victorian splendour

[stuck]

Today we visited Fountians Abbey (again) but this time we were able to visit the church that is situated within the deer park, St Mary's. We'd wanted to see inside the church the last time we were there but it's only open Easter to September and we were there before Easter so it was locked up. Our interest was because the architect (Burges) was also responsible for the chapel at stuckling 2's college in Oxford. We weren't disappointed, the picture doesn't do it justice.

As a bonus, there was someone playing the organ when we arrived and when stuckling 2 started asking him about the instrument it wasn't long before he was asked if he wanted to play something, so he did. He launched into a piece by Bach that he'd played as part of the recital he'd given at the Buxton Festival a few weeks ago. He did make a couple of slips but they didn't count because he was playing from memory, he hadn't played the piece since the recital and he was wearing his walking boots (somewhat blunt instruments for playing the pedals)

Ken

[HansV]

Loevely (both the photo and the story)!

[John Gray]

That Burges lad really got about a bit! He did Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch in the same place, the Town Hall (Maison Dieu) in Dover, plus a whole variety of buildings round England, Wales and Ireland.

I would class St Mary's as grossly over-decorated, but that was the Victorian way.

PS Stuckling 2 could have removed his walking boots to play the organ!

[stuck]

...I would class St Mary's as grossly over-decorated...

Only the chancel is 'over-decorated', the nave is quite plain. It seems the money didn't run to decorating the whole interior.

Meanwhile in Oxford, the college chapel is completely smothered. Burges was also supposed to restyle the college dining hall but the money ran out.

Ken

[Rudi]

I would have loved to had been there to hear that "recital". To stand in a cathedral and hear an organ pipe out; it's notes echoing off the high decorated ceilings and passing through ones mortal body must have been magical, heavenly and quite a moment to remember. Even more special to know that the source of this spiritual moment is from ones son. Another proud moment for you Ken.

[stuck]

...a cathedral...

This church is just a regular sized parish church. It is still used for services but it is mainly a tourist attraction as it is sits within the grounds of a National Trust property. When it is open there are regular volunteer guides present that explain about the history and the decoration of the building and as we discovered on some days, a volunteer organist plays quietly for about an hour in the afternoon.

...notes ... passing through ones mortal body...

stuckling2 didn't get the memo about playing quietly so he (literally) pulled out all the stops and let rip. While he was playing, one of the volunteer guides, an elderly lady, commented to me that, "The volunteer organists usually play gently when there are visitors looking round." After the briefest of pauses she added, "but he does seem to be enjoying himself." She and the other volunteer guide, another elderly lady, then retreated outside

Ken

[HansV]

Great story!

[John Gray]

Certainly you can say that he got the guides organised!

[StuartR]