St John the Baptist Cathedral, Norwich

St John the Baptist Cathedral, Norwich
Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist
St John the Baptist Cathedral, Norwich
Shown within Norwich
Coordinates: 52°37′45″N 1°17′02″E / 52.6292°N 1.2840°E / 52.6292; 1.2840
OS grid reference TG2233508547
Location Norwich, Norfolk
Country England
Denomination Roman Catholic
Website sjbcathedral.org.uk
History
Consecrated 1910
Architecture
Status Active
Functional status Cathedral
Heritage designation Grade I Listed
Designated 26 February 1954[1]
Architect(s) George Gilbert Scott, Jr.
Style Gothic Revival
Years built 1882-1910
Construction cost Approximately £230,000
Specifications
Number of towers 1
Tower height 38m (125ft)
Administration
Diocese East Anglia (since 1976)
Province Westminster
Clergy
Bishop(s) Alan Hopes
Dean Rev. David Paul
Deacon(s) Rev. Patrick Limacher
Laity
Director of music Daniel Justin

The Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the city of Norwich, Norfolk, England.

History

The cathedral, located on Unthank Road, was constructed between 1882 and 1910 to designs by George Gilbert Scott, Jr. as a parish church dedicated to John the Baptist, on the site of the Norwich City Gaol. The funds for its construction were provided by Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk. He funded it as a generous gift to the Catholics of Norwich as a sign of thanksgiving for his first marriage to Lady Flora Abney-Hastings.[2]

In 1976, it was consecrated as the cathedral church for the newly erected Diocese of East Anglia and the seat of the Bishop of East Anglia.[3] In 2014, for the first time since 1558, a Pontifical High Mass was celebrated in this episcopal see's cathedral.[4]

It is one of two cathedrals in the city of Norwich, the other being the Church of England Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, completed in the Norman style in 1145. It is the second largest Roman Catholic cathedral in England.

Resources

Just off the south aisle of the cathedral is the Duckett Library. It was named after Canon Richard Duckett who was rector of the church from 1876 to 1910. It was opened on 22 February 2012.[5] People need to become a member of the library to join, and that membership is available to all the cathedral's congregation. It has 3,000 religious publications and is staffed by volunteers.[6]

Also, within the cathedral ground is the Narthex. It opened in March 2010 and is the cathedral's visitor centre. It comprises an Education and Interpretation Gallery, a shop, a refectory with outdoor patio, a function hall, licensed bar and community garden.[7]

Parish

The cathedral's parish also covers Holy Apostles Church, West Earlham, in a suburb of Norwich and it also offers a Sunday evening Mass at St Mark's, the Church of England parish church of Lakenham.

Interior

References

  1. ↑ British Listed Buildings
  2. ↑ Cathedral about page Retrieved 15 January 2013
  3. ↑ Cathedral History Retrieved 17 March 2010
  4. ↑ "Historic: First Pontifical High Mass at the Throne in England since the advent of the new rite". Rorate Caeli. Published: 4 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Cathedral Library Background Retrieved 15 January 2013
  6. ↑ Cathedral Library Retrieved 15 January 2013
  7. ↑ Cathedral Narthex Retrieved 15 January 2013
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