Southwark Cathedral facts for kids

Southwark Cathedral
	Southwark Cathedral
Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie
	;
	Shown within Central London
	Coordinates: 51°30′22″N 0°5′23″W / 51.50611°N 0.08972°W
Location	Southwark; London, SE1
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	cathedral.southwark.anglican.org
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I listed building
Designated	2 March 1950
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Years built	1106–1897
	Administration
Diocese	Southwark (since 1905)
Province	Canterbury
	Clergy
Bishop(s)	Christopher Chessun
Dean	Andrew Nunn
Subdean	Michael Rawson (Canon Pastor)
Precentor	Gilly Myers
Canon Chancellor	Mandy Ford (Director of Discipleship and Ministry)
Canon Missioner	Jay Colwill (Director of Mission and Evangelism)
Canon Treasurer	Leanne Roberts (Director of Vocations and DDO)
Succentor	Rachel Young (Minor Canon)
Curate(s)	David Adamson
	Laity
Director of music	Ian Keatley
Organist(s)	Stephen Disley
Verger	Paul Timms, Simon Gutwein, James Collins, Robert Biden, Tom Griffiths

The nave of Southwark Cathedral

A drawing showing Old London Bridge with Southwark Priory (the Cathedral) in 1616, in the foreground

Southwark Cathedral, in Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge.

It is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark. It has been a place of Christian worship for over 1,000 years, but a cathedral only since 1905. The present building is mainly Gothic, from 1220 to 1420.

The main railway line from London Bridge station to Cannon Street station passes close to the cathedral, blocking the view from the south side. Borough Market and the Hall of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass by the river are close by.

History

Saxon and medieval

The earliest reference to the site was in the Domesday Book survey of 1086. The 'Minster' of Southwark seems to be under the control of Bishop Odo of Bayeux (William the Conqueror's half-brother). Its early history is obscure. A Saxon minster (a teaching church) served a south Thames area. In 1106, Henry I's reign, the latter became an Augustinian Priory: Norman stonework can still be seen, and Thomas Becket preached here before departing to Canterbury, days before his murder in 1170.

Architecture

The church is the oldest Gothic church building in London, built from 1220 to 1420. It is one of the smallest cathedrals, which is because it was not built as a cathedral, but as a Priory chapel.

Choir

The cathedral has three choirs, The main Cathedral Choir is supported financially by the St Olave's & St Saviour's Schools Foundation. They were two parochial schools set up in the 1560s, and still hold their annual services here as their 'foundation' church.

Images for kids

The tower and east end of the Cathedral, restored by George Gwilt the Younger in the 19th century
The Shard and Southwark Cathedral
The Cathedral's organ
The 15th century church monument to the poet John Gower. Unusually, the polychrome paintings on it have been kept renewed.