The Henson Journals
Mon 16 June 1913 to Sat 21 June 1913
Volume 18, Pages 368 to 369
[368]
4th Sunday after Trinity, June 16th, 1913.
A perfect summer's day in a perfect country. The prospect from the Rector's house was superb. I preached twice in one of the noblest parish churches in the country. Hexham Abbey is indeed a grand building. The extensive restorations including a new nave appear to have been well designed & carefully executed. Few churches are so well stocked with archaeological treasures. Roman tablets are built into the wall: an old Roman chair transformed into an Anglo–Saxon Bishop's chair, the "Frith stool": a splendid 15th century screen adorned with frescoes: a medieval pulpit – all made up a collection of treasures which can hardly be matched. I was struck by the excellent singing of the large voluntary choir, & the fine tone of the organ. Evidently the Church is well served in its organist & choirmaster. The Rector, Canon Savage, is a 'lawless' cleric.
[369]
On Saturday, the 21st of June, our party came off in the afternoon. The weather was fine, & everybody seemed to be good tempered. We threw the house open so that curiosity might satisfy itself, & some were thereby moved to mount the roof, and descend into the cellars!
I was somewhat fatigued by the labours & emotions of a long Chapter meeting earlier in the day. The Canons, who had been colloguing together during the week, produced a minute which they desired to have entered on the Register of our proceedings. This minute 'without prejudice as to the ultimate authority in the matter' expressed satisfaction at the Dean's assurance that before making changes in the services he would give the Canons opportunity of expressing their views. Before putting this proposal to the vote, I made a careful statement as to the constitution of the Cathedral & my conception of the Dean's Office. Subsequently I sent a copy of this statement to be kept among the archives, endorsed by the Chapter Clerk as read in Chapter when he was present.
N.B. June 19th [symbol] Much thunderous weather, so that all exertion became burdensome. Qy is Durham exceptional in the number of its thunder–storms?