The Ross Parishes: Ross-on-Wye, Walford & Brampton Abbotts
Inspiring faith, hope and love in each generation.
Nathaniel Morgan was an important figure in Ross in the first half of the 19th Century. 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of his birth. To mark that, Ross Civic Society and Virginia Morgan (no relation) have created a small exhibition that you’ll find at the back of Ross Church until 6th November.
You can learn even more by downloading Virginia’s Pink Publication (number 7) from the Ross Civic Society website. https://rosscivic.org.uk/publications
| The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London |
| Friday 3rd October 2025 |
| His Majesty The King has approved the nomination of the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. The 106th Archbishop of Canterbury since Saint Augustine arrived in Kent from Rome in 597, Bishop Sarah will be the first woman to hold the office. She will be installed in a service at Canterbury Cathedral on 25th March 2026. Sarah Mullally has been the Bishop of London since 2018, the first woman to hold that role, and previously served as the Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter. Prior to her ordination in 2001, she was the Government’s Chief Nursing Officer for England – the youngest person ever to be appointed to that role at the age of 37 – having previously specialised as a cancer nurse. Bishop Sarah has described nursing as “an opportunity to reflect the love of God”. Bishop Sarah said: “As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager. “At every stage of that journey, through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply – to people and to God’s gentle prompting – to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing. “I want, very simply, to encourage the Church to continue to grow in confidence in the Gospel, to speak of the love that we find in Jesus Christ and for it to shape our actions. “And I look forward to sharing this journey of faith with the millions of people serving God and their communities in parishes all over the country and across the global Anglican Communion. “I know this is a huge responsibility, but I approach it with a sense of peace and trust in God to carry me as He always has.” The Rt Revd Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford said, “I am delighted to welcome Bishop Sarah as the first female Archbishop in the history of the Church of England. Sarah brings a wealth of experience from her nursing career and a profound pastoral heart which she has demonstrated consistently in caring for those with many different views in the Diocese of London. As the only Diocese in the Church of England where no churches have passed motions to restrict womens’ priestly ministry, we are delighted to welcome her as our Archbishop and look forward to her first visit. Personally, in my role as Clerk of the Closet, I look forward to presenting her to His Majesty to pay homage in February. This is an extraordinarily demanding role and she will need our prayers and support which we gladly offer to her and her family.“ |
| Following the announcement, the next stage of the appointment process is the Election by the College of Canons of Canterbury Cathedral, which will take place before Christmas. On 28th January 2026, there will be a Confirmation of Election at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, at which Bishop Sarah will legally become the Archbishop of Canterbury. On 25th March 2026, there will be an Installation (sometimes referred to as an ‘enthronement’) at Canterbury Cathedral. You can read more here. |
Tomorrow (Wednesday 1st October) we welcome back Ruth Cartledge for our next First Wednesday @ 1 free recital. The concert will last about 45 minutes.
We look forward to seeing you.
Do you know a child who likes to sing, who perhaps enjoys a bit of drama? Then please encourage them to come along on Saturday 27th September at 2pm, to St Mary’s Church in Ross-on-Wye, where we’re running a Taster Day for children aged 7 or older who might like to join our vibrant Youth Choir.
More information at https://rossparishes.uk/youth-choir
Do you know a child who likes to sing, who perhaps enjoys a bit of drama? Then please encourage them to come along on Saturday 27th September at 2pm, to St Mary’s Church in Ross-on-Wye, where we’re running a Taster Day for children aged 7 or older who might like to join our vibrant Youth Choir.
More information at https://rossparishes.uk/youth-choir
This weekend is your last chance to come and enjoy the wonderful experience that is h.Art @ St Mary’s. 16 artists all under one glorious roof with great food available all weekend. A great space to unwind. Come along and see us.
While you’re in town don’t miss the other venues in Ross. Full details at https://h-art.org.uk
There are a few more workshops this weekend –
Full details of workshops and booking at https://rossparishes.uk/h-art
We’re open 10am – 5pm on Saturday and 11am-5pm on Sunday.
Nina Oakman is running a glass designing workshop at 2.00pm.
Full details and booking is at https://rossparishes.uk/h-art
The food is attracting many compliments at h.Art @ St Mary’s. The splendid work of our 16 artists makes St Mary’s a great place to be this week. Why not join us for lunch?
Nina Oakman is running a glass designing workshop at 2.00pm.
Full details and booking is at https://rossparishes.uk/h-art
h.Art is in full swing at St Mary’s, in Ross. Delicious homemade refreshments are on sale throughout the week. Why not pop in for coffee, lunch or tea?
Today (Wednesday 10th) at 10.30am you can take part in an Organic Sculpting workshop with Wendy Healey or at 2.30, design water colour cards and bookmarks with Vanessa Rhead.
