Pre-Anglican + Post-Reformation Church Treasures. Edited By Uncle Monty.

Pre-Anglican + Post-Reformation Church Treasures.
Edited By Uncles Monty

+

Historic and very rare English Church gold and silver objects

dating from the year 800 to the present day is the subject of a

major British exhibition at Goldsmiths’ Hall, close to London's

St. Paul's Cathedral, from now until July 12th, 2oo8.

Admission is free.
+

Held under the patronage of the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury

the exhibition “Treasures of the English Church: Sacred Gold and

Silver 800 to 2000” features over 330 spectacular objects from

some of the country’s grandest cathedrals and from humble parish

churches throughout England. This is the first exhibition of such

importance and scale ever to take place in the British Isles. It

will be displayed over two floors at Goldsmiths’ Hall, which will

assume an appropriately ecclesiastical atmosphere for the

occasion to complement the gravitas -of the subject matter.

+

Each piece vividly evokes the tradition, symbolism and un-

broken ritual of the Anglican Church of England through the ages.

Exhibition curator, Timothy Schroder, said: “The exhibition is

a visual record of the entire history of the English Church and it

is fascinating to see how the range and design of these precious

objects reflect the politics and theology of their times.”
.

Many of the treasures on display have until now only been seen

by a restricted audience which makes the bringing together of this

outstanding group of church gold and silver for the benefit of a larger

public an event of huge importance. Never before has it been possible

to marvel at the minute detail of the magnificent jewel-encrusted

Primate’s processional cross, graciously loaned by the

Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams.

+

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the Bodley cross that

was designed and made in 1883 by George Frederick Bodley.

Richly bejewelled it incorporates later additions namely three

sapphires and three opals which were presented to England's

Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher when he visited Australia in 1958.

+
Illustrating the glories of post-Reformation church plate, outstanding

pieces from these grandiose, sculptural altar services on loan from

the Bishop of Durham, St George’s Chapel Windsor, Christ Church

Cathedral Oxford and Rochester Cathedral represent church gold

and silver at its most opulent and flamboyant. Three magnificent

alms dishes, together with a sumptuous pair of flagons chased with

feathers, all dating from circa 1660 and loaned by St George’s

Chapel Windsor are powerful examples and clearly demonstrate the

grandeur and confident skills of 17th century gold and silversmiths.

+
Among the earliest exhibits are Archbishop Hubert Walter’s

silver-gilt chalice and paten from Canterbury Cathedral, dating

from about 1160, which were discovered in his tomb, together

with various jewels and pins which attached his pallium to his

vestment. The paten is finely engraved with the image of the

Lamb of God and is one of several interesting medieval patens

included in the exhibition. A small collection of exquisite medieval

jewellery is also featured, for example the ring belonging to William

Wykeham, the founder of New College Oxford. Other jewels exhibit-

ed, including a group from Durham Cathedral, were discovered in

bishops’ graves excavated during the 18th and 19th centuries.
+

One of the important themes of the exhibition is the role of the

Church as preserver of objects that would otherwise almost certainly

have ended up in the melting pot during the English Civil War or at

any other time simply through changes in fashion. These included

a number of secular objects which were given to churches by

pious parishioners and used for the service of Holy Communion.

Among these is a drinking cup traditionally said to have been given

by Anne Boleyn to her daughter Elizabeth I, who in turn gave it to

her physician Richard Masters. Masters duly presented the cup,

a secular drinking cup bearing the falcon badge of Anne Boleyn on

the lid, to the church of St John the Baptist in Cirencester,

where it has remained ever since.

+

Another example of an object which would not have survived

is an extremely beautiful silver-gilt mounted crystal cup dat-

ing from 1577 which was presented to a church in Shropshire

and is now preserved in Lichfield Cathedral Treasury. The

communion cup or chalice has undergone many transformations

since the Middle Ages and a large group traces the development

of its traditional and familiar form through the ages. Following the

Reformation most of the existing church plate was melted down
and re-modelled to be in keeping with the reformed religion.

The chalice adopted a more secular look with a simple conical

bowl and stem. An impressive example from Eton College,

dating from 1569-70, is a good illustration, although it is

considerably larger in size than most, perhaps

denoting the wealth of the College.

.

The Compass Rose

.

A select group of Roman Catholic recusant plate reminds the

visitor of the religious persecution which was prevalent in Eng-

land following the Reformation. These pieces are identified from

their more medieval shapes; recusant chalices can often be

dismantled so that they could be more easily hidden. They were

also usually made for liturgical practices which were not con-

sidered acceptable to the Anglican Church, and were used

secretly in private Catholic chapels, such as that at Arundel

Castle. Further interest is likewise provided by a small

group of foreign silver objects which have made their way

into English church collections. Among them is a beautiful

and unusual chalice and cruet stand plundered in the late

17th century from Cuban Catholic Church in Havana,

Cuba, which now belongs to a local parish church

in England’s Gloucestershire.

