One Last Cathedral: Southwell

My excursion today was to Southwell Minster, the Church of Mary the Virgin, seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham. 

There has been a church here since Paulinus, the first Bishop of York, established one in 627 AD after he had visited the area and baptised Christians in the River Trent. In 956 AD King  gave land at Southwell to the Bishop of York to build a church. A stone plinth from that church is installed over a lintel in the current 

In 1108 the Bishop of York authorised a bigger church to be built.  The Bishop of York has his residence here and it was used for theological training - which gave it the 'Minster' nomenclature, even though it never hosted monks.

The lovely Western 'Angels' window, by Patrick Reyntiens, was installed in 1996. The original windows were replaced in the 15th century with a perpendicular window. Reyntiens described it as " a great gathering of angels enjoying being with God, just all joy and worship".

That seems to be a tradition carried on in the music of the church. We were there as the choir rehearsed for choral evensong - there was joy in their singing - a superbe sound.

I'd like to have included a recording - the acoustics were fabulous.

There are a number of modern sculptures in the Minster. Christos Rex, a sculpture of oak and elm overlaid with copper and gold leaf was created by Peter Ball in 1986.

He has also contributed a Pieta.

There is a Virgin and Child by Alan Coleman from 1952. 

and The Flight into Egypt by Robert Kiddey. 

I also liked Peter Ball's Christ the Light of the World.

Alongside this contemporary sculpture is a Roman ceiling painting

the 'new' font, installed in 1661 following the disappearance of the old one in the Civil War

and the pulpit, telling the story of Paulinus founding the church.

There are some simple brasses and a cope chest 

 The  Chapter House provides wooden linings to its seats - warmer if still somewhat austere for sitting through meetings! 

The carvings are crumbling - a feature, probably, of the sandstone.

Some are still in good condition and the vaulting is lovely.

It was an uplifting visit. I love seeing the continuity - of pieces of the church in the time of Bede still being developed and strengthened with contemporary interpretation of faith,

as well as the building being filled with skilled and well- trained voices. 

I'm grateful to my friends for their hospitality and effort to take me places - especially Southwell. 

Tomorrow is my last day in the UK. I am heading to London tomorrow morning and meeting up with two second cousins-once-removed in the afternoon.