News

Guide

A fully illustrated Guide is available for £7.50 (includes UK P&P). Please send a cheque, payable to 'Charterhouse' to the address below.

Clerk to the Brothers
Charterhouse
Sutton's Hospital
Charterhouse Square
London EC1M 6AN

The London Charterhouse by Dr Stephen Porter, Archivist of Charterhouse.
Amberley Publishing, 14 May 2009.
This book charts the history of the charity founded in 1611 by Thomas Sutton at the Charterhouse in Clerkenwell.
Available for £18.50 (includes UK P&P).

'A model history' Gillian Tindall, The Daily Telegraph

Please send a cheque, payable to 'Charterhouse' to:

Clerk to the Brothers
Charterhouse
Sutton's Hospital
Charterhouse Square
London EC1M 6AN

31st Preacher of Charterhouse

The Reverend Canon Hugh Williams AKC has been appointed Preacher of Charterhouse and Deputy Master. He will be licensed by the Lord Bishop of London at Choral Evensong on Monday 26 April 2010 at 19:30.

Canon Williams was educated at Christ's Hospital, Horsham and King's College London. He was ordained deacon in 1974 and priest in 1975. He served his title at St Leonard, Heston in the London Diocese and then was Chaplain to the City University when he also had responsibilities at St Mark, Myddelton Square and St Mark's Hospital. From 1984 until 1993 he was vicar of Newquay in the Diocese of Truro and from 1993 he has been Vicar of Christchurch in the Diocese of Winchester where he has been an Honorary Canon since 2004.

Canon Williams is married to Joanna who is a nurse and they have four children.

MARCH

Sunday 7 March - Lent 3
0945 Holy Communion
Celebrant - The Reverend Jeremy Crossley

Tuesday 2 March 2010 at 1930 - ORGAN RECITAL
Andrew Lumsden Director of Music, Winchester Cathedral
Andrew Lumsden has been Organist and Director of Music of Winchester Cathedral Choir since 2002. Son of Sir David Lumsden, he trained at Winchester College, RSAMD and St John's College, Cambridge before taking up the position of Assistant Organist at Southwark Cathedral in 1985. From there he moved to Westminster Abbey in 1988 as Sub-Organist and thence to Lichfield Cathedral in 1992 as Organist and Master of the Choristers until moving to Winchester Cathedral.
There were 90 people in the audience.

Programme:

Concerto in D, Charles Avison (1710-70)
Adagio/Allegro - Andante (Air with variation) - Molto Allegro

Variations on Mein junges leben hat ein end, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621)

Prelude and Fugue in B minor BWV 544, JS Bach (1685-1750)

Choral Song and Fugue, Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-76)

Prelude, Fugue and Variation, Cèsar Franck (1822-90)

Adagio in E, Frank Bridge (1879-1941)

Grand Choeur in D, Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911)

Sunday 28 February - Lent 2
0945 Holy Communion
Celebrant - The Reverend Prebendary Alan Tanner Emeritus Preacher

Wednesday 24 February - St Matthias
0945 Holy Communion
Celebrant - The Reverend John Castor Team Vicar, The Old St Pancras Parishes

Sunday 21 February - Lent 1
0945 Holy Communion
Celebrant - The Reverend Prebendary Michael Shrewsbury

Thursday 18 February
The Seventh Thomas Sutton Lecture was delivered by General The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank Governor of Sutton's Hospital in Charterhouse. His title was The Just War – the morals and ethics of going to war. Following the lecture the audience took part in an interesting question and answer session and a vote of thanks was proposed by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon Chairman of the Governors of Sutton's Hospital in Charterhouse.

