The Church of St Barnabas has a particular connection with Archbishop Edward White Benson who devised this service of Nine Lessons and Carols when he was Bishop of Truro in 1880. He became Archbishop of Canterbury from 1883 until his death in 1896.
He was an undergraduate at Trinity College Cambridge with George Cubitt MP, the First Baron Ashcombe in 1892, who built this church in 1859.
Archbishop Benson conducted the marriages of George’s and his wife Laura’s four daughters at Ranmore – Mildred in 1883, Mary in 1884 and Beatrice and Adelaide in 1891. The Archbishop was a family friend and it may not be too fanciful to suggest that he might have brought his new service to Ranmore. In 1897 the four daughters donated the brass altar cross, which is displayed at every service, in his memory.

Traditional Eucharist on this special day

Service of Morning Prayer for Epiphany following Book of Common Prayer