St Paul's Cathedral, Dundee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Cathedral |
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|---|---|
| The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul | |
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| Location | Dundee |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Scottish Episcopal Church |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Paul |
| Consecrated | 1 November 1865 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | George Gilbert Scott |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 21 July 1853 |
| Completed | 1855 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | 1 |
| Bells | 8 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Brechin |
St. Paul's Cathedral is a special church in Dundee, Scotland. It's a main church, called a cathedral, for the Scottish Episcopal Church in the area of Brechin. The Scottish Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican family of churches.
Building a Special Church
In 1847, a new leader named Alexander Penrose Forbes became the Bishop of Brechin. He decided to live in Dundee.
At that time, the church community met in small rooms on Castle Street. Bishop Forbes felt these rooms were too plain. He wanted a grander, more welcoming church. He encouraged everyone to help build a beautiful new church. This new church would be a place of worship and a safe haven for people, especially those who were poor.
Design and Construction
The first stone for the cathedral was laid on 21 July 1853. The building was finished just two years later, in 1855. A famous architect named George Gilbert Scott designed it. He used a style called Gothic architecture, which was popular in the Middle Ages.
The church cost more than £14,000 to build. It took ten years for the church community to pay off all the money they owed. The church was officially opened and dedicated on 1 November 1865, a day known as All Saints Day.
Cathedral Status and Bells
In 1905, St. Paul's became a cathedral. This means it's the main church for the area's bishop. Today, it's a very important building and is protected as a category A listed building.
The tall tower of the cathedral holds eight large bells. These bells are used for a special type of ringing called change ringing. The heaviest bell weighs about 1067 kilograms! The bells were made in London in 1871 and 1872 by Mears & Stainbank. They were last rehung in 1999 on a new steel frame.
Dundee is one of only three cities in Scotland with more than one set of change ringing bells. The other cities are Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The other set of bells in Dundee is at the Parish Church.