The subject of the lecture is covered in the book Just War (The Just War Tradition: Ethics in Modern Warfare) written by Charles Guthrie and Michael Quinlan and published by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2007 - ISBN: 0747595577

Wednesday 17 February - Ash Wednesday
0945 Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes
Celebrant - The Reverend Prebendary Alan Tanner Emeritus Preacher

Sunday 14 February - Quinquagesima
0945 Holy Communion
Celebrant - The Reverend Hugh Mead Reader of The Temple

Saturday 13 February
1730 Choral Evensong
Sung by The City of London Chamber Choir (www.clcc.org.uk)
directed by Christopher Field with Geoffrey Hunter organ. The music included; Responses Christopher Field; Psalms 69 and 70 Chants by James Turle, Samuel Sebastian Wesley and Richard Goodson; Canticles – The Third Service by Philip Moore; Anthems – Let my prayer come up by Robert Dray and Blessed be the God and Father by Samuel Sebastian Wesley. The Organ Voluntary was Fantasia in G major BWV 572: Allegro by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Sunday 7 February - Sexagesima
0945 Holy Communion
Celebrant - The Venerable Peter Delaney Archdeacon Emeritus

Thursday 4 February
1730 Choral Evensong
Sung by The Burczyk Singers (Charterhouse School - www.charterhouse.org.uk) directed by Mark Begbie with Timothy Parsons organ. The music included; Responses Humphrey Clucas; Psalm 23 Chant by H Walford Davies; Canticles in the Dorian Mode by Thomas Tallis; Anthems - God be in my head by H Walford Davies and Verily, verily I say unto you by Thomas Tallis. The Organ Voluntary was Trio sonata No 1 in E flat BWV 535: Allegro by Johann Sebastian Bach.



Wednesday 3 February
1730 Choral Evensong
Sung by the Haileybury Singers
(www.haileybury.com) directed by Quentin Thomas with Samuel Hudson organ. The music included; Responses William Smith of Durham; Psalm 18 Chant by Quentin Thomas; Canticles in F by George Dyson; Anthems - Lead me Lord by S S Wesley, Like as the Hart by Herbert Howells and A Gaelic Blessing by John Rutter. The Organ Voluntary was Allabreve in D major BWV 589 by Johann Sebastian Bach.



Tuesday 2 February - The Presentation in the Temple (Candlemas)
0945 Holy Communion with Candlemas Ceremonies
Celebrant - The Reverend Prebendary Alan Tanner Emeritus Preacher
1730 Evensong

Wednesday 20 January
Is Art Healthy?
A large audience assembled to hear Mr William Shand MA MD FRCS FRCSEd, Honorary Consulting Surgeon to St Bartholomew's and The Royal London Hospitals and a former Governor of Sutton's Hospital in Charterhouse deliver a lecture about artwork in hospitals; there for the benefit of patients and staff alike. His experience was gained as Chairman of the Artwork Committee of the Homerton Hospital, opened in 1986, and which had extensive areas of plain white walls -
http://www.homerton.nhs.uk/about-the-trust/art-in-the-hospital
An elegantly crafted lecture was supplemented by a series of excellent illustrations.

Friday 15 January - Commemoration of Sir Walter de Manny KG d1372

The Holy Communion was celebrated in the Chapel by the Reverend Oliver Ross, Rector of St Olave, Hart Street and Area Dean of The City after which a small company assembled in Chapel Court. A wreath was laid on the grave of Sir Walter de Manny where he was buried 638 years ago on 15 January 1372. Sir Walter acquired this land as a burial ground for the victims of the Black Death in 1349 and later with Michael de Northburgh, Bishop of London 1354 until his death in 1361, he founded a Carthusian Priory (The London Charterhouse) in 1371. His grave was discovered after World War II when the extensive war damage was being repaired under the guidance of the architects John Seeley and Paul Paget. The story of the archaeological work has been well recorded by David Knowles and WF Grimes in Charterhouse - The Medieval Foundation in the light of recent discoveries published by Longmans in 1954.

The Bishop of London celebrated the Eucharist in the Chapel, and delivered the address, to mark the retirement of The Reverend Michael Stevens who had been Preacher of Charterhouse for almost ten years. Fr Stevens had spent almost his whole ministry as a hospital chaplain first at The London Hospital, then at St Thomas' Hospital and finally at St Bartholomew's Hospital when he was also Vicar of St Bartholomew the Less. He had trained for the sacred ministry at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield and was ordained deacon in St Paul's Cathedral in 1965 and priest the following year. He served his title at All Saints, Poplar.

