St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham
St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham | |
---|---|
Metropolitan Cathedral and Basilica of St Chad | |
Birmingham | |
Diocese | Birmingham (since 1850) |
Clergy | |
Archbishop | Bernard Longley |
Dean | Timothy Menezes |
Laity | |
Director of music | David Saint |
Organist(s) | Nigel Morris |
Organ scholar | Dylan McCaig |
The Metropolitan Cathedral Church and Basilica of Saint Chad is a
Designed by
St Chad's is a Grade II* listed building[2] and is located in a public greenspace near St Chad's Queensway, in central Birmingham. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Birmingham, currently Bernard Longley, and the dean is Monsignor Timothy Menezes.
History
St Chad's was one of the first Catholic cathedrals erected in England after the
The cathedral was situated in the Gunmakers Quarter of Birmingham, which endangered it during the
In 1941 St Chad's was declared a
St Chad's was the venue for Midnight Mass, broadcast by BBC One at Christmas 2016 and 2021.[6]
Patronal saint
The patron of the cathedral is St Chad, a 7th-century bishop of
In the 19th century, the relics found their way into the hands of Sir Thomas Fizherbert-Brockholes of Aston Hall, near Stafford. After Sir Thomas's death, his widow moved to Swynnerton Hall and their chaplain, Fr Benjamin Hulme found the dusty velvet-covered box of relics under the altar, when he cleared out the chapel. Fr Hulme presented the relics to Bishop Walsh. So it was that the relics of the saint who was the apostle of the Midlands in the 7th century were enshrined above the altar. These relics were subjected to carbon dating analysis by the archaeological laboratory of Oxford University in 1985, on the order of Archbishop Couve de Murville, which showed all but one of the bones to date from the 7th century, which concurs with the death of St Chad on 2 March 672 AD.[7]
Architecture and fittings
The architect chosen to design St Chad's, Augustus Welby Pugin, later became one of England's most renowned
St Chad's replaced a smaller church dedicated to St Austin, built on the same site in 1808, in the Gunmakers' Quarter of the town on steeply sloping land that fell away to the canal and wharf.
The interior, the nave of which is almost twice as high as it is wide, has a very high arcade, like German hall churches, carried on clusters of thin shafts, those of the chancel being decorated in paint and gold leaf with a helical pattern like a barber's pole, bearing the legend Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth ('Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts'). The wooden ceiling, with curving blue trusses, is ornamented with monograms and floral patterns, inspired by the remnants of medieval decoration to be found on the ancient ceilings of Ely and Peterborough Cathedrals. Phoebe Stanton describes the ornate decoration of the ceiling as "brilliant" and so delicate that "it resembles fabric stretched over a lattice".[3]
Pugin designed many of the fittings including the high altar under an elaborate baldachin, with riddel posts, and the choir screen. The Bishop's Chair, in oak upholstered in green velvet, backed with the diocesan shield of arms was also designed by Pugin. Other fittings, such the 16th century carved pulpit and the medieval canons' stalls were from churches in Belgium and Germany respectively and were collected and donated by John Talbot, the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury. The sanctuary windows are the work of William Warrington. Other windows, metalwork, fittings and vestments were provided by John Hardman of Birmingham, to the design or specifications of Pugin. Hardman was a parishioner of St Chad's, founding the Cathedral Choir in 1854. Four generations of his family are among those interred in the crypt.[5]
In 1932 St. Chad's was extended by the addition of St Edward's Chapel, designed by Pugin's grandson, Sebastian Pugin Powell, and built in memory of Archbishop Edward Ilsley and his patron St. Edward the Confessor. The chapel windows depict the history of the relics of St. Chad, and those who have served the church there, along with some magnificent ecclesiastical coats of arms.
In the 1960s a number of the fittings, including Pugin's screen, were removed and the interior repainted, to the detriment of the original design.
