St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide
St Peter's Cathedral | ||
---|---|---|
Cathedral Church of St Peter | ||
Auxiliary Bishop(s) | ||
Dean | Chris McLeod | |
Precentor | Jenny Wilson | |
Assistant priest(s) |
| |
Official name | St Peter's Anglican Cathedral | |
Type | State heritage (built) | |
Designated | 11 September 1986 | |
Reference no. | 13612 |
St Peter's Cathedral is an
The south front has similar features to the
Foundation and construction
The
Bishop Short purchased just over an acre of land, on Pennington Terrace in North Adelaide, on 8 August 1862.
The women of the diocese had raised
A £4,000
Structure
The cathedral's interior is 203 feet (61.9 m) long of which the Lady chapel occupies ? and the nave and chancel the remainder. The nave is 59 feet (18.0 m) wide and, at the top of the spire's crosses, the cathedral rises 168 feet (51.2 m) from ground level. Hammer dressed Tea Tree Gully sandstone—from what is now
A
The cathedral has significant fine-quality stained glass windows. James Powell and Sons made three that were unveiled in the Lady chapel in November 1900. The southern transept window is the largest stained glass window in the cathedral and was dedicated in August 1926. A window representing Saint Cecilia, patron saint of church music, was unveiled in 1876 in the pulpit side of the chancel. Though by 1929 it was ironically concealed by the organ, since 2018 this window has been lit from the inside, enabling it to be seen, at night time, from the memorial gardens at the cathedral's liturgical north side. Windows elsewhere were funded and influenced by bequests. Amongst these Charles Beaumont Howard's memory is commemorated by a window in the chancel, Sir Anthony Musgrave's daughter Joyce Harriet by one in the sacristy and churchman Richard Bowen Colley by another window in the chancel.[1]: 27–31 The remains of the English biologist and statistician Ronald Fisher are interred within the cathedral.[3]
The stalls for the canons and choir, along with the original bishop's throne (now used as the dean's stall) and pulpit canopy, were a gift to the cathedral from Sir John Langdon Bonython in memory of his wife. Made in Adelaide in 1926, carvings can be seen on the capitals at each end of the stalls and also around the upper work in the canopies above.
In the western tower is the cathedral's ring of eight bells, hung for change ringing. Their purchase was funded by a bequest from cathedral warden Frederick Allen Wakeman. They were cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough England in 1946 and were dedicated by Bishop Robin on 29 June 1947. With the tenor (largest) bell weighing just over 41 long hundredweight (2.1 t) they are the heaviest ring of eight bells in the Southern Hemisphere, and the second heaviest ring of eight in the world after Sherborne Abbey in England.[1]: 33–34 [4] The bells are rung by members of The Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers who also operate the Adelaide Ringing Centre of 8 dumb-bells for training which opened in 2012.[5]
Music
St Peter's Cathedral has a long and distinguished musical reputation in Adelaide. St Peter's Cathedral Choir has been singing services in the cathedral for over 140 years. It is the only choir of children and adults of its type in Adelaide. Currently, the choir sings two major choral services per week (Solemn Eucharist and Evensong every Sunday), in addition to frequent other services, concert performances and other special occasions. The choir has undertaken five international tours, singing in cathedrals and chapels throughout England end elsewhere. They have toured the UK in 2006/7, 2010/11 (plus Rome); 2014/15 (plus France); 2019/20 and most recently in 2023/24.
Directors of music and masters of the choristers
Historically, the master of the choristers was also the cathedral organist. In 1994, the role was split, creating the two positions of director of music and organist.
