Please send in reports and photographs of your Ely 900 event to Val Robson, the Diocesan Communications Officer, Val Robson, to be included on this page. Many thanks - Val Robson
Reports and photos of Ely 900 events
Cockleshell Heroes and Heroines - Ecumenical Pilgrimage Walk to ElyArchdeaconry of Cambridge Church Music Society festival
Diocesan Pilgrimage to the Holy Land report - May 2009
Exhibition at St Paul's Cambridge celebrating Ely 900
Denny Abbey: Celebration Service
Hildersham: Songs of Praise in a Tepee
Burwell: Carnival
Gamlingay: St. Mary the Virgin Traditional Summer Fete
Upwood St Peter's Flower Festival
"Children of the World" - Praise Party celebrating Ely 900
Outwell: Last traditional eel catcher delivers eels to Bishop
"Drop in for Afternoon Tea" at Beachamwell
Cambridge Antiquarian Society: Ely 1109 - 2009 Celebrating 900 Years - report by Janet Perrett
Balsham: Complete reading of the Bible
Bishop of Ely visits Biggin Abbey for first time in over 500 years
Musical premieres celebrate Ely's 900 years
Cockleshell Heroes and Heroines - Ecumenical Pilgrimage Walk to Ely
Pilgrimage Walkers 18th July 2009
To mark Ely Cathedral’s 900th anniversary, the Parish of the Ascension in Cambridge held an Ecumenical Pilgrimage Walk from Cambridge to Ely on Saturday 18th July – a mercifully dry and mostly sunny day, sandwiched between days of summer cloudbursts.
13 people set out from St Giles’ Church, Cambridge at 7.00 a.m., joined by a 14th a couple of bridges downstream. More joined the walk at Clayhithe and Upware; and one or two peeled off at these points to collect or meet up with other Pilgrims.
Walkers approaching Ely
A small team of parishioners was waiting at the cathedral, to offer the pilgrims guided tours. Twenty one Pilgrims arrived at Ely Cathedral just before 3.00 p.m. and there followed a service of welcome and prayer led by Canon Alan Hargrave during which all were able to move from place to place around the cathedral, renewing baptismal vows, lighting candles and praying, listening to Gospel readings and cathedral history and receiving a final blessing.
Of the 21 walkers, twelve had done the full 18 miles – with not a blister or a sprain among them. Philipa, our Rector, led barnstormingly from the front and all kept going determinedly, some finding time nevertheless to hunt for bugs and butterflies along the way.
The pilgrims did not arrive empty-handed. The Rector recently has opened a refuge for ex-battery hens in a corner of her garden. As gifts to their Lordships the Bishop of Ely and the Bishop of Huntingdon from the Ascension Pilgrims two neatly packaged new laid eggs were carried the full distance and delivered to the bishops, along with presentation scrolls . . . go to the Bishop of Huntingdon’s blog to read the sequel!
Sheila Rozeik
Archdeaconry of Cambridge Church Music Society festival
One hundred singers from church choirs in the Archdeaconry of Cambridge gathered in Kings College Chapel, Cambridge on Saturday 12th September to sing "Blessings", a special Festival Evensong. The Revd Canon David Pritchard conducted the choirs on a beautiful late summer afternoon. Local choir directors Elizabeth Sotheran (St John's, Hills Road), Iverna Moss and Peter Hall (Fowlmere) contributed music reflecting the theme. Paul Bryan's stirring tune for the Millennium Hymn concluded the service. The remaining music was by composers connected with Cambridge and Ely - Tye, Stanford and Wills in particular. San Lau, the new King's Organ Scholar played the organ including "Paean" a new closing voluntary by David Parry-Smith (Linton).
The choirs worked hard preparing the music, which they performed to a high standard and the substantial congregation was very appreciative. This is the first service of the biennial festival for many years that has not been managed and co-ordinated by Barry Eaden. He was unable to be present at the service but has accepted the post of Honorary Vice President of the Society. Special guests were Roger Wheatley (former treasurer) and The Ven Jeff Watson, who gave the blessing. The service was led by The Ven John Beer.
