Music has always been a very important part of the Christian Church.

The nave of Hull Minster contains 28 medieval carvings of angel musicians. They sit in-between each arch on both the inside and outside of each column. Every angel is playing a musical instrument, but some are missing or damaged.

The current nave was built on the site of the first nave of Holy Trinity Church. The earlier nave is likely to have been 5 bays long (one big window in each bay) and built mostly of brick from 1285 – 1300. The newer nave (of 8 bays) represents the final phase of enlarging the church up until 1425. The angel musicians date from the late 1300s.

Why angel musicians?

The carvings represent the Angel Choir of Heaven which is represented in many Bible stories and paintings. The angels reflect a popular depiction of the heavenly realm during the Middle Ages. They also represent the musical activity of medieval Hull and the church of Holy Trinity. Medieval church life required a broad range of musical talents and activities. Instruments were vastly different at this time.

This is a gallery of earthly realism and heavenly idealism. The music of earth and angels meet to inspire the beauty of holiness.

What instruments are they holding?

Each angel carries an instrument. These include instruments which are seldom played today.  They include flutes and recorders which look similar to today’s instruments, but many we no longer see.

• Sagbutt – like a trombone
• Shawm - a reed instrument a bit like an oboe
• Gittern - an early guitar style instrument
• Portative organ - a bit like a piano accordion
• Bowed rebec - like a violin
• Tabor - a kind of drum

One of the angels does not have an instrument but carries a stone crown. The angels are wearing a many styles of robes and surplices which look remarkably like the robes worn by choristers today. We don’t know why their clothing is different, but it might indicate status or the age or ecclesiastical occupation of each angel musician.

Why are they so high up/difficult to see?

The carvings are at the springing points of each arch, at the top of every pillar. They are about a third of the way up to the nave roof. They announce the journey to Heaven which is represented in the ceiling of the church. This is sometimes known as the star vault/roof. The carvings would have been painted in realistic and vivid colours, but these have worn off over time.

Why are they damaged?

There are many reasons that the angels could have become damaged. While some of the stone may have become fragile and worn away, it is likely that some of the angels were damaged at the time of the Reformation (mid-1500s) and later in the English Civil War (mid-1600s) when the church was used to stable horses while Hull was under siege.

Some of the damage looks like it was caused by chains or pulleys making a groove down the centre of the carving. This could have been where a candelabra was raised and lowered.