Blackburn Cathedral

Last updated

Blackburn Cathedral
Cathedral Church of
St Mary the Virgin with St Paul
Blackburn Cathedral - geograph.org.uk - 6125935.jpg
The Cathedral from the west
Location map United Kingdom Blackburn central.svg
Red pog.svg
Blackburn Cathedral
Shown within Blackburn town centre
53°44′50″N2°28′53″W / 53.7473°N 2.4813°W / 53.7473; -2.4813
LocationBlackburn, Lancashire
CountryEngland
Denomination Church of England
Website www.blackburncathedral.com
History
Consecrated 1977
Architecture
Architect(s)
  • John Palmer
  • W.A. Forsyth
  • Laurence King
Style Gothic Revival
Years built1820–1967
Administration
Province York
Diocese Blackburn (since 1926)
Clergy
Bishop(s) Philip North
Dean Peter Howell-Jones
Canon(s) Canon Dr Jenny Gaffin (Canon  Precentor)
Canon Missioner Canon James Lawrence
Laity
Director of music John Robinson
Organist(s) John Hosking (Organist in Residence)
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameCathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin
Designated28 November 1951
Reference no. 1239147

Blackburn Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary the Virgin with Saint Paul, is an Anglican (Church of England) cathedral situated in the heart of Blackburn town centre, in Lancashire, England. The cathedral site has been home to a church for over a thousand years and the first stone church was built there in Norman times.

Contents

History

With the creation of the Diocese of Blackburn in 1926 (taken from the Diocese of Manchester), the impressive parish church of St Mary the Virgin was raised to cathedral status. The church, which was built in 1826 and designed by architect John Palmer, now forms the cathedral's nave. It replaced the parish church that was demolished in 1819–1820. [1]

In the early 1930s, fundraising began to enlarge the cathedral so that the building complemented its newfound importance. By 1938, enough money had been raised and work began on enlarging the new cathedral. Although work was interrupted by the war, it was resumed afterwards and continued through the 1950s and into the early 1960s. After the death of architect W.A. Forsyth in 1950, architect Laurence King joined the project and designed the distinctive lantern tower. The lantern tower, which consists of 56 different panes of coloured glass, with a modernist slender aluminium spire, was completed in 1967.

The cathedral was finally completed in 1977 and what had been built over the past decades was finally consecrated as Blackburn Cathedral that year. [2]

The north transept contains eight misericords dating from the 15th century. It is not known at what time they arrived at the cathedral, but they are believed to have originated at Whalley Abbey. This could mean that they were removed to a builder's yard after the Dissolution, but with the cathedral not being built until the 19th century, this allows for the possibility that they had lain unused for some 300 years.

On 17 April 2014, the cathedral hosted the Royal Maundy service. In keeping with tradition, Elizabeth II handed out Maundy money to 88 men and 88 women. It was the Queen's first visit to the cathedral. [3]

It was reported in The Treasury, a Presbyterian Church of Wales publication, that a historic sharing agreement between the chapter of Blackburn Cathedral and a local Welsh Presbyterian congregation of the lady chapel will take place in 2023. This is believed to be the first covenant of its kind between a cathedral and non-Anglican denomination.

Dean and chapter

The exterior, with the rebuilt lantern tower and distinctive aluminium spire Blackburn Cathedral 2.jpg
The exterior, with the rebuilt lantern tower and distinctive aluminium spire

As of 30 November 2020: [4]

Music

The organist and director of music is John Robinson [5] and the organist in residence is John Hosking. [6]

Choir

The cathedral choirs — Cathedral Choir of Boys, Girls and Men, Youth Choir - formally Young Peoples' Choir, Blackburn Chamber Choir, formally Renaissance Singers/the Bach Choir and St Paul’s Singers. On Sundays the Parish Communion is sung by the YPC and the Eucharist and Evensong by the Cathedral Choir.

Organ

The organ for the new church was designed by John Gray and Frederick Davison. Its debut was on 28 February 1828, with a concert of works by Handel including extracts from the Messiah , Israel in Egypt and his Occasional Overture, played by the new organist Joseph John Harris. [7] This organ was replaced in the 1870s by an instrument designed by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. [7]

The third, and present organ at Blackburn was built by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd and completed in 1970. Funding was provided by William Thompson, a Burnley-based benefactor of the cathedral. The organ was restored at the end of the 20th century by Woods. It is considered a world-class instrument, and is used for recordings, concerts, recitals and organ meditations throughout the year. [7]

Organists

Since 2019 the organist and director of music has been John Robinson. Previous organists have included Henry Smart, Richard Henry Coleman, Charles Hylton Stewart, Herman Brearley, Thomas Lucas Duerden, John Bertalot, David Anthony Cooper, Gordon Stewart, Richard Tanner and Samuel Hudson. The organist in residence (since 2022) is John Hosking.

