[20] There is, however, some controversy over this. Its central column and vault are often likened to a palm tree. Adam Locke was master mason from about 1192 until 1230. [42] In the 14th century, the central piers of the crossing were found to be sinking under the weight of the crossing tower which had been damaged by an earthquake in the previous century. The arcade, which takes the same form in the nave, choir and transepts, is distinguished by the richness of both mouldings and carvings. Many of the figures are life-sized or larger. [13][14] It was dedicated to St Andrew and stood at the site of the cathedral's cloisters, where some excavated remains can be seen. The state of play will not be solved through more authoritarian intervention from those currently in charge. Theyre people like everyone else. [132], Twenty-seven of the carvings depict animals: rabbits, dogs, a puppy biting a cat, a ewe feeding a lamb, monkeys, lions, bats, and the Early Christian motif of two doves drinking from a ewer. Following Creighton's appointment as bishop, the post of dean went to Ralph Bathurst, who had been chaplain to the king, president of Trinity College, Oxford and fellow of the Royal Society. There are bad bosses and managers in every area of human endeavour, so why not churches? Juilliard fills Roger Tappings giant shoes, Two women conductors come out for Cate Blanchetts Tar, 7/11 stores play opera to drive away the homeless. There is a sculpture of the Virgin and Christ Child above the west door. The chapter house is off the staircase to the right. View along the cloister showing the lierne vault. It is also dependent on the refinement of the architectural details, in particular the mouldings. [120] The piers have attached shafts of marble, and, with the vaults that they support, create a vista of great complexity from every angle. In 1620 an organ built by Thomas Dallam was installed at a cost of 398 1s 5d. It was repaired in 1813, and the central light was largely replaced to a design by Archibald Keightley Nicholson between 1925 and 1931. [168][169] It was restored and extended by Benjamin Ferrey between 1846 and 1854. [53] During the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell no dean was appointed and the cathedral fell into disrepair. [165] They contain with some repetition, a cartulary of possessions of the cathedral, with grants of land back to the 8th century, well before hereditary surnames developed in England, and acts of the Dean and Chapter and surveys of their estates, mostly in Somerset. [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. The Friends of Wells Cathedral have a long and happy relationship with the magnificent Willis/Harrison organ, which sits so proudly at the centre of our church. The round font in the south transept is from the former Saxon cathedral and has an arcade of round-headed arches, on a round plinth. Some emerge from their graves with joy and hope, and others with despair. The Choristers of Wells Cathedral, conducted by Jeremy Cole, recording the soundtrack to the movie 'Greenland' in a score written by David Buckley. [95], The west front is 100 feet (30m) high and 147 feet (45m) wide,[96] and built of Inferior Oolite of the Middle Jurassic period, which came from the Doulting Stone Quarry, about 8 miles (13km) to the east. [98], At the lowest level of the faade is a plain base, contrasting with and stabilising the ornate arcades that rise above it. 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. There is also an assistant organist, and often an organ scholar . [131][132] Many of the subjects carry traditional interpretations. Lock was also the builder of the north porch, to his own design. 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 Vicars Choral generally perform with the choristers, except on Wednesdays, when they sing alone, allowing them to present a different repertoire, in particular plainsong. While they were singing at the Cathedral Eucharist on Sunday 7 January, their organist, Ashley Marshfield, suddenly found that most of the organ had stopped working, and the Virgers found it was necessary to turn off the power to the main blower. During 2016-2017, he was Artistic Director of Bach at Trinity, a year-long recital series surveying the complete organ works of Bach. The pipes are made of either a tin and lead alloy, cured copper, African and/or Brazilian mahogany. The small instrument was constructed of leather, lead, wood and tin. [131] They originally numbered 90, of which 65 have survived. He will leave at. [97] According to the architectural historian Alec Clifton-Taylor, it is "one of the great sights of England". Between 1996 and 2004 the appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers was Malcolm Archer, who was the Musical Director for the Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society . [1], The large triple lancet to the nave west end was glazed at the expense of Dean Creighton at a cost of 140 in 1664. [105] Between the gables of the niches are quatrefoils that contain a series of narratives from the Bible, with the Old Testament stories to the south, above the prophets and patriarchs, and those from the New Testament to the north. The title of Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury was used until the Glastonbury claim was abandoned in 1219. A damaged figure of the Virgin and Christ Child occupies a quatrefoil in the spandrel of the door. The other windows have complete canopies, but the pictorial sections are fragmented. A substantial overhaul of the Cathedrals organs took place from 141418 and throughout the following two centuries various alterations, additions and several re-builds were carried out. There is a hierarchy of size, with the more significant figures larger and enthroned in their niches rather than standing. [131], The misericords date from 1330 to 1340. Each pier of the arcade has a surface enrichment of 24 slender shafts in eight groups of three, rising beyond the capitals to form the deeply undulating mouldings of the arches. [114] The eastern range is of two storeys, of which the upper is the library built in the 15th century. Alexander read Music as Organ Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, where he accompanied the choir in its busy schedule of services, concerts and tours. (Bert) Wheeler, clerk of works to the cathedral 19351978, had previously