Rochester Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman
church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric
is second oldest in England
after Canterbury
. It is a Grade I listed building, number 173125.
, one of the missionaries
who accompanied Saint Augustine of Canterbury to convert the pagan Southern English to Christianity
in the early 7th century. As the first bishop of Rochester, Justus was given permission by King Ethelbert of Kent
to establish a church of St Andrew the Apostle (the same dedication as the monastery in Rome from which St Augustine and St Justus had set out for England) on the site of the present cathedral, which was made the home of a bishopric. The cathedral was to be served by a college of secular priests and was endowed with land near the city called Priestfield. A choir school was established at the same time which has functioned ever since and is now known as King's School, Rochester.
The cathedral and city suffered much from the Mercians (676) and the Danes, but retained its importance, so much so that, when William of Normandy conquered England in 1066, he gave the church and its estates to his brother, Odo of Bayeux. The church was reduced to near-destitution, a situation only remedied in 1082 when Lanfranc
, Archbishop of Canterbury
visited and restored some of its lands and staff. Gundulf, the Norman Bishop of Rochester, also played a very active role; a talented architect himself, the bishop commissioned and probably had a major part in designing a new cathedral to replace Justus' church. He also replaced the secular chaplains by Benedictine monks, translated the relics of St Paulinus to a silver shrine that became a place of pilgrimage, obtained several royal grants of land, and proved a great benefactor to his cathedral city. By the time of his death he had built the nave
and Western front, the Western transept
being added between 1179 and 1200 and the Eastern transept during the reign of Henry III
. It is one of the smaller Norman cathedrals but its nave is the oldest in England and it has a fine Norman crypt
.
The present building is widely regarded as one of the finest Norman cathedrals in the country, with a particularly fine doorway at its western (main) entrance. The tympanum
depicts Christ
sitting in glory in the centre, with Justus and Ethelbert flanking him on either side of the doorway.
After Gundulf's death, the cathedral had a somewhat chequered history. In 1130 the cathedral was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury
, assisted by thirteen bishops in the presence of Henry I
, but the occasion was marred by a great fire which nearly destroyed the whole city and damaged the new cathedral. It was badly damaged by fires again in 1137 and 1179. It was then looted in 1215 by the forces of King John
and again in 1264 by Simon de Montfort, during sieges of the city and its castle
.
However, besides the shrine of St Paulinus, the cathedral contained the relics of St Ithamar
, the first Saxon to be consecrated bishop, and of St William of Perth
, a murdered Scottish pilgrim. In 1201 the offerings at St William's tomb were so great, that by their means the choir was rebuilt and the central tower was added (1343), thus completing the cathedral.
The cathedral suffered a steep decline after the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in the 16th century, during which time its estates were confiscated by the Crown, and it became dilapidated and disreputable. Samuel Pepys
, the diarist, dismissed it as a "shabby place". It underwent several restorations in the 19th century the principal works were carried out by Lewis Nockalls Cottingham
from 1824 to 1830 followed by Sir George Gilbert Scott
who took on the task in 1872, renovating the cathedral and restoring it to a reasonable facsimile of its original 11th century condition.
Several years ago a new fresco
was painted by Russian
icon
painter Sergei Fyodorov
.
The Reverend Grevile Marais Livett, FSA
, a longtime precentor of Rochester Cathedral and later vicar of Wateringbury, authored several books and monographs on the Norman churches of England as well as contributing extensively to the Archaeologica Cantiana (The Journal of the Kent Archaeology
Society). (Livett's name was a variant of Levett
, an old Sussex and Kentish family.)
Famous author Charles Dickens
had wished to be buried in the churchyard at Rochester. Instead, his body was buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey
.
. It was later rebuilt by Mander Organs in 1989, who installed a new choir organ and pipework under the advice of Paul Hale. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
in the English style. All were cast in 1921, some as memorials to men lost in WWI. The heaviest bell is 30 cwt and 14 lbs tuned to D.
Although it is probable that one or more bells were in the original Saxon cathedral of 604, early records are scant. The 11th century Gundulf tower has architectural features that indicate bells were placed there from the start. In 1154 Prior Reginald made two bells and recast a third, existing, cracked one.
In 1343 Bishop Hamo de Hythe caused the central tower to be heightened and hung four bells called "Dunstanus, Paulinus, Itmarus atque Lanfrancus" (Dunstan, Paulinus, Itamar and Lanfranc).
