Historic organ pipes auctioned to raise funds for £2m refurbishment project
Bidders are being given the chance to own a piece of York Minster’s musical heritage following the launch of an online auction of historic pipes from the cathedral’s Grand Organ.
The auction of 30 decorative case pipes has been organised to raise funds for the once-a-century, £2m project to refurbish the cathedral’s organ, which began last October and is due to be complete in autumn 2020.
The 30 pipes are part of a set of 102 which have decorated the Grand Organ’s case since 1832 and have been silent for more than 100 years, following the last major refurbishment of the instrument in 1903.
As part of the current project, the majority of the case pipes are being restored and around 70 will be brought back into musical use, but 30 were beyond economic repair and will be replaced, with the redundant historic pipes now being offered for auction.
The remaining originals are being cleaned and repainted in a chapel at the cathedral by graining and marbling specialists Robert Woodland & Son, who will also decorate the new pipes to match the originals, before the set is returned with the rest of the instrument next spring.
Neil Sanderson, Director of the York Minster Fund, said: “The auction is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to own a piece of York Minster’s musical heritage, while supporting the future of organ music at the cathedral throughout the 21st century and beyond.
“Although where possible we have tried to retain and refurbish the instrument’s original features, unfortunately around 30% of the case pipes were beyond economic repair. Three of these pipes will be kept in our historic Collection as a record of the instrument, but the remaining 30 are being offered for auction to raise funds towards the once-a-century refurbishment project.”
The case pipes being auctioned are among the oldest surviving pipes in York Minster’s Grand Organ and date from the early 1830s when a new organ was built following an arson attack in the Quire in 1829 which destroyed the previous instrument.
Originally painted green, the case pipes were updated in 1859 to the distinctive gold, green, cream and red decoration seen today.
The Minster’s Grand Organ is one of the largest cathedral organs in the country, weighing approximately 20,000kg. In total it has 5,403 pipes which range in length from the size of a pencil to 10m long.
As part of the current refurbishment project, organ specialists Harrison and Harrison removed the instrument from the cathedral in October 2018 and transported it to their workshop in Durham for repair and rebuilding.
The project includes replacing the organ’s mechanism and extensive work to clean and overhaul the instrument. A new music library is also being created underneath the organ, inside the screen which separates the cathedral’s Quire from its Nave.
The refurbished organ is due to be returned to the Minster in spring 2020, with voicing and tuning work carried out over the summer months ready for the instrument to be back in use in autumn 2020.
The auction of historic pipes will run until 12noon on Friday 27 September. For further details about the auction and refurbishment project, visit organ.yorkminster.org.
York Minster appoints Canon Missioner
On Sunday 1 September The Chapter of York announced the appointment of The Revd Canon Maggie McLean, to the new role of Canon Missioner at York Minster.
Maggie became a priest in 1994, one of the first women to be ordained in the Church of England. She is currently vicar of the Church of Christ the King Battyeford, in the town of Mirfield, in the Diocese of Leeds. Canon Maggie has held this post for over 10 years, having previously served in the dioceses of St Albans, Derby and Wakefield.
As Canon Missioner, Maggie will serve as an ambassador for York Minster, developing partnerships with Christian communities in the City of York, the Diocese of York, the Northern Province of the Church of England and with our link Dioceses in South Africa.
Each year nearly 700,000 visitors from around the world, and more locally, make their way to York Minster. Our research suggests a large proportion of those who find their way to the Minster speak of experiencing “a spiritual moment” – whether it’s through the beauty of music, architecture or the rich history that is woven into the fabric of this place. Maggie will serve alongside our existing team in supporting to develop the Minster’s response to this research.
Commenting on her appointment, Maggie said:
“I’m delighted to be making the move to York. I look forward to this new role at the Minster supporting the spirituality of everyone who finds this a significant place – and working with colleagues to share the love of God which inspired its construction”.