- 2020–present: Anthony Hunt
- 1996–2020: Leonie Hempton OAM
- 1994–1996: Peter Leech
- 1963–1994: Dr John David Swale AM
- 1963–1964: Lyall Von Einem (acting)
- 1955–1962: Jack Vernon Peters
- 1936–1955: The Revd Horace Percy Finnis
- 1891–1936: John Millard Dunn
- 1876–1891: Arthur Boult
Organists
- 2018–2024: David Heah
- 2015–2017: Joshua van Konkelenberg
- 1999–2015: Shirley Gale
- 1994–1999: John David Swale AM
Organ
The cathedral's original organ was built by the London firm of Bishop & Son. It was installed in 1877 and dedicated on 1 January 1878. Located in what is now the sacristy, it was used for over fifty years before relocation in 1930 to St Augustine's Church in Unley, South Australia. The current organ was built by William Hill & Son and Norman & Beard of Melbourne and London and was dedicated on 29 July 1929. Until 2017, it remained largely unaltered, featuring electro-pneumatic action, four manuals and fifty speaking stops, featuring 26 couplers. Two additions were made, the addition of a Mixture V stop on the Great (1986) and the 32' Contra Trombone to the pedal division (1989).[1]: 35 [6] The lowest 12 pipes of this rank are located on a wall above the sacristy, opposite the main organ case. In 1963, a carved wooden case for the organ, designed by Walter Bagot, was only partly installed. In 2017/18, the instrument underwent major restoration and overhaul by Harrison & Harrison Ltd of Durham, UK. New mixtures were added to both the great and swell divisions, plus the addition of 8' and 4' principal stops in the pedal division. Some tonal irregularities dating from the 1980s were reversed, ensuring the instrument once again speaks and sounds to the original Hill, Norman and Beard specification. The console was also upgraded to include a capture system and modern playing aides, and the casework was completed, drawing inspiration from the original Bagot design. This work was completed at a cost of approx AU$1.5 million and the "First Chords" played on Advent Sunday 2 December 2018.[7]
Clergy
The bishop of Adelaide was formally rector of the cathedral until 1986. The cathedral was governed by the bishop with assistance from a dean (the dean of Adelaide) and chapter. The dean and chapter operated as an independent body, meaning they were not required to report to the synod of the Diocese of Adelaide. In 1986, the administrative functions of the dean and chapter were transferred to a cathedral council. Since 1986, the cathedral has been administrated as a parish with the dean (known as the dean of the cathedral) as rector. The dean of the cathedral is not synonymous with the office of dean of Adelaide (which exists in theory but has been vacant since 1997).[8]
Deans
- 2021–present: Chris McLeod (Assistant bishop, Anglican Diocese of Adelaide, National Aboriginal bishop, Anglican Church of Australia)[9]
- 2012–2021: Dean of Wellington, New Zealand)
- 2009–2011: Sarah Macneil[11] (later Bishop of Grafton)
- 2000–2008: Steven Ogden[12]
- 1999–2000: Stuart Smith (acting)
- 1987–1998: David Richardson (later Dean of Melbourne and Anglican Ambassador to the Vatican)
Bishop's vicar
- 1982–1987: Keith Chittleborough
- 1966–1982: Lionel Edward W. Renfrey (also Assistant Bishop of Adelaide 1969–1985)
- 1964–1966: William Devonshire
- 1963–1964: Patrick Austin Day (became rector of Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney)
- 1957–1963: Arthur Weston
- 1955–1957: Thomas Thornton Reed (became Bishop of Adelaide in 1957)
- 1927–1955: Horace Percy Finnis
- 1890–1927: William Somerville Milne
- 1878–1890: Arthur Dendy
Gallery
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St Peter's Cathedral, south front in 2013
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Lady Chapel in 2013
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The cathedral from King William Road in 2013
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St Peter's Cathedral from the Creswell Gardens, due south
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St Peter's Cathedral during a special service in 2009
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Nave
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Reredos and high altar
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Magdalene window, installed in 2001
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Choir stalls in 2013
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Reed, Thomas T. (1969). A History of the Cathedral Church of St Peter Adelaide. Adelaide: Lutheran Press.
- ^ "St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide". The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858–1889). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 30 June 1869. p. 2. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- ^ "Ronald Aylmer Fisher". samhs.org.au. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- ^ "Adelaide—Cath Ch of S Peter". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. 9 February 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
- ^ "Adelaide, St Peter's Cathedral". The Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
- ^ "St Peter's Anglican Cathedral cnr King William Road & Pennington Terrace, North Adelaide". Organ Historical Trust of Australia. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- ^ "St Peters Cathedral:Cathedral Organ". Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ St Peter's Cathedral Handbook (2008)
- ^ "Solemn Evensong with the Commissioning and installation of the Right Reverend Christopher William McLeod as Dean of the Cathedral Church of St Peter" (PDF). St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide. 31 October 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ "Media Release from the Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide Jeffrey Driver". Anglican Diocese of Adelaide. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ "First female Dean of Adelaide quits". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ "Cathedral Dean and Archdeacon say Goodbye" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2012.