Blackburn Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackburn Cathedral |
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| Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin with St Paul |
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The Cathedral from the west
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 Blackburn Cathedral
Location in Blackburn town centre
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| 53°44′50″N 2°28′53″W / 53.7473°N 2.4813°W | |
| Location | Blackburn, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1977 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) |
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| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1820–1967 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Blackburn (since 1926) |
| Province | York |
Blackburn Cathedral is a beautiful and historic church in the heart of Blackburn, Lancashire, England. Its full name is the Cathedral Church of Blackburn Saint Mary the Virgin with St Paul. This important building belongs to the Church of England. A church has stood on this spot for over a thousand years. The very first stone church was built here during Norman times.
Contents
History of Blackburn Cathedral
Becoming a Cathedral
In 1926, the Diocese of Blackburn was created. This new church area was formed from parts of the Diocese of Manchester. Because of this, the impressive parish church of St Mary the Virgin became a cathedral. A cathedral is the main church of a diocese.
The church building itself was first built in 1826. It was designed by an architect named John Palmer. This part of the building is now the cathedral's nave, which is the main central part. It replaced an older parish church that was taken down between 1819 and 1820.
Building the New Cathedral
In the early 1930s, people started raising money to make the cathedral bigger. They wanted the building to look as important as its new status. By 1938, enough money had been collected, and work began to enlarge the cathedral.
Building work stopped during the war. But it started again afterwards and continued through the 1950s and early 1960s. After architect W.A. Forsyth passed away in 1950, another architect, Laurence King, joined the project. He designed the special lantern tower. This tower has 56 different coloured glass panes and a tall, thin aluminium spire. It was finished in 1967.
The cathedral was finally completed in 1977. All the parts that had been built over many decades were officially made part of Blackburn Cathedral that year.
Old Carvings and Royal Visits
The north transept, a part of the church, holds eight special wooden carvings called misericords. These carvings are from the 15th century. No one knows exactly when they arrived at the cathedral. However, people believe they originally came from Whalley Abbey. This means they might have been stored away after the Dissolution of the monasteries. Since the cathedral wasn't built until the 1800s, these carvings could have been unused for about 300 years!
On April 17, 2014, the cathedral hosted the Royal Maundy service. This is a special event where the monarch gives out "Maundy money." Following tradition, Elizabeth II gave money to 88 men and 88 women. This was the Queen's first visit to Blackburn Cathedral.
In 2023, a unique agreement was made. The cathedral will share its lady chapel with a local Welsh Presbyterian church. This is thought to be the first time a cathedral has made such a sharing agreement with a non-Anglican church.
Cathedral Leaders
As of November 30, 2020, the main leaders at the cathedral include:
- The Dean, Peter Howell-Jones, who started in March 2017.
- The Vice Dean and Canon Missioner, Rowena Pailing, who started in May 2018.
- The Diocesan Canon, Gary O'Neill.
Music at the Cathedral
Music is a very important part of life at Blackburn Cathedral. The main musician in charge is the organist and director of music, John Robinson. John Hosking is the organist in residence.
Cathedral Choirs
The cathedral has seven different choirs! These include:
- The Cathedral Choir of Boys and Men
- The Girls' Choir
- The Children's Choir
- Lantern Voices
- YPC (Young Peoples' Choir)
- Renaissance Singers (formerly the Bach Choir)
- Cathedral Consort
On Sundays, the YPC sings for the Parish Communion service. The Cathedral Choir sings for the Eucharist and Evensong services.
The Organ
The organ is a very large musical instrument, like a giant keyboard, that makes sound using air through pipes. The first organ for the new church was designed by John Gray and Frederick Davison. It was first played on February 28, 1828. A concert featured music by Handel, including parts from his famous Messiah. The new organist, Joseph John Harris, played the music. This organ was later replaced in the 1870s.
The third and current organ at Blackburn Cathedral was built by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd. It was finished in 1970. A kind person named William Thompson, from Burnley, helped pay for it. The organ was repaired and improved at the end of the 20th century. It is now considered a world-class instrument. It is used for recordings, concerts, and special musical events throughout the year.
Organists of the Cathedral
Since 2019, John Robinson has been the organist and director of music. Many talented musicians have played the organ here over the years. Some past organists include Henry Smart, Richard Henry Coleman, and Gordon Stewart. John Hosking has been the organist in residence since 2022.
Cathedral Bells
The first time bells were mentioned at the old parish church was in 1552. The church bought five bells. In 1737, six new bells were made using the metal from the old ones. These six bells were moved to the west tower of the new church in 1832. Four more bells were added between 1851 and 1852, making a total of ten bells.
In 1949, during work to extend the cathedral, the current set of ten bells was put in place. All ten bells were made by John Taylor & Co. in Loughborough. The largest bell, called the tenor bell, weighs about 1,289 kilograms (2,841 pounds). It is tuned to the note D and is 1.32 meters (52 inches) wide.
Recent Changes and Features
Restoration and Art
In 1998, the lantern tower was repaired and rebuilt using natural stone. The original tower from the 1960s had been made of concrete. The windows were also replaced at this time.
More work was done in 2000 and 2001. The roofs and walls at the east end of the cathedral were rebuilt. They were made to blend in with the older parts of the building. After this work was finished, the cathedral was finally considered complete, after more than 70 years of construction!
A new piece of art was also added to the outside of the building. This sculpture, called The Healing of The Nations, was created by Mark Jalland. It is a large circular piece made of steel and copper, measuring about 10.6 meters (35 feet) by 7.9 meters (26 feet). It has thousands of tiny fibre optics woven into it. These create changing patterns of light at night. Many people think it is one of the most creative modern sculptures at any English cathedral.
Community Role
In 2009, the flagpole was replaced. The new one was carved by Mark Bridges. It has a bishop's mitre (a special hat worn by bishops) on top. This mitre is painted and covered in gold leaf and features the Lancashire Rose emblem. Most of the money for the flagpole came from a gift left by Harold Thornber, who used to work at the cathedral.
Blackburn Cathedral is still a very important part of the local community. It welcomes visitors and has a gift shop and a café. It also hosts many events. For example, in February 2011, the cathedral displayed the Quaker Tapestry from Kendal.
In 2021, the crypt (an underground room) of Blackburn Cathedral was used as a large public vaccination center during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gallery
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The Nave, looking east
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The Nave, looking west
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The Sanctuary
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View of Transept and Sanctuary, showing the organ
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Interior view of the Lantern
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East end: Rood by Advent Hunstone, seen beyond the hanging corona by John Hayward
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West end: Worker Christ by John Hayward
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Sculpture: The Healing of The Nations by Mark Jalland
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The tower, 2011
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Part of the ceiling in the South transept
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One of the misericords
See also
- Listed buildings in Blackburn