Welcoming Maggie to the Minster’s clergy team, The Rt Reverend Dr Jonathan Frost, Dean of York said:
“Maggie will bring great love, sensitivity, wisdom and experience to her new role. The whole Minster community looks forward to her arrival and to the gifts she will bring to us all.”
Maggie will start her new role at the Minster in November.
Northern Lights returns to York Minster by popular demand this autumn
See York Minster in a new light this autumn when the spectacular Northern Lights sound and light projection returns to the cathedral by popular demand for a seven-night run.
The installation, which is inspired by the Minster’s medieval stained glass and architecture, will be shown from Thursday 24 to Thursday 31 October, with tickets for the events going on sale this Tuesday (28 May) at 10am.
Designed by artists Ross Ashton and Karen Monid from double Guinness World Record winning company The Projection Studio, the installation originally debuted to sell-out audiences in June 2018 to raise funds to protect the Minster’s medieval stained glass.
This autumn’s events will again support the cathedral’s 20-year campaign to ensure all of its 128 mostly medieval stained glass windows have protection from the elements.
Neil Sanderson, Director of the York Minster Fund (YMF), said: “We were overwhelmed with the response to the installation when it debuted last year, not just the hugely positive reaction to the projection events but also the heartfelt support for the campaign to protect the Minster’s unrivalled collection of medieval glass.
“The events allowed people to see and interact with this spectacular building in a new way while supporting a campaign which will help ensure this amazing collection of medieval stained glass – the largest in the country – is protected for generations to come.
“We look forward to welcoming people in October to see the awe-inspiring installation and support our campaign to protect these historically important masterpieces.”
Around 60% of York Minster’s mostly medieval stained glass windows currently have no external protective glazing, leaving them exposed to the elements and subject to corrosion and decay.
In 2017, York Minster launched a 20-year partnership working with York Glaziers Trust and the YMF, to extend state-of-the-art protective glazing to these windows, to halt the decay and buy much needed time for conservation work.
The project is supported by an endowment grant of up to £1m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which means that every £1 raised by the public will be matched by the lottery fund. The funding will then be invested to generate income for the 20-year project, which will cost around £11m to complete.
Tickets for the Northern Lights events go on sale on Tuesday 28 May at 10am. There will be two performances each evening (excluding Sunday 27 October) at 7pm and 9pm, with doors opening 45 minutes before the performance. The experience will last approximately 30 minutes.
Tickets, which cost £6 in advance and £8 on the door, will be available online HERE, by calling the Box Office on 01904 557256 or from the cathedral’s admission desks.
Go behind the scenes at York Minster’s Stoneyard Open Day
Visitors will have the chance to go behind the scenes at York Minster’s Stoneyard on Friday (30 August) to see the ancient craft skills used to preserve one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals.
The annual Stoneyard Open Day invites people to visit the cathedral’s workshops to learn about the work carried out by its craftspeople to repair, restore and protect the Minster’s historic fabric, using techniques passed down through the centuries.
Pieces of stonework on show will include four recently carved grotesques produced by stonemasons to replace four weathered figures removed from the cathedral last year, which were believed to date from the late 1700s. The new carvings include a figure of St George, his legendary foe the dragon and a medieval doctor.
Visitors will also have the chance to join special tours of the Stoneyard’s plaster cast museum and the Master Mason’s drawing office, or take a trip up the South Quire Aisle scaffolding to see the stone conservation work taking place on this part of the cathedral.
Alex McCallion, York Minster’s Director of Works and Precinct, said: “Our annual Open Day always proves popular with visitors and it’s a great way for us to showcase the incredible craft skills which go into maintaining this 800-year-old building, from new stone to joinery and leadwork.
“Every stone replaced on the Minster is hand carved by our team of 15 masons and we have a rolling programme of conservation works needed to maintain the building for the next 30 years.
