Elizabethan chalices found in four neighbouring parishes

Four neighbouring parishes on the Isle of Wedmore (Allerton, Badgworth, Mark and Weare) have discovered they each have a Communion chalice dating from the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1.  They are of silver, hallmarked, and with the same date, 1573, inscribed on the lid. The chalices all have a very similar pattern, with lids designed to be turned upside down for use as a paten.The Allerton and Mark chalices are identical – about 22 cm high, the Weare chalice is a little larger and the Badgworth one a little smaller.  

In 1573 when the four chalices were created Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne and Shakespeare was writing and producing plays in London. Now, more than four centuries years later, a special celebration service is being held to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the four communion chalices.

Together the churches of Chapel Allerton, St Congar’s Badgworth, St Gregory’s Weare and Holy Cross Mark will mark this remarkable conjunction, with an Elizabethan Holy Communion Service which at St. Congar’s Badgworth on Sunday 23 April. It will feature readings from the 1560 Geneva Bible, music and hymns from the period, and the four chalices. The church will be set up as closely as possible to how it would have been in Tudor times.

It all began when a chalice (in poor condition) was found in Allerton Church made of silver gilt, hallmarked and stamped with the date 1573.  Nothing was known about it, but it was subsequently learned that Badgworth Church has a similar chalice of the same date.  

Auctioneer’s comments about a similar chalice noted that, “Most parish churches in existence at this date would have had a chalice very similar to this. During the Reformation there was a return to a simpler, more direct form of worship. 

“From about 1560 the church authorities launched a programme to replace the ‘old massing chalices’ with ‘decent’ communion cups of prescribed design, such as this. The programme for refashioning old chalices was staggered from diocese to diocese over a period of about 15 years.”

Revd Richard Neill, Vicar of Allerton Church, said, “It’s a happy coincidence. We wanted to have a special service to celebrate that, to use them – they don’t often get used. (The Allerton Church chalice does get used on special occasions.)

“We don’t know if they are all by the same makers. It would strike me as strange that these small village churches in Somerset within a few miles of each other all have chalices dated the same year. Whether there was bulk purchasing, someone selling them in Wells market. It would suggest even in Tudor days the parishes worked together. All the churches are medieval or pre-medieval.

“It’s an opportunity for these churches to meet and celebrate that shared history. We recognise we can’t put on an authentic Tudor service, but we’ll do our best to give people some flavour. It’s going to be a prayer book communion. There will be a small exhibition at the same time with chalices, a bit of the history, and potentially some other treasure the churches have. We’ll be using all four chalices for the communion. All the hymns and music will be using authentic Tudor tunes. There will be some Tallis and Byrd.”