Page 10 - The Portal magazine - March 2025
P. 10

THE P    RTAL                              March 2025                                     Page 10

        More Patrimony


        in The Borough





        Christopher Smith and David Chapman



            HE CHURCH of the Most Precious Blood, Borough, near London Bridge is, as readers probably know,
        Tin the care of the Ordinariate. The church has been most beautifully restored and has become the heart of
        a vibrant parish. Under its musical director, Christopher Smith, it is also developing a fine musical tradition.

          The installation of the 1874/1912 Lewis pipe organ at
        Most Precious Blood, transplanted from an Anglican
        Church in Battersea,  came at the end of a one and a
        quarter million pound restoration of the Church and
        has proved to be a catalyst for a number of musical and
        educational ventures.

          There are monthly organ recitals, usually on the
        first Saturday of the month at 12.30pm. These are
        preceded by Mass in the Ordinariate rite and spiritual
        pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham                                         T om W inpenn y
                                                                                                   Tom Winpenny
        at 10.30am. Refreshments follow Mass; this is, after all,
        an Ordinariate church!                                share his love for the music traditionally sung at a full
                                                              Choral Evensong.
          These monthly recitals have been going for a while,
        and are increasingly popular. The February one was     The first of these monthly Choral Evensongs was at
        given by Ed Tambling of St James’, Spanish Place  the beginning of February when the Canticles were
        and the March one (you may just catch it if you read  sung to “Brewer in D”, with the Ayleward responses
        your Portal promptly!) by Tom Winpenny who will  and an anthem by Richard Lloyd – “View me, Lord, a
        play music by Diemer, Vaughan Williams, J S Bach,  work of Thine”; words by Thomas Campion. The series
        Bingham and Elgar.                                    will continue on the second Wednesday of each month
                                                              at 7.00pm. If the first one was anything to go by, this
          The organ is used by a number of students for practice  will also become a popular occasion, with refreshments
        in addition to its duties accompanying the liturgy. It  and lively conversation following the service.
        is an instrument ideally suited to the Anglican choral
        repertoire, as can be heard on any Sunday morning.     More details of the parish and the organ recitals may
        This prompted a student at the Royal College of Music  be found at www.preciousblood.org.uk
        to form a choir from friends and fellow students who
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