David Parry-Smith
Exhibition at St Paul's Cambridge celebrating Ely 900
These poster samples are from the St. Paul’s, Cambridge exhibition celebrating the Diocese 900th and the University 800th.
The church school was founded in 1845, the same year as Cambridge Station. It joined other Cambridge church schools founded in the days of Queen Anne, which were greatly supported by Sir Isaac Newton, especially with concerns for Street Children in Cambridge.
The church is presently supporting strongly the Street Children’s World Football Cup to be held in Durban in 2010.
The Queen Mother was the first woman to be awarded a Cambridge degree in 1948. Three years after the Bishop of Ely had laid the foundation stone, Her Majesty opened the new school building in 1982.
The school provided a wonderful display, which included the greeting of ‘Peace’ in all the different Mother tongues and the world map of the pupils’ origins. The poster on the right shows Year 1’s splendid self-portrait.
The new school year welcomes the new Headmaster Stephen Jordan.
This poster takes us back before the Diocese of Ely was founded, when Edward the Confessor was educated in Ely and when King became the main founder of Westminster Abbey, where all our Kings and Queens have been crowned.
Denny Abbey: Celebration Service
Denny Abbey Celebration Service 14th June 2009
Beach Churches Together (Anglicans, Baptists and The Salvation Army in Waterbeach and Landbeach) organised an ecumenical service.
The celebration held at Denny Abbey on Sunday 14 June was blessed with a fine summer evening. In the presence of the Bishop of Huntingdon, the Rt Revd Dr David Thomson, members of the five Beach Churches and other friends joined in a service marking both the 900th Anniversary of the Diocese of Ely and the founding of the Abbey of Denny. This was highlighted by a drama written by Canon Brian Macdonald-Milne, with actors drawn from the local churches. The Salvation Army band provided the music, and the whole event was a splendid act of worship and an enjoyable recognition of the long history of the Christian church in this area.
Ray Gambell, Churchwarden and Reader at All Saints, Landbeach
Hildersham: Songs of Praise in a Tepee
The Bishop of Huntingdon
The teepee
Inside the teepee
More than a hundred villagers from the three parishes of Hildersham, Great and Little Abington joined together on Sunday 12th July in a large Tepee in Hildersham to take part in a special Songs of Praise service to celebrate 900 years of Ely Diocese. The theme, Songs for a Journey, was explored in different ways by those who chose hymns.
Rt Revd Dr David Thomson, Bishop of Huntingdon, introduced a hymn he had written based on Psalm 139. There were two choirs, a band and a great variety of musical traditions.
Burwell: Carnival
Burwell Carnival 2009 - float celebrating Ely 900
Burwell Carnival was on June 29th 2009, the theme was 'A Period of Time'. Burwell Parish Church's youth group joined with youngsters from the Baptist Church to do a 'Churches Together' float on the theme of 900 years of christianity in Ely.
Burwell Carnival 2009 - 'Churches Together' float
Burwell Carnival 2009
Burwell Carnival 2009
Gamlingay: St. Mary the Virgin Traditional Summer Fete
The Gamlingay First School choir provided entertainment under the guidance of our Reader , Chris Miller.
Our Rector Steve Rothwell and his wife Emma in full period costume.
We were treated to folk music from the Green Goddesses
Dancers from the local dance school
We held a very successful fete on Saturday 6th June in the garden of Taylard House opposite our church in Gamlingay. The event was well supported by people from Gamlingay and the surrounding villages. Pam Rhodes the presenter of the Songs of Praise television programme kindly agreed to open the fete and also helped to judge the fancy dress competition. This followed the theme of the event to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the Diocese of Ely.
Pam Rhodes with helpers opening the fete
As well as being a most enjoyable event we raised over £3,500 for much needed repairs to the church tower and church funds.
Upwood St Peter's Flower Festival
The Service was on "wedding theme"; we had invited people who were married in our church to come to it.
During the Service a group of happy couples renewed their vows.
The dresses had been worn by brides who got married in this church in the last decade.
