Lancaster Cathedral

Coordinates: 54°02′49″N 2°47′38″W / 54.0470°N 2.7939°W / 54.0470; -2.7939
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Lancaster Cathedral
St Peter's Cathedral, Lancaster
Style
Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking1857
Completed1901
Specifications
Spire height240 feet (73 m)
MaterialsSandstone, with slate and copper roofs
Administration
ProvinceLiverpool
DioceseLancaster
Clergy
Bishop(s)Paul Swarbrick
Laity
Director of musicDamian Howard

Lancaster Cathedral, also known as The Cathedral Church of St Peter and Saint Peter's Cathedral, is a

Austin and Paley
, and the east end was reordered in 1995 by Francis Roberts. The cathedral is in active use, arranging services, concerts and other events, and is open to visitors.

History

Until the passing of the

baptistry in 1901;[9] the baptistry cost £4,000 (£390,000 in 2015).[4][10]

The golden jubilee of the church was celebrated in 1909, and a number of alterations were made under the direction of Giles Gilbert Scott. These included a new altar, replacement of the tiles on the floor by black and white marble, re-flooring of the nave, painting the walls, and replacing the pine benches by oak pews.[11] In 1924 the Diocese of Lancaster was created and the church was elevated to the status of a cathedral. The cathedra (bishop's throne) was placed in the chancel.[12] When the centenary was celebrated in 1959, the pipe organ was refurbished, and the painted Stations of the Cross were replaced by a set of carvings.[13] Since then, there have been further minor changes to the interior of the cathedral,[14] and in 1995 the east end was reordered by Francis Roberts.[15]

Architecture

Exterior

The cathedral is constructed in

Decorated tracery. In the north transept is a four-light window with Geometric tracery, and the south transept contains a ten-light wheel window surrounded by ten circular windows. In the apse are three-light windows containing decorated tracery.[16]

Interior

Inside the cathedral are six-bay north and south arcades, and a west gallery carried on marble piers. Along the sides are chapels and confessionals. The Lady Chapel is at the northeast of the cathedral. The former sanctuary has been converted into the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, which has paintings on its walls. To the west of the chapel, behind the high altar, is a large reredos designed by Scott; this consists of a triptych containing paintings and carvings. The baptistry contains a central marble font, an altar with a reredos, and stained glass windows by Shrigley and Hunt. There is more stained glass by the same firm elsewhere in the cathedral, and other windows are by Hardman. Also in the church are monuments, one dating from about 1860 by Richard Westmacott, junior.[18] The original organ in St Peter's was moved from the mission church in Dalton Square.[19] This was replaced in 1889 by a new, three-manual organ by Henry Ainscough of Preston. Alterations were made to it in 1976 by Pendlebury of Cleveleys.[20] As of 2012 it is being restored by Henry Willis and Sons of Liverpool.[21] There is a ring of ten bells. Eight of these were cast in 1879 by John Warner and Sons, the other two in 1948 by Mears and Stainbank at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.[22]

St Peter's Cathedral Lancaster

Assessment

St Peter's was designated as a Grade II* listed building on 10 November 1994.[16] Grade II* buildings are defined as being "particularly important buildings of more than special interest"; only 5.5% of the listed buildings are included in this grade.[23] In the Buildings of England series, Hartwell and Pevsner express the opinion that the church is the "chef d'oeuvre" of Paley's works.[24] They also describe the baptistry as being a "tour de force".[25] In his book about the architectural practice of Sharpe, Paley and Austin, Brandwood expresses the opinion that the building is "Paley's masterwork as an independent church architect".[3]

Today

The building is in active use as a Roman Catholic cathedral, which arranges Masses and other regular services,[26][27] and organises concerts and other events.[28] The cathedral is open daily to visitors,[29] and arranges group and educational visits.[30][31]

Gallery

  • Interior showing the organ and west window
    Interior showing the organ and west window
  • Font in the baptistry
    Font in the baptistry
  • Taken from the nave
    Taken from the nave
  • The Blessed Sacrament Chapel
    The Blessed Sacrament Chapel
  • The rose window in the south transept, produced by Hardman & Co.
    The rose window in the south transept, produced by Hardman & Co.
  • The fourth north aisle window, produced by Hardman & Co.
    The fourth north aisle window, produced by Hardman & Co.
  • The west window of the south aisle, produced by Shrigley and Hunt from designs by Carl Almquist
    The west window of the south aisle, produced by Shrigley and Hunt from designs by Carl Almquist

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ The parish before 1859, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 2 June 2012
  2. ^ A new church building, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  3. ^ a b Brandwood et al. 2012, p. 59.
  4. ^ a b UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  5. ^ Brandwood et al. 2012, p. 218.
  6. ^ Brandwood et al. 2012, p. 219.
  7. ^ Brandwood et al. 2012, p. 237.
  8. ^ Brandwood et al. 2012, p. 243.
  9. ^ Brandwood et al. 2012, p. 244.
  10. ^ Baptistery, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  11. ^ The Golden Jubilee 1909, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  12. ^ The foundation of the Diocese of Lancaster, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  13. ^ The Centenary, 1959, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  14. ^ The 1970s and 1980s, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  15. ^ The 1995 reordering, Lancaster Cathedral, archived from the original on 24 July 2008, retrieved 3 June 2012
  16. ^ a b c Historic England, "Cathedral Church of St Peter (1214397)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 2 June 2012
  17. ^ Brandwood et al. 2012, p. 61.
  18. ^ Hartwell & Pevsner 2009, pp. 369–370.
  19. ^ Lancashire, Lancaster, Cathedral of St. Peter, East Road (E01300), British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 3 June 2012
  20. ^ Lancashire, Lancaster, Cathedral of St. Peter, East Road (N08559), British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 3 June 2012
  21. ^ The Organ at Lancaster Cathedral, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  22. ^ Lancaster RC Cath of S Peter, Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers, retrieved 21 February 2023
  23. ^ Listed Buildings, Historic England, retrieved 27 March 2015
  24. ^ Hartwell & Pevsner 2009, p. 369.
  25. ^ Hartwell & Pevsner 2009, p. 370.
  26. ^ Mass and Services at Lancaster Cathedral, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  27. ^ Cathedral Diary, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  28. ^ Cathedral Concerts and Events, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  29. ^ Information for Visitors, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  30. ^ Group Visits, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012
  31. ^ Cathedral Trails, Lancaster Cathedral, retrieved 3 June 2012

Sources

External links