Forthcoming Events:

 

Putting Flesh on the Bones 2010

Monday 5th July at 5.00 p.m.

Architectural historian Jonathan Kewley will lead a walk around the churchyard, talking about a selection of those buried there - a different selection from previous years.

Followed by refreshments. All welcome.

 

Some recent events:

 

Oak Apple Day Reception 2010

Sunday 30th May 2010

The Friends marked the 350th anniversary of the Restoration of Charles II by hosting a reception after a traditional Oak Apple Day service arranged by Malew Parish Church (at which the preacher was the Rt. Revd. the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man).

The new religious settlement at the Restoration quickly established an architectural framework for English church interiors which lasted until the Oxford Movement in the 1840's, and it is of that period that the interior of Malew Church is so rare a survivor, so the celebration was appropriate.

 

Annual General Meeting 2010

Monday 29th March 2010

A good number of members and guests braved perhaps the wettest day of the year. After drinks and canapes, the formal business saw the re-election of the existing officers and committee and reports from the Treasurer and Chairman on the charity's finances and current projects.

Afterwards members had a preview of the newly-revealed (and unpublished) ledgerstones in the Wing, and Jonathan Kewley spoke about them and the people they commemorated, with a number of other members and guests adding their own very useful observations.

 

Festival of Remembrance 2009

Sunday 8th November 2009

Organist: Gareth Moore

The wreath was this year laid by Mr L M Wilson who served in the RAF during the last War.

 

Putting Flesh on the Bones

Monday 6th July 2009 at 5.00 p.m.

 

A good number of members and others attended a walk around the churchyard led by architectural historian (and Chairman of the Friends) Jonathan Kewley, who talked about a selection of those buried there.

 

Annual General Meeting 2009

Monday 2nd April 2009

Over a drink members and guests admired the four monuments which had been re-erected in the Chancel. Jonathan Kewley spoke about the history of the monuments and the lives of the people commemorated.

The Wood (left) and Quayle (right) monuments in place.

 

Tallis Consort

6th January 2009

Celebrating Old Christmas Day with some Early Music.

 

Festival of Remembrance

Sunday 9th November 2008

Organist: Gareth Moore; Soloist: Kirstene Sutcliffe; Bugler: Andy Holland

The wreath was laid by Mr R R Temple CMG whose distinguished war service included action at Arnhem.

 

Organ Recital by Nicholas J Roberts

for the Isle of Man Organists' Association, Saturday 11th October 2008 3 p.m.

 

 

The First Sermon of the Rt Rev:d Robert

Paterson MA as Lord Bishop of Sodor and

Man

Thursday 12th June 2008, 7.30 p.m.

Each incoming Lord Bishop traditionally gives his first sermon on the Island at Malew, the ancient parish church of the old capital.This time theLord Bishop, the Rt. Rev:d Robert Paterson, arrived from Castletown in an open landau driven by Mrs Linda Christian of Ellerslie.

 

He was greeted at the gate by the wardens and welcomed in Manx and Old Norse by Dr Jennifer Kewley Draskau.

 

The service was as always Evensong according to the 1662 Prayer Book; the organist was Michael Porter who took over at short notice as Gareth Moore was indisposed, and the soloist was Terence Qualtrough, a parishioner and winner of the 2008 Cleveland Medal (his second).

The Church was full with guests from all over the Island, headed by His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor and Lady Haddacks.

 

 

Stabat Mater by Pergolesi

The Girls' Choir of King William's College with Gareth Moore, organ

Sunday 9th March 2008

 

Carol Concert

December 2007.

 

Festival of Remembrance

Sunday 11th November 2007, 5 p.m.

The late R R Temple CMG lays the wreath

 

The Last Sermon of the Rt Rev:d Graeme

Knowles AKC as Lord Bishop of Sodor and

Man

Sunday 23rd September 2007, 3 p.m.

Mr R H Gelling (Captain of Malew), The Revd Canon D J Green (Rural Dean of Ramsey, Proctor-in-Convocation and Vice-President of the Diocesan Synod), the Lord Bishop, The Revd M F Roberts (Vicar of Malew), His Honour J Michael Kerruish QC (Deputy Governor, and H M First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls), Mr H B Jackson (Warden of the Chapelry of St Mark's), Mrs Kerruish, Mrs C F S Convery (Churchwarden), the Ven Brian Smith (Archdeacon of Man), and Mr J D R Kewley (Chairman of the Friends of Malew Church)

 

Evensong for King Charles the Martyr's

Day

Saturday 27th January 2007, 3 p.m

Preacher: the Rt Rev:d the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man

The Bishop with Friends' secretary Susan Temple

 

 

Visit to Milntown

Sunday 3rd September 2006

This year’s outing was to Milntown, near Ramsey, probably the most important of the Island’s historic mansions.

