Wells Cathedral Email Newsletter
January 2016
Happy New Year!
Welcome to the January issue of the Wells Cathedral newsletter. 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 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 websiteat and our Facebook page.What's On Highlights for January
In January you can come and experience the medieval Nave as it would have been originally – that is, without chairs! Every year the chairs are removed for cleaning and for the series of Promenade Concerts, which allow concert goers to wander around the wonderful space as music fills the building.
Please see the new Music in Wells 2016 leaflet or below for a list of the Promenade Concerts.
Thursday 14 January 1.05 – 1.40pm (in the Quire)
LUNCHTIME ORGAN RECITAL
Jonathan Vaughn (Assistant Organist, Wells Cathedral).
Admission: free. Retiring collection in aid of Wells Cathedral Music.
Friday 15 January 7.00pm
PROMENADE CONCERT: TALLIS VOICES
Peter Leech (conductor).
Renaissance music in praise of St Cecilia.
Tickets: £10.00; available from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office, at the door, or by post from Dr C.R. Lovell, Green Farm Cottage, The Green, Farmborough, Bath, BA2 0BA, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope. In aid of the Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust (wcct.co.uk).
Friday 22 January 6.45pm
PROMENADE CONCERT: OPUS ANGLICANUM
The Candlemas Procession of Chant – Vespers recited in the Quire and music for the blessing of candles, followed by the procession in which the audience joins, around the entire Cathedral. Tickets: £15.00; available from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office and at the door.
Tuesday 26 January 7.00pm
PROMENADE CONCERT: WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL
Architecture in Sound: a showcase for some of Britain’s finest young brass and percussion players from Wells Cathedral School, weaving a rich musical tapestry of sounds from the Middle Ages onwards. Tickets: £7.00; available from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office and at the door. Proceeds support Wells Cathedral.
Wednesday 27 January 7.00pm
PROMENADE CONCERT: WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL
Let Everything That Has Breath: exceptional young wind players, singers, and strings from Wells Cathedral School perform in the awe-inspiring surroundings of Wells Cathedral. Tickets: £7.00; available from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office and at the door. Proceeds support Wells Cathedral.
Sunday 31 January 4.30 – 5.30pm (in the Quire)
ORGAN RECITAL: MESSIAEN MEDITATION (I)
Matthew Owens (Organist and Master of the Choristers, Wells Cathedral) and Prebendary Elsa van der Zee (narrator) give the annual performance of Olivier Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur (The Birth of our Lord) in the first of three Messiaen organ meditations in 2016. Admission: free. Retiring collection in aid of Wells Cathedral Music.
Bach Day
On Thursday 21 January the Cathedral will host a Bach Day. Pupils from Wells Cathedral School will perform works by Bach in various places around the Cathedral. This will include the most intimate of keyboard pieces and dances for solo string instruments, through to the glorious liturgical music for choir and organ.
The day will include the seventh in Matthew Owens’ bi-monthly series of organ recitals surveying the complete organ works of J.S. Bach. This will take place from 1.05 – 1.40pm in the Quire.
Evensong, which will be held in the Nave at 5.15pm, will include an Epiphany Cantata with the Wells Cathedral School Chamber Orchestra and the Great Choir of Wells Cathedral.
Admission: free. Retiring collection in aid of Wells Cathedral Music.
Service Information and Music List
Our Service Information and Music List for the month of January is available to view on our website.
Music in Wells 2016
The 'Music in Wells 2016' leaflet, which has details of all of the concerts and recitals taking place in Wells Cathedral in 2016, is now available.
Copies of the new leaflet can be picked up in the Cathedral or alternatively you can download it by visiting our website.
Bishop Bekynton Commemoration at Evensong
Choral Evensong is held in the Quire of Wells Cathedral and is sung by Wells Cathedral Choir during term time. A special service on Sunday 17 January (from 3pm) will give thanks for the gift of water to the city of Wells provided by Bishop Thomas Bekynton.
The service will be attended by Wells City Council and is open to the public so please join us if you can.
Planned Giving
Our congregation and supporters are at the heart of Wells Cathedral and many choose to support our varied work by making regular donations via our Planned Giving scheme.
