Dear Friends
It has
been another busy and productive year for Wardour Chapel, the school and local
community.
We
recently bid farewell to Fr Jonathan Creer who has been a most supportive and
active resident priest for Wardour and its congregation. Fr Jonathan will be
much missed, and we wish him well in his new parish in
Northamptonshire. The trustees are enormously grateful to our Parish
Priest, Fr Anthony Paris, and our assistant priest, Fr Joseph-Columba Meigh,
both resident in Salisbury, for their ongoing support (across many parishes)
whilst awaiting the arrival of our new resident priest, Fr Tomas Krejci.
Wardour
warmly welcomes Fr Tomas, recently ordained as a priest of the Personal
Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. He will be living in the
presbytery in Tisbury and supporting Fr Anthony and Fr Joseph across the
parishes of Tisbury and Wardour, Salisbury, Amesbury, and Warminster. Fr Tomas
was born in Prague and studied for doctorates in Theology, Philosophy and Law
at the universities of Prague and, subsequently, Oxford. After some years
practising as a solicitor, he trained as an Anglican minster at St Stephen’s
House in Oxford. After becoming a Catholic and being accepted for the
priesthood, he studied at Allen Hall in the Diocese of Westminster.
On 30th
March 2025, Laetare Sunday (the fourth Sunday of Lent), Bishop Bosco MacDonald,
appointed 10th Bishop of Clifton by Pope Francis in March 2024,
visited Wardour for the first time. He celebrated our 10.30am Mass and
then joined many from the parish for coffee afterwards. It was a well attended and special occasion, with much news on the Bishop’s plans for the diocese in the Jubilee Year of
Forgiveness and Reconciliation.
The
trustees hosted a Summer Drinks party in August for the Friends of Wardour and
the congregation, this was enjoyed outside in the glorious sunshine.
The
trustees have conducted several talks, tours and events over the year ranging
from The Catholic Material Culture Research Group to the Salisbury Deanery
Confirmation Group.
The
Wardour Westminster Chasuble was one of the key items on display at an
exhibition at The Guildhall (London) celebrating the 400 years of the Guild of
the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers. The success of the exhibition was such that
it was extended by several months to allow greater visitor access.
There
have been several Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals at the Chapel this year and
our guidance sheets for these is available under the Services tab at www.wardourchapel.co.uk.
Forthcoming
Events at Wardour Chapel
- Sunday 2nd November, Patronal Feast
Day, Mass at 10.30 followed by drinks
- Saturday 13th December,
Rorate Mass at 7am
- Tuesday 23rd December, Advent Carols
and Benediction at 5pm followed by mulled wine and mince pies
Christmas
cards sold in support of Wardour Chapel will be available in the porch of
Wardour and Tisbury or by emailing us at [email protected]
A
gentle reminder that parking for the Chapel is only permitted in the Chapel
Lower Car Park and not outside the Chapel, unless by prior agreement.
Progress
on the planned works for the Dome.
Wardour
Chapel was recently added to the Historical England Heritage At
Risk Register for the potential structural issues associated with the Dome.
The
trustees have commissioned several reports to ascertain the scale and scope of
the damage to the plasterwork ceiling of the Dome which is over the Quarenghi
altar of the Chapel. These reports include:
-
Condition
Survey of Wardour Castle Chapel, Cliveden Conservation Workshop Ltd
- Structural Assessment Report, The
Morton Partnership
- Formal Quinquennial Inspection Report
(QI), Structural Assessment Report, dittrichhudsonvasetti
architects
- Full Survey, Assessment Report and
Planned Schedule of Works, Philip Hughes Associates, Historic Buildings
Conservation specialists
- Statement of Significance, The
Architectural History Practice Limited
- Inventory of the Contents of Wardour
Chapel, James Cowley
The awkward
internal structure of the Dome roof makes it difficult to access for surveying,
especially sitting over such an historic 1770s altar. It is however evident
that there is some displacement within the wooden beam structure of the Dome
together with partial corrosion of the lead work of the roof. This is impacting
the fabric and robustness of the Dome
The
trustees are waiting a full project costing and budget statement for the works
for the Chapel, likely to begin in 2027/28. In parallel, we are working with a
professional development team on a fund-raising program. Further details will
follow in a separate update from the Chair of the Development team, Luke March
OBE.
We are
grateful for the generous donation from the Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust,
and other donors who have enabled the Trustees to undertake the above
professional surveys and assessments thus far.
In the meantime Mass continues to be celebrated at Wardour Chapel
every Tuesday at 9.30am and Sunday at 10.30am.
Please
pass this newsletter on to anyone who may be interested in coming to Wardour
and indeed becoming a Friend of the Wardour Chapel Trust.
The
Trustees are happy to organise guided tours of the Chapel by appointment.
We look
forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Patronal Feast Day and
Drinks on Sunday 2nd November.
Best wishes
Richard
Arundell, Lord Talbot of Malahide and the Trustees of Wardour Chapel