Portsmouth Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portsmouth Cathedral |
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| Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury | |
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| 50°47′26″N 1°06′15″W / 50.7905°N 1.1043°W | |
| Location | Portsmouth, Hampshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | portsmouthcathedral.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1180 |
| Dedication | St Thomas Becket |
| Dedicated | 1188 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Romanesque (Germanic) |
| Years built |
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| Specifications | |
| Number of towers | 3 |
| Tower height | 121 feet (37 m) (tallest tower) |
| Bells | 12 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Portsmouth (since 1927) |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, usually called Portsmouth Cathedral, is an Anglican church in the heart of Old Portsmouth, England. It is the main church for the Diocese of Portsmouth. It is also where the Bishop of Portsmouth has his official seat.
Portsmouth has two cathedrals. This Anglican cathedral is one. The other is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, Portsmouth, located about a mile north.
History of Portsmouth Cathedral
Early Beginnings (12th Century)
Around 1180, a rich merchant named Jean de Gisors gave land in Portsmouth. He gave it to a group of monks called the Augustinian canons. They built a chapel dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury. He was an archbishop who had been killed ten years earlier. This chapel later became a parish church and then a cathedral.
The first building was finished in 1188. It had a cross shape with a tower in the middle. This tower was used as a lookout and a lighthouse. Only the main part (chancel) and the side sections (transepts) of the original building are still standing today.
Challenges and Rebuilding (14th-17th Centuries)
In 1337, the church survived a French attack during the Hundred Years War. Most of Portsmouth was destroyed, but the church remained. However, in 1449, a bishop was murdered by local sailors. Because of this, the town's people were excommunicated. This meant they were temporarily banned from the church. The church was closed until 1508.
In 1591, Queen Elizabeth I even worshipped in the church. During the English Civil War in 1642, the church was damaged. Soldiers used the tower to watch enemy movements. Cannons fired at the tower, ruining it and the main part of the church (nave).
After the king returned to power in 1660, money was raised to rebuild the tower and nave. This work happened from 1683 to 1693. The new nave was built in a classical style. More space was added in 1708 and 1750 for the growing number of people attending services. A wooden dome with a lantern for ships was added to the tower in 1703. Twelve bells were also added over time.
Becoming a Cathedral (20th Century)
In 1927, the Diocese of Portsmouth was created. This meant the church of St Thomas of Canterbury became a "pro-cathedral." This is a church that serves as a cathedral temporarily. It became the second cathedral in Portsmouth, as the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Evangelist had opened earlier.
Architect Charles Nicholson was asked to make the church bigger. By 1935, it was officially called a cathedral. Nicholson chose a "Neo-Byzantine" style for the new parts. This style matched the older classical parts of the church.
By 1939, some new sections were finished. These included the outer aisles, the tower, the transepts, and part of the nave. However, work stopped in 1940 because of World War II. A "temporary" brick wall was put up, and it stayed there for over fifty years! The cathedral also had minor damage during the war.
Completing the Building (Late 20th Century)
After the war, there were attempts to finish the cathedral, but not enough money was found. In the mid-1980s, the temporary brick wall became unsafe. This made finishing the building urgent. The architects decided to build a shorter nave than originally planned. This was because the needs of the diocese had changed.
Work began in 1990 to raise money and complete the building. A new section of the nave, western towers, and a new font were added. In November 1991, the finished cathedral was officially opened. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother attended the ceremony.
Architecture and Features
Entering the Cathedral
You enter the cathedral through beautiful bronze doors on the west side. These doors were designed by Bryan Kneale. Their design shows the tree of life, which is an old symbol of new beginnings.
The main part of the church, called the nave, is a large square space. It has a lower, arched walkway around it called an ambulatory. The furniture in the nave can be moved. This means the space can be used for concerts and exhibitions, not just church services.
Art and Sculptures
Above the main entrance, there is a sculpture called Christus by Peter Eugene Ball. The organ case in the nave was designed by Didier Grassin. Its panels show pictures by Patrick Caulfield. The left panel shows night with a lighthouse shining on the sea. This reminds us of Portsmouth's motto, "Heaven's Light Our Guide." The right panel shows day with the sun and a fishing boat.
In the south side of the tower, there is a bronze statue of St John the Baptist by David Wynne. It was made in 1951. On the north wall of this area, you can see a painting called The Miraculous Draught of Fishes by William Lionel Wyllie. The north side of the tower has a ceramic artwork of the Virgin and Child by the artist Andrea della Robbia from Florence.
Inside the Church
The main altar stands on a platform made of Purbeck stone. It has beautiful mosaic work. The lectern, where readings are given, was a gift from Edward VII in 1903. The pulpit, used for sermons, was installed in 1693. The organ case, built in 1718, has carved figures of cherubs and King David playing his harp.
In the south side aisle of the chancel, there is a large memorial from 1631. It remembers George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. He was an important person who was killed nearby.
Music at the Cathedral
Cathedral Choirs
Portsmouth Cathedral has three choirs. The main cathedral choir has up to 20 boys and adult male singers. They sing during services on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Cantate is the girls' choir, started in 2006. They sing on Thursdays. The Cathedral Consort is a mixed choir of adults and younger singers. They sing on Saturdays and when the other choirs are not performing. Sometimes, all the choirs sing together for big events.
The choirs often travel to other countries. They have visited places like Estonia, Sweden, Austria, Germany, and France.
Cathedral Organs
The cathedral has a large organ with three keyboards and 49 stops (which control the sounds). It was installed in 1994. Some of its pipes came from an older organ built in 1861.
In 2001, a new part called the West Great Organ was added. This helps send music directly into the nave. A famous organist from Paris, Olivier Latry, played a concert to celebrate its opening. In 2017, a special set of horizontal trumpet-like pipes called Trompete de Maris (meaning "Trumpet of the Sea") was added above the main entrance.
The cathedral also has a smaller, portable organ built in 2007.
See also