+
A gold chalice from the Roman Catholic Metropolitan

Cathedral of Liverpool dating from 1959 by Dunstan

Pruden bears a wonderful figure of Christ in Majesty and

is made from 300 wedding rings donated by widows, mak-

ing it a good example of lay piety and giving . With very

few exceptions, all the exhibits belong to churches or religious

institutions. An extraordinary number of medieval and later

treasures remain in the possession of parish churches through-

out the country and several pre-Reformation chalices and

patens are still in regular use.

+

Everyone who is interested in the rich history of the Church of

England and its enduring traditions and rituals will find this a

fascinating and absorbing exhibition, while the sheer brilliance

of workmanship of the objects, together with their historical

and social context extends its interest and appeal far beyond

the confines of personal religion and affirmed faiths. Read

about the opening visit by His Grace to this outstanding

Church exhibition by the Goldsmiths Company :

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1836

+

Faithfully, Uncle Monty.

+Branch Dividian, 2oo8.

I am set to visit the Goldsmith's

Exhibition and I may decide to then write

further about it once I have seen with my

own Anglican eyes such historic and

important Church treasures.

+

:: NEWS UPDATE ::

From Goldsmiths To Confraternity.

By Uncle Monty

+

If you love the church, much like I do, then you’ll love
Goldsmiths Hall’s Presentation of Sacred and Religious
Objects covering thirteen centuries of The English Church.

+
Display after display was impeccably presented of, inter

alia, ciboriums, flagons, pectoral crosses, patens, altar sets,

sanctuary lamps, bishops’ episcopal seals, candelabrums, and

croziers. Some 330 of such priceless objects was a splendid

feast to the eye and the mind of the faithful and non-faithful

alike. I am sure the displays are one of a kind and that view-

ing such rare church treasures all together at Goldsmiths Hall

is a once in a lifetime experience of the like not easily seen
ever again.

+

When I arrived at mid-day, over 240 other folkz had

already viewed the extraordinary exhibition, which His

Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury, had also personally

visited on the official opening day. He was greatly impressed,

I was told, and so was I. I only wish I could have photographed
some of the objects, but photographing was strictly forbidden

inside Goldsmiths Hall. Even the Hall itself was so splendid and

I also saw one of its luncheons being held under some ten huge

antique chandeliers in the finely-fitted Dinner Room that I

believe must have held at least 350 people as I looked on rather
jealously at the aristocratic and noble setting. I drooled, too, at

the befitting displays of the 1,300 year-period of the church's

astonishing objects that few clergy, laity, or the general public

could have ever hoped to see. I am so glad that I did.
+
Two days after my first encounter at Goldsmiths Hall,
I then attended The 2oo8 National Festival of the

Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament (CBS), which
upholds the Catholic Tradition -and Latin Rite
within The Anglican Church Of England.

+
The confraternity stems from The Oxford Movement

(OM) of the late 19th century. It was after John Keble had

preached his astounding "Assize Sermon on National Apostasy"
that then Cardinal John Henry Newman of Edgbaston marked

the beginning day of the famed OM on July 14th, 1833. It

should be noted that this year of 2oo8 also marks the 175th

year of the Oxford Movement that raged for generations

within and without The Church of English.
+
I photographed extensively at the CBS national festival

of its leading clerical figures primarily and that included the
Superior-General of the Confraternity, Rev'd Father Christopher

Pearson, SSC, who is pretty young at only age 41 to head such

a significant Anglican-Catholic Order. And, I also photographed

the Confraternity Host, The Most Venerable Howard Levett, 63.

But not least was the Rev'd Father Paul Gibbons, 71, The Vicar

of Maidenhead, who is noted for his teaching at St. Petersburg,

Russia, and his close and long involvement with the Russian

and Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He is also a British Justice

of the Peace or JP.
+
I also want to thank so much Verger and Sacristan John

Dilkes, a kind friend of each other’s, for permitting me to

attend the national event without prior notice after taking

note of the confraternity’s short-timed announcement in

The Church Times. I kicked myself for missing lunch at

S. Alban’s Centre. But afternoon tea was a nice treat and

so was John’s very warm and Christian greeting to me.
+
I shall, once my film-based images are developed, write

further about CBS and post with my story a number of

images of those people who I photographed including the

Festival Homilist Sr. Anne Williams of the Church Army

(CA). Don’t confuse her rank with the equally-fine

Salvation Army, mind you. My dear Salvationist friend

Eve Freeman would never forgive me if I helped in

any way to add further confusion between the two.
+
And my last word for now is that I am also pleased to have

just received an open invitation to attend the July 1st, 2oo8,

London briefing and gathering of “Global Anglicanism and

English Orthodoxy” in which The Most Rev’d Henry Orombi,

Archbishop of Uganda; The Most Rev’d Peter Jensen,

Archbishop of Sydney; and The Most Rev’d Greg Venables,

Archbishop of the Southern Cone, will be among those to attend.

Along with the formidable and noted Anglican polemicist Jim

Packer of St. John’s Shaughnessy, Canada. I look forward to

personally meeting them all and to then record them

through my photographic eye.

Truly, Uncle Monty.

+Third Sunday after Trinity, 2oo8.