experimented with washing and surface treatment of architectural carvings on the building and his techniques were among those tried on the statues. The nave rises above the pitched roof of the aisle. The Secretary is Timothy Hone. The main ribs are intersected by additional non-supporting, lierne ribs, which in this case form a star-shaped pattern at the apex of the vault. [91], The exterior of Wells Cathedral presents a relatively tidy and harmonious appearance since the greater part of the building was executed in a single style, Early English Gothic. The Golden Window at the east end of the choir depicting the. The choir stalls have 19th-century stone canopies and modern embroideries commemorating bishops. The five windows of the Lady Chapel contain ancient. (202) 537-6200. During 2016-2017, he was Artistic Director of Bach at Trinity, a year-long recital series surveying the complete organ works of Bach. He has appeared as both accompanist and soloist on a number of critically-acclaimed recordings, including discs of music by Stanford, Finzi, Vaughan Williams, Cecilia McDowall and Owain Park, and also features on a recent album by the internationally-renowned vocal ensemble Voces8. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. [1], The greater part of the stone carving of Wells Cathedral comprises foliate capitals in the stiff-leaf style. The St Andrew's Cross arches seen from the transept. [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]. The login page will open in a new tab. [143], The cathedral also has a chamber organ, built by the Scottish organ-builders Lammermuir, which is normally kept in the choir but which can be moved around for services and concerts. [125] In 2010 a major conservation programme was undertaken on the Jesse Tree window. [61] Anthony Salvin took charge of the extensive restoration of the choir. Adam Wilson is Assistant Organist at Wells Cathedral, a position he took up in September 2021. He will leave at Christmas. Two in the west cloister, near the gift shop and caf, have been called sheela na gigs, i. e. female figures displaying their genitals and variously judged to depict the sin of lust or stem from ancient fertility cults. 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. To the south and east of the cathedral is the Bishop's Garden and reflecting pool. [126] Here the carving of the foliage is varied and vigorous, the springing leaves and deep undercuts casting shadows that contrast with the surface of the piers. Above the moulding spring 32 ribs of strong profile, giving an effect generally likened to "a great palm tree". [7], Its Gothic architecture is mostly inspired from Early English style of the late 12th to early 13th centuries, lacking the Romanesque work that survives in many other cathedrals. A Wells Cathedral Organist looks back 30 September 2021 By Dr Anthony Crossland My wife and I moved to Wells in September 1961 following my appointment as Assistant Organist, which carried with it free accommodation in Vicars' Close and a stipend of 200 a year. [115], In 1969, when a large chunk of stone fell from a statue near the main door, it became apparent that there was an urgent need for restoration of the west front. [119], The retrochoir extends across the east end of the choir and into the east transepts. Now more than ever,. [155], The cathedral is home to Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society (WCOS), founded in 1896. Historian John Harvey sees it as Europe's first truly Gothic structure, breaking the last constraints of Romanesque. Posted June 24, 2021. [5] Since then, some have been restored or replaced, including the ruined figure of Christ in the gable.[99]. [116][126], Carvings in the Decorated Gothic style may be found in the eastern end of the buildings, where there are many carved bosses. [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. [92] As at Chichester, there is no northern range to the cloisters. The choir has made many recordings and toured frequently, including performances in Beijing and Hong Kong in 2012. [111] A new statue of Jesus was carved for the central niche, but the two side niches now contain cherubim. Matt NichollsMatt Nicholls trained as an organist and choral conductor, has performed in the UK, Europe and China. [164] The chapter's earlier collection was destroyed during the Reformation, so that the present library consists chiefly of early printed books, rather than medieval manuscripts. Join Vimeo [94] At Wells, later changes in the Perpendicular style were universally applied, such as filling the Early English lancet windows with simple tracery, the construction of a parapet that encircles the roof, and the addition of pinnacles framing each gable, similar to those around the chapter house and on the west front. [131] New stalls were ordered when the eastern end of the choir was extended in the early 14th century. The role of cathedral organist is a salaried appointment, the organist often also serving as choirmaster. The cathedrals of England have a long history of liturgical music, often played on or accompanied by the organ. [164], Three early registers of the Dean and Chapter edited by W. H. B. Bird for the Historical Manuscripts Commissioners Liber Albus I (White Book; R I), Liber Albus II (R III) and Liber Ruber (Red Book; R II, section i) were published in 1907. This is uncommon among English cathedrals where the exterior usually exhibits a plethora of styles. The cathedral from the south east. It is regularly used for authentic accompaniment of Tudor and baroque music. Wells is the first cathedral in England to be built, from its foundation, in Gothic style. [21] The church at Wells, no longer a cathedral, had a college of secular clergy. [103] The lowest range of niches each contained a standing figure, of which all but four figures on the west front, two on each side, have been destroyed. [33] Concurrent with this work, in 132945 Joy made alterations and extensions to the choir, joining it to the Lady Chapel with the retrochoir, the latter in the Flowing Decorated style. Adam was previously Acting Assistant Master of the Music at St Marys Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh. [33], The Early English west front was commenced around 1230 by Thomas Norreys, with building and sculpture continuing for thirty years. 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