In 1635 the third was recast and in 1683 the fifth and tenor, followed by the treble (1695) and fourth (1712). In 1904 two further bells were added at the time that the tower and spire were rebuilt. Of the original six bells four were recast and two retained. In 1921 all the bells were recast and augmented to the current ring of 10. When bells are recast the original metal is reused with new metal added as required, therefore there is every reason to assume that the current bells contain the metal from all the original bells back to the time of Gundulf. In 1960 the bells were rehung on a new steel frame by John Taylor.
, a monk from the Abbey of Bec in Normandy came to England
in 1070 as Archbishop
Lafranc's assistant at Canterbury
. His talent for architecture had been spotted by King William I
and was put to good use in Rochester where he was sent as bishop
in 1077. Almost immediately the king appointed him to supervise the construction of the White Tower
, now part of the Tower of London
in 1078. Under William Rufus he also undertook building work on Rochester Castle
. Having served three Kings of England and earning "the favour of then all" Gundulf
is accepted as the first "King's Engineer". Gundulf
died in 1108 and his statue adorns the west door of Rochester Cathedral.
Because of his military engineering talent, Bishop Gundulf
is regarded as the "father of the Corps of Royal Engineers
". The corps claims a line of Kings Engineers pre-dating the engineers of the Board of Ordnance
in 1414 and the formal founding of the corps in 1716 all the way back to Gundulf
. This shared heritage and the close proximity to the cathedral of the Royal School of Military Engineering in Brompton
means the Corps of Royal Engineers
and Rochester Cathedral maintain strong links to this day.
There are over 25 memorials to individual officers and soldiers of the Corps of Roral Engineers and a number of memorials representing members of the corps that have given their lives in the discharge of their duty, including many stained glass windows presented by the corps.
A memorial tablet was erected in 1902 to the memory of three officers, graduates of the Royal Military College of Canada
, who died while serving in Africa: Huntly Brodie Mackay, Captain Royal Engineers; William Henry Robinson, Captain Royal Engineers; and William Grant Stairs
, Captain the Welsh Regiment.
The latest memorial to the Corps of Royal Engineers
was dedicated during the service of remembrance on the Corps Memorial Weekend, 19 September 2010, in the presence of the Dean, the Very Revd Adrian Newman, the Chief Royal Engineer, General
Sir Peter Anthony Wall
and the families of the ten Royal Engineers killed in Afghanistan
since September 2009, recipients of the Elizabeth Cross
.
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric
Bishop of Rochester
The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the west of the county of Kent and is centred in the city of Rochester where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
is second oldest in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
after Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. It is a Grade I listed building, number 173125.
History
The Rochester diocese was founded by JustusJustus
Justus was the fourth Archbishop of Canterbury. He was sent from Italy to England by Pope Gregory the Great, on a mission to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, probably arriving with the second group of missionaries despatched in 601...
, one of the missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
who accompanied Saint Augustine of Canterbury to convert the pagan Southern English to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in the early 7th century. As the first bishop of Rochester, Justus was given permission by King Ethelbert of Kent
Ethelbert of Kent
Æthelberht was King of Kent from about 580 or 590 until his death. In his Ecclesiastical History of the English People, the eighth-century monk Bede lists Aethelberht as the third king to hold imperium over other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms...
to establish a church of St Andrew the Apostle (the same dedication as the monastery in Rome from which St Augustine and St Justus had set out for England) on the site of the present cathedral, which was made the home of a bishopric. The cathedral was to be served by a college of secular priests and was endowed with land near the city called Priestfield. A choir school was established at the same time which has functioned ever since and is now known as King's School, Rochester.
Lanfranc
Lanfranc was Archbishop of Canterbury, and a Lombard by birth.-Early life:Lanfranc was born in the early years of the 11th century at Pavia, where later tradition held that his father, Hanbald, held a rank broadly equivalent to magistrate...
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
visited and restored some of its lands and staff. Gundulf, the Norman Bishop of Rochester, also played a very active role; a talented architect himself, the bishop commissioned and probably had a major part in designing a new cathedral to replace Justus' church. He also replaced the secular chaplains by Benedictine monks, translated the relics of St Paulinus to a silver shrine that became a place of pilgrimage, obtained several royal grants of land, and proved a great benefactor to his cathedral city. By the time of his death he had built the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and Western front, the Western transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
being added between 1179 and 1200 and the Eastern transept during the reign of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
. It is one of the smaller Norman cathedrals but its nave is the oldest in England and it has a fine Norman crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
.