Bells

The first mention of bells in the old parish church was in 1552 when the vicar and churchwardens purchased five bells from the Royal Commissioners for £26-12-1. A new peal of six bells was cast in 1737 from the metal of the existing bells and it was this ring of six that was moved over to the west tower of the new church in 1832. Four bells were added during 1851–52 to form a ring of ten.

In 1949, while extension work was being carried out in the cathedral, the current ring of ten bells was installed. All ten bells were cast by John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough. The tenor bell weighs 25-1-14 (1,289 kg) is tuned to D and has a diameter of 52 inches (1.32 metres). [8]

Recent developments

In 1998 the lantern tower underwent restoration, being rebuilt in natural stone. The original 1960s tower had been constructed in concrete. The windows were also replaced.

Further work was carried out in 2000–01 to re-build the east end roofs and parapets and blend them into the existing structures. Upon completion of this work, the cathedral was finally deemed to be finished after over 70 years of construction.

As well as this rebuilding, a new piece of art was commissioned for the exterior of the building. The sculpture by Mark Jalland, The Healing of The Nations, measuring 35 by 26 feet (10.7 m × 7.9 m), is an abstract steel and copper circular piece containing thousands of interwoven fibre optics that create ever-changing patterns of light at night. It is deemed by many to be one of the most innovative pieces of modern sculpture at any English cathedral.

In 2009 the flagpole was replaced with one carved by Mark Bridges. It is topped with a bishop's mitre finial, painted and gilded in gold leaf with the Lancashire Rose emblem. The majority of the funding came from a bequest by Harold Thornber, who had worked at the cathedral as a warden and archivist [9]

The cathedral still forms an important part of the community. It is open to visitors and has a café as well as hosting numerous events. In February 2011, the cathedral exhibited the Quaker Tapestry from Kendal. [10]

In 2021, the crypt of Blackburn Cathedral was used as a major public vaccination centre against COVID-19. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chichester Cathedral</span> Cathedral in West Sussex, England

Chichester Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in West Sussex, England. It was founded as a cathedral in 1075, when the seat of the bishop was moved from Selsey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cartmel Priory</span> Parish church in Cumbria, England

Cartmel Priory church serves as the parish church of Cartmel, Cumbria, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beverley Minster</span> Church in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England

Beverley Minster, otherwise known as the Parish Church of Saint John and Saint Martin, in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, is a parish church in the Church of England. It is one of the largest parish churches in the UK, larger than one-third of all English cathedrals and is regarded as a Gothic masterpiece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truro Cathedral</span> Church in Cornwall, United Kingdom

The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Truro, Cornwall. It was built between 1880 and 1910 to a Gothic Revival design by John Loughborough Pearson on the site of the parish church of St Mary. It is one of three cathedrals in the United Kingdom featuring three spires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ripon Cathedral</span> Cathedral in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England

The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, commonly known as Ripon Cathedral, and until 1836 known as Ripon Minster, is a cathedral in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. Founded as a monastery by monks of the Irish tradition in the 660s, it was refounded as a Benedictine monastery by St Wilfrid in 672. The church became collegiate in the tenth century, and acted as a mother church within the large Diocese of York for the remainder of the Middle Ages. The present church is the fourth, and was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. In 1836 the church became the cathedral for the Diocese of Ripon. In 2014 the Diocese was incorporated into the new Diocese of Leeds, and the church became one of three co-equal cathedrals of the Bishop of Leeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hereford Cathedral</span> Church in Herefordshire, England

Hereford Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Hereford in Hereford, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester Cathedral</span> Church in Manchester, England

Manchester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George, in Manchester, England, is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Manchester, seat of the Bishop of Manchester and the city's parish church. It is on Victoria Street in Manchester city centre and is a grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chester Cathedral</span> Cathedral in Chester and the seat of the Bishop of Chester

Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Werburgh, is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since 1541, it has been the seat of the Bishop of Chester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwich Cathedral</span> Cathedral in Norfolk, England

Norwich Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Norwich, Norfolk, England. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Norwich and the mother church of the diocese of Norwich. It is administered by its dean and chapter, and there are daily Church of England services. It is a Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlisle Cathedral</span> Church in Cumbria, England

