A ‘Light and Sound’ Activity Day for families is to be held in Bath Abbey on Wednesday 19th February, from 10am to 4.30pm, as part of ‘Creating Voices’, an oral history project.
The aim of the project is to capture and share the stories of those who helped to restore and care for Bath Abbey, from 1942 to 2000.
The project has received £22,200 in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and further funding of £7,000 from the Friends of Bath Abbey.
More than 500 visitors are expected at the Activity Day and will take part in activities focused on the restoration of the Abbey’s windows, bells, clock, and organ between 1942 and 2000.
There will be opportunities to go on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Abbey’s bells, clock and carillon, have a go at ringing the Ellacombe Chimes, as well as to take part in a ‘change ringing’ activity involving hand bells and some colourful hats.
Children will also be able to create their own mini stained glass windows using jam jars and paint, surrounded by the Abbey’s own stained glass windows as inspiration. Considering the Abbey has over 50 windows, occupying about 80 percent of the wall space, with the East Window alone comprising 56 scenes of Christ’s life from the Annunciation to the Ascension, there should be plenty for them to choose from.
One of the most popular activities at the ‘Light and Sound’ day is certain to be the ‘listening stations’ which will feature newly recorded interviews which reveal a number of interesting discoveries. These range from the story of how the East Window was blown out during the Bath Blitz in April 1942, to how some of the shattered pieces are now part of a stained glass window in a church in Ontario, Canada.
There will also be the chance for visitors to record their own memories, with assistance from one of the Creating Voices oral history team as well as to see the fragments of stained glass from the original 15th century East Window which was broken in 1942. These will be displayed in the Abbey on 19 February along with the tools used by the glaziers who restored it to its former glory in the 1950s.
Oliver Taylor, Oral History Project Manager at Bath Abbey, said: “We had such a great response to our ‘Sculpture and Stonework’ activity day last October that we felt inspired to hold a similar event, this time, based around the themes of light and sound. There so many exciting stories to tell about the Abbey’s stained glass windows, bells, organ and clock, and we hope this day will help us share these in a fun and engaging way.
“The day would be judged a success for us if just a handful people went away feeling inspired by the skill and craftsmanship that has gone into caring for and maintaining the Abbey by men and women over the years. All activities are free and suitable for children aged five and up, so if you are local to Bath or are visiting for the day, come in and join us in finding out how enjoyable history can be!”