The present building is widely regarded as one of the finest Norman cathedrals in the country, with a particularly fine doorway at its western (main) entrance. The tympanum
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
depicts Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
sitting in glory in the centre, with Justus and Ethelbert flanking him on either side of the doorway.
After Gundulf's death, the cathedral had a somewhat chequered history. In 1130 the cathedral was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, assisted by thirteen bishops in the presence of Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
, but the occasion was marred by a great fire which nearly destroyed the whole city and damaged the new cathedral. It was badly damaged by fires again in 1137 and 1179. It was then looted in 1215 by the forces of King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
and again in 1264 by Simon de Montfort, during sieges of the city and its castle
Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway in Rochester, Kent, England. The 12th-century keep or stone tower, which is the castle's most prominent feature, is one of the best preserved in England or France. Located along the River Medway and Watling Street, Rochester was a...
.
However, besides the shrine of St Paulinus, the cathedral contained the relics of St Ithamar
Ithamar (bishop)
Ithamar was the first bishop in England to be Saxon-born rather than consecrated from among Augustine's Roman missionaries...
, the first Saxon to be consecrated bishop, and of St William of Perth
William of Perth
Saint William of Perth was a Scottish saint who was martyred in England.Born in Perth, at this time one of the most important towns in Scotland, practically all that is known of this martyr comes from the Nova legenda Anglie, and that is little...
, a murdered Scottish pilgrim. In 1201 the offerings at St William's tomb were so great, that by their means the choir was rebuilt and the central tower was added (1343), thus completing the cathedral.
The cathedral suffered a steep decline after the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in the 16th century, during which time its estates were confiscated by the Crown, and it became dilapidated and disreputable. Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
, the diarist, dismissed it as a "shabby place". It underwent several restorations in the 19th century the principal works were carried out by Lewis Nockalls Cottingham
Lewis Nockalls Cottingham
Lewis Nockalls Cottingham was a British architect who pioneered the study of Medieval Gothic architecture. He was a restorer and conservator of existing buildings...
from 1824 to 1830 followed by Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
who took on the task in 1872, renovating the cathedral and restoring it to a reasonable facsimile of its original 11th century condition.
Several years ago a new fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
was painted by Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
painter Sergei Fyodorov
Sergei Fyodorov
Sergei Fyodorov, born in Pskov, Russia in 1959, is a Russian icon painter, his name in Russian is Сергей Константинович Фёдоров. Alternative English spelling Sergey Fedorov....
.
The Reverend Grevile Marais Livett, FSA
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
, a longtime precentor of Rochester Cathedral and later vicar of Wateringbury, authored several books and monographs on the Norman churches of England as well as contributing extensively to the Archaeologica Cantiana (The Journal of the Kent Archaeology
Society). (Livett's name was a variant of Levett
Levett
Levett is an Anglo-Norman territorial surname deriving from the village of Livet-en-Ouche, now Jonquerets-de-Livet, in Eure, Normandy. Ancestors of the earliest Levett family in England, the de Livets were lords of the village of Livet, and undertenants of the de Ferrers, among the most powerful of...
, an old Sussex and Kentish family.)
Famous author Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
had wished to be buried in the churchyard at Rochester. Instead, his body was buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
Other burials
- Paulinus of YorkPaulinus of YorkPaulinus was a Roman missionary and the first Bishop of York. A member of the Gregorian mission sent in 601 by Pope Gregory I to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, Paulinus arrived in England by 604 with the second missionary group...
, first Bishop of York, third Bishop of RochesterBishop of RochesterThe Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the west of the county of Kent and is centred in the city of Rochester where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
and SaintSaintA saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth... - Ithamar (bishop)Ithamar (bishop)Ithamar was the first bishop in England to be Saxon-born rather than consecrated from among Augustine's Roman missionaries...
, first bishop in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to be Saxon-born, fourth Bishop of Rochester and SaintSaintA saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth... - Walter de MertonWalter de MertonWalter de Merton was Bishop of Rochester and founder of Merton College, Oxford.-Life:Walter was born probably at Merton in Surrey or educated there; hence the surname. He came of a land-owning family at Basingstoke; beyond that there is no definite information as to the date or place of birth...
