St Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore
St Andrew's Cathedral | |
---|---|
| |
Gothic Revival | |
Specifications | |
Bells | 12 + Flat 6th |
Administration | |
Province | South East Asia |
Diocese | Singapore |
Parish | St Andrew’s |
Clergy | |
Archbishop | Titus Chung |
Vicar(s) | Lewis Lew[3] |
Designated | 28 June 1973 |
Reference no. | 3 |
Saint Andrew's Cathedral is an
In 2006, it marked the 150th anniversary of the St Andrew's Church Mission, which was initiated in 1856. After a period of more than 2 years of restorative works, the Cathedral Nave was reopened and dedicated by Bishop Titus Chung on 24 December 2023.
History
A piece of land between
First church
The first Saint Andrew's Church was designed by
After complaints that the church resembled a "Town Hall, a College or an Assembly Room", a spire was added by John Turnbull Thomson in 1842. The spire was built without a lightning conductor, however, and the church suffered two lightning strikes in 1845 and 1849. It was then declared unsafe and closed in 1852, and subsequently demolished in 1855.[4]
The church had a bell known as the Revere Bell, named after Mrs Maria Revere Balestier, the wife of American Consul Joseph Balestier, who donated it in 1843.[6]
Second church
The construction of a second church was initiated by the then
The Saint Andrew's Mission was initiated on 25 June 1856, and the first
Consecration as cathedral
In 1869, the church was transferred from the Diocese of Calcutta to the Diocese of Labuan and Sarawak. In 1870, Archdeacon John Alleyne Beckles consecrated it as the Cathedral Church of the United Diocese.[9]
The Revere Bell was replaced by a chime of bells in 1889. The Revere Bell is currently placed in the National Museum of Singapore.[5] The cathedral is currently owned by the Synod of the Diocese of Singapore, established in 1909. The first Anglican bishop, The Right Reverend Charles James Ferguson-Davie, was appointed that year.[10]
In 1942, shortly before the
The north and south transepts of the cathedral was originally built as porches for carriages. Both transepts have been extended to provide halls, meeting rooms and offices: the North Transept in 1952, and the South Transept 1983.[12]
Saint Andrew's Cathedral was
A project to extend the building was initiated in 2003. An
The cathedral bells, cast in 1888 by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough, England, were originally hung as a chime of eight in the key of E-flat. These were designed to be hung for change ringing. However, contemporary surveys found that the tower had unsuitable foundations to support a swinging peal of bells, and they were hung dead for chiming via the Ellacombe system.[14]
In 2018, a further survey found that the tower was perfectly capable of withstanding change ringing, and a project was launched for them to be hung properly.[15] The bells were taken out of the tower in November of that year for tuning and cleaning. The new ringing arrangement (a peal of twelve in D, retaining six of the original eight bells)[16] was also made by John Taylor & Co.[17] The first change ringing on the twelve took place on August 7, 2019,[18] and the bells were dedicated on Sunday 11 August.[19]
Architecture
The existing cathedral was designed in a
Three
Three objects in the Saint Andrew's Cathedral symbolise the affiliation of the Church with the
St Andrew's Cathedral Choir
The St Andrew's Cathedral Choir is the oldest musical institution in Singapore. [citation needed] Lim Chin Kai serves as the music director since 1992.[23]
Gallery
-
Aerial photograph
-
The arched entrance of the cathedral.
-
The extended pinnacles to the west of the cathedral.
-
Exterior view
-
Revere Bell, currently housed in the National Museum of Singapore
-
Stained glass windows in the cathedral
See also
References
- ^ Republic of Singapore. Government Gazette. Subsidiary Legislation Supplement Archived 4 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine. (6 July 1973). The Preservation of Monuments Order 1973 (S228/1973, p. 377). Singapore: [s.n.]. Call no.: RSING 348.5957 SGGSLS
- ^ "Preserving our heritage: Wayang Street is the focal point". The Straits Times. National Library Board archives. 2 August 1973. p. 12. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ^ "Changes in A Season of Changes". St Andrew's Cathedral. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-9971947972. Archivedfrom the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Saint Andrew's Cathedral". Roots. National Heritage Board. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019.
- ^ a b c d "St Andrew's Cathedral". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ ISBN 978-9971947972. Archivedfrom the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
- ^ "1856". St Andrew's Cathedral, Diocese of Singapore. Archived from the original on 24 November 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ^ ISBN 9789971917050.
- ^ "Our History". The Diocese of Singapore. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Colour Scenery of Singapore & Malaysia. Sing Wah & Co. c. 1960.
- ^ "Our Beginning". St Andrews Cathedral, Diocese of Singapore. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ SIANG, LIM TSE (17 January 2012). 14th Century Singapore: The Temasek Paradigm (Thesis thesis). Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "Tour the Cathedral | St Andrew's Cathedral". cathedral.org.sg. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ^ hermes (18 November 2018). "St Andrew's bells rung 'incorrectly' for 129 years". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ^ "Singapore". John Taylor & Co. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ^ "Dove Details". dove.cccbr.org.uk. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ Andrew Reynolds – And so the sound of 12 change ringing..., archived from the original on 21 April 2022, retrieved 23 November 2019
- ^ "The Bells of St Andrew's Cathedral | St Andrew's Cathedral". cathedral.org.sg. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ ISBN 981-4068-23-3.
- ^ a b "Tour of Cathedral Building". St Andrew's Cathedral, Diocese of Singapore. Archived from the original on 30 November 2002.
- ^ "Canterbury Stone for Singapore". The Straits Times. 9 January 1936. p. 12. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ^ "The Bicentennial Christmas Carol Service" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- Norman Edwards, Peter Keys (1996), Singapore – A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places, Times Books International, ISBN 9971-65-231-5
- Insight City Guide: Singapore