1,000 Year History of Cathedral Music Marked

Gloucester Cathedral has opened an exciting new chapter in its remarkable 1,000-year musical history with the dedication of a magnificent new pipe organ that promises to inspire worshippers, musicians and visitors for generations to come.

The historic dedication service, held on 5 July, welcomed Their Royal Highnesses The Duke of Gloucester and The Duchess of Gloucester, who attended as Joint Patrons of the Cathedral's In Tune Music and Organ Campaigns. Their presence recognised both the national importance of the project and the enduring place of cathedral music within Britain's cultural heritage.

Designed and built by Nicholson & Co, the impressive new instrument has been carefully installed within the Cathedral's beautifully restored 17th-century organ cases, blending centuries-old craftsmanship with modern engineering.

The organ itself is a remarkable achievement. Containing an astonishing 3,338 individual pipes, each capable of producing its own unique note or tone, it offers an extraordinary range of musical expression. From the softest whisper of sound to a thrilling, full-bodied crescendo, the instrument has been designed to take full advantage of Gloucester Cathedral's magnificent medieval acoustics.

Anyone who has experienced a great cathedral organ knows that its sound is something far beyond simply hearing music. 

The deep foundations, soaring reeds and sparkling upper voices resonate through vast stone spaces, creating an atmosphere that can be both uplifting and deeply moving. It is one of those rare experiences where music seems almost tangible.

The new organ will play a central role in daily worship, major services, concerts and recitals, while also supporting the Cathedral's acclaimed music education programmes. It will accompany the renowned choir, enhance performances of the great organ repertoire and provide exciting opportunities for creativity and community collaboration.

The Cathedral is also investing heavily in the future through its Singing and Organ Academies, helping young musicians develop their talents through chorister education, scholarships and outreach programmes. Thousands of people of all ages already take part in its musical activities each year, ensuring that music remains firmly at the heart of Cathedral life.

Andrew Zihni, Dean of Gloucester Cathedral, described the organ as "a gift to the Cathedral, to the city and to future generations", while Director of Music and Organist Adrian Partington called it "a once-in-a-generation event" that will transform both worship and performance.

For lovers of music, history and magnificent architecture, the new organ offers yet another reason to visit Gloucester Cathedral. As its first notes now echo beneath the Cathedral's soaring medieval vaults, they signal not only the completion of an extraordinary project but the beginning of a vibrant new era in one of England's great centres of sacred music.

www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk

Craftland by James Fox Review. Britain's Lost Arts and Vanishing Trades

Discover why James Fox's Craftland is a fascinating celebration of Britain's disappearing crafts, traditional skills and the people determined to keep them alive.

In an age dominated by automation, artificial intelligence and mass production, it is easy to forget that Britain was once defined by the remarkable skills of the people who made things with their own hands.

 In Craftland: A Journey Through Britain's Lost Arts and Vanishing Trades, acclaimed art historian and broadcaster James Fox sets out to rediscover that forgotten world, and what he finds is both inspiring and deeply moving.

Travelling from the Isles of Scilly to the Scottish Highlands, Fox meets many of Britain's remaining master craftspeople. From blacksmiths and wheelwrights to coopers, bell-founders, watchmakers and stone wallers, he uncovers stories of dedication, patience and extraordinary expertise that have often been passed down through generations.

Rather than presenting these traditional trades as museum pieces, Fox reveals them as living skills that continue to have value in the modern world. Many of the people he meets reject the idea that they are simply preserving history. 

They are professionals who continue to earn a living through craftsmanship that demands precision, creativity and years of experience.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its ability to connect the reader with Britain's rich regional heritage. Every county and community once had its own specialist trades, many of which helped shape local identity.Fox demonstrates how these crafts built towns, supported families and created objects designed to last for generations rather than years.

The writing is engaging, accessible and filled with fascinating encounters. Fox's enthusiasm is infectious, making readers appreciate the beauty hidden in everyday objects that most of us rarely stop to consider. Whether describing the careful construction of a dry-stone wall or the intricate mechanics of handmade watches, he reminds us that true craftsmanship combines knowledge, patience and passion.

At its heart, Craftland asks an important question: what do we lose when these skills disappear? The answer extends far beyond the objects themselves. Traditional crafts preserve stories, communities, identities and ways of thinking that cannot simply be replaced by machines.

