Newcastle Cathedral

Newcastle Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Nicholas
Newcastle Cathedral Shown within Tyne and Wear
54°58′12″N 1°36′40″W / 54.97000°N 1.61111°W / 54.97000; -1.61111Coordinates: 54°58′12″N 1°36′40″W / 54.97000°N 1.61111°W / 54.97000; -1.61111
Location	Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Tradition	High Church
Website	stnicholascathedral.co.uk
Architecture
Style	Gothic
Years built	c.1080-c.1500
Specifications
Number of towers	One
Administration
Diocese	Newcastle (since 1882)
Province	York
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Martin Wharton
Dean	Chris Dalliston
Canon(s)	John Sinclair, missioner Kevin Hunt, liturgist Steven Harvey, education
Laity
Director of music	Michael Stoddart
Organist(s)	James Norrey

For the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Newcastle, see St Mary's Cathedral

For the Anglican Cathedral in Newcastle, Australia, see Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle

St Nicholas's Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Its full title is The Cathedral Church of St Nicholas Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the seat of the Bishop of Newcastle and is the mother church of the Diocese of Newcastle, the most northerly diocese of the Anglican Church in England, which reaches from the River Tyne as far north as Berwick-upon-Tweed and as far west as Alston in Cumbria.^[1] Newcastle Cathedral is the second tallest religious building in Newcastle and the sixth tallest structure in the city overall.

History

Looking down the nave towards the East Window.

The cathedral is named after St Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors and boats. It was originally a parish church, built in 1091. In the mid-19th century Newcastle experienced a huge increase in its population, leading to the construction of over 20 new churches in the suburbs. As Newcastle continued to grow, so did its need for a diocese separate from Durham, and so in 1882 the Diocese of Newcastle was formed, with St. Nicholas’ as its cathedral. With this, Newcastle was designated a City in the same year.

The cathedral is notable for its unusual lantern spire, which was constructed in 1448. For hundreds of years, it was a main navigation point for ships using the River Tyne. At its base the tower measures 36 ft 9 in (11.20 m) by 35 ft (11 m) and it is 196 ft 6 in (59.89 m) from the base to the top of the steeple.^[2]

On each corner of the lantern are gilded statues of Adam, eating the apple, Eve, holding out the apple, Aaron is dressed as a Bishop, and David holds a harp. Following work on the street in the 1860s the tower was found to be cracking and tilting two porches were added to buttress the structure. Since then the tower has settled and the font cover, which is suspended from the tower inside, does not hang in line with the font.^[3]

The interior of the church was badly damaged by Scottish invaders during their brief occupation of the city in 1640, and in 1644, during a nine-week siege, Scottish invaders threatened to bombard the lantern tower, but were deterred when the mayor Sir John Marley put his Scottish prisoners in it.^[4]

The tower contains a complete ring of twelve bells, the tenor bell which weighs almost two tons, plus three 15th-century bells, one, St Nicholas, which is rung for daily services. The addition of a second treble bell (named "Gabriel") in 1999 has made it possible to ring a lighter peal of ten bells.^[5]

Notable interior features

Medieval Madonna and Child roundel in St. Margaret's Chapel

The Nave furnishings were designed by the local artist and craftsman Ralph Hedley in the early 20th century, after the parish church of St Nicholas became a cathedral in 1882. The high altar depicts Christ in Majesty holding an orb and sceptre, flanked by the Four Evangelists each with their special symbol.^[6]

Inside the Cathedral A finely carved marble monument commemorates Admiral Lord Collingwood (1748 – 1810), who took over command at the Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) after the death of Admiral Lord Nelson. He was baptised and married in St Nicholas, and each year, on the 21st October, a wreath is laid in his memory in front of the monument.^[7]

The Cathedral is filled with beautiful stained glass. A beautiful roundel depicting the Madonna feeding the Christ Child is the only surviving medieval stained glass. More modern stained glass works such as in St. George’s Chapel were erected in honour of two of Tyneside’s late 19th / early 20th century industrial pioneers who both died in 1931 within weeks of each other. Other references to industry can be found in the Cathedral’s stained glass including in the Charles Parsons’ window which features ‘Turbinia’ the first turbine driven steam yacht with which Parsons astonished the Queen’s Navy at the Spithead naval review in 1897.^[8]

The Cathedral hosts one of the finest Flemish brasses in the United Kingdom. Originally covering the tomb of Roger Thornton, three times mayor of Newcastle, several times Member of Parliament, successful merchant and great benefactor to the Cathedral the ‘Thornton Brass’ (pre 1429) is believed to be the largest brass in the United Kingdom. This commemoration to Roger Thornton, his wife, seven sons and seven daughters can be seen behind the High Altar.^[9]

St. Margaret's Chapel contains the only known fragment of mediaeval stained glass in the cathedral, a roundel of the Madonna and Child. Much of the original glass was broken during the Civil War and most now dates from the 18th century onwards.