There was a buzz of joy in the air and the saxophonist helped in this celebration.
That day we saw many who left their busy lives to be part of the gathering. The flowers were lovely and the church smelt heavenly. The Service was followed by the Open Gardens and more visited the church remembering the old days where one was wedded.
A group of Handbell people played in the afternoon and the day before we had cream teas in church.
What a treat!
Anne-Marie Cracknell, Churchwarden
"Children of the World" - Praise Party celebrating Ely 900
Over 400 children and their families enjoyed the Children's Praise Party, in celebration of the Year of the Child 2009. The event was hosted by Jan Munt and Julia Chamberlin of the Diocese of Ely, Steve Whyatt from Scripture Union, John Hardwick and GenR8.
'Breakout' from Wisbech St Augustines Church, led by Charlotte Hill.
Steve Whyatt
Steve Whyatt
The Bishop of Huntingdon
John Hardwick
John Hardwick
The tied cloths have prayers written on them by each child there - praying for the children of the Democratic Republic of Congo. All the cloths were tied together and lifted above everyone's heads as an act of prayer as they worshipped God singing 'Lord I Lift Your Name on High'
Outwell: Last traditional eel catcher delivers eels to Bishop
Peter Carter setting off on his four day trip from Outwell to Ely
Peter with Kim Riley from BBC Look East chatting before the launch
Eel catcher and willow merchant, Peter Carter will be arriving in Ely tomorrow (Saturday 20 June) to take part in the St Etheldreda's Day Procession after punting 22 miles along the River Ouse from the village of Outwell.
Mr Carter, now the last traditional eel catcher on the Fens, plans to commemorate the Diocese of Ely's 900 anniversary celebrations by presenting the Bishop of Ely with his gift of a bucket of eels and a willow eel trap.
During his four day trip he is re-enacting a centuries old custom in which local churches across the fens gave the Bishop gifts of eels. Most of his journey upstream in an 11 foot traditional Fenland punt has been beset by a strong headwind'
He has had to negotiate his boat through the tall reeds close to the river bank because his punt pole is unable to reach the river depth midstream. However, he is on schedule to arrive in Ely by 11.00 am in good time to meet the crowds who will greet him at Jubilee Gardens.
Mr Carter will make his presentation to the Bishop, Dr Anthony Russell, in the Cathedral Lady Chapel at 12.30 pm.
"It's a kind of pilgrimage for me," he said. "My great, great, great grandparents were married in the Lady Chapel."
Mr Carter, who is churchwarden for St Clement's church in Outwell, will be raising money for the Milton Children's Hospice and repairs on Outwell church. There are sponsor forms at Cromwell House tourist centre.
The Procession celebrates the events leading up to the formation of the Diocese of Ely in 1109 and the life of its foundress, St Etheldreda.
Queen Etheldreda came to Ely in 673 AD and founded a monastery for men and women, of which she was Abbess. Such was the quality of her life and the miracles attributed to her that Ely became one of the three most important medieval pilgrimage centres in England. Had it not been for her there would have been no Ely Cathedral and no Diocese of Ely.
Cambridge Antiquarian Society: Ely 1109 - 2009 Celebrating 900 Years - report by Janet Perrett
The day of lectures arranged by the CAS for 'Ely 900' provided a truly fascinating series of insights into Ely over a thousand years. The friend who accompanied me, like me, born and bred near Ely, commented that it was amazing how little you actually knew about places with which you thought you were familiar.
The lectures covered the 'Changes and origins of the Diocese', which was a bit less specific than I had hoped for. I would have liked maps showing how the various stages of Diocesan boundaries were altered. Just when did we stop being part of St Albans / Lincoln, for instance?
'The Development of the Middle and Late Saxon Town' gave just that sort of detail in the excavated floor plans of the West Fen Road sites - along which I had travelled every day going to school, with no idea at all that its origins went so far back. We were shown how and when the various houses, shops and back yards evolved, and I was fascinated.