For readers who enjoy history, British culture, traditional skills, or beautifully observed travel writing, Craftland is an absorbing and rewarding read. It is both a celebration of those keeping endangered trades alive and a thoughtful reminder that progress does not always mean leaving the past behind.

James Fox has produced a book that encourages us to look more closely at the makers around us and to value the remarkable human skill behind the objects we often take for granted. In doing so, Craftland becomes much more than a history of traditional crafts—it is a love letter to Britain's ingenuity, resilience and creativity.

Rating: ★★★★★

A BBC Radio Four Book of the Week, we can heartily recommend this book, it will make an excellent Christmas gift.

You can buy it from our Amazon-powered shop at a discounted price:- https://amzn.to/4vf1jwy

Lucy Connolly's Prison Memoir Explores Free Speech, Justice and Life Behind Bars

Discover Lucy Connolly's powerful prison memoir, exploring personal tragedy, freedom of speech, the UK justice system and life behind bars through her own experiences.

Some books entertain, some educate, and others invite readers to wrestle with difficult questions.

A new memoir from Lucy Connolly firmly falls into the latter category, offering a deeply personal account of tragedy, prosecution and life behind bars.

Lucy's story begins long before the events that brought her national attention. She writes movingly about the devastating loss of her only son, Harry, whom she believes died as a result of medical negligence. It is a loss that shaped every aspect of her life and one from which, she says, she has never fully recovered.

The book then turns to the aftermath of the horrific killings of children attending a dance class in Southport. Overwhelmed by emotion, Lucy posted a message on social media that she later removed just three hours after publishing it. 

Despite deleting the post, she was subsequently arrested, prosecuted under the Public Order Act and remanded into custody before later receiving a custodial sentence of 31 months.

In this memoir, Lucy recounts her experience from her own perspective. She describes how an ordinary family woman, a childminder, wife and the spouse of a Conservative councillor, found herself navigating the criminal justice system and adapting to life inside prison. Through her eyes, readers are taken behind the walls of the prison system and introduced to the routines, challenges and emotional realities of incarceration.

Beyond the personal story, the book explores wider themes that continue to generate public debate. It asks readers to consider where the line should be drawn between freedom of expression and criminality, whether sentencing in social media cases is proportionate, and how confidence in the justice system can be maintained. These are questions that have prompted strong opinions across the political spectrum.

Whether readers ultimately agree or disagree with Lucy's conclusions, her memoir offers a first-hand account of extraordinary circumstances and provides an opportunity to reflect on some of the most challenging legal and social issues facing Britain today.

For anyone interested in memoirs, contemporary legal debates, prison life or the evolving discussion around free speech in the digital age, this is a book likely to provoke conversation long after the final page has been turned.

You can buy your copies here https://amzn.to/3QPRyqr

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Ancient Tibetan Sand Mandala Installation Comes to London for Buddhist Film Festival

Tibetan monks will create and ceremonially dissolve a traditional sand mandala at London's Oxo Gallery as part of the Buddhist Film Festival, celebrating art, reflection and impermanence.

Visitors to London’s iconic Oxo Tower Wharf will soon have the opportunity to witness an extraordinary artistic and spiritual tradition as part of this year's Buddhist Film Festival.

From 17th to 21st June, the Oxo Gallery will host a live sand mandala installation created by Tibetan monks, offering a fascinating glimpse into a centuries-old practice that combines artistry, meditation and profound philosophical meaning.

Presented through a collaboration between the Pure Land Foundation and Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, the free event aims to shine a spotlight on the Buddhist Film Festival, which begins online on 16th June and promises its most accessible and international programme yet.

For five days, visitors will be able to watch as monks carefully construct an intricate sand mandala using finely coloured grains of sand. The elaborate geometric patterns are created entirely by hand, requiring immense patience, concentration and precision.

What makes the event particularly intriguing is that the completed artwork is not intended to last.

On Sunday 21st June, the finished mandala will be ceremonially destroyed in a traditional dissolution ritual. While that may sound surprising, the act is central to Buddhist teachings, symbolising impermanence and reminding us that all things, no matter how beautiful or significant, are ultimately temporary.

The installation reflects many of the themes explored by the Buddhist Film Festival itself. The festival showcases a carefully curated selection of short and feature-length films inspired by Buddhist philosophy, contemplative practice and cross-cultural understanding. Alongside works from established filmmakers, the online fringe programme provides a platform for emerging voices exploring spirituality, compassion and human connection through cinema.