“Our current project, to conserve and restore the cathedral’s 14th century South Quire Aisle, involves repairing and replacing stone in 15 window bays and will take 11 years and £11m to complete. Visitors will be able to see stone being worked in our workshop as part of this project, learn about the process for identifying, templating and producing the stones to be replaced, and see the actual work undertaken so far on the South Quire Aisle.
“We will also have displays showing lead casting, joinery, wood carving as well as an interactive children’s activity area for budding heritage experts.”
The free event runs from 9am to 3pm at the Stoneyard in 4 Deangate, York. Tours of the plaster cast museum and drawing office with Master Mason John David run every hour from 10am to 2pm and no pre-booking is required – spaces will be given on the day on a first come, first served basis.
The South Quire Aisle scaffolding tours will run every 45 minutes from 9.30am to 2pm. All pre-bookable tickets for the tours between 9.30am and 12.30pm have now sold out but tickets for the tours at 1.15pm and 2pm will be available to book on the day on a first come, first served basis. Spaces are limited to 10 people per tour so early arrival is recommended to avoid disappointment. The tours are for people aged 18+ only, and health and safety restrictions apply.
The open day is part of a range of family-friendly events taking place at the Minster this summer including free games and activities in Dean’s Park and open-air cinema with Luna Cinema , from 27 – 29 August. Visit www.yorkminster.org for further details.
Service of commemoration: 75th anniversary of the Battles of Kohima and Imphal
Seven veterans of the Battle of Kohima and the Burma Campaign, widely regarded as the turning point of the land war in South East Asia (1941-1945), will lay wreaths at a service commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battles of Kohima and Imphal. The service will take place in Dean’s Park, York Minster at 11.30am on Thursday 3 July.
Organised by the Kohima Educational Trust, the service in honour of the veterans will be attended by His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG, Patron, The Kohima Educational Trust, and special guests, family members and descendants of veterans of the battle. The Dean of York, The Right Reverend Dr Jonathan Frost will preside and the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, will give an address at the service.
The seven veterans represent a generation of courageous men who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in the face of terrible aggression. The Kohima Educational Trust was set up in 2003 by these and other veterans to honour the Naga – the local people who as guides, scouts, porters and combatants – fought and died alongside them. The Trust raises funds to provide educational opportunities for Naga children, repaying the debt of honour from the past by helping to advance the future of the Naga people. The Duke of York has been Patron of the Trust since 2012.
In 1944, the Japanese Army launched the U-GO offensive, with two key aims: frustrating allied plans to re-take Burma (now Myanmar), and the invasion of India. The Japanese strategy depended on taking control of two remote jungle locations in Nagaland in the north eastern province of Assam: the town of Imphal and the garrison village of Kohima close to the India/Burma border.
Against overwhelming odds, 2,500 allied troops in Kohima withstood 15,000 Japanese troops for two weeks until they were relieved by the British 2nd Division. Their courage and bravery came at great cost. At Kohima and Imphal more than 12,500 British and Indian Troops lost their lives with another 4,000 injured. The defeat was a catastrophe for the Japanese forces with around 53,000 deaths, more than 7,000 injured and the destruction of Japan’s regional ambitions to control Burma and invade India. Historians regard the Battles of Kohima and Imphal as the beginning of the end of the war in Asia.
Commenting on the service Sylvia May, Chief Executive Officer of The Kohima Educational Trust:
“We are grateful to York Minster for allowing us to hold this annual commemoration service in their grounds, to remember those who fought and died and to think of those people in Nagaland who also gave so much. The Kohima Memorial that stands in Dean’s Park is the perfect setting for this remembrance service, attended this year by the families and descendants of the veterans who fought there.”
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu said:
“We stand together today in gratitude and in remembrance of all who served His Majesty The King at the battles of Kohima and Imphal. Kohima’s War Cemetery has the renowned inscription ‘When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us and Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave our Today’. In memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice, Father God, make us better men and women, boys and girls, and give peace in our time. Amen.”
