Singing from the rooftops

I have two choristers in my family and my daughter's early love of singing in churches and cathedrals has meant that as a family we have visited many beautiful historic buildings as she was growing up. Her passion for this type of music has led my husband Richard to also join a choir, and this morning he was up bright and early to sing on the tower of St Peter's Church in Dorchester to celebrate Ascension Day.

 According to Richard's i-phone he climbed 6 flights of stairs, and it is thanks to him that I have these beautiful photographs to share, without having to make the climb myself!

Ascension Day is a public holiday in many parts of Europe, but unfortunately he has to work today, but he certainly has had a good start to his day. Singing followed by bacon butties has put him in a very good mood! 

The St Peter's Church choir has recently said goodbye to a dedicated choir master, Alan Hallett, who retired after 30 years of service. The church is now looking to appoint a new leader for their choir and currently have several people who are interested. This is very positive news for the town as the church choir has an excellent reputation and offers two annual chorister scholarships to pupils from Thomas Hardy School.

My daughter has recently moved to Stratford-Upon-Avon and has joined the choir of Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried.  Very recently the town held the 400th anniversary celebrations which included a choral compline which was sung around his grave. The candlelit occasion held towards midnight, allowed visitors to pass by Shakespeare's grave, giving them the opportunity for quiet reflection after the very busy weekend.

Vacant Vicar

Both my husband and my daughter sing in the choir at St Peter's Church in Dorchester. My daughter recently enjoyed singing with the other choir members at the top of the tower at 7a.m on Ascension Day. My husband had work as excuse, he would of enjoyed being accompanied by 3 trombones at a great height I am sure!
My daughter said it was higher than she expected, and would have liked it to have been a bit warmer, but still enjoyed the enthusiasm of the choir.
The Vicar of St Peter's has now left Dorchester, to take up her new role at Exeter Cathedral. I attended her installation service. I am not sure what they do there to celebrate Ascension Day, I will have to ask her, when I next visit.

Visitors attending the service were permitted to sit within the quire area. It was good to see that so many visitors from Dorchester had travelled to support Vicky in her new surroundings. There were so many visitors that the Cathedral wardens had to put out extra chairs!

I enjoyed visiting Exeter, and due to the timing of the service it gave me an opportunity to indulge in a bit of shopping.
I was tempted by the new Apple i-watch, but decided perhaps I would struggle with reading the very small font!

I enjoy new technology, and today I have been using a new app' on my i-phone. I installed Periscope a few weeks ago. Periscope offers the opportunity to stream live video to a list of followers. The audience can then interact with the film by adding comments. I discovered that Exeter Cathedral were using it, so I followed them.

Today I had a notification flash up on my screen to say that Exeter Cathedral were streaming live. I was then able to watch a short film about 'The Exeter Book' also known as Codex Exoniensis which is an anthology of anglo saxon poetry. I am finding there is no limit to the endless potential of new technology! I am an addict!
I was also able to listen to Vicky's first sermon from the Cathedral as they are recorded.

So perhaps the new Vicar of St Peters may be using an i-watch to time the sermons! The job is now advertised in the Church Times, here is the link:- Team Vicar vacancy in Dorchester.

Link to St Peter's Facebook Page where you can see the photo's from Ascension Day and listen to Vicky's Sermon.

Joseph Damer the past and the future

A new school has been announced for Poundbury in Dorchester. It is to replace Damers 1st school in Damers Road. This is great news for the children of Dorchester, and for parents who may be considering buying property in Poundbury.

I visited Milton Abbas on Sunday morning, for a walk in the warm sunshine. The road to Milton Abbas had water bubbling up though the cracks, and the flood signs were still in place. The path to the Abbey was obviously muddy, but thankfully I was wearing the right shoes!

I have visited the Abbey before, for an ordination service. My daughter was only about 8 or 9 years old when she was singing regularly in a church choir. The choir was asked to sing at the service and I remember taking her there, and being quite unprepared for the length of the proceedings!

Whilst it was a very important occasion for the clergy, I had not quite prepared myself or my daughter for a long and very chilly evening!

This Sunday morning the Abbey was empty. It was obviously suffering from damp issues. The heating was on,  I imagine to combat this, so on this visit it was warm inside.

I noticed the sculptured tomb pictured above. It was the burial place of Joseph and Caroline Damer. Joseph Damer or Lord Milton 1st Earl of Dorchester as he later became, was responsible for having the whole of Milton Abbas village relocated!

In 1773 the village used to be called Middleton, but Joseph had it all demolished and rebuilt in it's present location. He did not want the villagers living  too close to his new big grand house.

He enlisted 'Capability' Brown to help him. His house is now Milton Abbey School a co-educational boarding and day school for students aged from 13-18.

Change happens for many reasons. Damers 1st school will be re-located, just as Middleton was many years previously.

 My daughter still sings in a choir, she is in fact studying for a music degree. She remembers having very cold feet at Milton Abbey but it obviously did not  put her off!

Link to news article about the new school at Poundbury (from Dorset Echo)

Link to Damers First School

Link to the history of Milton Abbey School

Link to the choir that my daughter is now a member of.