England Campaign
Lunchtime Concert: The Band of Pilgrims
Solemn Evensong with former members of Wells Cathedral Choir
Holy Communion
Millfield School Evensong in the Quire
Holy Communion
Evening Prayer said
Evening Prayer said