[91] At the eastern end there is a proliferation of tracery with repeated motifs in the Reticulated style, a stage between Geometric and Flowing Decorated tracery. THE FLENTROP ORGAN The main organ of Saint Mark's Cathedral was an extraordinary accomplishment when it was installed in 1965. As a synthesis of form, architectural decoration and figurative sculpture it is considered to be unsurpassed in Britain. There are no vertical lines linking the three stages, as the shafts supporting the vault rise above the triforium. [156][157] With around 160 voices, the society gives three concerts a year under the direction of Matthew Owens, Organist and Master of the Choristers at the cathedral. [91] Despite its lack of spires or pinnacles, the architectural historian Banister Fletcher describes it as "the highest development in English Gothic of this type of faade."[100]. In about 1310 work commenced on the Lady Chapel, to the design of Thomas Witney, who also built the central tower from 1315 to 1322 in the Decorated Gothic style. The Lady Chapel seems to have begun as a free-standing structure in the form of an elongated octagon, but the plan changed and it was linked to the eastern end by extension of the choir and construction of a second transept or retrochoir east of the choir, probably by William Joy. [112], The central tower appears to date from the early 13th century. Wells Cathedral, Cathedral Green Wells, Somerset BA5 2UE United Kingdom + Google Map Phone: 01749 674483 View Venue Website **SERIES SUSPENDED***Sunday Afternoon Organ Music ***CANCELLED/POSTPONED***Organ Concert St Andrew's Netherton Admission Free Lunchtime Organ Recital Organist Paul Carr Recital Somerset Wells Wells Cathedral Author [74] The chapter is advised by specialists such as architects, archaeologists and financial analysts. Though possibly influenced by carvings of acanthus leaves or vine leaves, it cannot be easily identified with any particular plant. [132] In 1848 came a complete rearrangement of the choir furniture, and 61 of the misericords were reused in the restructured stalls. [9] Its Early English front with 300 sculpted figures[7] is seen as a "supreme triumph of the combined plastic arts in England". [32], The building programme, begun by Reginald Fitz Jocelin, Bishop in the 12th century, continued under Jocelin of Wells, who was a canon from 1200, then bishop from 1206. [113], The cloisters were built in the late 13th century and largely rebuilt from 1430 to 1508[21][33] and have wide openings divided by mullions and transoms, and tracery in the Perpendicular Gothic style. It is one of the earliest lierne vaults in England. Adam Wilson is Assistant Organist at Wells Cathedral, a position he took up in September 2021. [148] Malcolm Archer was the appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers from 1996 to 2004. Alexander Hamilton, Acting Director of Music. There are three heads: a bishop in a mitre, an angel, and a woman wearing a veil over hair arranged in coils over each ear. The former St Paul's Church boasts a lovely acoustic in a quiet location, well away from the main road, and a range of quality and historic harpsichords, pianos and chamber organs are available for use as part of the hire. The triforium is separated from the arcade by a single horizontal string course that runs unbroken the length of the nave. The exterior was then reworked in the Perpendicular style and given the present parapet and pinnacles. The west front at Wells has the paired-tower form, unusual in that the towers do not indicate the location of the aisles, but extend well beyond them, screening the dimensions and profile of the building. [108] Immediately beneath the upper course are a series of small niches containing dynamic sculptures of the dead coming forth from their tombs on the Day of Judgement. Since 1348 the College of Vicars had its own accommodation in a quadrangle converted in the early 15th century to form Vicar's Close. The focus of the collection is predominantly theology, but there are volumes on science, medicine, exploration, and languages. [91] The walls are lined with deep niches framed by narrow shafts with capitals and annulets like those of the portal. To the south of the nave is a large cloister, unusual in that the northern range, that adjacent the cathedral, was never built. [73], Employed staff include the organist and master of choristers, head Verger archivist, librarian and the staff of the shop, caf and restaurant. [76] The cathedral is also used for the baptisms, weddings and funerals of those with close connections to it. The Vicars Choral generally perform with the choristers, except on Wednesdays, when they sing alone, allowing them to present a different repertoire, in particular plainsong. The quadripartite vault of the nave was decorated in the 19th century. [45][46] While Wells survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries better than the cathedrals of monastic foundation, the abolition of chantries in 1547 resulted in a reduction in its income. [33] It was designed in the new style with pointed arches, later known as Gothic, which was introduced at about the same time at Canterbury Cathedral. [164] The library is open to the public at appointed times in the summer and presents a small exhibition of documents and books. Following the Norman Conquest, John de Villula moved the seat of the bishop from Wells to Bath in 1090. [22][23][24] Although it is clear from its size that from the outset, the church was planned to be the cathedral of the diocese,[21] the seat of the bishop moved between Wells and the abbeys of Glastonbury and Bath, before settling at Wells. According to Cockerell, the side of the faade that is to the south of the central door is the more sacred and the scheme is divided accordingly. The finished product has been criticised for its lack of pinnacles, and it is probable that the towers were intended to carry spires which were never built. The 1620 organ was destroyed by parliamentary soldiers in 1643. It is the second oldest surviving clock in England after the Salisbury Cathedral clock. [93] It has a markedly horizontal emphasis, caused by the triforium having a unique form, a series of identical narrow openings, lacking the usual definition of the bays. Jocelin was a brother of Hugh (II) of Lincoln[26] and was present at the signing of the Magna Carta. Although primarily liturgical, the choir's repertoire includes other forms of music, as well as performances at engagements such as weddings and funerals. Books of particular interest include Pliny's Natural History printed in 1472, an Atlas of the World by Abraham Ortelius, printed in 1606, and a set of the works by Aristotle that once belonged to Erasmus. The original organ case was provided by the Friends of Wells Cathedral during the 1973/74 rebuild to a design by Mr Alan Rome, FRIBA. [95] The windows are large with Geometric Decorated tracery that is beginning to show an elongation of form, and ogees in the lesser lights that are characteristic of Flowing Decorated tracery. The state of play will not be solved through more authoritarian intervention from those currently in charge. Join Vimeo Between 1315 and 1322 the central tower was heightened and topped by a spire, which caused the piers that supported it to show signs of stress. The particular character of this Early English interior is dependent on the proportions of the simple lancet arches. The view through William Joy's retrochoir into the Lady Chapel has been described as "one of the most subtle and entrancing architectural prospects in Europe". Another sits in a contorted manner supporting the weight on his elbow, while a further figure squats with his knees wide apart and a strained look on his face. [95], Wells Cathedral contains one of the most substantial collections of medieval stained glass in England,[122] despite damage by Parliamentary troops in 1642 and 1643. 1k. W. A. The Decorated interior is described by Alec Clifton-Taylor as "architecturally the most beautiful in England". Adam was previously Acting Assistant Master of the Music at St Marys Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh. [80], Each year about 150,000 people attend services and another 300,000 visit as tourists. One figure lies beneath the seat, supporting the shelf with a cheek, a hand and a foot. [141], In 2010 the official clock-winder retired and was replaced by an electric mechanism.[142]. 9 November 2011 Daniel Soper with the new 1m organ at St Edmundsbury Cathedral St Edmundsbury Cathedral's new organist has taken up his post with the aim of making the 1m instrument his. The windows have tracery of a regular net-like pattern and contain ancient stained glass. There is also an assistant organist, and often an organ scholar . The font cover was made in 1635 and is decorated with the heads of putti. The first recorded organist of Wells Cathedral was Walter Bagele (or Vageler) in 1416, and the post of organist or assistant organist has been held by over 60 individuals since then. [66][67], In January 2014, as part of the Bath film festival, the cathedral hosted a special screening of Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ. [33], The Early English west front was commenced around 1230 by Thomas Norreys, with building and sculpture continuing for thirty years. Prior to taking up his appointments in Wells, Alexander held organ scholarships at Westminster Abbey, Trinity College, Cambridge and St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle. Five are clearly narrative, such as the Fox and the Geese, and the story of Alexander the Great being raised to Heaven by griffins. [114] The eastern range is of two storeys, of which the upper is the library built in the 