One hundred years ago, on the morning of Wednesday 15 September 1926, high-ranking prelates, members of the monastic community and nearly 70 invited guests gathered for a unique ceremony that would last four-and-a-half hours: the consecration of the new choir in the church at Ampleforth Abbey.
In 1919 an approach had been made to Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, already famous for his design for the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool. He agreed to produce plans for a new church at Ampleforth Abbey and his design comprised a retrochoir, sanctuary, and nave (although the entire church would not be completed for a number of years due to lack of funds).
The first part of his design was a retrochoir, High Altar, two side chapels and four crypt chapels. Building contracts to undertake the work were signed on 31 May 1922 and two foundation stones (one for the choir and one for the Memorial Chapel) were laid on 1 August 1922. The work took three years to complete.
The dominant feature in the Abbey church today is the High Altar and baldacchino, the canopy over the altar. The origins of a canopy over an altar appear to have little to do with architectural design and beauty: in ancient churches with no glass in their windows, a canopy was used to keep birds off altars.
The High Altar in the Abbey church is in fact two altars: the Nave or public side is dedicated to St Laurence, the patron of the monastic community; while the choir side altar is dedicated to St Edward the Confessor, the secondary patron of the monastic community. The High Altar was a gift of a Mr Francis Gibbons, whose brother, Fr Bernard Gibbons, was a monk of the Abbey.
The baldacchino was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and was finished only in March 1926, due to the time required to carve all the figures on the baldacchino. Looking from the nave are four figures: on the left, Saint Anne, holding her infant daughter the Virgin Mary, below, and Saint Francis of Assisi, above; and on the right, Saint Laurence, below, and Saint Etheldreda (Audrey), above. Saint Francis and Saint Audrey were the patron saints of the donor and his wife.
On the retro or choir side, on the left below is Saint Peter, patron of Westminster Abbey, with Saint Wulsin, first abbot of Westminster, above; on the right, below is Saint Edward the Confessor, the founder of the community at Westminster Abbey from which Ampleforth traces its origins, and above is Saint Dunstan, monk and Archbishop of Canterbury.
The two interior figures facing the Cross represent two monks in prayer.
The carved frieze above the capitals of the pillars and below the pediment of the baldacchino show scenes in the life of Saint Laurence.
Returning to the events of one hundred years ago, the first part of the consecration ceremony was the consecration of the High Altar, performed by the Rt Rev Thomas Shine, coadjutor Bishop of Middlesbrough and Titular Bishop of Lamas.
Other bishops then consecrated altars in the side chapels: the altar of St Benet, which was the stone of the old High Altar at Byland Abbey, was re-consecrated by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle. The Memorial Chapel was dedicated to former students of Ampleforth College killed in the First World War and the consecration of the altar in this chapel had taken place some months before the consecration of the new choir.
In the crypt, the Bishop of Lancaster consecrated the altar in the chapel dedicated to Saints Oswald and John (the dedication had been chosen by Abbot Oswald Smith, since Saint Oswald was his patron and Saint John the Apostle his favourite saint. Sadly, Abbot Smith was unable to witness the completion of this work, since he died in November 1924 and was buried in this chapel); Abbot Ildephonsus John Cummins, originally a monk of Ampleforth Abbey who helped establish Fort Augustus Abbey in 1877, consecrated the altar of Mater Monachorum, which had been erected by some of his friends.
The consecrators returned to the main church at about midday for the Solemn Mass celebrated at the High Altar by Bishop Shine.
The lengthy ceremony was followed by lunch, which concluded with toasts and speeches. Abbot Cummins proposed a toast to the architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, whom he referred to as the greatest exponent of Gothic art today. The toast to Ampleforth was given by the consecrator, Bishop Shine: “He paid a tribute to the Benedictine spirit, which had continued the same through many centuries of great variety. The world owed a great debt to St Benedict, and his spirit was living and flourishing to-day at Ampleforth, where, as of old, those who looked to the monks always received of their best. Liturgically, intellectually and artistically, we were keeping up the traditions of Westminster, from which our descent was directly traced” (Ampleforth Journal, Vol. 32, 1926-27, pg. 92).
Did you know…
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On the Cross hanging in the baldacchino, the face of the figure is carved on one side (facing the nave) and painted on the other (facing the choir)
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The candlesticks are made of bronze and were given by the same donor who paid for the High Altar (Mr Francis Gibbons)
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In the capitals at the top of the pillars in the choir are a remarkable series of carvings of animals in the midst of the foliage, including, beagles, hares, penguins, and butterflies. They were carved in situ by a Mr Smithins out of the solid block of stone.
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There are stalls for 87 monks.