The cathedral contains a number of memorials, the oldest being a 13th-century effigy of an unknown knight, probably a member of the household of Edward I. It is one of the oldest objects in the cathedral. Another celebrates Admiral Lord Collingwood, a hero of the Battle of Trafalgar who was baptised and married in the cathedral. Another is the "Thornton Brass", a memorial to Roger Thornton, who was a merchant and three times Mayor of Newcastle, which is a particularly fine example of a Flemish Brass and dates from 1441.

Just to the north of the Cathedral stands a bronze statue of Queen Victoria erected to commemorate 500 years of the Shrievalty (the jurisdiction of a sheriff) of Newcastle. Sculpted by Alfred Gilbert and unveiled in 1903, two years after Queen Victoria’s death, the statue was a gift from W. H. Stephenson, a company director and politician who held the office of mayor in Newcastle seven times.^[10]

Dean and chapter

• Dean – The Very Revd Chris Dalliston (since 12 July 2003 installation)
• Diocesan Advisor in Local Evangelism & Mission (Canon Residentiary) – The Revd Canon John Sinclair (since October 2011)^[11]
• Residentiary Canon for Liturgy – The Revd Canon Kevin Hunt (since 25 March 2012)^[12]
• Residentiary Canon for Education – Canon Steven Harvey (since 21 April 2013)^[13]

Music

The cathedral has a strong tradition of music. In 1503, Princess Margaret, daughter of Henry VII and engaged to marry James IV of Scotland, passed through Newcastle, noting in her journal a number of children in surplices "who sang melodious hymns, accompanying themselves with instruments of many sorts".^[14] Later, the baroque composer Charles Avison (1709–1770) was organist and choirmaster at the church.^[15]

The cathedral choir has been featured on BBC Radio 3's Choral Evensong,^[16] performed with the Northern Sinfonia at The Sage Gateshead and sung in concert with the Mediæval Bæbes. They have also recorded a number of CDs.

The cathedral is home to a fine organ, a four-manual Grand Organ built by T C Lewis,^[17] although rebuilt several times since, notably by Harrison & Harrison in 1911 and 1954^[18] and currently by Nicholson & Co. of Worcester.^[19]

Organists

• 1687 Samuel Nichols
• 1719
• 1736 Charles Avison
• 1770 Edward Avison
• 1776 Matthias Hawdon
• 1789 Charles Avison Jnr
• 1795 Thomas Thompson
• 1834 Dr Thomas Ions
• 1857 William Ions
• 1894 George Huntley
• 1895 John Jeffries
• 1918 William Ellis
• 1936 Kenneth Malcolmson
• 1955 Colin Ross
• 1967 Dr. Russell Missin
• 1987 Timothy Hone
• 2002 Scott Farrell
• 2009 Michael Stoddart

Assistant organists

The T C Lewis/Harrison/Nicholson organ at Newcastle Cathedral.

• Thomas Christy 1928 - 1933 (afterwards organist of Hexham Abbey)^[20]
• Clifford Harker 1936 - (afterwards organist at Bristol Cathedral 1949-83)
• Michael Bryan Hesford 1959 - 1960 (afterwards organist at Brecon Cathedral)
• Graeme East 1960 - 1980 (afterwards Organist St Chad's Gateshead then Warnham Parish Church. d.2010
• Keith Downie (Lay Clerk and sub-Assistant 1972-1980 & 1984-1988) Assistant 1980 - 1984: now St Helen's Gateshead
• Michael Dutton from 1984–2009

Director of the Girls Choir and Sub-Organist

• David Stevens (2010 - 2012; now Master of the Choristers at Belfast Cathedral)^[21]

Assistant Director of Music

• James Norrey (2012 - )

See also

• Samuel Hammond

References

External links

• Official Cathedral website
• Newcastle Diocese website
• Cathedral Choir website
• Panoramic virtual interior tour
• BBC Tyne image gallery
• 360° interior panoramas at BBC Tyne
• Old picture postcards of Newcastle