, Bishop of Rochester and founder of Merton College, OxfordMerton College, OxfordMerton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to... - John SheppeyJohn SheppeyJohn Sheppey was an English administrator and bishop. He served as treasurer from 1356 to 1360. Little is known of his family and background. A Benedictine, he was ordained deacon in 1318, and later studied at Oxford. Later he became involved in royal government, and was made bishop of Rochester...
, Lord High TreasurerLord High TreasurerThe post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Act of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third highest ranked Great Officer of State, below the Lord High Chancellor and above the Lord President...
and Bishop of Rochester, buried at the altar of St John the Baptist. - John HilseyJohn HilseyJohn Hilsey was an English Dominican, prior provincial of his order, then an agent of Henry VIII and his church reformation, and Bishop of Rochester.-Life:...
, Bishop of Rochester - John Warner (bishop)John Warner (bishop)John Warner was an English churchman, bishop of Rochester and royalist.-Life and career:Son of Harman Warner of London, merchant tailor, he was baptised at St. Clement Danes in the Strand on 17 September 1581. He became demy of Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1599, and was elected fellow there in...
, buried in Merton's Chapel
Choirs
The cathedral choir traces its roots right back to the foundation in AD 604. The quality of the chorister training was praised by the Venerable Bede in his "Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation".Main Choir
The main choir consists of the Boy Choristers, Girl Choristers and the Lay Clerks. Provision of boy choristers was why King's School was founded in 604, at the same time as the cathedral itself. It still supplies boys from the prep school to sing the treble line. From 1995 a girl's choir was introduced to sing some of the services for which the boys were not available. Girls are drawn from any of the local schools. The Lay Clerks are professional singers who provide the lower three voices: alto, tenor and bass. For great services, all three parts of the choir may combine.The Cathedral Voluntary Choir
The present choir was formed in August 2008 from the previous auditioned adult voluntary choir. The Voluntary choir sings for around 10 weekends per year, usually during holiday periods when the child choristers are not available. It also sings Eucharist on other occasions when the main choir is not available.Organ
The current pipe organ originates from the 1905 instrument built by J. W. Walker & Sons LtdJ. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd is a British firm of organ builders established in 1828 by Joseph William Walker in London. Walker organs were popular additions to churches during the Gothic Revival era of church building and restoration in Victorian Britain, and instruments built by Walker are found in...
. It was later rebuilt by Mander Organs in 1989, who installed a new choir organ and pipework under the advice of Paul Hale. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Organists
- James Plomley 1559
- Roper Blundell 1588
- John Williams 1599
- John Heath 1614
- Charles Wren 1672
- Daniel Henstridge 1674
- Robert Bowers 1699
- John Spain 1704
- Charles Peach 1721
- Joseph Howe 1753
- Richard Howe 1781
- Ralph Banks 1790
- John Larkin Hopkins 1841
- John Hopkins 1856
- Bertram Luard-SelbyBertram Luard-SelbyBertram Luard-Selby was an English composer and cathedral organist. As an organist, he served in Salisbury Cathedral and Rochester Cathedral. As a composer, he wrote prolifically for the church, the concert-hall and the theatre.-Life and works:Luard-Selby was born at The Mote, Ightham, Kent...
1900 - Charles Hylton StewartCharles Hylton StewartCharles Hylton Stewart was an English cathedral organist, who served in Rochester Cathedral and St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.-Background:...
1916 - Harold Aubie Bennett 1930
- Dr. Robert AshfieldRobert AshfieldRobert Ashfield was an English cathedral organist, choirmaster and composer.-Early life and education:Robert James Ashfield was born in 1911 at Chipstead, Surrey. Educated at Tonbridge School and the Royal College of Music , he inherited his considerable musical talent from his mother, a fine...
(1956–1977) - Barry Ferguson (1977–1994)
- Roger Sayer (1994 - ) New position of Cathedral Organist created in 2008
- Scott Farrell (2008 - ) Director of Music
Assistant organists
- Henry Edmund Ford
- Philip Armes 1850 - 1856
- Frederick BridgeFrederick BridgeSir John Frederick Bridge was an English organist, composer, teacher and writer.From a musical family, Bridge became a church organist before he was 20, and he achieved his ambition to become a cathedral organist by the age of 24, at Manchester Cathedral...