Former Director of the York Minster Fund recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours
The Honourable Michael Benson, Director of the York Minster Fund (2007– 2016), has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours published today. The award recognises Michael’s outstanding service on behalf of York Minster.
Michael was Chief Executive Officer of York Minster Revealed, the £20 million restoration and conservation project (2011-2016), that transformed the cathedral, making it one of the most internationally renowned and visited Christian places of worship, a centre of excellence for the conservation and preservation of stained glass and a world leader in the teaching of traditional craft skills such as masonry and joinery.
Supported by a generous £10.5million grant from the National Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the landmark project included the restoration and conservation of the Minster’s 600 year-old East Front and Great East Window, the largest single expanse of medieval stained glass in the country.
Michael’s first involvement with York Minster was in 2000 when he started as a volunteer in the Development Office. This later merged into the York Minster Fund, creating an effective and fruitful partnership which raises more than a £1 million a year for the Minster.
Commenting on his MBE, Michael said:
“The award was for all those involved in the restoration of the Minster and particularly recognises the great team involved in York Minster Revealed.”
The Right Reverend Dr Jonathan Frost, Dean of York, said Michael’s oversight of the project and the York Minster Fund came at a critical phase in the Minster’s history. Jonathan said:
“Michael is a classic change-maker: effective, insightful and inspirational, with a clear vision, enormous energy and the force of personality needed to keep such a complex and important project on track. The transformative effect of York Minster Revealed will resonate for many years and the award of this MBE is testament to Michael’s part in that story.
“Today, the entire Minster Community will join in sending our prayers, our thanks and our warmest congratulations to Michael on this wonderful achievement.”
Work starts to protect 600-year-old stained glass windows as part of £11m project at York Minster
The first phase of work to protect 600-year-old stained glass windows as part of an 11 year, £11m conservation and restoration project at York Minster will start next week.
The major project to repair and maintain stone and stained glass in the cathedral’s South Quire Aisle, which dates from the late 1300s, originally began in 2016, with activity to date focusing on replacing and conserving stonework.
Specialist conservators from York Glaziers Trust are now beginning work to protect the area’s medieval stained glass, starting with the removal of two windows from the upper Clerestory level.
The windows, which date from the early 1400s and are approximately 70 feet from the ground, currently have no protection from the elements and are showing the signs of six centuries of exposure, with the glass having cracked and buckled in places allowing water in.
The work is part of a wider 20-year partnership project between York Glaziers Trust and York Minster to ensure all the cathedral’s windows, which hold the largest collection of medieval stained glass in the country, have protection from the environment.
“The windows in the South Quire Clerestory have been unprotected for 600 years and are now heavily corroded, with extensive paint loss, fire damage and even holes in places,” explains Sarah Brown, Director of York Glaziers Trust.
“The conservation work will include removing all 72 panels from both windows over the next nine months so gentle cleaning can be undertaken in our studios, any glass fractures can be repaired and the lead nets can be stabilised.
“Once complete, the panels will be returned to the Minster in late 2019 with new, state-of-the-art protective glazing to prevent further decay and preserve the irreplaceable glass for future generations.”
The windows, part of a scheme of eight, are believed to have been created between 1404 and 1414 and tell the story of the triumph of Christianity in the North of England, and the crucial role played by York Minster.
The windows were severely damaged in 1829 during a fire started deliberately in the cathedral’s Quire by local resident Jonathan Martin. The graffiti marks of the 19th-century glaziers who repaired the windows following the fire can still be seen.
The windows are two of around 70 of the cathedral’s 128 mostly medieval windows which currently have no protective glazing, leaving their glass vulnerable to corrosion and decay.
The 20-year strategic glass plan will see state-of-the-art glazing extended to all of these windows, halting the decay and buying much needed time for conservation work. Funding for the £11m project has been kick-started with an endowment grant of up to £1m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), which will be invested to create a regular source of income for the 20-year work.
