Julian anniversary seat blessed by the Bishop of Norwich

 

 

 

On Wednesday 5th July over sixty guests attended the Garden Festival launch at St Julian’s churchyard garden, where the newly installed seat was unveiled and blessed by the Right Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, in the presence of its creator, craftsman Martin Cook.

Commissioned as a special piece of functional public art to provide a lasting memorial of this year’s 650th anniversary of Julian’s Shewings, the oak and slate seat, placed adjacent to the east wall of the cell, has been hand carved using traditional tools and lettering techniques. The text cut into the slate reads ‘Our soul rests in God its true peace’ (from the Revelations of Divine Love) and into the oak is carved ‘1373: Shewn to an unlettered creature: 2023’.

Martin Cook comes from a family of carvers dating back to 1730. His previous commissions include work for the Royal Family, the British Museum Reading Room, and some of the world’s leading architects.

We warmly thank the many individual donors who have so generously contributed towards the cost of this special seat.