In recognition of his outstanding service as a hospital Chaplain he was awarded the Cross of St Augustine by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2004 and the Medal of St Mellitus by the Bishop of London in 2006.

At Charterhouse his main achievements have been the reintroduction of the Daily Offices and fostering ecumenical relationships with the Methodist Church at Wesley's Chapel (John Wesley was a Scholar of Charterhouse from 1714-1720) and the Roman Catholic Church at Westminster Cathedral (principally through the annual Commemoration of the Carthusian Martyrs (1535-1540). On his retirement the Governors of Charterhouse appointed Fr Stevens Emeritus Preacher, a title also enjoyed by his predecessor Prebendary Alan Tanner.

Thursday 17 December 2009
7.30pm Carol Service
With the St Michael's Chorale

Saturday 12 December 2009
398th Anniversary of the death of Thomas Sutton
11.30am Holy Communion with Hymns
Celebrant and Preacher - The Bishop of Edmonton

Wednesday 9 December 2009
FOUNDER'S DAY
6.00pm Choral Evensong with Commemoration of Benefactors
Address - The Bishop of Dorchester
Charterhouse School Chamber Choir

Saturday 5 December 2009 7.30pm-9.00pm
Music for Advent and Christmas
in the Great Chamber
St Mary's Beddington Choirs
directed by Andrew Wilson

Sunday 29 November 2009 11.30am-12.30pm
Coffee Concert in the Great Chamber
The Treasury Collection
directed by Edward Adams

Three Fantasy Pieces Op 73 Schumann
Vocalise for 'cello and piano Rachmaninov
Trio pathetique for clarinet, 'cello and piano Glinka
Intermezzi for piano Brahms

OCTOBER

15 October 2009
Mendelssohn Festival 4
Concert with The Bartholdy Trio & Ensemble

PIANO TRIO No. 43 in C major Hob XV:27(1797)
Franz Josef Haydn 1732-1809
Allegro - Andante - Presto
The Bartholdy Trio James Willshire piano, Julia McCarthy violin, Andrew Joyce cello

ANDANTE and VARIATIONS for piano in F minor Hob XVII:6
Franz Josef Haydn
James Willshire piano

OCTET in E flat major Op 20
Felix Mendelssohn 1809-1847
Allegro moderato ma con fuoco - Andante - Scherzo - Presto

The Bartholdy Ensemble Tom Norris violin, Ellie Fagg violin, Anna Cashell violin, Victoria Mavromoustaki violin, Julia McCarthy viola, Alexandros Koustas viola, Andrew Joyce cello,
Brian O'Kane cello

10 October 2009
The Burgon Society held their annual Congregation in the Great Chamber of Sutton's Hospital.

4 October 2009
17th Sunday after Trinity
Choral Evensong was sung in the Chapel by the Wessex Chamber Choir under the direction of Mr Richard Stevens.

SEPTEMBER

28 September 2009
Eve of the Feast-Day of St Michael and All Angels
Choral Evensong was sung in the Chapel by the Choristers of St Paul's Cathedral (by kind permission of the Dean and Chapter), under the direction of Mr Simon Johnson.

SONATA FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO in G minor L140
Claude Debussy 1862-1918
Allegro vivo - Fantasque et léger - Finale: Très animé

SONATINE in G major opus 100
Antonín Leopold Dvorák 1841-1904
Allegro risoluto - Larghetto - Scherzo: Molto vivace - Finale: Allegro molto

Sunday 20 September 2009 2.00pm-5.00pm
London Open House
The Chapel (only) was open to the public and we received 439 visitors during the afternoon.

