Winchester Cathedral Record 2019 Number 88
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Winchester Cathedral Record 2019 Number 88 Friends of Winchester Cathedral 2 The Close, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9LS 01962 857 245 [email protected] www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk Registered Charity No. 220218 Friends of Winchester Cathedral 2019 Royal Patron Her Majesty the Queen Patron The Right Reverend Tim Dakin, Bishop of Winchester President The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester Ex Officio Vice-Presidents Nigel Atkinson Esq, HM Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire Cllr Eleanor Bell, The Right Worshipful, the Mayor of Winchester Ms Jean Ritchie QC, Cathedral Council Chairman Honorary Vice-President Mo Hearn BOARD OF TRUSTEES Bruce Parker, Chairman Anne Newsome, Vice-Chairman David Fellowes, Treasurer Tom Watson, Geoff Howard Natalie Shaw, Nigel Spicer Ex Officio Chapter Trustees The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester Annabelle Boyes, Receiver General STAFF Lucy Hutchin, Director Lesley Mead Leisl Porter Friends’ Prayer Most glorious Lord of life, Who gave to your disciples the precious name of friends: accept our thanks for this Cathedral Church, built and adorned to your glory and alive with prayer and grant that its company of Friends may so serve and honour you in this life that they come to enjoy the fullness of your promises within the eternal fellowship of your grace; and this we ask for your name’s sake. Amen. Welcome Another momentous year in so many respects. The opening of the fabulous new exhibition and all its associated works in the south transept was nothing short of mind-blowing. The special service of celebration planned for October this year will have been a most fitting tribute to all those who have worked so hard on the project over the past few years. The commissioning and performance by the choir of Queen Elizabeth’s Winchester Carol was a moment of intense pride for us all and the 20th anniversary celebration of the Girl Choristers was a hugely enjoyable occasion. We have a membership and a remarkable band of volunteers who help us support every aspect of the Cathedral and its community. In the office, Lucy, Lesley and Leisl (the three ‘elles’ ?) have as their work motto, ‘Roll up sleeves and get on with it’. Who would not want to be a Friend of Winchester Cathedral? Bruce Parker Chairman of the Friends Joint Editors – Bruce Parker and Lucy Hutchin Photos by kind permission of Simon Newman, John Crook, Jim Pascoe, Richard Jacobs and others Design and print – talkdesignandprint.com Winchester cathedral record 2019 3 Contents message from the dean 5 extraordinary period in cathedral life 6 Nick Cox, Architect beneath and behind kings and scribes 10 Dr John Crook, Archaeologist kings and scribes exhibition 16 Reg Stevenson, Senior Volunteer public events 17 cathedral music 20 crossing boundaries The Dean 24 foundation of the cage chantries 28 Dr Cindy Wood, University of Winchester architecture all in one 31 events 2018–19 32 year in figures 34 ins and outs of europe 36 Roy Weller and Simon Newman, Cathedral Guides office news 42 peregrines Keith Betton, Hants Ornithological Society 44 the record and world war II Dr Tom Watson 46 ninetieth anniversary 48 festival sermon 50 agm minutes 52 finance 54 record extra 58 christmas cards 60 who do you think we are? 62 membership 64 4 Winchester cathedral record 2019 TheA message Deafrom n Catherine Ogle The recent opening of the wonderful exhibition ‘Kings and Scribes: the Birth of a Nation’ is a great milestone in the life of our cathedral. Huge achievements have been made in recent years, with the loyal and lively support of the Friends, of which the opening of the newly conserved south transept is a particularly joyful milestone. This marks the culmination of the Cathedral Appeal and several years of work to the roof, the presbytery vault, the high clerestory medieval windows and other projects. It’s good to see the Cathedral looking in such fine form as our wonderful stewards, guides and welcomers rise to the challenge of greater numbers of visitors. Chapter has recently published ‘Calling We experienced the service together, and Vision’ articulating cathedral sang the hymns and joined in the priorities and values for the next phase prayers. This was a fine example of the of our life together. (Friends are invited Cathedral being for everyone. to collect a copy from the cathedral This year marks a personal land-mark office). This sets out the desire to be for me, as the 25th anniversary of a place of welcome and Christian the first ordinations of women to the worship for all people. An example of priesthood. It’s a great joy to be Dean this last year was our desire to screen of Winchester and I’m glad to share the royal wedding of Prince Harry and some of my story later in the pages of Meghan Markle. A grant