RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE 2018 April 2018: SOUTHWELL MINSTER 18 members visited Southwell Minster, or to give its correct title “The collegiate church of St. Mary”; majority travelled to Southwell by bus. We were warmly greeted by vergers Shaun and Kevin who were also our guides. First: a short film on how the Minster works within the local community also gave some insight into the management and upkeep of an iconic building; then having been split into two groups of nine, we commenced an interesting and informative tour of the Minster itself. My group, led by Kevin, first was shown a mosaic floor of Roman villa, which was later used in the early Saxon church/monastery. The minster was built Norman/Romanesque in the 12th century (1108), after the demolition of the Saxon church, then as work progressed in the Early English style. The 13th century quire has its triforium and clerestory combined in one unit, the Chapter House built in the Geometric Decorated style is renowned for its carvings, craftsmanship in stone, and is unusual in that it has no central column. The rich stone pulpitum completed in about 1350 has East and West different sides. The brass lectern was found in the fishpond at Newstead Abbey, where it had been thrown during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and was presented to the Minster in 1805 by Archdeacon Kaye. Early 16th century French glass was imported after the French Revolution. A recent addition to the stained glass is the “Great War Memorial Window designed by Nicholas Mynheer. On 5 November 1711 the southwest spire was struck by lightning, and the resulting fire spread to the nave, crossing and tower destroying roofs, bells, clock and organ. By 1720 repairs had been completed, now giving a flat panelled ceiling to the nave and transepts. In danger of collapse, the spires were removed in 1805 and re-erected in 1879–81 when the minster was extensively restored by Ewan Christian, an architect specialising in churches. The nave roof was replaced with a pitched roof and the choir was redesigned and refitted. There are many carved stone heads of people, animals and fantastic beasts. One caused amusement, it was carved in the 12th century, but it bears a striking resemblance to someone nowadays hogging the headlines, can you guess who? Originally a pro-cathedral to York, its See was established in 1884. Historical Postscript: During the “Great Revolution” or more commonly known as the “English Civil War” when King Charles I’s “Royalists fought Oliver Cromwell’s “Model Army, the Minster was seriously damaged during fighting which took place around the Minster, and nave was used to stable horses. The Scots captured the King and handed him to the Parliamentarians in “The Saracen’s Head” which is situated opposite the Minster, on the High Street. In the foyer is a copy of the “Death Warrant” of King Charles I, signed by Cromwell and a number of his leading supporters. It is dated 30th January 1648/49, because the year in those days began on 1st April. The adjoining palace was almost completely destroyed, first by Scottish troops and then by the local people, with only the Hall of the Archbishop remaining as a ruined shell. The Minster's financial accounts show that extensive repairs were necessary after this period. May 2018: ST. MARY’S, NOTTINGHAM 22 members of the group visit the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, in the Lace Market, which is the largest Medieval building in Nottingham, and is Grade 1 listed. There have been three churches built on this site, the first of Saxon origin, this was replaced, shortly after William the Conqueror invasion of England in 1066 with a Norman church, which was half the size of St. Mary’s today. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The present church dates from end of Edward III’s reign (1377) and Henry VII’s (1485 – 1509), the tower being completed in that of Henry VIII, has 12 bells. The church is of Gothic Perpendicular style. Our tour guide was Michael Clark, who started by showing us the foundation of one of the columns of the nave was built on a Norman foundation, seen through a glass floor which surrounded the pillar. The font has a Greek palindrome ΝΙΨΟΝΑΝΟΜΗΜΑΤΑΜΗΜΟΝΑΝΟΨΙΝ which translates as: Wash my transgressions, not. In a chapel built in the 1920its original ’s there is a Nottingham Alabaster panel depicting Archbishop Thomas a Beckett. With the arrival of the Industrial Revolution, the stonework of the exterior became black with pollution, following sandblasting, the exterior has regained elegance. The walls inside the chapel, once on the outside, were not cleaned, so retain evidence