17 September 2009
Parishes Day
Representatives of the ten Church of England livings of which the Governors are patrons from the Dioceses of Lincoln, Norwich, Ely and Chelmsford attended the fourth bi-annual Parishes Day. The Preacher at the Eucharist was The Reverend Canon John Ovenden of St George's Chapel, Windsor. After luncheon, three significant anniversaries were described: the 450th Anniversary of the arrival at Charterhouse of Queen Elizabeth I on 23 November 1558, on her way from the Old Palace at Hatfield to the City of London, was described in words and music and performed by the residents; the 475th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of St John Houghton on 4 May 1535 to be marked next year on Tuesday 4 May 2010 with a special service at 1730 and the 400th Anniversary of Thomas Sutton's Foundation of School and Almshouse to be celebrated in 2011.

14 September 2009
A party of residents from Morden College, Blackheath visited Sutton's Hospital for a tour of the site and the opportunity to meet the Brothers and Staff.

Tuesday 21 July 2009
Visit of a group of Heritage Stewards and their guests from Wesley's Chapel www.wesleyschapel.org.uk
After a short introductory talk by the Master a tour of Charterhouse took place. Tea was followed by a short organ recital from Graham Matthews Brother and Organist of Charterhouse, before Evening Prayer, in the Chapel. Evening Prayer (the first for St Mary Magdalen's Day) was ordered according to the Methodist Rite and the Officiant was The Reverend the Lord Griffiths of Burry Port Superintendent Minister, Wesley's Chapel, the sermon was preached by The Reverend Jennifer Potter Minister, Wesley's Chapel, and the Preacher of Charterhouse gave the blessing.

Monday 13 July 2009
At Evensong an introit and an anthem were sung by Vox Zambezi, (www.voxzambezi.net) directed by Paul Kelly.

Vox Zambezi during their visit to Charterhouse in 2008

Sunday 12 July 2009
Mendelssohn Festival 3
Coffee Concert with The Bartholdy Trio - James Willshire piano, Julia McCarthy violin and Andrew Joyce 'cello

The following works were performed
SONATA FOR 'CELLO AND PIANO No 1 in B flat Opus 45
Felix Mendelssohn 1809 - 1847

Allegro vivace - Andante - Allegro assai

SONGS WITHOUT WORDS
Felix Mendelssohn PIANO TRIO No 1 in D minor Opus 66
Felix Mendelssohn

Molto allegro e agitato - Andante con moto tranquillo - Scherzo: Leggiero e vivace - Allegro assai appassionato

JUNE

14 June 2009
Mendelssohn Festival 2
Coffee Concert with The Bartholdy Trio - James Willshire piano, Julia McCarthy violin and Andrew Joyce 'cello
The following works were performed

SONATA FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO in F minor Opus 4
Felix Mendelssohn 1809 - 1847

Adagio - Allegro moderato - Poco adagio - Allegro agitato

RONDO CAPRICCIOSO FOR PIANO in E major Opus 14
Felix Mendelssohn

PIANO TRIO No 2 in C minor Opus 66
Felix Mendelssohn

Allegro energico e con fuoco - Andante espressivo - Scherzo: Molto allegro quasi presto - Finale: Allegro appassionat

Wednesday 10 June 2009
Visit of Mr Sheriff George Gillon CC FRICS

Tuesday 9 June 2009
Memorial Service at St James Garlickhythe for the late Colin Harris Former Governor

MAY

Thursday 14 May 2009
Visit of the Master and Brothers from St Cross Hospital, Winchester

We much valued a visit from the Master (The Venerable Michael Harley) and Brothers at St Cross Hospital in Winchester. Our guests, wearing their traditional gowns and caps, were given a tour of Charterhouse before luncheon in Great Hall. We hope to pay a return visit to St Cross in September.

Historically, St Cross Hospital comprises two separate charitable foundations, which have since been merged. The Hospital of St Cross was founded in approximately 1132 by Bishop Henry of Blois and the Brothers from this Foundation wear the black robes, black trencher hats and silver badges in the shape of the Cross of Jerusalem. The Order of Noble Poverty was founded in 1445 by Cardinal Henry Beaufort and these Brothers wear the claret robes, claret trencher hats and silver cardinal's badges. Brothers from the two foundations are often referred to as the Black Brothers or the Red Brothers.

