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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The Compass Rose
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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.
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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.
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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 :
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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.
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:: NEWS UPDATE ::
From Goldsmiths To Confraternity.
By Uncle Monty
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Gone Now Are They Forevermore.
The first thing I bumped into at Abney Park was the un-
To check the names of other eminent Victorians
Police Constable Wm. Frederick Tyler (his gravesite
I may add more to this story of Abney
