Many Happy Returns to Stan Wood for his 65th Birthday in June.


IN GAOL IN CHESTER 1653
Among the treasures of my Quaker upbringing was the beautiful language of those writings of early Friends when under pressure, indeed often persecuted.
In 1652 the distinguished Anglican Judge, Thomas Fell and his wife Margaret, welcomed George Fox and his dissenting Friends into their home at Swartmoor Hall, across the sands of Morecambe Bay. The next year another Friend, John Lawson, wrote to Margaret Fell from prison in Chester.

“In the unity of the truth my tender love salutes thee, and all my dear brethren and sisters who are in the truth. Dear hearts, walk worthy of your calling, for holy and perfect is He who hath called you out of the world. Stand ye perfectly freed from the world, and take heed to be not entangled again with those things you have once been set free from, but walk circumspectly, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; but every one of you who have been so taught, abide in the light, and stand pure and clear out of the works of darkness, that your Father and my Father may be glorified; that you may all have unity with God, and unity with one another, growing up together as branches of one vine – all watching one over another for good, improving the manifold graces received from God for the good of one another, strengthening one another daily in your most holy faith.
“We are all well – pray for us that we may stand faithful in the Lord.
“May the God of all power keep thee, my dear sister, in His eternal wisdom and strength, for thou hast shewed thyself to be loving mother towards all the tender babes of Christ.
5 December 1653, Chester.”

For the following 350 years, Quakers, in what is now Cumbria, generally had excellent relations with members of the Church of England and the Free Churches, both lay and clergy, and still do. Perhaps such beautiful language helped!
John Carruthers

CATHEDRAL LINK
To celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, there is to be a Cheshire Thanksgiving Service on Sunday 2nd June in the Cathedral at 3.30 pm.
An address will be given by the Rt Revd Brian Noble, Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury, and contributions from local people.
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Foster, Bishop of Chester, writes, “In addition to expressing our gratitude to Her Majesty for the 50 years of service which she has given as Queen, we shall also be celebrating the life of our local communities during this time.”

Warm congratulations to Ben Saunders, the Assistant Director of Music, as he takes up his post as Director of Music at Leeds Cathedral. Besides cathedral responsibilities, he will be involved in work in the RC Diocese of Leeds.
Margaret Croston

THE QUEEN’S CHAPEL
I was fortunate, when in London recently, to be passing the Queen’s Chapel in St James’ Palace and to find that it was open. Normally it is only open for some services, but as part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, it had been decided to open it for a few days.
Mr David Baldwin, Serjeant of the Vestry, was there and gave us an illustrated lecture on the Chapel. He was resplendent in striped trousers, black waistcoat, white bow tie and a flowing black gown festooned with fur.
The Chapel was designed by Inigo Jones at the behest of the Spanish Ambassador and command of James I and was the first Palladian style post-Reformation Church in England. Begun in 1623 for the intended marriage of Prince Charles to the Spanish Infanta and eventually finished in 1627, it was the private chapel of Charles I’s bride, Henrietta Maria of France, who brought French priests and a Bishop as her Chaplains. These were quickly replaced by Benedictines and Oratorians. The Chapel cost over £4,000 to build in those days and the plans included the gilding of 28 coffers of the vaulted ceiling over the Sanctuary. At least two of the Consecration Crosses have survived and can be seen in the panelling of the West wall.
After the Restoration the Chapel was revived for Charles II’s Queen Catherine of Braganza to comply with the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1661. Grinling Gibbons carved the Altar. Samuel Pepys at that time wrote of “the fine Altar, ornaments, and the Fryers in their habits.” Later the Chapel was used by Mary of Modena, the Italian second wife of James II and served by Jesuits. William III permitted the use of the Chapel for Reformed worship by Dutch and French-speaking congregations. The Queen’s Chapel was known at the German Chapel after 1781 and German Lutherans remained there until 1902. A Danish Lutheran congregation used the Chapel until 1936 and they erected a tablet to the memory of Queen Alexandra, herself a Dane. After Queen Mary came to live at Marlborough House, the Chapel was completely restored and given to the use of the Chapel Royal in 1938.
The famous Catholic pulpit from 1676 was dismantled and halved and now forms the west ends of the Cantoris and Decani choir stalls. So you can see it has had a very chequered history. We were delighted to be shown the wonderful gold communion pattens and chalices and decorated plates going back to the 1600s. The Chapel itself is decorated in pale green and gold. I spoke afterwards to Mr Baldwin who said he had been at Chester Cathedral with the Maundy Money a few years ago.
Margaret Croston

