Bradford Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bradford Cathedral |
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| Cathedral Church of St Peter | |
Bradford Cathedral from the Cathedral Close
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| OS grid reference | SE1671533264 |
| Location | Bradford, West Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Tradition | Broad church, Open evangelical |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic |
| Years built | c. 1400–1965 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Leeds (since 2014) |
| Province | York |
Bradford Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of St Peter, is a special church in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It belongs to the Anglican Church. This cathedral is one of three main cathedrals in the Diocese of Leeds. The other two are Ripon and Wakefield.
People have worshipped on this spot since the 600s. Back then, missionaries from Dewsbury shared Christianity in the area. For many centuries, it was just a local parish church called St Peter's. It became a cathedral in 1919. Today, it is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historic building.
Contents
The Cathedral's Long History
Early Churches and Rebuilding
The very first church here was likely built during Anglo-Saxon times. It fell apart after the Norman Conquest in 1066. A second church was built around the year 1200. Records show Bradford had its own church parish by 1281.
Around 1327, Scottish raiders burned down most of this stone church. But people worked to rebuild it during the 1300s. They might have even used some of the old stones. The third church was finished in 1458.
Building the Tower and Later Changes
A tall tower was added to the west end of the church. It was built in the Perpendicular style, which was popular in the 1400s and 1500s. This tower was completed in 1508. A clerestory was also added by the end of the 1400s. A clerestory is a high section of wall with windows above eye level.
Over time, different families added their own special chapels. In 1854, Robert Mawer carved a new reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) from Caen stone. This beautiful reredos was later lost during changes made in the 1950s.
Becoming a Cathedral and Modern Extensions
Originally, the church was part of the Diocese of York. Then it joined the Diocese of Ripon. In 1919, it officially became a cathedral when the Diocese of Bradford was created. On April 20, 2014, it became one of the three main cathedrals of the new Diocese of Leeds.
The building was made larger in the 1950s and 1960s by an architect named Edward Maufe. He designed the east end of the cathedral. He also added two west wings for the Song Room and cathedral offices. Maufe even reused beautiful Morris & Co. stained glass from the old east window.
There is also Victorian stained glass throughout the building. This includes a window at the west end showing women from the Bible. Another stained glass window from 1921 remembers those who fought in the First World War. You can also see many wall monuments, including a sculpture by John Flaxman.
Updates for Visitors
In 1987, the main part of the church, called the nave, was changed to welcome more visitors. The roof was cleaned and new lights were put in. The old pews (long benches) were replaced with chairs. This made the space more flexible for different events. The large organ in the nave was moved to create more light and space. A computer organ was installed, but it is no longer used.
Music at Bradford Cathedral
Bradford Cathedral has always been a place where music is important. During school terms, the choir sings at services:
- Sunday 10:30 am: Choral Eucharist (sung by girls/adults, boys/adults, or the Cathedral Consort).
- Sunday 3:30 pm: Choral Evensong (sung by the adult choir).
- Monday 5:30 pm: Choral Evensong (sung by the girls' choir).
- Tuesday 5:30 pm: Choral Evensong (sung by the boys' choir).
The Cathedral Choirs
The boys and girls in the choir come from many local schools. They sing as separate groups. New singers start as "probationers" and learn basic singing skills. Once they become full choristers, they can get free one-on-one lessons in singing, music theory, or piano. The adult singers, called "lay clerks," are skilled volunteers. Most of them have other jobs outside of music.
Since 2015, the cathedral has offered special scholarships for young singers to live and train there. The Cathedral Consort is a high-level chamber choir made up of adult sopranos and lay clerks.
Performances and Recordings
The choir often performs concerts and services both inside and outside the local area. They have toured in the UK to places like Bristol, Worcester, Edinburgh, and Durham.
The girls and men's choirs take part in the yearly Yorkshire Cathedrals' Girls' Choirs' Festival. The boy choristers also rejoined the Yorkshire Three Choirs Festival in 2015. Bradford Cathedral hosted this festival in 2016.
In 2012, the choir recorded two services for BBC Radio 2. The girls and men also sang live for BBC Radio 4 in December 2012. In 2013, the choir recorded a CD. In 2014, they recorded two shows for BBC Songs of Praise. Since 2015, the choir has performed with the European Union Chamber Orchestra. They have sung famous pieces like Vivaldi's Gloria and Haydn's Little Organ Mass.
The Pipe Organ
The cathedral has a large William Hill pipe organ from 1904. It was later updated in 1961 and 1977. You can find details about it on the National Pipe Organ Register. Many famous organ players give recitals at the cathedral on Wednesday lunchtimes.
An Organ Appeal was started in 2013 to raise money for the organ. The goal was to raise £250,000 to keep the instrument working well and make some sound improvements. Work on the organ is being done in phases. The first phase, upgrading the console, was finished in 2014. The second phase, cleaning and improving the Chancel Division, was completed in 2018.
Organists and Directors of Music
- John Simpson c. 1820 – 1860
- Absalom Rawnsley Swaine c. 1861 – 1893
- Henry Coates 1893–1939
- Charles Hooper 1939–1963
- Keith Vernon Rhodes 1963–1981
- Geoffrey John Weaver 1982–1986
- Alan Graham Horsey 1986–2002
- Andrew Teague 2003–2011
- Alexander Woodrow 2012–2016
- Alexander Berry 2017–present
Sub Organists and Assistant Directors of Music
- Martin D. Baker 1982–2004 (Asst. Organist)
- Jonathan Kingston 1997–2000 (Sub Organist)
- Paul Bowen 2004–2011 (Cathedral Organist from 2011 to 2014)
- David Condry 2009–2012
- Jonathan Eyre 2012–2016
- Jon Payne 2016–2018
- Ed Jones 2018–2019
- Graham Thorpe 2019–present
Important Monuments
The cathedral has several interesting monuments:
- A memorial to Abraham Balme, who helped start the Bradford Canal. This was sculpted by John Flaxman RA.
- A monument to Abraham Sharp (died 1742) by Peter Scheemakers.
- A monument to Robert Lowry Turner and George Whyte Watson.
- The Bradford City Football Ground Fire Disaster Memorial.
- The Battle of the Steeple / Market Charter plaque.
- A memorial to Joseph Priestley.
Images for kids
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Exterior of the cathedral
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Pre-Reformation font cover at left, and the clerestory windows above
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The nave inside the cathedral