'On the Ely Waterfront: Trade and Industry' also demonstrated what incredible details of past lives can now be revealed by archaeologists, and reminded us why some of the street names in Ely are what they still are today.
'Memory and Records: the Church Buildings of the Diocese' was focused very closely on one small church - I would have liked a wider perspective - but within that gave a somewhat sobering insight into the fallibility of the human memory and folk wisdom. So do you really remember when that particular change was made to your church? And have you kept the plans and records for posterity? I sensed a certain amount of guilty awareness of sins of omission in the lecture theatre!
'The Development of Medieval Ely' brought us another picture of the organic ways in which long established communities, particularly those with such an enduring focus as the Cathedral, change over the years.
'A muddy Georgian gem in the Archives' was the most intriguing title of any of the lectures, and did not disappoint. Wages accounts for those working on the windmills and then the pumps revealed a quite different picture of how the fens had been, and then continued to be drained, than had been previously understood. The overwhelming enthusiasm of the lecturer for his subject caught his audience, and induced an appreciation of ancient wage accounts that I think surprised us all.
My thanks to the CAS for organising the day, and expert speakers on varied and interesting topics. I must not forget to mention the wide-ranging and fascinating displays set up in the main entrance hall, which provided an opportunity to read and buy maps and books about the fens. It really is very rare to find Wardy Hill mentioned anywhere: even the most broadminded ordnance surveys don't always include it. But I found a report on an excavation there, which I visited with my father some years ago, but had never managed to acquire anything detailing the results. A very satisfactory day.
Janet R PerrettBalsham: Complete reading of the Bible
Bishop of Ely
Isabelle Crossman, Grace Philpot, Stephanie Grady and Tamzin Kerslake from the Meadow School Balsham
The churches in the United Benefice of West Wratting, West Wickham, Weston Colville and Balsham did a complete reading of the Bible from April 25th to May 2nd to celebrate Ely 900.
James Paice MP
It took 98 hours and 50 minutes to read the entire Old Testament, Apocrypha and New Testament. The youngest reader was Anthony Ford, aged 7 who read 1 Corinthians 13 with the oldest being Philip Suckling, aged eighty-nine.
There were many distinguished guests, including Lords Spiritual and Temporal, three Bishops, the local MP, the Lord Lieutenant and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, the Archdeacons, the Rural Dean, the Editor of the Church Times and a senior member of the Bible Society. One hundred and seventy people took part, and Sharon Clark read the largest number of passages.
The Benefice also received letters of support from as far afield as 10 Downing Street and Buckingham Palace
Letter received from the Prime Minister (click for larger version)
St Mary's Weston Colville, with Canon Francis Woolley and Mrs Elaine Dony of the Bible Society
Rural Dean of Granta Deanery, Revd Michael Goater in St. Andrew's West Wratting
Canon Francis Woolley, reading in St Andrew's West Wratting
Musical premieres celebrate Ely's 900 years
Award winners with Canon David Pritchard, Vice Dean of Ely Cathedral; Dr Anthony Russell, Bishop of Ely; Canon Jim Garrard, Precentor of Ely Cathedral (left to right back row)
Two pieces of sacred music have been performed for the first time to mark the nine hundredth anniversary of the Diocese of Ely. Over four hundred singers were at Ely Cathedral on Saturday 16th May 2009 to give voice to a new anthem and new hymn at the annual Chorister Awards.
The anthem, I am with you always, was composed and conducted by John Rutter, one of the most successful choral composers of his generation. The words are taken from the Gospels of St Matthew and St John.
The words of the hymn, Saints of Ely, raise your voices, were written by David Yeandle, Professor of German at King's College London, and Organist of All Saints' Church, St Ives. Canon David Pritchard, Vice Dean of the Cathedral, composed the music. The tune is called Precentor which is the office he held at the time it was written.
Each year the annual Dean's and Bishop's Awards for choristers at the Ely Festival of Church Music attracts singers from across the diocese.
