| Plymouth Cathedral | |
| Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Boniface | |
|---|---|
View of the cathedral from the north east
|
|
|
Plymouth Cathedral
|
|
| Location | Plymouth, Devon |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | plymouthcathedral.co.uk |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1880 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | J. A. Hansom[1] |
| Style | Early English Gothic[1] |
| Years built | 1856—1858 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | 1[1] |
| Spire height | 61 metres (200 feet)[1] |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Plymouth (since 1850) |
| Province | Southwark |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | The Rt Revd Hugh Christopher Budd |
| Dean | The Revd Canon Bart. Nannery |
| Precentor | The Revd Fr Michael Kirkpatrick |
| Laity | |
| Director of music | Christopher Fletcher |
The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Boniface in Plymouth, England is the seat of the Bishop of Plymouth and mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth, which covers the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. The Diocese of Plymouth was created in 1850, but it has a Pro-cathedral, Saint Mary. In 1858 the Cathedral was built merging the Church of Saint Mary and the Church of Saint Boniface.
Contents |
Prior to the Reformation Exeter Cathedral was the seat of the bishops whose diocese included all of Devon and Cornwall. In 1850, under Catholic emancipation, the church at Plymouth became the cathedral centre for Cornwall, Devon and Dorset in the reconstructed Catholic diocesan structure. Initially established as a Pro-cathedral, St Mary’s Church in Plymouth was subsequently elevated to cathedral status. The first bishop was consecrated on July 25, 1851: George Errington, a Yorkshireman who was notable for visiting Dartmoor Prison weekly. Four years later Bishop Errington was appointed coadjutor Archbishop of Westminster, and on July 19, 1855, William Vaughan from Bristol was consecrated the new Bishop of Plymouth.[2]
Vaughan decided to build a cathedral replacing the pro-cathedral. On February 20, 1856, he bought a portion of land on the town's outskirts. It cost £3,904: £1,000 from Mr Bastard and the remaining money was raised throughout the diocese and elsewhere in England. Joseph Hansom and Charles Hansom were the architects and local men from Stonehouse built it. Work commenced on June 22, during which a Royal Navy officer fired new Turkish Man-of-war guns in Plymouth Sound, which caused subsidence.[3] The Cathedral was opened with Mass on March 25, 1858 (the Feast of the Annunciation)[4], and consecrated by Bishop Vaughan on 22 September, 1880.[5]
On July 26, 1860 the Notre Dame sisters, who looked after poor schools, settled in the presbytery of St Mary’s Church. On October 19, 1858, they purchased land near the Cathedral and opened a convent and girls’ boarding and day school. It was closed after being bombed during the Plymouth Blitz of 1941. It has now been redeveloped as a residential complex.[6] The Notre Dame R.C. School, Plymouth is now located in the Plymouth suburb of Derriford.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||