Guildford Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guildford Cathedral |
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| Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit | |
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| Location | Guildford, Surrey |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Consecrated | 1961 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 1981 |
| Architect(s) | Edward Maufe |
| Style | Neo-Gothic/Art Deco |
| Years built | 1936–1961 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Tower height | 48.8 m (160 ft) |
| Bells | 12 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Guildford (since 1927) |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Guildford, usually called Guildford Cathedral, is a special church in Guildford, England. It belongs to the Church of England. The land for the cathedral was given by Richard Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow and Viscount Bennett, a former Prime Minister of Canada.
The cathedral was designed by Edward Maufe. It was built between 1936 and 1961. This cathedral is the main church for the Bishop of Guildford. In 1981, it was given a special heritage status as a Grade II* listed building. Guildford Cathedral was the last new Church of England cathedral to be built in a new place. It is one of only three built in the 20th century.
Contents
Building the Cathedral
The Diocese of Guildford was created in 1927. It covered most of Surrey. At first, a smaller church called Holy Trinity Church was used as the main church. But it was too small to be a proper cathedral.
In 1932, a competition was held to find a design for the new cathedral. Many architects took part, and Edward Maufe was chosen. The plan was for the building to cost about £250,000.
In 1933, Richard Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow gave land on top of Stag Hill for the cathedral. The first stone was laid in 1936 by Cosmo Lang, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, work stopped in 1939 because of the Second World War.
In 1947, Viscount Bennett, who used to be the prime minister of Canada, bought more land around Stag Hill. He gave it to the cathedral to remember Canadian soldiers who stayed in the area during the war.
Building work started again in 1948. But there were rules about building after the war, so full construction did not begin until 1952. By then, it was clear that the original money was not enough. So, the Cathedral Committee started a "Buy-a-Brick" campaign in 1952.
- Between 1952 and 1961, over 200,000 people paid 2 shillings and 6 pence (about £4.50 in today's money) to sign a brick.
- Even Elizabeth II and Prince Philip signed bricks. These special bricks are now on display inside the cathedral.
The bricks used before the war were made from clay found at Stag Hill. After the war, bricks came from a different place in Sussex. You can see a small difference in color between the older and newer bricks.
The cathedral was officially opened on May 17, 1961, with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip present. The whole building was finally finished in 1965.
Where the Cathedral Is
The cathedral is on top of Stag Hill. This hill got its name because kings of England used to hunt deer there. The cathedral's red brick shape can be seen from far away. When it was built in 1932, Stag Hill was outside Guildford town. But since then, the town has grown around it. Guildford Cathedral shares Stag Hill with the main campus of the University of Surrey.
What the Cathedral Looks Like
Edward Maufe, the architect, wanted the cathedral to look modern but also like the great English cathedrals of the past. He focused on good shapes, sizes, and lines instead of lots of decorations. The building is described as "sweet-tempered" and "noble and subtle" inside.
Maufe was inspired by old cathedrals in Europe, like Albi Cathedral in France. He wanted a wide, open space in the main part of the church (the nave). He used narrow side aisles to achieve this. When they realized they couldn't use stone, Maufe copied a medieval brick from Albi for the Guildford cathedral.
The tower is 160 feet (49 m) tall and has twelve bells. On top of the tower is a 15-foot (4.6 m) golden angel that spins in the wind. Inside, the cathedral feels bright. It has light-colored limestone pillars and white marble floors. It is a Grade II* listed building.
The angel on the tower was given in memory of Sgt. Reginald Adgey-Edgar, a soldier who died in 1944 during World War II. It was designed by William Pickford. The pole holding the angel also has mobile phone antennas inside!
Outside the eastern end of the cathedral is a wooden cross. It was put there in 1933 before building started. This cross, called the Ganges Cross, is made from wood from an old battleship named HMS Ganges. The ship's symbol, an elephant, is carved into the wood.
Lady Prudence Maufe, Edward Maufe's wife, helped design the fabrics inside the cathedral. She made sure the colors matched Guildford's history of wool trade, especially the famous blue wool. Over 1,400 kneelers (cushions for kneeling) were made by more than 400 people. These kneelers show many interesting designs from the 1950s and 1960s.
Guildford Cathedral has many artworks by 20th-century artists. These include sculptures by Eric Gill, Mary Spencer Watson, and Alan Collins. In 2016, a Canadian artist named Nicholas Thompson created a sculpture of a mother and child from World War I.
There are three smaller chapels inside the cathedral:
- The Children's Chapel is for remembering children who have passed away.
- The Chapel of the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment honors a military regiment.
- The Lady Chapel was built with money from Canadian people. It thanks them for their support during the world wars. This chapel has a statue of the Madonna and Child.
Stained Glass Windows
Guildford Cathedral has fewer stained glass windows than many other churches. It mostly uses clear glass to let in soft light, matching its modern design. However, it does have beautiful glass art by artists like Moira Forsyth and Lawrence Lee.
There are also etched glass artworks by John Hutton from New Zealand. These are at the west entrance and above the south porch doors. John Hutton also created famous glass art for Coventry Cathedral.
Cathedral Leaders
As of May 30, 2019, the main leaders of the cathedral include:
- Dean — Dianna Gwilliams
- Sub-Dean — Stuart Beake
- Residentiary Canon — Chris Hollingshurst
- Priest Vicar — Mavis Wilson
- Anglican Chaplain to the University of Surrey and Priest Vicar — Duncan Myers
Music at the Cathedral
The Organ
The main organ in the cathedral was put in place in 1961. It was built by a company from Liverpool. This organ was rebuilt from an older one that dated back to about 1866. It has about 4,600 pipes! The organ was taken apart and cleaned between 2015 and 2017. There is also a second, smaller organ in the Lady Chapel.
Organists
Many talented musicians have played the organ at Guildford Cathedral. Katherine Dienes-Williams became the first female Organist and Master of the Choristers in an English Anglican Cathedral in January 2008.
The Choir
The Cathedral Choir started in May 1961 for the cathedral's opening.
- It has boy choristers who sing at Sunday services and on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They go to the RGS Preparatory School.
- Since 2002, girl choristers have sung on Sundays and Fridays.
- There are also six adult professional singers called lay clerks.
- The Guildford Cathedral Singers are a volunteer choir that sings for special services.
The Bells
Guildford Cathedral has a set of twelve bells. Ten of them were made in 1965. Two more bells were added in 1975. The largest bell weighs about 1,543.5 kilograms. A team of about 25 volunteer bellringers practice ringing the bells on Tuesdays. In June 2022, the cathedral hosted a national competition for bellringers.
See also
- Exterior sculpture of Guildford Cathedral
- List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
