Cathedral Church of Our Lady Help of Christians and St Peter of Alcantara

Introduction

Edward Welby Pugin built the cathedral in 1856, possibly to designs initially prepared by his father Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin.

History

In 1901 Edmund Kirkby's Saint Winefride's Chapel was added, and in 1906 he built a new Central Porch to commemorate the opening of the Cathedral. The high altar was reduced and a new freestanding one installed, requiring changes to the floor, and the tiles and marble steps were carpeted over. The tabernacle from the high altar was removed and placed on a new stone plinth in the Saint Winefride Chapel.

Architecture and furnishings

The cathedral is built of coursed and squared sandstone rubble with a plain tiled roof. The plan comprises a nave and two aisles with a chancel. The exterior has a nave of five-and-a-half bays with a bellcote corbelled out over a 5-light window in the western gable. The west porch has a cusped moulded arched doorway and traceried windows in each side.

The interior has a nave arcade of five-and-a-half bays with octagonal shafts in a very Early Gothic style, with steep pointed arches. The nave roof has wall posts which carry wrought-iron ties, and alternating cross-bracing and arched trusses. The chancel arch has a rood of 1885 hanging from the apex. The chancel has a gilded reredos with triangular arched traceried panels with figures in high relief.

The south aisle chapel has a canted apsidal end, formed like a reliquary with marbled shafts to sedilia and to entrance arch, with heavily foliate capitals and cusped triangular arcading all around the walls. The north aisle chapel has a richly gilded and traceried altar. The chapels and chancel were decorated by J Pippet of Hardman and Co. The large west window depicts the English Martyrs.

The chancel east window of 1862 is by Hardman. Low relief stone Stations of the Cross, 1952, are by Philip Lindsey Clarke.

The seven windows by Margaret Rope in the Cathedral are considered to be some of her best works. The latest reordering is complete, with bespoke, locally-made altar rails and the new altar, from Ely Cathedral. Specialist marble, sourced in Italy, has been shipped over to complete the altar and the ambo. The font has been moved back to the baptistry, and has a pulley to lift and lower the font lid.

Music and liturgy

The cathedral maintains a prominent choir and presents seasonal recitals and concerts. A recital series takes place at the cathedral during the summer months.

Parish life

The Saint Vincent de Paul society members visit and befriend lonely people, in their own homes and sometimes in hospital or in prison, and provide material assistance to local people who are poor or destitute. The parish runs monthly Baptism preparation sessions. The parish offers an RCIA group for those seeking full Communion with the Catholic Church.

The parish has a Development Officer. The parish has a Music Director.