Lardal Kantori Norwegian Choir concert

As part of the much loved Norwegian contribution to the Christmas Fayre running from 2nd – 4th  December, the Lardal Kantori Choir will performing at St. Nicholas Church on Saturday 3rd December starting at 7.30 pm.  The 35 strong mixed choir will be accompanied by soloists Filip Haakestad and Gjeril Songvoll, a talented soprano and a lead performer at last years Oslo Opera Festival.  Tickets are £7 and are on sale at the Priory Centre, Priory Plain, or online at www.gytcp.co.uk/events.  For more information call the Town Centre Partnership on 01493 745828.

St. Nicholas to be upgraded as a Minster

  St. Nicholas Minster, east end, December 2011

From December St. Nicholas  Church will be a minster rather than a parish church.  It will be consecrated as such on the 9th December 2011 at the Mayor and the Sherrif of Norfolk’s Carol Service which will be held at 7.30 pm.

The new status has been agreed by the Queen, the Bishop of Norfolk and the Town Council in recognition of the church’s important architectural heritage.

Title: Carol Service
Location: Description: Mayor and Sherrif of Norfolk’s Carol Service
Start Time: 19:30
Date: 2011-12-09

Tree/Crib Festival – Christmas 2011

OPENING EVENT: wednesday 7th December 2011 at 10.00 am

St. Nicholas Church Preservation Trust and the Parish of St. Nicholas have invited entries for the Tree/Crib Festival, which is hoped will be innovative, with both traditional trees and cribs and also those that are out of the ordinary. Imagination and lateral thinking were encouraged with the aim of creating a festival that will stand out from the other festivals in the area.  79 entries have been submitted.

As this is a fund-raising event for the fabric and organ of St. Nicholas Church a charge of £10 was asked for each exhibit (£5 for schools and colleges).

A charge of £2/adult will be made for those coming to see the festival (accompanied children under 16 years of age are free). Free entrance for exhibitors. There will be an opening ceremony on Wednesday 7th December at 10am. A trophy will be presented for the best tree or crib voted for by the public. They will be presented at the Mayor’s Carol Service on Friday 9th December in the evening.

A “Hunt the Snowman” competition will be organised for children.

The event will take place from Wednesday 7th to Saturday 10th December 2011 from 10.00am-4.00pm with a late opening until 7.30pm on Wednesday 7th December.

More information on the website: www.sncpt.co.uk

The Pirate Stone

“To the Memory of David Bartleman, Master of the brig Alexander and Margaret of North Shields, who on 31st January, 1781 on the Norfolk coast with only 3 pounders and ten men and boys nobly defended himself against a cutter carrying eighteen 4 pounders and upwards of 100 men commanded by the notorious English pirate Fall and fairly beat him off.  Two hours after, the enemy came down upon him again.  When totally disabled, his mate Daniel MacAuley expiring with the loss of blood and himself dangerously wounded, he was obliged to strike and ransom.  He brought his shattered vessel into Yarmouth with more than the honours of a conqueror and died here in consequence of his wounds on the 14th February, following in the 25th year of his age.  To commemorate the gallantry of his son, the bravery of his faithful mate and at the same time mark the infamy of a savage pirate, his afflicted father Alexander Bartleman has ordered this stone to be erected over his honourable grave. ‘Twas great. His foe though strong.”

St. Nicholas Church Preservation Trust has organised the renovation of the David Bartleman gravestone in the churchyard. Over the last few years the lettering on the stone had deteriorated and in parts was illegible. After examining the stone it was apparent that the lettering had been re-cut, probably in 1900. At one time the stone had been painted white and the letters painted black. There was a fear that the gravestone would soon be blank, like so many other interesting ones in the churchyard. In order to save the Bartleman stone for future generations it was decided to save the lettering on the stone. The former Rector of Great Yarmouth, Michael Woods, gave his consent and the work was paid for by the Pearson family of North Drive (the Pearsons apparently come from a family of pirates).  The stonemason Colin Smith carried out the intricate work, donating the sponsorship to the St. Nicholas Church organ fund.

The present rector re-dedicated the stone during August 2011 when the Chairman of the St. Nicholas Church Preservation Trust gave a brief talk about the stone, explaining that Fall wasn’t really a pirate but a privateer in paid employment, sailing under the American flag during the War of Independence 1775-83, with a licence to operate from America, France and Holland.   He captured many colliers along the east coast, including two off Lowestoft in 1780 and two merchantmen off Pakefield around the same time.

After the David Bartleman incident, the Mayor of Yarmouth wrote a stiff letter to the Admiralty complaining that there were no men-of-war stationed in Yarmouth. 