The former Bishop's House, which stood nearby and was also by Pugin, was demolished in 1959 due to Road widening.[10]
Music
Organ
The cathedral has a three manual organ by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd, built in 1993. It is sited at the west end of the cathedral in a magnificent case designed by David Graebe. The consultant was Nicolas Kynaston and the instrument is considered to be one of the finest mechanical organs in the country.[5] There is a regular programme of recitals throughout the year and the organ is also used as a teaching instrument for students and staff of Birmingham Conservatoire. The current organist and director of music is David Saint (former principal of Birmingham Conservatoire) and the assistant director of music is Nigel Morris.
Directors of Music
- 1848 – ? Meyer Lutz
- 1850s Johann Benz
- 1930-35 Henry Washington
- 1935-46 Basil Krauth
- 1958-65 Cyril Barlow
- 1965-68 Petroc Howell
- 1964–1972 Roger M. Hill (Organist)
- 1969–1972 Derek Stanley
- 1972–1978 Dr John Harper
- 1978–present David Saint
Organ Scholars
- (2017-2020) Dylan McCaig
Choir
The cathedral has had a properly constituted, surpliced choir since 1854, when it was first endowed with £1,000 by John Hardman. Hardman was for many years cantor of the choir, and is commemorated by a small white figure of him in the lower left-hand corner of a stained glass window of 1868 located in the north aisle and depicting the Immaculate Conception, with a line of plainchant along the bottom, being the Introit for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Currently, the four-part, robed choir comprises around adult men and women who lead the worship at the Sunday Solemn Mass (at 11:00 am). They also lead the worship during Holy Week and Easter, when the archbishop presides. The choir specialises in the Latin polyphonic music of the renaissance, but sings a wide repertory of Masses and motets in English and Latin. The choir sings occasional concerts and has featured in television and radio broadcasts.
Bells
In 1840 St Chad's was presented with a single bell weighing approximately 20
Location
The cathedral is in a green public space near
Burials
- Chad of Mercia (c. 634–672) [14]
- Thomas Walsh (1777–1849), buried in the crypt chapel of St Peter. A large Gothic-revival memorial to him with a recumbent effigy, designed by Pugin and carved by George Myers, was erected in the North aisle of the Cathedral in 1851, after being exhibited in the Mediaeval Court of the Great Exhibition in The Crystal Palace, Hyde Park, London.[citation needed]
See also
- Catholic Church in Great Britain
- Dormition of the Mother of God and St Andrew (Greek Orthodox)
- St Philip's (Church of England)
References
- ^ a b Decree of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, 21 April 1852. The other churches raised to cathedrals by this decree were St George's, Southwark, St Barnabas, Nottingham and St John's, Salford: Decreta Quatuor Conciliorum Provincialium Westmonasteriensium, (2nd Edn, London: Burns & Oates), p.56; translation in: Robert Guy OSB, The Synods in English (Stratford-on-Avon: St Gregory Press, 1886) p.101.
- ^ Historic England. "Grade II* (1220729)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Phoebe Stanton, Pugin (pp 557–66)
- ^ The Institute of Our Lady of Mercy. "John Talbot". Retrieved 25 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d e St Chad's Cathedral Website
- ^ "BBC One - Midnight Mass".
- ^ a b "The Relics of St. Chad", St. Chad's Cathedral
- ^ a b Tim Tatton-Brown and John Crook, The English Cathedral (p.108)
- ^ Historic England. "CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY, Reading (1113550)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ Brittain-Catlin, Timothy (2008), "The Bishop's House, Birmingham", Studies in Victorian Architecture and Design: 96–105
- ^ Snow Hill tram stop to be renamed to St Chads from January 2017 National Express Midland Metro 23 December 2016
- ^ New year rings in name change for Midland Metro's Snow Hill stop Transport for West Midlands 3 January 2017
- ^ Why Snow Hill Midland Metro stop is getting a new name Birmingham Mail 4 January 2017
- ^ "The Relics of St Chad". St Chad's Cathedral. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
Bibliography
- Tim Tatton-Brown and John Crook, The English Cathedral, New Holland (2002), ISBN 1-84330-120-2
- Phoebe Stanton, Pugin, Thames and Hudson (1971), ISBN 0-500-27016-3