1859 - 1865 - Alfred Alexander
- Joseph Bridge c.1868 (later organist of Chester CathedralChester CathedralChester Cathedral is the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of Chester, and is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly St Werburgh's abbey church of a Benedictine monastery, is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
) - Glanville Hopkins 1899 - 1901
- Hector E. Shallcross 1902 - 1908
- Alfred H. Allen 1919 - 1921
- Percy WhitlockPercy WhitlockPercy William Whitlock was an English organist and post-romantic composer.A student of Vaughan Williams at London's Royal College of Music, Whitlock quickly arrived at a musical idiom that combined elements of his teacher's output and that of Elgar...
1921 - 1930 (then organist of St Stephen's Church, BournemouthSt Stephen's Church, BournemouthSt Stephen's Church is an Anglican church in Bournemouth, Dorset . The liturgical life of the Church is deeply rooted in a rich Anglo-Catholic tradition; the Church boasting a magnificent Lady Chapel, celebrating Marian masses, benediction and recitation of the Rosary for The Society of Mary...
) - James Alfred Levett 1930 - 1976
- David Poulter 1976 - 1981 (subsequently Director of Music at Coventry CathedralCoventry CathedralCoventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
, Chester CathedralChester CathedralChester Cathedral is the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of Chester, and is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly St Werburgh's abbey church of a Benedictine monastery, is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
, and Liverpool CathedralLiverpool CathedralLiverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
) - Paul Hale 1982 - 1989 (now organist and rector chori of Southwell MinsterSouthwell MinsterSouthwell Minster is a minster and cathedral, in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England. It is six miles away from Newark-on-Trent and thirteen miles from Mansfield. It is the seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.It is considered an outstanding...
) - Roger Sayer 1989 - 1994
- William WhiteheadWilliam Whitehead (organist)William Whitehead is an English concert organist. Born in London, he was trained through the Oxbridge and Cathedral route. One of his recordings, Dances of Life and Death was awarded a Diapason Découverte in Diapason Magazine...
1994 - 1998 - Sean Farrell 1998 - 2001
- James Eaton (acting) 2001 - 2002
- Edmund Aldhouse 2002 - 2006
- Dan Soper 2006 - 2010
- Samuel Rathbone 2010–present
Bells
Rochester Cathedral has a ring of 10 bells hung for change ringingChange ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
in the English style. All were cast in 1921, some as memorials to men lost in WWI. The heaviest bell is 30 cwt and 14 lbs tuned to D.
Although it is probable that one or more bells were in the original Saxon cathedral of 604, early records are scant. The 11th century Gundulf tower has architectural features that indicate bells were placed there from the start. In 1154 Prior Reginald made two bells and recast a third, existing, cracked one.
In 1343 Bishop Hamo de Hythe caused the central tower to be heightened and hung four bells called "Dunstanus, Paulinus, Itmarus atque Lanfrancus" (Dunstan, Paulinus, Itamar and Lanfranc).
In 1635 the third was recast and in 1683 the fifth and tenor, followed by the treble (1695) and fourth (1712). In 1904 two further bells were added at the time that the tower and spire were rebuilt. Of the original six bells four were recast and two retained. In 1921 all the bells were recast and augmented to the current ring of 10. When bells are recast the original metal is reused with new metal added as required, therefore there is every reason to assume that the current bells contain the metal from all the original bells back to the time of Gundulf. In 1960 the bells were rehung on a new steel frame by John Taylor.
King's Engineers
Bishop GundulfGundulf of Rochester
Gundulf was a Norman monk who came to England following the Conquest. He was appointed Bishop of Rochester and Prior of the Cathedral Priory there; built castles including Rochester, Colchester and the White Tower of the Tower of London and the Priory and Cathedral Church of...
, a monk from the Abbey of Bec in Normandy came to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1070 as Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Lafranc's assistant at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. His talent for architecture had been spotted by King William I
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
and was put to good use in Rochester where he was sent as bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in 1077. Almost immediately the king appointed him to supervise the construction of the White Tower
White Tower (Tower of London)
The White Tower is a central tower, the old keep, at the Tower of London.-History:The castle which later became known as the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1066. It began as a timber fortification enclosed by a palisade. In the next decade work began on the White Tower, the...
