St Botolph's at 700

In 2021 we celebrated 700 years of worship at St Botolph's in our current building (there were previous churches on the same site). It is also 1,400 years since the birth of St Botolph.

We had a programme of events running for two weeks over St Botolph's Day on 17 June, culminating in a Sung Eucharist on Saturday 26 June with the Bishop of Ely preaching. The full programme of events is set out below:

Sunday 13 June, 11.00am Mattins with Holy Communion

Preacher: Fr Tim L’Estrange, President, The Botolphian Society
Anthem: Wesley Lead me, Lord

Thursday 17 June, 6.00pm Festal Choral Evensong for the Feast of St Botolph

Sung by Queens’ College Choir
Preacher: Revd Canon Jessica Martin, Ely Cathedral

Sunday 20 June, 11.00am Sung Eucharist

Preacher: Fr Max Bayliss, Chaplain, Queens’ College
Anthem: Anonymous Alta Trinita beata

Wednesday 23 June, 9.00pm The Office of Compline

Sung by members of St Botolph’s Choir
Plainsong liturgy and Anthem (Sheppard In pace)

Thursday 24 June, 6.00pm The Story of the Lamb

An introduction to Liviu Mocan’s sculpture Lamb of God by Jonathan Tame. The sculpture is installed at St Botolph's and can be seen here.

Friday 25 June, 1.15pm Organ Recital by Glen Dempsey (Ely Cathedral)

Glen Dempsey is Assistant Director of Music at Ely Cathedral, where he accompanies the majority of choral services and assists in the training of the boy choristers. He is also Director of the Ely Cathedral Octagon Singers and Organist at King's Ely. He was Organ Scholar at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and, from 2015-19, Organ Scholar at St John's College, Cambridge. Glen has appeared on several recordings as organist and pianist, of which three have been 'Editor's Choice' in Gramophone Magazine. He is active as an organ recitalist and piano accompanist and, in addition to his own teaching, continues his studies with Ann Elise Smoot.

Programme:

JS Bach Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C, BWV 564
César Franck Choral no. 2 in B minor
CM Widor Cantabile & Final from Symphony No. 6 in G minor

Saturday 26 June, 11.00am Sung Eucharist to celebrate the 700th Anniversary

Celebrant & Preacher: The Bishop of Ely
Schubert Mass in G, Bruckner Locus iste, Parry I was glad

Sunday 27 June, 11.00am Holy Communion (said)

Sunday 27 June, 6.00pm Choral Evensong

Sung by St Botolph’s Choir
Stanford in C, Howells Like as the Hart

Monday 28 June, 1.15pm ’Cello Recital by Graham Walker

Graham Walker is an award-winning cellist and conductor who recently gave his debuts on BBC Radio 3 and at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. Graham has performed as a solo and chamber cellist across Europe and North and South America. Graham is a highly respected choral conductor, and directs several choirs and orchestras. His discography reflects his wide musical interests: he has recorded, variously as a cellist, singer and conductor, for Nimbus, Naxos, Chandos and EMI: his most recent recording for Chandos (“Hear my Words”, with the choir of St John’s College, Cambridge) is regularly to be heard on UK radio stations, and his third album with his Latin-American group Classico Latino (“Journey Through Latin America”) was warmly received by Latin-American critics and was pre-selected for the Latin Grammys in 2013. Graham is Director of Music at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Director of St John's Voices at St John's College, Cambridge and Musical Director of the New Cambridge Singers

Programme

JS Bach Cello Suite no. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008
Imogen Holst The Fall of the Leaf
Paul Hindemith Sonata for unaccompanied ’cello

Wednesday 30 June, 9.00pm The Office of Compline

Sung by members of St Botolph’s Choir

No booking is required for these services and events, though they will be subject to the capacity restrictions which Covid-19 imposes on us. There will be a retiring collection at the lunchtime recitals on 25 June and 28 June.

Tuesday 29 June, 5.30pm and 7.30pm

In addition to these events we are delighted to be hosting Cambridge Early Music for two concerts on Tuesday, 29 June at 5.30pm and again at 7.30pm, entitled 'Toward the Dawn - A Musical Journey from Sunset to Sunrise'.
This programme charts a course from twilight to sunrise, echoing both the rhythms of church liturgy and the mediaeval experience of night, seductive and unsettling in equal measure. Taverner's mighty Ave Dei Patris Filia, based on a chant for Matins, stands at the end of a delicious sequence of sacred music, chansons and madrigals by both English and Continental composers.

Hello and welcome to St Botolph's. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

Welcome to St Botolph's

The following information is specifically for those planning a first visit, so that you know beforehand what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

Our services are at St Botolph's church in the centre of Cambridge (details below). On Sundays these always start at 11.00am. We suggest planning to arrive 10-15 minutes early, especially if driving as parking spaces are in short supply in central Cambridge, and to find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by a sides person who will help you find somewhere to sit and will give you a hymn book and a prayer book, or a service sheet.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the service and we hope very much that you will stay for a chat. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Plan your journey:

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access. Please let the sides person know on your arrival and they will help you. Please note access to the toilet requires a step.

The service

Our Sunday service begins at 11.00am and follows the Book of Common Prayer. On the first, third and fifth Sundays we have a Sung Eucharist. On the other Sundays we have Mattins with Holy Communion. There will be organ music before the service and the bell will ring for about five minutes before the service starts. All services will have a sermon from the Rector or a visiting preacher. These usually last for around 10-15 minutes. The choir plays a part in all services, leading hymns and sung elements of the service. The service ends with an organ voluntary. Many people sit and listen to this for five minutes or so. Others will start to congregate around the tea and coffee table for a chat.

What about children?

We welcome children of all ages and no one should be embarrassed if young ones cry or older ones wander around. We do not have a Sunday School so children remain in the service with their parents. There is a carpeted area in the side chapel which is available for parents and small children who want to step away from the main church for a while.

Getting in touch

Helping with services and the life of the church

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make our services run smoothly, please let us know. We are always looking for help with anything from flowers, to refreshments, to opening the church for visitors during the week and a hundred and one other tasks that keep the life of the community.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Father Stephen Anderson, Rector		Sarah Eastwood, Churchwarden

We hope that you will feel at home at St Botolph's.

Best Wishes

Facsimilie Signature