The grant means that since the fundraising campaign launched in 2018, every £1 raised by the public and the YMF has been matched by the NLHF.
To help reach the £1m target and generate further funding for the project, the awe-inspiring Northern Lights sound and light projection will return to the cathedral by popular demand in October this year for a week-long run. The installation debuted in June last year playing to sell out audiences across two nights.
Tickets for the events, which will run from 24 to 31 October, are on sale from HERE
York Minster reveals emerging draft Neighbourhood Plan proposals
York Minster reveals emerging draft Neighbourhood Plan proposals
A new public square dedicated to Her Majesty the Queen – the first in the city of York in nearly 200 years – is one of the proposals in the emerging draft Neighbourhood Plan for the York Minster Precinct, published for consultation today.
Queen Elizabeth Square is part of a wider city initiative to improve Duncombe Place at the Minster’s west front by creating a new civic space for York and a ceremonial space for the county.
The new square will be pedestrianised and landscaped to provide a pleasant seating area for visitors, creating a comfortable and safe protected space where people can gather for major events such as Christmas markets and other activities. Access for local residents, businesses and the taxi rank will be retained.
A life-sized statue of the Queen, will be installed on one of the empty niches at the front of the Minster. Honouring her long reign on the throne, the statue will be carved by a stone mason from the Minster’s internationally renowned Stoneyard.
Queen Elizabeth Square is among the proposals in Phase 1 of the Neighbourhood Plan. The other key developments include:
- a new café and outdoor seating on the south side of the Minster
- a new ticket office and welcome centre for visitors
- a dedicated cycle path at Deangate allowing for safer segregation of cyclists and pedestrians
- a sensory garden with access to the ancient city walls
- improving storage capacity and back of house facilities for the Minster’s operations.
Phase 2 of the plan will focus on enhancements in education and learning with investment in the Minster School and the Old Palace to make it a centre of excellence for education, learning and as a museum space.
Last May, York Minster launched a public consultation on the future development and use of the buildings and land within the Minster boundaries. 290 responses were received and the feedback was used to develop and refine the proposals in the Neighbourhood Plan published today.
Commenting on the consultation, Alex McCallion, Director of Works and Precinct at York Minster said the emerging Neighbourhood Plan was the result of detailed collaboration with the Minster’s immediate neighbours, the wider local community and statutory bodies including City of York Council and Historic England. Alex said:
“The future of the Minster Precinct is hugely important to many people, particularly to those who live and work in the neighbourhood. An early outcome from last year’s consultation was the establishment of a neighbourhood forum to ensure that any proposals are viable, sustainable and appropriate for the precinct and the local area.
“The York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Forum was formally adopted by City of York Council in March. Chaired by local resident Mark Calvert, the forum is now 39 strong and will ensure the Neighbourhood Plan is community-led.”
Alex added that the proposals for Queen Elizabeth Square at Duncombe Place – a city wide initiative – will completely transform the public space at the west end of the Minster. He explained:
“The draft Neighbourhood Plan has become the catalyst for one of the most significant and exciting civic improvement projects anywhere in the country. This is a tremendous opportunity for the city of York to create an outstanding and accessible new public square that draws people to the space and is sympathetic to the city’s history and heritage.”
You can view all the proposals, and ask questions, in person on Friday and Saturday or online from Friday afternoon here. The online feedback survey will also be available from there until Sunday 10 June 2019.
Chair of the York Crown Nominations Commission appointed
The Prime Minister has appointed Joëlle Warren, MBE, DL as Chair of the York Crown Nominations Commission, Downing Street has announced today.
Joëlle Warren serves as Her Majesty’s Vice Lord-Lieutenant for Cheshire, Chair of Cheshire Community Foundation, and served 10 years on the Board of Manchester Metropolitan University, latterly as Vice Chair. She began her business career in banking before founding the executive search firm, Warren Partners, in 1999. She is a Member of the North West Business Leadership Team and the CBI’s Enterprise Forum. Joëlle is actively involved in her local church and in wider work for the Church of England nationally.