Three churches were represented in this year's final awards. Emily Reid from Cambridge St. John the Evangelist won the Bishop's Silver Award. Edward Ball, Esther Leonard, Sophie Thompson and Florence Zolman, also from St John's, were among the ten recipients of the Dean's Award. The other award winning choristers are Hannah Butson, Heidi Cadman, Reuben Cadman, Abigail Cunningham, and Hannah Palmer, all from Ramsey St Thomas a Becket, and Jessica Stuttard from Whittlesey St Andrew.
Bishop of Ely visits Biggin Abbey for first time in over 500 years
Saturday 24th May 2009 - report by Lindsay Davies, Horningsea.
Photographs: © Owen Spencer-Thomas.
The Bishop of Ely's flotilla arrives at Baits Bite Lock
Biggin Abbey was the site of the Bishop’s Palace built in the early 13th Century, on the banks of the Cam between Fen Ditton and Horningsea. Something about this” low-lying, marshy spot” was attractive to the Bishops who saw it as a desirable residential base to keep an eye on the town of Cambridge, where the student population was already growing – 800 years ago. Bishop Hugh de Northwold built the palace which became known as “the Biggin” as a mansion designed in the princely style and by 1251 Bishop Hugh had been awarded the rare privilege of “hunting rights” here. The first record of a Royal Visit was in 1238 when King Henry III stayed for three days.
Biggin Abbey
It was the most glorious day in every respect – not least because the sun shone in a cloudless blue sky! The Bishop arrived at the Cam Motor Boat Club and after being introduced to the President, he and his escort set off in the Commodore’s boat. Two other boats of WI members and their husbands joined the flotilla. As we gently made our way down to Horningsea Church, passing canoes, cows and cyclists the Bishop commented that he did not usually spend his Sunday mornings in quite such a relaxed manner! As we approached Horningsea we could hear the Church bells ringing loud and clear along the river.
On the river bank at Church End House quite a crowd had gathered. The crowd rambled, rather than processed up through the garden to the Church for the Service. The service was taken from the Ely 900 suggested liturgy and we looked forward to the future of our faith and the future of our churches as well as remembering the 900 years of history of the diocese. The Bishop spoke about journeys – not only the river journey he had undertaken but our journey of faith and linked this in to the journey the disciples took when they met Jesus after the resurrection.
After the Service everyone settled down for lunch – some had brought picnics and enjoyed sitting in the sun in the Churchyard, the guests were entertained to a buffet lunch at Horningsea Manor. There was no opportunity to linger as at 2pm everyone had to embark once more for the journey to Biggin – by now there were five boats in all – decorated with bunting and the lead boat flying the Horningsea flag.
The Bishop of Ely arriving at Baits Bite Lock
Meanwhile at Baits Bite the crowd had started to gather on the bridge and river bank to wait the arrival of the Bishop and the other boats. They were entertained by a juggler, and “medieval style” musicians. The boats slowly appeared gliding up stream in all their glory. Amid some minor confusion when one boat load were stuck behind a locked gate for a few minutes the procession up to Biggin got under way. Some children appeared dressed as jesters and princesses. From the beginning of the procession it was stunning to look back down the track and see a never ending stream of people crossing the river.
Children from Fen Ditton Primary School country dancing
At Biggin (decorated with flags and bunting) children from Fen Ditton school danced some country dances and then the story of Biggin was told – by a medieval Queen, a 15th Century gentleman in doublet & hose, an 18th Century Cleric and a 20th Century Estate Agent! Three little “Medieval Princesses” presented the Bishop with a water colour painting of Biggin by Bill Parker. The Bishop then said a brief prayer before ceremonially planting an enormous wisteria in commemoration of the day. The WI cakes and soft drinks disappeared as people asked questions of those who had lived at Biggin – particularly about the secret passages, priests hiding place, spiral stones staircase hidden in the wall.... Others studied the exhibition of the history of Biggin which was displayed in one of the tents before the boats set sail downstream again.
From the photographs it seems that everyone smiled all day. It was the most splendid day – perhaps it was unexpected as no-one had taken part in anything like it before and as it is about 550 years since the Bishop visited Biggin, they are unlikely to be able to do so again!