Bruno Wang, founder of the Pure Land Foundation and co-curator of the festival, believes both the sand mandala and the film programme offer valuable opportunities for reflection in an increasingly fast-paced world.

He explains that the creation and destruction of the mandala demonstrates how meaning can be found in the process itself rather than in permanence, encouraging visitors to slow down and engage more deeply with the present moment.

As an added bonus, visitors attending the Oxo Gallery installation will receive an exclusive code granting free access to the full Buddhist Film Festival programme.

Whether you're interested in world cinema, cultural traditions, spirituality or simply witnessing a remarkable artistic achievement unfold before your eyes, this unique event promises a memorable and thought-provoking experience in the heart of London.

Snowdonia church becomes unlikely winner in global Reddit competition

A small church in Eryri (Snowdonia), Cymru, has gained widespread online attention after emerging as the final location remaining in a month-long online competition involving thousands of Reddit users.

St Mary's Church, Beddgelert, was the last place standing in a challenge hosted by the Reddit community https://www.reddit.com/r/terriblemaps/, which invited users to repeatedly vote out half of a map until only a single location remained.

The competition began with the entire world divided into two halves. Users voted on which half should be eliminated before the remaining area was divided again and the process repeated. 

Over 29 rounds, continents, countries, regions and towns were gradually removed until the contest narrowed to a small area around Beddgelert.

In the final round, St Mary's Church emerged as the last surviving location.

The result reflects a well-known aspect of Reddit culture, where online communities often embrace unlikely underdogs and develop running jokes around them. As larger regions were eliminated and the map narrowed towards Beddgelert, users increasingly rallied behind St Mary's Church. 

News of the contest also spread beyond Reddit, with local residents joining the online discussion and helping build support for the village during the final rounds.

Reddit users praised both the village and the church. One described Beddgelert as "a gorgeous place", while another wrote: "Beautiful Church. No wonder it won." As the contest drew to a close, supporters rallied around the church and encouraged people to visit.

Local vicar Revd Kim Williams says, "We were quite surprised to learn St Mary's Church had become the focus of an online competition but it’s nice to see so many people speaking positively about Beddgelert and Eryri.

“I might be biased saying this but it definitely deserved to win! St Mary's has served the local community for generations. We are always pleased to welcome visitors who come to enjoy the village, the landscape and the church."

Beddgelert is a popular tourist spot for exploring Eryri, with the Welsh Highland Railway, walks through the Aberglaslyn Gorge, the start of the Watkin Path up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), and the nearby Sygun Copper Mine.

St Mary’s Church stands close to one of Beddgelert’s most famous landmarks, Gelert’s Grave. The grave is linked to the legend of Prince Llywelyn and his faithful hound Gelert. According to the story, Llywelyn returned from hunting to find his baby son missing and Gelert covered in blood. Believing the dog had killed the child, he killed Gelert, before discovering the baby unharmed beside the body of a wolf Gelert had slain. Visitors can reach the grave by a short riverside walk from the church.

https://bangor.eglwysyngnghymru.org.uk

All I see is the present

CCA Derry~Londonderry is pleased to announce its summer exhibition by artist Christopher Steenson will launch over the solstice weekend on Friday 19 June 2026, 7–9pm.

For Christopher Steenson’s solo exhibition All I see is the present, the artist combines sound photography, installation and archival material to explore the ways in which moments from prehistory can be used as a gateway to the present. 

The exhibition is the first manifestation of the artist’s long-term engagement with research exploring the prehistoric past of the island of Ireland.

With a practice that spans sound, lens-based media, text and digital systems, Christopher Steenson’s (b.1992, North of Ireland) work bridges historical and speculative narratives to interrogate the politics of time, environment and more-than-human-relations. 

In approaching these concerns, he seeks to make work through which we can ‘listen across tenses’. Recent solo exhibitions include: They haven’t gone away you know, mother’s tankstation, Dublin (2025); Breath Variations, Flat Time House, London (2023); and Soft Rains Will Come, VISUAL, Carlow (2022).

An In Conversation between Artist Christopher Steenson and Historian Dr Brian Lacey moderated by CCA Director Catherine Hemelryk will take place on Saturday 20 June 2026 from 2pm as part of Heritage Month across Derry City & Strabane District.

The exhibition runs until Saturday September 12 2026.

https://cca-derry-londonderry.org