from The The Record. Friends enabled us to buy screens Thank you to the Friends of the for the nave. The event attracted Cathedral and for all that you do to people of all ages and many who support the on-going life and work of might not normally come to church. Winchester Cathedral. Winchester cathedral record 2019 5 “Extraordinary period in Cathedral life …” Nick Cox, Cathedral Architect The first round application to the Nation. The project has been heroic in Heritage Lottery Fund was submitted its ambition and a challenge on many just a few weeks after I was appointed fronts. It has also been remarkable in the as Cathedral Architect in 2011. This last collective effort brought to bear from year has marked the final stage of an all involved and in the support it has extraordinary period in the life of the benefited from in many ways; support Cathedral involving a huge quantity from volunteers, from donations and of work culminating in the opening from the spirit that the project has of Kings and Scribes: The Birth of a inspired in people to give of their best. 6 Winchester cathedral record 2019 “Extraordinary period in Cathedral life …” Display cases installation During this last year, prior to the Rare moment installation of the display cases and One notable week in the year was contents, the final items of work in after completion of the building work the south transept were completed. and prior to the installation of the This involved completion of the stairs display cases. This was a rare moment rising from the Morley Library lobby when it was possible to see all that up to the triforium and the fixing of had been created, with protections the many lights and other electrical removed, in readiness to receive the and data points. Fabrication of the exhibition. It was a time to reflect on new railings around the triforium and what superficially were new floors new gates to The Bible display area belying the complexity of the structural required a number of sessions with the work and services running beneath – blacksmith; the Cathedral is far from the new lift perhaps being the most being plumb, square or level and so all conspicuous feature of the intervention elements have to be bespoke to suit into the Cathedral. their particular place and purpose. This has been a common theme throughout With the spaces ready, the exhibition the project. It has been a constant contractor moved in to install the pleasure to see the skill and attitude cases and displays. This activity of the craftsmen involved, rising to the had been anticipated with cable challenge and delivering a wonderful routes and access points all carefully standard of finish. contrived, some years beforehand, to Winchester cathedral record 2019 7 “Extraordinary period in Cathedral life …” Lift work in progress Lift at ground level facilitate the installation. Seeing the glaring lacunae. The end result is a spaces transformed into the finished treat to see with the important early exhibition was a special moment. As C16th glass in the heads of the north the Cathedral Architect, to inhabit the presbytery aisle window (instigated by reality of what until then had only ever Bishop Fox and executed by Flemish fully existed in one’s mind’s eye was a glaziers) conserved and furnished memorable experience. with protective glazing. In the north transept east aisle, the combination Other projects of decorative leading in the north The work to the stone and glass of window, collections of rare Carolean the north presbytery aisle and north glass as well as the colourful and transept east aisle has been completed distinctive work of Christopher Whall since the last report. That the stone can now be better appreciated. had been split by the ferramenta was known: with the glass removed, the This last year has also seen the true extent of the damage could be production of the latest quinquennial assessed and the cathedral masons inspection report. This included a skilfully worked new stones to replace review of works carried out. It was those that were beyond repair. good to be able to note so many areas of work completed – the presbytery In parallel with the stone repairs, roof, high vault and clerestory the stained glass was taken to the windows; the north presbytery aisle workshops of the specialist glazier and north transept east aisle windows, where the delightful designs could be the south transept internal and external studied more closely and the decayed works, and the new sound and lighting and deteriorated pieces could be installations. Winchester Cathedral is, cared for. Part of the policy on the nevertheless, a very large building and glazing conservation was to replace there will always be the ‘next project’ poor, clear, mid C20th glass with new but just now we can delight in and glass of more appropriate hue and celebrate the remarkable work that has transparency so as to reduce the bright been achieved in the last few years.