This is just one of many interesting stones at St.Nicholas Parish Church, some of them listed and of  great significance to local history, such as the stone commemorating a death caused by the collapse of the suspension bridge, with a lovely carving illustrating the event.   Dr. Paul Davies has written a book entitled Stories behind the Stones and details of over 500 graves in St. Nicholas Churchyard and the New and the Old Cemeteries.  It is a hardback, 540pp and lavishly illustrated in colour: ISBN 978-09544509-3-9.  Priced £40, it is available from Paul Davies (01493 843647)

Lunchtime Recitals

Admission to the Wednesday lunchtime recitals at St. Nicholas Parish Church is free, though after each recital a retiring collection will be taken in aid of the organ fund for those who wish to make a donation.  Light refreshments are available at the Visitors’ Centre but visitors are encouraged to bring their lunch to eat whilst enjoying the music.   The recitals are given between 12.30 pm to 1.15 pm on the following Wednesdays:

6th July, John Stephens, organ

13th July, Briony Roper and Terri-Ann Rutter, piano

27th July, Jon Farmer, organ and piano

3rd August Matthew Bond, organ

10th August, Adrian Richards, organ

17th August, Mike Webb, organ

31st August, David Ballard, organ

7th September, John Stephens, organ

A craft fayre will be held in the church on the 20th July and 24th August.

Great Yarmouth Choral Society

This Choral Society performance in St. Nicholas Parish Church
on the 18th June 2011 features Mozart’s 40th Symphony in G Minor, The Requiem and Regina Ceoli.  The concert celebrates the 50th anniversary of the re-consecration of St. Nicholas Parish Church.  Tickets from Allen’s Music Centre, Yarmouth, Aldreds Estate Agents, Gorleston or telephone 01493 843816

50th anniversary festival

On the night of the 24th June 1942, St. Nicholas Church was destroyed by German incendiary bombs, leaving only its walls and towers standing. It was left derelict until 1957 when re-construction began.  This was completed in 1961.  The church was re-consecrated on 8th May 1961, being the Eve of the Feast of the Translation of St. Nicholas.  From 8th May to 16th May 2011 there will be an exhibition in the church of its destruction and reconstruction, presented by Great Yarmouth College of Further Education. 

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the re-construction of St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, the St.Nicholas Church Preservation Trust  will be holding a festival from 6th-16th May, presenting the following events at the church:

Friday, 6th May, 19.30 hrs. 1940s Music Night with Annie Slater, Roger Cooke and friends . Tickets £10, bar and raffle

Sunday 6th May, Civic Service at 11.00 a.m. followed by buffet lunch at 12.30 p.m. (pre-ordered ticket event £10, under sixteen £5) and a Musical Entertainment with the Dragon’s Stage School at 2.00 p.m.  Festal Choral Evensong will be at 3.00 p.m.

Tuesday, 10th May, 6.30 p.m. Yarmouth Quizz and answers to Treasure Hunt.  Bar and raffle. Tickets £10 includes buffet, under sixteens £5. The treasure hunt around the historic centre of Yarmouth to be done in previous week in own time, question papers available from church from 3rd May 10.00-12.00 hrs and Brahams in Market Row or tel. 01493 843647.

Thursday 12th May, 7.30 p.m. Reminiscences of the Herring Fishery and musical interludes with Ernie Childs . Bar and raffle.  Tickets £10 includes fish and chips.

Friday 13th May, 7.30 p.m. Traditional Jazz with Redbeans ‘n’ Rice. Bar and raffle. Tickets £10.

Saturday 14th May, 11.00 a.m. Tour and illustrated talk on the history of St. Nicholas Church with Paul Davies.  Tickets £3, under sixteens £1, includes coffee and cake.

Sunday 15th May, 6.30 p.m. Choral Evensong

Monday 16th May, 7.30 p.m. Concert in conjunction with Norfolk and Norwich Festival: Harry Winstanley, flute, Jonathan Wiseman, guitar, from the Royal Academy of Music.  Programme includes CPE Bach, Takemitsu, Dodgson and Bartok.  Tickets £7

Tickets for all events are available from Brahams, Market Row or tel. 01493 843647

Norwegian Carol Concert

The Norwegian Choir, Lardal Kontori, will be giving their popular annual Christmas Carol Concert at St. Nicholas Church on Saturday 4th December, beginning at 7.30 p.m.   Tickets are £7.00 in advance and £8.00 on the door.  Tickets are available online at www.gytcp.co.uk or for more information, contact the Town Centre Partnership on 01493 745828.

St Nicholas Church

Three Valleys Male Voice choir will perform in the church on Saturday 23rd October at 7.30pm. Tickets £5 on the door.
Singing songs from the shows, 60′s hits, plus well known opera pieces.
In aid of the organ fund

Blessing of the Nets Service

St. Nicholas Church, Sunday 3rd October, 2010 at 6.30 pm.

A special service to celebrate the medieval tradition of Blessing the Nets of the fisherman of the town and to pray for them before they went to sea:  includes sea songs by the Masquers, followed by herring snack (ticket event £5