, now part of the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
in 1078. Under William Rufus he also undertook building work on Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway in Rochester, Kent, England. The 12th-century keep or stone tower, which is the castle's most prominent feature, is one of the best preserved in England or France. Located along the River Medway and Watling Street, Rochester was a...
. Having served three Kings of England and earning "the favour of then all" Gundulf
Gundulf of Rochester
Gundulf was a Norman monk who came to England following the Conquest. He was appointed Bishop of Rochester and Prior of the Cathedral Priory there; built castles including Rochester, Colchester and the White Tower of the Tower of London and the Priory and Cathedral Church of...
is accepted as the first "King's Engineer". Gundulf
Gundulf of Rochester
Gundulf was a Norman monk who came to England following the Conquest. He was appointed Bishop of Rochester and Prior of the Cathedral Priory there; built castles including Rochester, Colchester and the White Tower of the Tower of London and the Priory and Cathedral Church of...
died in 1108 and his statue adorns the west door of Rochester Cathedral.
Because of his military engineering talent, Bishop Gundulf
Gundulf of Rochester
Gundulf was a Norman monk who came to England following the Conquest. He was appointed Bishop of Rochester and Prior of the Cathedral Priory there; built castles including Rochester, Colchester and the White Tower of the Tower of London and the Priory and Cathedral Church of...
is regarded as the "father of the Corps of Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
". The corps claims a line of Kings Engineers pre-dating the engineers of the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
in 1414 and the formal founding of the corps in 1716 all the way back to Gundulf
Gundulf of Rochester
Gundulf was a Norman monk who came to England following the Conquest. He was appointed Bishop of Rochester and Prior of the Cathedral Priory there; built castles including Rochester, Colchester and the White Tower of the Tower of London and the Priory and Cathedral Church of...
. This shared heritage and the close proximity to the cathedral of the Royal School of Military Engineering in Brompton
Brompton
A Brompton, Brompton, or The Brompton can be:* Brompton, London, England* Brompton Oratory, a Catholic church* Brompton Bicycle, the largest bicycle manufacturer in the United Kingdom* Holy Trinity Brompton Church, an Anglican church...
means the Corps of Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
and Rochester Cathedral maintain strong links to this day.
There are over 25 memorials to individual officers and soldiers of the Corps of Roral Engineers and a number of memorials representing members of the corps that have given their lives in the discharge of their duty, including many stained glass windows presented by the corps.
A memorial tablet was erected in 1902 to the memory of three officers, graduates of the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
, who died while serving in Africa: Huntly Brodie Mackay, Captain Royal Engineers; William Henry Robinson, Captain Royal Engineers; and William Grant Stairs
William Grant Stairs
William Grant Stairs was a Canadian-British explorer, soldier, and adventurer who had a leading role in two of the most controversial expeditions in the history of the colonisation of Africa.-Education:...
, Captain the Welsh Regiment.
The latest memorial to the Corps of Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
was dedicated during the service of remembrance on the Corps Memorial Weekend, 19 September 2010, in the presence of the Dean, the Very Revd Adrian Newman, the Chief Royal Engineer, General
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Peter Anthony Wall
Peter Wall (British Army officer)
General Sir Peter Anthony Wall, KCB, CBE, ADC Gen. is a senior British Army officer, currently the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army....
and the families of the ten Royal Engineers killed in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
since September 2009, recipients of the Elizabeth Cross
Elizabeth Cross
The Elizabeth Cross is a commemorative emblem given to the recognised next of kin of members of the British Armed Forces killed in action or as a result of a terrorist attack after the Second World War...
.
See also
- List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
- List of bishops of Rochester
- List of Deans of Rochester
- Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of EnglandArchitecture of the medieval cathedrals of EnglandThe medieval cathedrals of England, dating from between approximately 1040 and 1540, are a group of twenty-six buildings which together constitute a major aspect of the country’s artistic heritage and are among the most significant material symbols of Christianity. Though diversified in style, they...
- English Gothic architectureEnglish Gothic architectureEnglish Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
- Romanesque architectureRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
- Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
- Textus RoffensisTextus RoffensisThe Textus Roffensis, or in full, Textus de Ecclesia Roffensi per Ernulphum episcopum , refers to a manuscript in which two originally separate manuscripts written about the same time, between 1122 and 1124, are bound together...