Shrewsbury Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral Church of Our Lady Help of Christians and Saint Peter of Alcantara, commonly known as Shrewsbury Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral
in Shrewsbury
, England
. It is the seat of the Bishop of Shrewsbury
and mother church
of the Diocese of Shrewsbury
which covers the counties of Shropshire
and Cheshire
, part of Greater Manchester
and part of Merseyside
.
but these designs could not be carried out due to the site's weak foundations. The spire had to be abandoned and the building scaled down, resulting in the building as it is today. Bertram, the Earl of Shrewsbury
, financed the building but died three months prior to completion.
In 1984, the cathedral was re-ordered which brought it in line with the revised liturgy. Local Grinshill
stone was used for the new altar
which Bishop Gray consecrated in 1985.
. She later became a Carmelite nun
, following training in Dublin. These seven beautiful windows were produced between the two world war
s.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, 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...
. It is the seat of the Bishop of Shrewsbury
Bishop of Shrewsbury
The Bishop of Shrewsbury is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury in the Province of Birmingham, England.The diocese covers an area of of the counties and unitary authorities of Cheshire, Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin with parts of Derbyshire, Halton, Merseyside, Greater...
and mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the Diocese of Shrewsbury
Diocese of Shrewsbury
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese in England. The diocese encompasses parts of the North West of England and parts of the West Midlands...
which covers the counties of Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
and Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, part of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
and part of Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
.
History
Edward Pugin (the son of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin) designed the cathedral, which was completed in 1856. He had planned a grand building with a tall spireSpire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
but these designs could not be carried out due to the site's weak foundations. The spire had to be abandoned and the building scaled down, resulting in the building as it is today. Bertram, the Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
, financed the building but died three months prior to completion.
In 1984, the cathedral was re-ordered which brought it in line with the revised liturgy. Local Grinshill
Grinshill
Grinshill is a small village, hill and civil parish in Shropshire, England, United Kingdom.The parish is one of the smallest in the district. There is a stone quarry here and the hill rises to 192m above sea level....
stone was used for the new altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
which Bishop Gray consecrated in 1985.
Windows
Among the glories of Shrewsbury Cathedral has to be counted the stained glass. The older glass is mostly from the Hardman Studio in Birmingham, and the Cathedral is very fortunate to have seven windows by the Arts and Craft Artist Margaret Rope, who was the daughter of a local doctorPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. She later became a Carmelite nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
, following training in Dublin. These seven beautiful windows were produced between the two world war
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s.
See also
- Gerard MoultrieGerard MoultrieGerald Moultrie was a Victorian public schoolmaster and Anglican hymnographer born in England September 16, 1829, at Rugby Rectory, England. His father, John Moultrie was also a hymn writer. He was educated at Rugby and Exeter College...
classicist, third master and Anglican chaplain at Shrewsbury SchoolShrewsbury SchoolShrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
translator of English lyrics of the EucharistEucharistThe Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
ic hymn "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep SilenceLet All Mortal Flesh Keep SilenceLet all mortal flesh keep silence is an ancient chant of Eucharistic devotion based on the verses taken from Habakkuk 2:20 "Let all the earth keep silence before Him"taken from one of the books of the 12 minor prophets of Bible...
" - Mother Cornelia ConnellyCornelia ConnellyCornelia Connelly , born Cornelia Peacock, was the born founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order...
(1809-1879) American convert and friend of the Earl of ShrewsburyEarl of ShrewsburyEarl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
, foundress of Society of the Holy Child JesusSociety of the Holy Child JesusThe Society of the Holy Child Jesus is an international community of nuns that was founded in England in 1846 by Philadelphia-born Cornelia Connelly. Cornelia converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1835. The Society was approved in 1887 by Pope Leo XIII, and the rules and constitutions were...
a teaching order of consecrated women established for the catechesis and elementary education of Roman Catholic girls in England, expanding to the USA and beyond