of the contamination suffered before the Clean Act 1956. The chantry door is considered to be the oldest surviving door in Nottingham, dating from the 1370s or 1380s. it contains an example of iron work from the medieval period in the locking mechanism. The Organ is by Marcussen & Son of Denmark and is a fine example of a neo-classical style instrument. It was installed in 1973 by the organist of the time, David Butterworth. It has 25 speaking stops and is a small organ for a church of this size The first record of a tower clock dates from 1707 when a clock was installed by Richard Roe of Epperstone. This was replaced in 1807 by a clock by Thomas Hardy of Nottingham. The 1707 clock was moved to Staunton church. The current tower clock which dates from 1932 was installed by George and Francis Cope. It was the first electric auto- wind clock by that firm. There are two magnificent statues, a lion and a unicorn, present to the church by Princess Anne, before she became queen in 1702, a year before the Act of Union, when Scotland joined England along with Wales and Ireland to become the United Kingdom. England’s crest had lions, and Scotland, two unicorns, so one of each was discarded to produce the Royal Coat of Arms. Anne lived at the palace within Nottingham Castle*, so gave Nottingham the statues in recognition of her time here. The church retains the Book of Common Prayer. In the 19th century the church became a cathedral, and has a cathedra (a bishop’s chair), however churches in Derby protested about being subservient to Nottingham, so the Bishop of Lincoln came up with a compromise by moving the seat of the diocese to Southwell, although the bishop retained the title of “Bishop of Nottingham”. There is some talk that St. Mary’s church will become a pro-cathedral within the See. Mike Johnson June 2018: ST PAUL’S, CARLTON Fifteen of us met at the church, and we were warmly greeted by Church Warden, Phil. We were given a conducted tour around the church, before refreshments, the tea being brewed by the associate minister, Rev. Wendy Murphy. The Parish was created in 1883 and the church was consecrated in 1885, the whole project being funded by Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, who also donated the land on which it stands. The church is in the style of a Roman Basilica, with apsidal ends at East and West, the former being the Chancel and the latter a Baptistry flanked by two entrance porches. Originally built in two stages, the first was completed at the cost of £4,000, the second stage was completed in 1891, and consecrated on 24th February of that year. Unfortunately the Earl died just before the church was completed his wife commissioned the cross which hangs in front of the chancel as his memorial. The Earl owned large tracts of land in Carlton and Mapperley, although his country seat was Highclere House, which is still owned by the Herbert Family, and where the television series “Downton Abbey” was filmed. His son, the 5th Earl sponsored the archaeological dig which discovered the Tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh, Tutankhamun. In 2004/5 the church underwent a reordering, when extensive interior works were completed inside the church. A modern kitchen, new toilets and a social area, the Carnarvon Centre, were built and there were extensive alterations to the chancel area. Not surprisingly the church has several areas which require repair and restoration for which they are actively seeking funding. For a full history of the church, see http://stpaulscarlton.org/history.html July 2018: ST PETER’S, NOTTINGHAM Twenty one members made the trip to St. Peter’s Church, some of whom had lunch in St. Peter’s Centre, a café (situated between the church and Marks and Spencer’s Nottingham store) run by the church. Although a tour was not possible, literature (A Walk round St. Peter’s), was provided so the church could be explored without assistance. The church was rebuilt after the first one was burnt down (in 1140) during the “Anarchy” war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. The tower and spire were built about 1340, and the North Arcade in 1360. The War Memorial (1922) has a golden spire above a statue of St. George and names of people from St. Peter’s who died in the World Wars. Lady Gardner (d. 1811), member of the founding family of Smith’s Bank, (one of the oldest in England) is buried in the family vault, under the organ, her memorial is over the porch. The original chancel was destroyed in the Civil War, in 1644, when Parliamentary troops were bombarded by the Royalists, who had taken shelter there. The new chancel was built in 1712, and was replaced by the present one in 1877.