Joëlle was appointed MBE in January 2016 for her Services to Business.
The Crown Nominations Commission was established by the Church of England’s General Synod in February 1977. Its function is to nominate new Diocesan Bishops for appointment by The Queen. In the case of appointments to the Archbishoprics of Canterbury and York, the Commission is chaired by an independent person who is a communicant member of the Church of England and not ordained. For the appointment of the Archbishop of York it is a requirement that the Chair should be resident in the Northern Province.
Commenting on her appointment, Joëlle said: “I am honoured to have been asked to take on this role by the Prime Minister, and am humbled to lead the Crown Nomination Commission in its prayerful consideration of the next Archbishop of York.
“I look forward to playing my part in finding the person called by God to this ministry at this time.”
A new role for York Minster’s Canon Precentor
The Reverend Canon Peter Moger, who has been Canon Residentiary and Precentor of York Minster since 2010, has been appointed to a post in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Peter will be the Episcopalian (Anglican) priest on the Island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. He will be based in Stornoway, the largest town of the Western Isles of Lewis and Harris. Peter will have responsibility for two churches: St Peter’s, Stornoway and St Moluag’s, Eoropie.
The exact date of Peter and his wife Heather’s move to Lewis is still to be confirmed as there are some practical matters still to be arranged. However, they hope to move from York in the Autumn.
Commenting on his new role, Peter said:
“This post represents an enormous change—from the Church of England to the Scottish Episcopal Church, and from cathedral to local church ministry—but carries exciting challenges and possibilities. The Western Isles have a rich historic tradition of Christian faith and worship. It will be a privilege to be a part of that, following God’s call to share with the people of St Peter’s and St Moluag’s in ministry and mission to local communities and to the many visitors to the islands.”
Gender pay gap report 2018
The Chapter of York today published its gender pay gap report for the 256 full and part-time members of staff employed at York Minster at 5 April 2018.
The Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017, requires employers with 250 or more employees (including those who are self-employed), to publish statutory calculations every year showing how large the pay gap is between their male and female employees. The data is collected on 5 April each year.
Commenting on the 2018 report, the Right Reverend Dr Jonathan Frost, Dean of York said:
“We are proud of our commitment to equity of pay as well being an Accredited Living Wage employer and our figures reinforce our commitment to all forms of equality including gender equality. Nevertheless, it is our aim to maintain this level of gender pay equality and commit to conducting regular reviews of policies and procedures to further promote equality and inclusivity for all.”
Full report available here
New Head Teacher for The Minster School
The appointment of Mrs Angela Mitchell, currently Head Teacher of Ralph Butterfield Primary School, Haxby, York, as Head Teacher of The Minster School, was today confirmed by the Dean and Chapter of York. Founded in 627 AD, The Minster School is a co-educational independent day school for children aged 3-13 years.
The Dean of York, Dr Jonathan Frost, commented:
“As a Governing Body we looked to appoint a new Head Teacher who shares our commitment to excellence in academic progress, outstanding cultural enrichment and to a vibrant school community informed by generous Christian values.
“I am delighted, therefore, to announce Angela’s appointment as Head Teacher. With over 14 years’ experience in headship, Angela is exceptionally well placed to take these priorities forward. Angela will come to us from Ralph Butterfield where her inspirational leadership, professional drive and commitment to the flourishing of each child has been recognised by OFSTED in an ‘Outstanding’ rating for the school.”
Commenting on her new role Angela Mitchell said:
“First and foremost, I am a Head Teacher who places the greatest importance on knowing each pupil in my school. Nurturing, caring for and developing every child so that they are motivated and engaged in learning is a very high priority for me.
“I am under no illusion that this will be a challenging role but I have the experience and leadership skills to make a very positive difference to The Minster School and lead it into an exciting future.”
Angela will start her new role in September.