21 April 2015
Dear Bob,
How very good to hear from you. We are delighted that the BOMC has fulfilled its pledge of the second generous donation of $10,000 to complete the overall figure of $20,000 towards our work on the medieval windows in the South Transept of the Cathedral. This is deeply appreciated, and I would ask you to pass on our sincere thanks to all the members of the Order, so many of whom we have been pleased to call our friends.
As you may imagine this anniversary year is proving both stimulating and extremely busy, with events across the nation (to say nothing of a General Election as well!) and the many celebrations here in Lincoln itself.
You may already have heard report of the historic gathering of the four remaining 1215 Magna Carta in London at the beginning of February. That was a very special occasion for us all, and it was good to see a number of our American Friends attending. There has also been some original scholarship being shared as a result of that gathering.
At the beginning of this month the work on Lincoln Castle was revealed and the Cathedral’s Magna Carta is now placed in its new vault and looks very fine indeed. This will be formally opened on 8th June and a Magna Carta Service will take place that day in the Cathedral. The nave of the Cathedral will be the magnificent setting for the Magna Carta Dinner to be held a few days earlier.
I have been fortunate to attend a large number of events in this 800th Year so far, and have had to decline an equally large number of events. Perhaps one of the most special occasions I attended was a reception held by HM The Queen in Buckingham Palace earlier in the year. I am of course looking forward to being part of the 800th Anniversary celebration at Runnymede on 15 June.
Please send my very best wishes to all the members of the Baronial Order, and accept the sincere gratitude of us all at Lincoln Cathedral for the generous support that is being given to our magnificent building. I do hope that you and many others of the Order will be able to visit us before too long.
With warm wishes and every blessing,
Philip
The Very Revd Philip Buckler
Dean of Lincoln
The Deanery
11 Minster Yard
Lincoln
LN2 1PJ
01522 561611
dean@lincolncathedral.com