CHRISTLETON PARISH COUNCIL NEWS
Christleton Parish Council held its Annual General Meeting at the beginning of April when the Chairman, Mrs Pam Evans, officiated. She gave a report on the activities of the Parish Council for the preceding 12 months. It had been an extremely active year and a further successful entry had been made in the Cheshire Best Kept Village Competition. She wished to thank all those who had supported and the competition. Action had been taken with respect to a proposed pop festival and the planning group had referred a number of applications for consideration by the full Council. Plans were to be brought forward for the development of the British Legion site and the lease for the Capesthorne Road Play Area had at last been signed. Work had started on the Village Design Statement. Revisions had been made to the Council’s Groups. The Chairman wished to thank the Council for their support during the year. Various other annual reports were presented. Councillor Beech was pleased to report progress on the King George V Playing Fields. The Chairman reported that the Primary School continued to develop. A disabled access had been provided and the transport group was to be reconvened to discuss safer routes to school issues.

The AGM was followed by the ordinary monthly meeting. Councillor Partington reported that the Green Lane path was passable. Councillor Kenyon referred to the need for ventilation in the Parish Notice Boards to prevent misting up.
The Clerk reported receipt of advice from the Audit Commission of the appointment of Hacker Young as the Council’s auditors from April 2002 under the new external audit arrangements.
A response was awaited from the City Council as to the proposed maintenance and inspection regime for the play areas. Estimates for grass cutting of these areas at the Pit and Capesthorne Road had been received and were accepted.
Councillor Kenyon reported that the Council at present had no evidence of the use of Cotton Hall Lane and it was agreed the matter would be progressed with City Councillor B J Bailey and the Mid-Cheshire Footpath Society.
The Council considered the attendance at the recent Open Morning and discussed possible alternatives, including a presence at the Fete. A suggestion by Councillor Beech that the matter should be considered for 2003 was agreed. Refreshment money received at the Open Morning was to be donated to the Wednesday Group. The Highways Agency would be thanked for their attendance and would be advised that the 1999 traffic report had identified traffic movements in the village. Further to the traffic count on Plough Lane, the Clerk would ascertain whether the police and highway authority were proposing any follow-up action to the traffic study. It was noted that a report to a recent meeting of the Gowy Panel had suggested that the proposed scheme on Quarry Lane, for which funding had been sought, would not now proceed. The Council’s view was that the scheme should be progressed. Discussions are continuing.
Under Planning matters, Councillor Kenyon reported on the British Legion site. The highway issues had been discussed with the highway authority, including a proposal for a foot way on the perimeter of the Pit. It had been indicated that the Council would wish to see a complete scheme for traffic calming and it was accepted that the developer would not meet the whole cost of the proposal. Councillor Crawford stressed the importance of a safe crossing point being provided and believed that the highway authority and the architect should develop an acceptable scheme.
The Clerk reported receipt of correspondence relating to the protected Green Belt status of open spaces on either side of the Cheshire Cat. He also reported receipt of copy correspondence relating to the acquisition of the White Lane Depot from the City Council by a private developer. A request had been made for early consultation should development be proposed.
City Councillor John Boughton reported that all householder applications were now to be determined by planning officers under delegated powers, although there was a provision enabling members to call in an application. This would require sound planning reasons and he encouraged the Parish Council to keep the ward members informed should they wish a proposal to be considered by the planning board.
It was proposed by Councillor Kenyon, seconded by Councillor Crawford, and agreed that the Council should adopt the Parish Councils’ Code of Conduct.
The date of the next meeting is either Wednesday 5th June or Tuesday 11th June at the Methodist Church commencing 7.30 pm (please see Notice Boards). Members of the public are invited to attend.

Top