10 May 2009
Mendelssohn Festival 1
Coffee Concert with Louise Adamson mezzo-sprano and Suzy Ruffles piano
The following works were performed:

ARIANNA A NAXOS No 2 (1789)
Teseo mio ben
Cantata for Mezzo Soprano and Keyboard Franz Joseph Haydn 1732-1809

SECHS GESÄNGE Opus 19
Felix Mendelssohn 1809 - 1847

Frühlingslied - Das erste Veilchen - Winterlied - Neue Liebe - Gruss - Reiselied

SECHS GESÄNGE Opus 34
Felix Mendelssohn

Minnelied - Auf Flügeln des Gesanges - Frühlingslied - Suleika - Sonntagslied -
Reiselied

HERCULES The Opera
George Friederick Handel 1685-1759

There in myrtle shades reclined - Cease ruler of the day - Where shall I fly?

8 May 2009
Solemn Vespers were sung in the Chapel by the Choir of Quainton Hall School, Harrow

3 May 2009

Commemoration of the Carthusian Martyrs

For the fifth year the day on which the last Prior, Saint John Houghton, and his Companions were martyred in 1535 was observed with Solemn Evensong, Sermon and Commemoration of the Carthusian Martyrs at the site of the High Altar of the Carthusian Priory Church (now Chapel Court). We were honoured to have a sermon written by His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor which he was unable to give personally because he was indisposed. We were grateful to Bishop George Stack, the senior auxiliary Bishop in the Westminster Archdiocese for delivering it. We also welcomed Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz Apostolic Nuncio, who read the second lesson, The Reverend Canon Jonathan Goodall who represented the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Reverend Prebendary William Scott who represented the Bishop of London and The Reverend the Lord Griffiths of Burry Port, Superintendent Minister of nearby Wesley's Chapel. A large congregation assembled for the service which was sung by the Thomas Sutton Singers, directed by Richard Stevens with Graham Matthews at the organ. The Preacher of Charterhouse, The Reverend Michael Stevens officiated.

See also: www.rcdow.org.uk

The following is the text of The Cardinal's sermon:

Recently, I saw a quite remarkable film called "The Great Silence". Essentially, it was the life of the monks at the Monastery of the La Grande Chartreuse. One saw the harsh elements of the wind and the cold and the snow outside. Inside the monastery, one saw the monks in the chapel, but most of all in their cells, where each would spend most of the day, where he prayed and worked and ate. It was, of course, what happened here at the London Charterhouse for nearly 200 years, in the cells arranged around the retreat cloister. In the film, not a word of conversation is spoken. There is a Carthusian silence and, as one monk put it, "our silence is not just emptiness and death. On the contrary, it should draw ever nearer, and bring us nearer, to the fullness of life. We are silent because the words by which our souls would fain love cannot be expressed in earthly language". The intensity of each monk's communion with God is evident, as if they had individually heeded the words to Elijah in the First Book of Kings: "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. For at that moment the Lord was going by". But the Lord was not in the mighty hurricane, or the earthquake, or the fire, but in a light murmuring sound. And when Elijah heard this he covered his face with his cloak.

That gentle breeze recorded in the Bible was recalled by Dom Maurice Chauncey in describing the events during the Mass of the Holy Spirit shortly before the arrest of St. John Houghton and his companions. Dom Maurice wrote that, after the Consecration, "…..there came from heaven a pleasant sound, like the voice of a gentle breeze, charming our outward ears as with a sweet breath, and gently striking them with a softly whispered murmur, but by some irresistible power appealing still more sweetly and more strongly to the inward ears".

Silence is held in great esteem by spiritual people of all religions, and it is much more than the absence of sound. It is a precious means of access into the spiritual world. There is, we are told, especially by the Carthusian monks, an exterior silence and an interior silence. This monastery of the Charterhouse had few exterior sounds: the sound of nature, the sound of the bells, the sound of Gregorian chant. But the interior silence is something else. It is a silence of the mind and heart. It is that kind of silence in which one is able to be in communion with God, where he is at the centre of our universe and not our own egotistical self, when there is liberty and there is peace. How difficult for you and me to achieve this, living with the noise and distraction of our complex world.