Milntown (pronounced of course “Milltown”) was from the earliest times the seat of the Christians, the most prominent Manx family, whose number included Illiam Dhone who was probably born there. Substantial parts of the sixteenth and seventeenth century house survive. The Christians spent the eighteenth century on their Cumberland estates but returned and remodelled the house in the 1820’s. Their fortunes declined and it was sold after the last of the line to own it died heavily in debt in 1886. His fourth wife and her children later rented it, and after various uses it was bought by a Welsh baronet, the late Sir Clive Edwards, who left it in trust for the Manx nation. The Friends visited by kind permission of the Trustees.

There are a number of associations with Malew Church, first and foremost of course Illiam Dhone, but also Margaret Taubman who married the head of the family in the late 18th century and was the mother of the Deemster Christian who returned to Milntown in the 1820’s; her monument was taken down to make way for Bryan Kneale’s new work but will be put back up, restored, before too long. A number of other Christians and their connections are also buried at Malew.

We were very fortunate to be accompanied by Nigel Crowe who has done an enormous amount of research into Milntown’s early history. We also explored the 19th century work but came to no definite conclusions as to authorship - Jonathan Kewley tentatively suggested John Welch rather than the attribution which has sometimes (baselessly, it seems) been made to Thomas Brine.

Wst Gallery Quire

2nd September 2006

 

Malew was the culmination of a west gallery crawl by an enthusiastic group from all over the country. They were pleased to find a west gallery still in use, from which they could sing.

 

Oak Apple Day

Sunday 29th May 2005

 

Most dates in the modern calendar of the Church of England relate to the Christian Year. The principal exception is the Accession Day of the reigning Sovereign, which was celebrated in at least two Island churches in 2002 (the fiftieth anniversary ), but is otherwise ignored.

Until, however, the first half of Queen Victoria's reign, there were three more dates for which the Prayer Book included special services. They were November 5th (Gunpowder Treason Day), 31st January (the anniversary of the martyrdom of King Charles I) - and 29th May, the anniversary of the King's Birth and Return, more popularly known as Oak Apple Day.

The King, of course, was Charles II, who resumed possession of his throne on his birthday, 29th May, in 1660, after the collapse of the regicidal republic. The wearing of oak apples (more usually just oakleaves) is a reminder of how his life was saved by hiding in an oak tree after the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
This year 29th May fell on a Sunday, and for what is believed to be the first time in many years, a church service was held on the Island to commemorate it.

The venue was Malew Church, which was appropriate for a number of reasons, first, because it continues to use nothing but the 1662 Prayer Book, but also because it is the burial place of William Christian (Illiam Dhone), revered by many as a Manx patriot. He was sentenced to death for treason against the Earl of Derby as Lord of Mann, but was pardoned by Charles II. Unfortunately by the time the pardon reached the Island, he had already been executed.

The service was one of Evensong, worked out by Jonathan Kewley from the slightly complicated instructions in old Prayer Books. It was taken by the Vicar, the Rev:d Michael Roberts, and Reader Alan Matthews, in the presence of the Lord Bishop, the Rt Revd Graeme Knowles who delivered a most suitable blessing at the end. The organist was Helen Kinvig, who expertly led a congregation without a choir through two canticles, three psalms and five hymns.

The Friends chose to support this event a sone showing the imaginative use of the church building, and at the end they provided a Reception of Pimms, pink lemonade and cake.

As well as Malew people, members of the Friends and well-wishers from all over the Island, the congregation included the party from the Church Monuments Society who were over for the weekend. Their Tours Secretary Robin Millerchip described it as "a very memorable highlight...It was a delight enjoyed by all to use the rich English language of the 17th century compared with the watered down, wishy-washy version of the 21st century. ...Some yummy cakes and Pimms along with a chat with the Bishop afterwards rounded off a very British Sunday afternoon [and] made the entire pre-tour organisation worthwhile!"

 

 

Unveiling of the Illiam Dhone Memorial

Monday 2nd January 2006 11 a.m.