15th century. [21] Alec Clifton-Taylor describes it as "outstanding even in Somerset, a county famed for the splendour of its church towers". There are daily services of Matins, Holy Communion and Choral Evensong,[75] as well as major celebrations of Christian festivals such as Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and saints' days. Matthew Owens has a long association with Northern Ireland through his wife, Ali, whose family is from Whitehead in County Antrim. Other large figures, including that of Christ, occupy the gable. The buttresses are of low profile. Also to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty in 2022, we hope to commission a range of Jubilee Trumpets for the grandest occasions. A gallery of royalty fills the niches of the north west buttresses, with clerics on the south west. Another well-known carving is in the north transept aisle: a foliate corbel, on which climbs a lizard, sometimes identified as a salamander, a symbol of eternal life. There are bad bosses and managers in every area of human endeavour, so why not churches? Jocelin continued the building campaign begun by Reginald and was responsible for the Bishop's Palace, the choristers' school, a grammar school, a hospital for travellers and a chapel. [37] The quarters are chimed by a quarter jack: a small automaton known as Jack Blandifers, who hits two bells with hammers and two with his heels. To the right of the central tower is the choir with the Lady Chapel projecting beyond it, and the chapter house, extreme right. [11], The first bishop of Wells was Athelm (909), who crowned King thelstan. Wooden galleries installed in the 16th century were removed and the stalls were given stone canopies and placed further back within the line of the arcade. Alexander read Music as Organ Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, where he accompanied the choir in its busy schedule of services, concerts and tours. The boys and girls sing alternately with the Vicars Choral and are educated at Wells Cathedral School. The role of cathedral organist is a salaried appointment, the organist often also serving as choirmaster. By Martin Cooke. The Dean and Board are very pleased to announce the appointment of Prebendary Matthew Owens as Director of Music at Belfast Cathedral in succession to Mr David Stevens. [144], The first recorded organist of Wells was Walter Bagele (or Vageler) in 1416. Adam Wilson, Acting Assistant Director of Music. [21], The cathedral is thought to have been conceived and commenced in about 1175 by Reginald Fitz Jocelin, who died in 1191. [39][40], John Harewell raised money for the completion of the west front by William Wynford, who was appointed as master mason in 1365. [1], The east window of the choir is a broad, seven-light window dating from 1340 to 1345. Its repertoire ranges from the choral music of the Renaissance to recently commissioned works. He will leave at Christmas. [131] One misericord, showing a boy pulling a thorn from his foot, dates from the 17th century. Two of these are placed as to complete the octagonal shape of the Lady Chapel, a solution described by Francis Bond as "an intuition of Genius". [136], In the north transept is Wells Cathedral clock, an astronomical clock from about 1325 believed to be by Peter Lightfoot, a monk of Glastonbury. Membership benefits will include a daily digest of stories delivered to your email, and occasional exclusive offers from our partners. [28] Jocelin died at Wells on 19 November 1242 and was buried in the choir of the cathedral;[26][27][29] the memorial brass on his tomb is one of the earliest brasses in England. Medieval brasses were sold, and a pulpit was placed in the nave for the first time. Cockerell speculates that those to the south of the portal represented prophets and patriarchs of the Old Testament while those to the north represented early missionaries to Britain, of which Augustine of Canterbury, St Birinus, and Benedict Biscop are identifiable by their attributes. Although naked, some of the dead are defined as royalty by their crowns and others as bishops by their mitres. [5], Above the basement rise two storeys, ornamented with quatrefoils and niches originally holding about four hundred statues, with three hundred surviving until the mid-20th century. Historian John Harvey sees it as Europe's first truly Gothic structure, breaking the last constraints of Romanesque. The large continuous capital that encircles the central pillar of the chapter house is markedly different in style to the stiff-leaf of the Early English period. [33] The tower was later braced internally with arches by William Joy. [98], West fronts in general take three distinct forms: those that follow the elevation of the nave and aisles, those that have paired towers at the end of each aisle, framing the nave, and those that screen the form of the building.