St Edmundsbury Cathedral Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Edmundsbury Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund
Cathedral from the east
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Location	Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
Tradition	Liberal Anglo-Catholicism
Website	https://stedscathedral.org
History
Status	Cathedral
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	7 August 1952
Architectural type	Church
Style	Romanesque, Gothic, Gothic Revival
Years built	11th–16th centuries, 18th–19th centuries, 21st century
Groundbreaking	11th century
Completed	2007
Specifications
Number of towers	1
Bells	12+1
Tenor bell weight	27 long cwt 2 qr 5 lb (3,085 lb or 1,399 kg)
Administration
Diocese	St Edmundsbury & Ipswich (since 1914)
Province	Canterbury

The choir, looking east towards the high altar

St Edmundsbury Cathedral is a very important church in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. It is the main church for the Church of England in the area. The cathedral is also known as the Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund. It has a long history, starting way back in the 11th century. Over the years, it has been rebuilt and made much bigger. It became a cathedral in 1914.

A Look Back: Cathedral History
Inside the Cathedral
- Special Features and Art
Cathedral Leaders
Music at the Cathedral
- The Organ
- Music Directors
Cathedral Bells
Ancient Library
Gallery
See also

A Look Back: Cathedral History

A church has stood on this spot for a very long time, since at least 1065. Back then, it was called St Denis's Church. In the early 1100s, a leader named Anselm wanted to go on a special journey. When he couldn't, he rebuilt the church and named it after Saint James. This church served the local people in Bury St Edmunds.

Building the Norman Tower

Anselm also built a tall tower next to the church. This tower is known today as the Norman Tower. It was used as the church's bell tower, and it still is today! The church is quite close to another large church, St Mary's Church.

Changes Over the Centuries

The St James's Church was largely rebuilt starting in 1503. A skilled builder named John Wastell worked on it. He also helped build King's College, Cambridge. The church was changed again in the 1700s and 1800s. A new part for the choir was added, and a special roof called a hammerbeam roof was built.

Becoming a Cathedral

In 1914, a new church area was created called the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. St James's Church was chosen to be its main church, or cathedral. In 1959, a famous composer, Benjamin Britten, wrote a special piece of music for an event held at the cathedral.

Modern Additions to the Cathedral

Starting in 1959, more building work began to make the church truly feel like a grand cathedral.

A new choir area was built.
A covered walkway, called a cloister, was added.
New sections called transepts were built.
A special chapel for the Virgin Mary, called a Lady chapel, was added.
Another chapel dedicated to St Edmund was also built.

A lot of this work was planned by an architect named Stephen Dykes Bower. He even left money to help finish the cathedral. In 2000, work began on a new tower, called the Millennium Tower. It was finished in 2005. This tower is 150 feet (46 meters) tall and was built with many bricks and special stone. More additions were completed in 2009 and 2012, including new chapels and a treasury.

Inside the Cathedral

When you step inside St Edmundsbury Cathedral, there are many interesting things to see.

Special Features and Art

The Font: The font, used for baptisms, was designed in 1870. It has a medieval base and beautiful decorations added in 1960.
Paintings and Sculptures: In the Lady Chapel, you can see a painting called "The Martyrdom of St Edmund" by Brian Whelan. Near the Treasury steps, there is a sculpture called Crucifixion by Elisabeth Frink.
Stained Glass: The cathedral has amazing stained glass windows. One old window, the Susanna Window, has glass from both Flanders and England. The large window at the west end shows the Last Judgement and is from around 1900.

Visitors can take guided tours to learn more about the cathedral. There are also art exhibits in the Edmund Gallery and displays of old religious items in the Cathedral Treasures area.

Cathedral Leaders

The main leader of St Edmundsbury Cathedral is called the Dean. The current Dean is Joe Hawes, who started in 2018. Other important clergy members help run the cathedral and its activities.

Music at the Cathedral

Music is a very important part of life at the cathedral.

The Organ

The two organ cases, in the north transept and north choir

The cathedral has a large and impressive organ. It was rebuilt in 2010 by a company called Harrison and Harrison. Organs like this are made of many pipes and can make a huge range of sounds.

Music Directors

The person in charge of all the music at the cathedral is called the Director of Music. Many talented people have held this role over the years. The current Director of Music is Claudia Grinnell.

Cathedral Bells

The cathedral has a set of 12 bells, plus one extra, located in the old Norman Tower next door. The first ten bells were made in 1785. In 1973, they were moved lower down in the tower. In 2012, two more bells were added, and in 2013, a thirteenth bell was put in. This extra bell helps people who are just learning to ring bells. The bells are rung on Sundays before services and for special events like weddings.

Ancient Library

The Ancient Library is a special room located above the north-west porch of the cathedral. It was started by a preacher named Miles Mosse many years ago. It holds many old and valuable books.