Heavenly Spires.

This week I had the wonderful experience of singing in three of our oldest and most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings, all on the same day.

I began in Salisbury Cathedral, rather early in the morning for my top C's but they managed to work nevertheless, and it was a real joy to be in this great place and comune with its glorious spirit and acoustic. 

Singing in a space as grand as this requires a sort of meeting with its spirit, and in order to really come over to a very large audience, not just in front of you but around the sides and sometimes behind you, means truly claiming that great space and its atmosphere.

Then we went on to Wimborne Minster with its perfect acoustic clarity. The origins date from AD 700, and standing under the great square tower I thought that the sound would just go up instead of out, but no.

 

The building is so perfectly constructed that even if I turned 180 degrees, facing two rood screens and with my back to the congregation, the sound was identical and carried perfectly.

A Minster is the resting place of the relics of a Saint, and this church has therefore been endowed and very well cared for.

Finally to Christchurch Priory, almost as large as a cathedral and the home of Augustinian monks although their living quarters alas, are no longer there. The vicar was wonderful and gave me a lesson on the reformation and the cost to the parishes of buying back their churches from Henry VIII. It was all fascinating, and marvellous to see these great buildings so cherished and still in use, each wonderfully maintained.

The priors had chosen a truly magical spot with magnificent trees and a little harbour, and the atmosphere was full of peace, yet life and vigour at the same time. 

I returned to my lavender-growing chums brimful of wonder and happiness that I am given the chance to sing in such glorious places.

PS. The answer to the quiz at the top of  "Numbers"  two posts down is.......90!