When I was Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, I would occasionally go to visit the Charterhouse at Parkminster. I was deeply edified by the monks there. I remember asking the Prior if I could encourage some of the priests of my Diocese to go there for spiritual direction and confession. The Prior thought for a moment and then said "I do not think it would be wise. You see, the life of the monk here is a very special one. Let me give you an example. If you throw a large rock into the sea, there will be a little splash. The sea moves on in its great course. But if you throw a pebble into a still pond, the ripples go backwards and forwards and the stillness of the pond is broken. That is what it would be like for our monks if the pebbles of the lives of priests who live in the world were to break the stillness of their prayer". I was very moved by that answer, reminding me that the stillness and the silence and the deep communication with God are not achieved without great effort and sacrifice, but they bring with them a great peace and joy. And looking at the face of the monks, whether in the film or at the Charterhouse in Parkminster, one saw a serenity, a peace and a joy that is quite remarkable.

So it was no wonder that Thomas More, as he watched from the window of his prison cell in the Tower of London and saw John Houghton with his two companions, Robert Lawrence and Augustine Webster, strapped to their hurdles on their way to execution at Tyburn, said that they went with a joyful alacrity, as of men going to their marriage, with great serenity and with joy. Yes, today we give thanks for the witness of these extraordinarily brave Carthusian martyrs, whose very silence and prayer prepared them for the ultimate sacrifice.

But what is the message for us today from the example of the silence and prayer of these great men of the past, and indeed of the present too, who devote their lives to a silence that is full of meaning and openness and joy? It seems to me there is one thing we need to assert time and time again. That is that each one of us has a soul made for God. We have been told time and time again, and rightly so, that we in the West have very great responsibilities for the wellbeing of our planet. Above all else, however, we must realise that there is also a responsibility for the stewardship of the spirit, which means the need to repair our fractured relationship with God. The return to things of the soul involves a return to its source and to its intended destiny. Heaven it is home. To experience and understand this means that we must be humble, for in perceiving the things of the spirit we realise that there is someone above us, beyond us, transcendent, but also very near to us in Jesus Christ. I seem to remember the words of Solzhenitsyn: "We have become hopelessly enmeshed in our slavish worship of all that is pleasant, all that is comfortable, all that is material. We worship things. We worship products. Will we ever succeed in shaking off this burden, in giving free rein to the spirit that was breathed into us at birth, that spirit which distinguishes us from the animal world?" We live in a postmodern world and the example of these martyrs, of these extraordinary men who devote their lives to silence and prayer and communion with God should be an encouragement to us to try to achieve some silence in our own lives. In doing so we give a silent witness to others of the fact that we have a soul and that we are made for God and we shall be restless until we find rest in him.

The words of a Carthusian monk sum this up well. "Silence and memory go well hand in hand. We know that silence is not a void but, on the contrary, by its very nature, is fullness". That is why the world's speech, its conversation, the pressure of the media is so often wearying instead of being truthful, restful and peaceful. That is why in Charterhouse one experiences such peace.

There everything emanates from the calm depths of the soul where all is recollected and silent. That is where God abides and where we ineffably find Him, if we abide in Him there too. Not everyone, obviously, can experience that same degree of recollection that exists in a Charterhouse, because of the circumstances of our lives. But we must surely, as far as possible, not be afraid to set aside at least some short moments for recollection and to give some time to Him who is within us. It is in that silence that he speaks to us and bids us listen to him. The motto of the great English Cardinal John Henry Newman sums this up well: Cor ad Cor Loquitur. Heart speaks to heart in the silence of the heart.

The scene in Chapel Court

The Martyrs are commemorated by the placing of a red rose in a model of a Tyburn Tree as the names of the 20 martyrs are called. This takes place in front of the Martyrs' Memorial.

Photography by Brian Newble