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FRIENDS of ARUNDEL CATHEDRAL

CORNERSTONE Autumn 2012

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Dear Friends In preparation for the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, and at the instigation of Bishop Kieran, many of us are revisiting the documents of Vatican II, concentrating in the first instance on the ‘restoration’ of the liturgy as set out in Sacrosanctum Concilium.This document includes a section on Sacred Art and Church Furnishings, but perhaps surprisingly does not make specific reference to architecture.Whereas in the section on Church Music Gregorian chant is singled out as particularly appropriate to the Roman liturgy, there is no suggestion that any one architectural style is preferable to another. One cannot help thinking, however, that when the young Duke Henry first discussed the proposed church in Arundel with his architect, Joseph Hansom, he felt instinctively that the Gothic style represented most effectively ‘conformity with the faith, true religion and faithfully preserved traditional laws’.

It is clear that Hansom, a Catholic architect who with his brother Charles and sons Henry and Joseph specialised in church buildings, was sensitive to the contribution that architecture and design could make to liturgy and worship.This is evident not only in the overall form and style of the Cathedral, but in the decoration. Hansom’s son Joseph worked with him at Arundel, and his notes, opposite, suggesting subjects for the ambulatory windows, typify the architects’ knowledge of, and concern with, the liturgy: ‘Mass - as adoration in the elevation - as spiritual nourishment in Communion - as reparation in the requiem - as symbolised in the old burnt offering - as initiated in the last supper - as consummated on the cross’ This treatment of a building as a sequence of lessons in stone and glass, ‘visible signs employed by the sacred Liturgy for the signifying of invisible divine realities’, as Sacrosanctum Concilium puts it, is a defining characteristic of a true place of worship.

We are fortunate to have such a building as our Cathedral, and conscious of our responsibility to maintain it.

So this issue of Cornerstone, while celebrating Hansom’s designs, focuses on the programme of works that will be necessary to undertake in the next few years.

Oliver Hawkins Editor

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THE QUINQUENNIAL REVIEW Every five years the Diocese commissions an in-depth review of the Cathedral and its associated buildings, in order to plan an effective programme of maintenance and repair. The 2012 Quinquennial Review has just been produced

by Antony Feltham-King of St Ann’s Gate Architects, and it will be of interest to the Friends of Arundel Cathedral to know what kind of works are going to be necessary.

The Review begins with reference to the major works recently undertaken: the replacement of the fleche spire, and the refurbishment of St Mary’s Hall, now the Cathedral Centre. Both these works were expensive, and in both cases the Friends were able to make significant contributions to the costs. Details of the fleche project have been given in a previous issue of Cornerstone. Suffice it to say that the structure is now secure, and the Cathedral bell can be heard summoning the faithful. The refurbishment of the Hall is also complete, and many Friends will have seen the improvements at our AGM held there in October.

The bulk of the Review consists of very detailed analysis of all aspects of the Cathedral and other buildings, key aspects of which are outlined below.

Expenditure is expected to be around £96,000 per annum, and it is gratifying to know that almost half of this is covered by the annual grant made by the Friends.

Cathedral Roofs Unsurprisingly the Cathedral’s roofs are described in the Review as a continuing source of anxiety, in relation to their long-term future and day-to-day maintenance.

Part of the problem is the need to keep the gutters clear; another is the need to discourage the pigeon population. Both these issues are being addressed. As far as the slates themselves are concerned a programme of ‘patch and mend’ is proposed, on the basis that the original Cornish slates can be expected to last for another ten years or possibly longer.

Masonry Repairs to the exterior Bath stone masonry carried out in the 1970s and 1980s appear to be holding up well. The most visible signs of deterioration are parts missing from some of the decorative finials and pinnacles. Although these losses are not significant in structural terms they do affect the appearance of the building, so although not scheduled for immediate action is hoped that in the longer term a programme of repair and replacement will be carried out.

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Also planned for the longer term is a major restoration of the West front of the Cathedral, described in the Review as a ‘tour de force’, and undoubtedly the building’s most impressive elevation. This work is likely to be the most expensive of any proposed, at an estimated cost of £100,000.

Windows The Cathedral’s stained glass windows are among its chief glories, but even the plain, undecorated windows along the North and South aisles are beginning to need attention. A programme for re-leading is proposed, tackling one window at a time, at an estimated cost of £75,000 for the whole work.

Lighting The Review reports that the lighting scheme installed in 1999 made use of what was then the best available technology. It points out, however, that the tungsten bulbs have a limited life expectancy, and are of course extremely laborious to replace. Rapid developments over the last few years in LED (light emitting diode) technology mean that a changeover to that system should be investigated, bearing in mind the need to reproduce the warm colour temperature of the existing lamps, and for the visual impact of the lamps, particularly when unlit, to be acceptable.

VAT Additional to the costs of the works outlined above will be a substantial tax liability. It seems iniquitous that VAT is levied on repairs and maintenance of historic buildings, while new buildings of any kind remain untaxed. It is as though we were fined for protecting our architectural heritage: if the works listed in the Review go ahead as costed, we will be paying over £73,000 in VAT. Ministers acknowledge the injustice of the system, but in the present economic climate it is unlikely that anything will change. All the more reason then to make sure that wherever possible gifts to the Friends benefit from Gift Aid.

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS On Sunday 9 December at 6pm there will be Advent Vespers with the Bishop in the Cathedral, with beautiful music and interesting readings. A feature of the service is the arrangement of pews facing each other in collegial fashion, which gives the audience a surprisingly fresh perspective on the building. There is no charge for this event, so tickets are not required. A collection for the Friends will be taken at the end.

On Saturday 2 March all energetic Friends are invited to join a working party clearing and tidying the London Road cemetery. Do come along, preferably with gardening gloves, any time after 10am.

A summer meeting and celebration is planned for 30 June; further details will be available in due course.

GUIDED TOURS OF THE CATHEDRAL We are always delighted to welcome visitors to the Cathedral, particularly when the visit takes the form of a pilgrimage or act of worship. We have recently had a visit from a large group of children and teachers from St Francis of Assisi School in Crawley, which began with a mass celebrated by their own priest, and then involved a tour of the Cathedral and a lively questions-and-answers session (as a guide I can say what a positive experience it is to be cross-examined by a group of bright ten-year-olds). Shortly afterwards we had a pilgrimage from our neighbours in Chichester, many of whom had walked the whole way, managing by extremely skilful path-finding to avoid virtually all roads. Their service was held in the newly refurbished Cathedral Centre, which provides a good base for larger groups needing rest and refreshment.

Guided tours can be as short or as in-depth as a group requires. There is no charge.

Groups with their own priests are of course welcome, but otherwise some visitors might like to take advantage of the 10am weekday (other than Mondays) mass, as a start to their tour. Arrangements can be made through the Cathedral Office, 01903 882297.

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The Friends of Arundel Cathedral registered as a company Limited by guarantee and not having a share capital (No 3792834) Registered Charity No 1078149 The Friends’ Office, Cathedral House, Parsons Hill Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9AY Telephone: 01903 884567 Email: aruncathfriends@btconnect.com