Wakefield Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wakefield Cathedral |
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| Cathedral Church of All Saints | |
Wakefield Cathedral
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 Wakefield Cathedral
Location in West Yorkshire
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| 53°40′59″N 1°29′49″W / 53.68306°N 1.49694°W | |
| Location | Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Tradition | Liberal Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | www.wakefield-cathedral.org.uk |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Architect(s) | George Gilbert Scott John Loughborough Pearson |
| Style | Gothic |
| Years built | c. 1300–1905 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 247 feet (75 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | All Saints, Wakefield |
| Deanery | Wakefield |
| Archdeaconry | Pontefract |
| Episcopal area | Wakefield |
| Diocese | Leeds (since 2014) |
| Province | York |
Wakefield Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of All Saints, is a very old and important church in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It is one of the main churches for the Church of England in the Anglican Diocese of Leeds.
This cathedral has a long history, going all the way back to Anglo Saxon times. It started as a local church and has been rebuilt and made bigger many times. Today, it has the tallest spire in all of Yorkshire, reaching about 75 meters (247 feet) high! This makes it the tallest building in the city of Wakefield. Because of its history and beauty, the cathedral was named a Grade I listed building in 1953, meaning it's a very important historical site.
Contents
A Look Back: The Cathedral's History
Wakefield Cathedral stands on a hill in the center of Wakefield. It was built on the site of an even older Anglo Saxon church. We know this because parts of the old church were found in 1900 during building work.
A church in Wakefield was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. This was a big survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror. In 1090, King William II gave the church and some land to a priory (a type of monastery) in Sussex. Soon after, a Norman church was built here.
Rebuilding and Changes Over Time
The Norman church was rebuilt in 1329. Then, in 1469, most of it was rebuilt and made larger again, except for the tower and spire. The church has been changed and fixed up many times since then. For example, its spire was damaged in a big storm and had to be repaired in 1823.
Until the 1500s, the church was known by its old Anglo Saxon name, All Hallows. After the Reformation (a big change in the church), its name became All Saints.
In the early 1400s, All Saints' Church was mostly rebuilt in a style called Perpendicular Gothic. Later, in the 18th century, it was rebuilt again after a period of not being looked after very well. The cathedral's look today, with its late-mediaeval style, is mostly thanks to a big restoration project by George Gilbert Scott and his son John Oldrid Scott between 1858 and 1874.
Becoming a Cathedral
In 1888, the Diocese of Wakefield was created. This meant that the local parish church became the main church, or cathedral, for the area. Even though it was a cathedral, it still served as a local parish church. Because of this, the leader of the church was called a provost until the year 2000, instead of a dean.
In 1982, a building called Treacy Hall was finished. It was built in memory of Bishop Eric Treacy.
In January 2000, the chantry chapel on Wakefield Bridge became part of the cathedral's care. This chapel is a special historic building.
In 2005, Queen Elizabeth II visited the cathedral to give out Maundy money. This is a special tradition where the monarch gives money to older people.
In 2012, the cathedral received a lot of money, including £1.58 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This money helped them raise £2.5 million to restore the main part of the church, called the nave. They removed the old wooden pews to create an open space. This new space is used for church services, public events, and celebrations.
The cathedral's old records and documents are kept at the West Yorkshire Archive Service in Wakefield.
Amazing Falcons
Since 2015, Peregrine falcons have made their nests on the cathedral's tall tower! They have raised 24 chicks in seven breeding seasons. These amazing birds attract a lot of attention from people in the local area and even from other countries.
What the Cathedral Looks Like
The outside walls of Wakefield Cathedral are covered with smooth sandstone blocks. On the south side, there's a porch with a fancy iron gate and a sundial above the door. The wall of the north aisle is the oldest part of the church, dating back to around 1150.
The large pillars in the nave (the main open area of the church) are from the 12th and 13th centuries. The arches and chancel arches (the area near the altar) are from the 14th century. The chancel, which was built in the late 1400s, is now used as the choir area.
The original stone ceiling of the nave was replaced with a wooden one. The wooden ceilings over the nave and aisles, also from the 1400s, have cool carved decorations called bosses.
The current chancel, a transept (the "arms" of the cross-shaped church), and St Mark's Chapel were added to the east end in 1904. These were designed by John Loughborough Pearson and finished by his son, Frank L Pearson. The chancel from the 1900s has a stone vaulted roof.
The cathedral's tall west tower has four main sections. It has strong buttresses (supports) at the corners and a very tall, decorated crocketed spire. The spire rises behind a battlement (a wall with gaps for defense) with decorated corner pinnacles. At about 75 meters (247 feet) tall, it is the highest spire in Yorkshire.
The Treacy Hall, added in 1982, is used as a chapter house (a meeting room for the clergy). It also has offices, the cathedral shop, and a café.
Inside the Cathedral: Fixtures and Art
The cathedral's windows have some detailed stone patterns. None of the original medieval stained glass windows are left. Most of the beautiful glass you see today was made by Charles Eamer Kempe over 50 years. His windows have colors that remind you of the late Middle Ages. The windows on the north side are darker and show stories from the Old Testament, while the ones on the south side are lighter and show figures from the New Testament.
The cathedral has a rood screen from the 1600s. Above it is a rood (a cross with figures of Jesus and saints) made by Ninian Comper in 1950. The font (where baptisms happen) is from the mid-1600s, and the pulpit (where sermons are given) is from 1708.
Eleven of the 15th-century choir stalls (seats for the choir), which were a gift from Thomas Savile, have special carvings called misericords. These carvings include a green man (a face made of leaves) and mythical creatures.
The reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) was made by John Oldrid Scott. The main altar was designed by Frank Pearson. Some of the furniture in St Mark's Chapel was made by Robert Thompson, who was known as the 'Mouseman' because he carved a tiny mouse into all his pieces. The cathedral also has a wonderful collection of church plate (special silver and gold items).
There is a monument to Lyon Pilkington from around 1700, and other memorial tablets from the 1700s and early 1800s.
The organ was built by Abbott and Smith in 1902, but its case (the decorative outer part) was made in 1743. It has been rebuilt and restored several times since then.
The cathedral tower has a set of 14 bells. These bells are rung on Sundays and for special events like weddings or national celebrations.
Music at the Cathedral
The Wakefield Cathedral Choir is made up of boys, girls, and adults. They perform at the cathedral and have even appeared on TV shows like BBC One's Songs of Praise and BBC Radio 3's Choral Evensong. In 1992, Wakefield Cathedral was one of the first cathedrals in Britain to welcome girls into its choir.
The cathedral has had seven main organists since 1888. Jonathan Bielby, who received an MBE award, was the longest-serving organist at any English cathedral.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in West Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in Wakefield
- St John the Baptist's Church, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
