Judith Weir and Aled Jones among signatories to petition urging reversal of ban at St Sepulchre-without-Newgate

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Dozens of Britain’s most distinguished musicians have backed a campaign to keep a central London church open as an important concert venue and rehearsal space after its management banned “non-religious hiring” of the facilities.

Aled Jones, Julian Lloyd Webber and Judith Weir, the first female master of the Queen’s music, are among more than 50 signatories to a letter urging a reversal of the ban, saying they cannot understand why the church is willing to abandon its “unique national cultural remit”.

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St Sepulchre-without-Newgate in Holborn, central London, has been known as the National Musicians’ church for more than 70 years. The ashes of Sir Henry Wood, founder of the Proms, lie in its north chapel, which commemorates eminent British musicians.



But this month, Rev David Ingall, who moved to St Sepulchre’s four years ago from the arch-evangelical Holy Trinity Brompton, wrote to professional and amateur musicians and ensembles to say they could no longer make bookings from the end of this year.



The decision caused an outcry among professional and amateur ensembles who rent St Sepulchre’s spaces for rehearsals and concerts.

According to the musicians’ letter, which was sent to St Sepulchre’s parochial church council (PCC) and the acting bishop of London, Pete Broadbent, the “abrupt move … was made without consultation”.

Ingall, the priest-in-charge at St Sepulchre’s, wrote to hirers this month to say the decision to stop renting out space to musicians had not been easy but “we have been conscious of the challenges of using a space dedicated to worship for non-religious hiring.

“Our ministry as the National Musicians’ Church continues to be a core part of our church’s identity and vision … While its expression may be changing, that underlying vision remains unchanged.”

In 2013, the PCC raised concerns about Ingall’s appointment as priest-in-charge, asking for written assurances that St Sepulchre’s role as National Musicians’ church and as a centre for traditional music and liturgy was maintained.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Julian Lloyd Webber, who has also signed the petition. Photograph: Steve Thorne/Redferns/Getty

Such an assurance was provided by the then bishop of London, Richard Chartres, who retired this year. His successor has not yet been appointed.

Ingall wrote to all PCC members at the time to say he recognised the importance of music at St Sepulchre’s, and that concerts and rehearsals provided “a welcome stream of income”.

He added: “There will be some re-balancing, as some times that were previously allocated to concerts and rehearsals will now be used for worship and ministry. However, I believe the two streams are fundamentally compatible.”

Ingall was appointed to St Sepulchre’s as part of a “church-planting” strategy adopted by the diocese of London, in which a group of worshippers from Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) joined St Sepulchre’s existing congregation.

In his 2013 letter to then-PCC members, Ingall said: “I will be bringing a team of people with me from HTB and St George’s, Holborn. They will form the core of a new Sunday congregation … I very much hope that over time there will be growing friendship and integration between these new members and the existing St Sepulchre’s community.”

The church now hosts Alpha courses based on the successful evangelical programme that originated at HTB, which has been credited with attracting a wave of young, affluent worshippers. Evangelical churches favour contemporary styles of worship, including rock bands, dancing, charismatic preachers and speaking in tongues, which leave many traditional Anglicans feeling excluded.

The signatories to the letter, sent on Wednesday to the PCC and Broadbent, include eminent names from the UK music world, such as the cellist Steven Isserlis and composers John Rutter, Weir, Howard Goodall and James MacMillan.

They are joined by Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, principal of the Royal Academy of Music, Colin Lawson, director of the Royal College of Music and Julian Lloyd Webber, principal of Birmingham Conservatoire, and Rachel Staunton, artistic director of the London Youth Choir.

Andrew Carwood of St Paul’s Cathedral, Scott Farrell of Rochester Cathedral and Peter Wright of Southwark Cathedral are among more than a dozen directors of music from churches and Oxbridge colleges who have signed the letter.

Richard Robbins, a chorister at St Sepulchre’s and founder of Save the National Musicians’ church campaign, said the exclusion of musicians from the National Musicians’ church was “the bitterest irony”.

He said: “Priests are caretakers of the church they are responsible for and should feel that the heritage of a church can continue to be part of its identity, especially in a church like St Sepulchre’s, where since the burial of the ashes of Sir Henry Wood [in 1944], has been a place of thriving musical excellence.

“I understand that churches are foremost places of worship. However, there is a historic role of the Anglican church to act as a community hub; a place for those who have faith and those who have none. To have musicians as part of regular worship is something must churches would welcome and want to preserve.”

In a statement, St Sepulchre’s said: “An increasingly busy programme of worship and church activities has led to ever higher demands on the church space, and the hire space is also shared with the church administration office.”

It had been “greatly moved by the concern expressed for the musical life of the church. We do wish to reiterate that we remain committed to our ministry as the National Musicians’ church. In the coming weeks we will reflect and pray, and consult with members of the musicians’ community about how best to fulfil that ministry moving forward.”

More than 5,800 people have signed a petition demanding the decision be reversed.