Full details and booking is at https://rossparishes.uk/h-art
Do you know a child who likes to sing, who perhaps enjoys a bit of drama? Then please encourage them to come along on Saturday 27th September at 2pm, to St Mary’s Church in Ross-on-Wye, where we’re running a Taster Day for children aged 7 or older who might like to join our vibrant Youth Choir.
More information at https://rossparishes.uk/youth-choir
h.Art is in full swing at St Mary’s, in Ross. Delicious homemade refreshments are on sale throughout the week. Why not pop in for coffee, lunch or tea?
Today (Tuesday 9th) at 10.30am you can design a small stained glass panel with glassmaker Nina Oakman. or at 2.30, with Vanessa Rhead you can create beautiful cards and bookmarks.
Full details and booking is at https://rossparishes.uk/h-art
h.Art is in full swing at St Mary’s, in Ross. Delicious homemade refreshments are on sale throughout the week. Why not pop in for lunch?
Today (Monday 8th) at 10.30am and 2.00pm Karen Tacey will be giving a demonstration of pottery throwing (on the potter’s wheel – not around the church!) There’s no need to book for this demonstration, just come along to church and grab a cup of coffee (with free refills if you wish) and a delicious piece of cake.
Join us on Sunday 7th September 6.00pm for a celebratory service for our patronal festival. The choir’s back, special music, cake and fizz!
h.Art & St Mary’s is well and truly open. After a vibrant preview evening on Friday the annual exhibition and art sale is now open every day from 10am to 5pm Saturday 6th to Sunday 14th September.
Homemade refreshments are ongoing throughout the week. Come and see us.
On Sunday 7th September 6.00pm – Join us for a celebratory service for our patronal festival. The choir’s back, special music, cake and fizz!
Following a visit from steeplejacks and a structural engineer in August 2025, we know that we have three failed pinnacles. These are the one closest to the Phoenix Theatre and the one on either side of it.
The top five or six stones on each pinnacle are loose, though the rod is holding them in place. We are still at a very early stage in diagnosing the problem, until we know that we can’t provide or cost a solution, or apply for funding to carry it out. This problem has occured before; we need to ensure that it is fixed properly this time, and for the long term. We have a team in place (architect, structural engineer and steeplejacks). They are work hard for us.
The short film below shows the scale of the problem.
There are also structural problems with the very top of the spire, which will also need to be dismantled and rebuilt.
For safety reasons we ask you to avoid this area of the churchyard, and the path by the tower has now been completely closed. We ask everyone to try to get into the habit of using the path around the east end of the church instead.
Please note also that there is now no parking in the churchyard.
We have now have level access into the church via a ramp at the Church Street end of the church. Please come into the churchyard through the gate at Old Maids Walk and follow the path along the wall to the ramp.
We will post more here as we have it.
Thank you for your understanding.
Here’s something new to St Mary’s for the Autumn.
Join us on Saturday 18th October for a fun evening with The Dancing Mister. Step back in time as Tim Walker brings to life the vibrant dances of Medieval Europe.
Tickets are just £10 (£2 for children) in advance (£12 on the night) A bargain!
For our next FREE Conversation over Lunch, on Wednesday 20th August at 1pm, we welcome the acclaimed author Sarah Dunant. Sarah will be in conversation with our very own Rustie Baker. The discussion will centre around her latest book “The Marchesa” – A bold novel history of ‘the first lady of the Renaissance’
Copies of the book will be available to purchase at the talk, signed by Sarah. We look forward to seeing you there. As always, please feel free to bring along your lunch.
‘An utterly fascinating portrayal of a formidable and brilliant woman wielding power in the complex turmoil of the political landscape of Renaissance Italy – a woman who is irrepressible even in death.’
Jennifer Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ariadne and Hera
This month we have two free talks at lunchtime. We begin with the subject of AI by John Handby. This comes highly recommended. Full details are at https://rossparishes.uk/conversations/. Feel free to bring your lunch.
Today, Thursday 10th July, the bells of St Mary’s are ringing as the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths ring a peal of 5,000 changes (Cornwall Surprise Major). This means that the order the eight bells are rung changes 5,000 times during the three and a quarter hours it takes to ring the peal. If you have been in town this afternoon, you will have heard them.
Tomorrow (Saturday 5th July) at St Mary’s there’s Coffee and homemade cakes from 10.30 am – this time organised by St Mary’s Choir and Youth Choir.
Out in the churchyard the Churchyard Angels will be strimming and raking from 9.30 (and supplied with coffee and homemade cakes). Please come along and help if you have the time. Bring tools with you if at all possible. You’ll be most welcome in either place.
The Ross Parishes: Ross-on-Wye, Walford & Brampton Abbotts 