Wells Cathedral’s clock is to feature in a new campaign by the Association of English Cathedrals (AEC) showcasing the treasures and glories of Britain’s cathedrals this winter.
Wells Cathedral’s clock is to feature in a new campaign by the Association of English Cathedrals (AEC) showcasing the treasures and glories of Britain’s cathedrals this winter.
A social media campaign by the Association of English Cathedrals (AEC) based on a new publication Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales, is highlighting 50 remarkable artefacts in the care of our nation’s cathedrals.
Launched on 21 November 2022, the campaign highlights one treasure every day for 50 days, and will culminate with the launch of a competition to name Britain’s favourite cathedral treasure on Heritage Treasures Day, 11 January 2023.
The AEC’s #CathedralTreasures campaign for Advent and Christmas is based on the latest volume by Janet Gough, OBE, author, lecturer and advisor on historic churches and cathedrals, which tells the story of the treasures from 44 Church of England cathedrals and six cathedrals from the Church in Wales, each one chosen by the Dean or senior clergy of the cathedral featured.
Our treasure, the Cathedral’s astronomical clock, will be revealed on day 2 – and we need your likes and shares to get it in the top ten for Britain’s favourite!
The clock will sit alongside an Anglo Saxon portable sundial, the Magna Carta, a pair of 15th century pilgrim boots, a pre-Raphaelite painted altarpiece and the first Bible in the Welsh Language – just some of the 50 remarkable artefacts cared for and preserved by cathedrals in England and Wales.
Together the treasures span over 1,000 years of history, from Ripon Cathedral’s ancient crypt of St Wilfrid established in 672 AD (the oldest building of any English cathedral still is use today), to the Newport Cathedral Rood; a modern work of art by Singaporean artist Tay Swee Siong, installed at the end of the first national lockdown in 2020.
The campaign revels in this latest illustrated volume by Janet Gough, a lecturer and advisor on historic churches and cathedrals, which tells the story of the treasures from 44 Church of England cathedrals and six cathedrals from the Church in Wales — each one chosen by the Dean or senior clergy of the cathedral featured.
Janet Gough, the author of Deans’ Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales, said:
“This beautifully illustrated paperback pays homage to the generations of craftspeople responsible for creating and maintaining cathedrals as we know them today.”
“The 50 treasures also bear witness to centuries of Christianity and cathedrals as places of worship glorified by artistic expression – here in rood screens, crosses and liturgical items. These local and national treasures are a vital part of our heritage, testifying to the powerful and enduring links between cathedrals and the wider communities of which they are part.”
“The histories and architecture of our cathedrals have been documented and described in many ways by many people over the years in books of all shapes and sizes. But here their stories are revealed afresh in the voice of the cathedral Dean who treasures it.”
The book, ‘Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales’, is available to purchase in the Cathedral Shop or online here, and is the perfect Christmas gift for any loved ones with a thirst for history — get your’s while stocks last!