Carlisle Cathedral is a Grade I listed Anglican cathedral in the city of Carlisle, Cumbria, England. It was founded as an Augustinian priory and became a cathedral in 1133. It is also the seat of the Bishop of Carlisle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portsmouth Cathedral</span> Church in Hampshire, United Kingdom

The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, commonly known as Portsmouth Cathedral, is an Anglican cathedral church in the centre of Old Portsmouth in Portsmouth, England. It is the cathedral of the Diocese of Portsmouth and the seat of the bishop of Portsmouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rouen Cathedral</span> Cathedral in Rouen, France

Rouen Cathedral is a Catholic church in Rouen, Normandy, France. It is the see of the Archbishop of Rouen, Primate of Normandy. It is famous for its three towers, each in a different style. The cathedral, built and rebuilt over a period of more than eight hundred years, has features from Early Gothic to late Flamboyant and Renaissance architecture. It also has a place in art history as the subject of a series of impressionist paintings by Claude Monet, and in architecture history as from 1876 to 1880, it was the tallest building in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwell Minster</span> Church in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

Southwell Minster, strictly since 1884 Southwell Cathedral, and formally the Cathedral and Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Church of England cathedral in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and the mother church of the diocese of Southwell and Nottingham; it is governed by a dean and chapter. It is a grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelmsford Cathedral</span> Church in Essex, England

Chelmsford Cathedral in the city of Chelmsford, Essex, England, is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, St Peter and St Cedd. It became a cathedral when the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford was created in 1914 and is the seat of the Bishop of Chelmsford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford</span> Cathedral in Oxford, United Kingdom

Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford. This dual role as cathedral and college chapel is unique in the Church of England. This gives the Dean of Christ Church a distinctive role as both head of Christ Church, Oxford as well as having the ecclesiastical function of an Anglican Dean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Laurence's Church, Ludlow</span> Church in England

St Laurence's Church, Ludlow, is a Church of England parish church in Ludlow, Shropshire, England. It is a grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary's Church, Nantwich</span> Church in Cheshire, England

St Mary's Church is an Anglican parish church in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. It has been called the "Cathedral of South Cheshire" and it is considered by some to be one of the finest medieval churches, not only in Cheshire, but in the whole of England. The architectural writer Raymond Richards described it as "one of the great architectural treasures of Cheshire", and Alec Clifton-Taylor included it in his list of "outstanding" English parish churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Le Puy Cathedral</span> Cathedral in Haute-Loire, in France

Le Puy Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvergne, France. The cathedral is a national monument. It has been a centre of pilgrimage in its own right since before the time of Charlemagne, as well as being a stopover on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Since 1998 it has been part of a multi-location UNESCO World Heritage Site along France's Santiago pilgrimage routes. It is the seat of the Bishop of Le Puy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary Magdalene Church, Newark-on-Trent</span> Church in Nottinghamshire, England

St Mary Magdalene Church, Newark-on-Trent is the parish church of Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, England. It is dedicated to Mary Magdalene and is the tallest structure in the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wakefield Cathedral</span> Church in West Yorkshire, England

Wakefield Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of All Saints in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, is a co-equal Anglican cathedral with Bradford and Ripon Cathedrals, in the Diocese of Leeds and a seat of the Bishop of Leeds. Originally the parish church, it has Anglo Saxon origins and, after enlargement and rebuilding, has the tallest spire in Yorkshire. Its 247-foot (75 m) spire is the tallest structure in the City of Wakefield. The cathedral was designated a Grade I listed building on 14 July 1953.

References

  1. Hartley, Gordon (29 January 2019). "Tracing the history of long-lost market cross". Lancashire Telegraph. p. 22.
  2. "Blackburn Cathedral | Scala". Scalapublishers.com. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  3. "Maundy Thursday: Queen hands out money at Blackburn Cathedral - BBC News". BBC News. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  4. Blackburn Cathedral — Who's Who (Accessed 30 November 2020)
  5. "Director of Music". Blackburncathedral.com. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  6. "Shaun Turnbull". Blackburncathedral.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 John Bertalot and Richard Tanner. "The Organs of Blackburn Cathedral" (PDF). blackburncathedral.com/. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  8. Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Central Council Publications. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  9. "New ornate mitre tops off tower at Blackburn Cathedral". Lancashire Telegraph. 7 October 2009.
  10. "Quaker Tapestry Exhibition at visitlancashire.com". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
  11. "Home | Lancashire Evening Post".

Further reading

Canon Chris Chivers. Blackburn Cathedral. Scala Arts Publishers. ISBN   978-1-85759-645-8.