The scheme allows people to donate via standing order or by weekly envelopes and we welcome gifts of any amount. Gifts from our planned giving supports help us to administer and develop our work, ensure we provide daily rounds of worship, maintain our excellent standard of music, deliver a varied programme of outreach and learning activities, conserve the beautiful fabric of the building and, above all, ensure our doors remain open to everyone.
If you would like further information please download our planned giving leaflet viaour website or please contact the Cathedral Fundraiser, Kelly Hall via or call 01749 674483.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank those who are already supporting Wells Cathedral via planned giving.
Wells Cathedral Schools Spring Term Activities
Do you know a school who would benefit from a trip to Wells Cathedral? An educational trip here will inform and inspire, enhancing pupils’ understanding of special places, amazing buildings, historical events and Christian theology.
EVENTS IN THE SPRING TERM:
RS GCSE Revision Conference
Monday 8 February 2016
9.30am-12.30pm
A chance to revisit themes from the RS syllabus with students from other local schools. The morning involves presentations from each teaching group covering a range of topics followed by ‘QUESTION TIME’ with a panel representing different denominations. £3.90 per student. Visit the website for further information.
‘Stories in Stitches’ heritage inspired class-work for exhibition in May
The Cathedral Quire embroideries and Millennium Altar Frontals and vestments provide inspiration for work in many curriculum areas – creative writing, art and DT, history, RE, maths and more. Participating schools are given the chance to exhibit their work in the Cathedral from 23rd May- 6th June 2016. There is no charge to join the project.
Visit our website for further information.
Fairtrade Schools Conference
Tuesday 8 March 2016
9.30am -12 noon
‘Before you finish your breakfast…you will have relied on half the world’ – A Fairtrade activity-based event that gets pupils collaborating to broaden their learning around everyday items & the people stories behind them.
Wells Cathedral is working with GLADE (Global Learning and Development Education Centre) and The Fairtrade Foundation to put on exciting workshops for teachers and their pupils. The event is aimed at KS2 and KS3 and provides an opportunity to learn, share & inspire. £3.90 per student.
Further information and booking:
Contact Jessica Witchell, the Wells Cathedral Education Officer by email , telephone 01749 674483, or visit
Save the Date! Wells Cathedral Lent Course 2016
Wednesday 17 February for five weeks 7.30pm-9.00pm
LENT COURSE 2016 ‘READING THE PSALMS THROUGH LENT’
Wells Cathedral Education Room
Education is key in our mission and thus the ‘Theology in Wells’ programme employs a wide range of educational methods to attract different people at different levels. This spectrum includes our longstanding and popular series of lectures by outstanding speakers each spring and autumn.
More details of the programme for Lent 2016, starting on Wednesday 17 February, will be announced soon. You are welcome to attend all sessions in the programme or individual sessions. All are welcome, admission free with a retiring collection. Our study sessions will run from 7.30-9.00pm in the Cathedral’s Education Room.
Cathedral Library book of the month for January
Our Cathedral library book of the month for January is The Natural History of Oxfordshire(1677)' by Robert Plot
Robert Plot (1640-1696) was the first Professor of Chemistry at Oxford University and the first Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. In 1682 he became Secretary of the Royal Society. He produced two detailed county surveys of Oxfordshire and then Staffordshire.
In our thoughts : Amnesty Victim of Injustice
Amnesty Victim of Injustice for January – Saudi Arabia
Waleed Abu al-Khair is a prominent human rights lawyer who has represented many victims of human rights violations, including his brother-in-law Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1000 lashes for blogging about free speech. After being harassed and interrogated on numerous occasions by the authorities, on 6 July 2014 Waleed was sentenced to 15 years in prison, plus a 15 year travel ban. He was found guilty of ‘insulting the judiciary’, ‘disobeying the ruler’ and ‘harming the reputation of the kingdom’. Waleed Abu al-Khair, who suffers from diabetes, says he was tortured. He has been regularly moved between prisons, making it difficult for his wife and child to visit him.
Raif Badawi is a previous Victim of Injustice.
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