Wells Cathedral DoM resigns

[Keraulophone]

…after only two years. https://slippedisc.com/2022/05/wells...f-music-quits/

Could be trouble at t’mill…. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articl...iness-and-fear
.

[Serial_Apologist]

…after only two years. https://slippedisc.com/2022/05/wells...f-music-quits/

Could be trouble at t’mill…. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articl...iness-and-fear
.

"A feeling of heaviness when entering the cathedral" - how sad, remembering as I do the friendly vibe that was always present whenever I visited there in the 1970s and '80s.

[Ein Heldenleben]

"A feeling of heaviness when entering the cathedral" - how sad, remembering as I do the friendly vibe that was always present whenever I visited there in the 1970s and '80s.

Going back to when those Cathedrals were built you were supposed to feel fear on entering it then The only cathedral that has ever really given me the creeps is Santiago de Compestela - it’s so dark and gloomy . When I made a banal remark about all the tombstones of dead priests in a cloister a Basque friend with me remarked “Yep , all fascists every one of them.”

[Serial_Apologist]

Going back to when those Cathedrals were built you were supposed to feel fear on entering it then The only cathedral that has ever really given me the creeps is Santiago de Compestela - it’s so dark and gloomy . When I made a banal remark about all the tombstones of dead priests in a cloister a Basque friend with me remarked “Yep , all fascists every one of them.”

Yet for all its doom and gloominess, there is (or, for me at any rate, used to be) something of a cocoon-like cosiness at Wells which maybe had to do with scale. It had little of the feeling of human belittlement before the shrivelling immensity of a deity one feels in for example Durham or York, which the architects (sic) of the later Perpendicular sought literally to lighten - the Victorians overlooked that! Or for that matter the overwhelming soul-crushing ornateness of the Baroque.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yet for all its doom and gloominess, there is (or, for me at any rate, used to be) something of a cocoon-like cosiness at Wells which maybe had to do with scale. It had little of the feeling of human belittlement before the shrivelling immensity of a deity one feels in for example Durham or York, which the architects (sic) of the later Perpendicular sought literally to lighten - the Victorians overlooked that! Or for that matter the overwhelming soul-crushing ornateness of the Baroque.

Intimate Cathedrals , abbeys etc -
Indeed Wells , also Exeter , Westminster Abbey , Norwich

Ever so slightly intimidating ones
York Minister , Westminster Cathedral , St Pauls , Durham

Borderline
Canterbury

[ardcarp]

No I didn't edit the above...I pressed the wrong button.

My own take on: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articl...iness-and-fear

Why has 'safeguarding' become (a) such a buzz word and (b) so vague about who need to be kept safe from whom?

I'd add that Wells was my wife's family's 'home' cathedral, and the Boxing Day carol service was always an important event.
As visitors, albeit on home territory, we always felt a warm welcome and a friendly atmosphere. Is the latest thing all down to far, far,, far too much bureaucracy?

[Ein Heldenleben]

No I didn't edit the above...I pressed the wrong button.

My own take on: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articl...iness-and-fear

Why has 'safeguarding' become (a) such a buzz word and (b) so vague about who need to be kept safe from whom?

I'd add that Wells was my wife's family's 'home' cathedral, and the Boxing Day carol service was always an important event.
As visitors, albeit on home territory, we always felt a warm welcome and a friendly atmosphere. Is the latest thing all down to far, far,, far too much bureaucracy?

When you read the very interesting report in the Church Times it seems much more to do with the atmosphere in the church houses where the lay employees live. Just guessing but when your home is linked to your job that really raises the stakes.
Shades of Trollope and The Warden ?

[teamsaint]

When you read the very interesting report in the Church Times it seems much more to do with the atmosphere in the church houses where the lay employees live. Just guessing but when your home is linked to your job that really raises the stakes.
Shades of Trollope and The Warden ?

A few years ago I had a reliable contact at Wells in a management position. The property portfolio was apparently a shambles one way or another.

[ardcarp]

Some cathedrals do get themselves into a mess. At a certain cathedral not far from me, the Dean, a little while ago became so unpopular that a Bishop's 'special inquiry' (I think that was what it was called) was held and the Dean resigned. I still think it has something to do with modern trends towards over-management, too much bureaucracy, and left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. It's not just cathedrals. It can and does happen in schools and colleges...and no doubt many other institutions.

It is extraordinary that individuals, who once enjoyed their jobs because they liked doing them, so often become over-burdened with box-ticking and overbearing management styles. They suffer from stress, disillusionment and sometimes quit. I know several in the teaching profession who have done just that. I feel very lucky to have been self-employed for the past forty or so years, mainly in a sphere that I love....music.

To redress the balance a bit, I must mention that my eldest grand-daughter, nearly 24, recently began a new job in a company where the CEO makes it his first priority to look after his staff happiness and welfare, closely followed by that of his customers. It's a big nationwide company...but there seem to be few who follow his example.

[mopsus]

A few years ago I had a reliable contact at Wells in a management position. The property portfolio was apparently a shambles one way or another.

There was a move to sell off the Bishop's Palace (only a part of which is occupied by the Bishop) about 10 years ago, before the most recent Bishop arrived. Currently the Old Deanery adjoining the west green in front of the Cathedral is up for sale https://search.savills.com/property-...bclrscos180157 and the diocesan offices are being moved elsewhere.

While the Cathedral is the responsibility of the Dean, it can't help that there hasn't been an active diocesan Bishop for nearly two years (Peter Hancock was on sick leave, then retired, and the Bishop of Taunton has been holding the reins. A new appointment has just been announced.)

[ardcarp]

I'm always amused by the ranking of bishops, i.e.

The bishop [of Bath and Wells] is one of two (the other is the Bishop of Durham) who escort the sovereign at the coronation.

I guess this goes back to very fond memories of my father-in-law who had certain catch-phrases for any occasion. When answering the phone he would either say, "Bishop of Bath and Wells" or "Gaslight and coke company". This totally bemused anyone who was not a family member or friend.

[cat]

Those two bishops supported the first king of England (Edgar) at his coronation in Bath, they were the most powerful bishops of the time from Northumbria and Wessex, aside from Dunstan who was AoC and organised the ceremony.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm always amused by the ranking of bishops, i.e.

I guess this goes back to very fond memories of my father-in-law who had certain catch-phrases for any occasion. When answering the phone he would either say, "Bishop of Bath and Wells" or "Gaslight and coke company". This totally bemused anyone who was not a family member or friend.

This reminds me of something similar that someone quite famous mentioned doing. Was it John Betjamen, I wonder?

[LeMartinPecheur]

I'm always amused by the ranking of bishops, i.e.

I guess this goes back to very fond memories of my father-in-law who had certain catch-phrases for any occasion. When answering the phone he would either say, "Bishop of Bath and Wells" or "Gaslight and coke company". This totally bemused anyone who was not a family member or friend.

I've always found "XXX Home for the Criminally Insane", where XXX is my current place of residence, works quite well. Haven't used it lately but reckon "Salopia Home for the Criminally Insane" has a very nice ring to it

[ardcarp]