St. George's Cathedral, Southwark

Introduction

Saint George's Cathedral in Southwark, within the Archdiocese of Southwark, was designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and built between 1841 and 1848. In 1852 St George's became the first Roman Catholic Cathedral in London since the Reformation. The cathedral was solemnly opened by Bishop Wiseman on 4 July 1848.

History

In 1839 Fr Thomas Doyle bought part of St George's Fields and engaged Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin as architect. A competition was held in 1839 which Pugin won and the current, more modest, plan was accepted.

Pope Pius IX restored the Catholic Hierarchy in 1850 and on 21 April 1852 St George's officially became the Cathedral church of the new Diocese of Southwark. The cathedral was restored and redecorated 1888-1905 by FA Walters.

The cathedral was consecrated in 1894. On the night of 16 April 1941 the Cathedral was hit by an incendiary bomb, starting a fire which destroyed the wooden roof and much else. The architect Romilly Craze was commissioned to rebuild the cathedral and work began in 1953.

The cathedral was largely rebuilt and extended following war damage in 1953 by Higgs and Hill to designs of Romilly B Craze based on Pugin's plans. The original cathedral building was designed by Augustus Pugin and could seat about 3,000 people, being 240 feet long by 72 feet wide.

Architecture and furnishings

The building is of yellow stock brick with Portland stone dressings and slated roofs. The style is C20 Gothic Revival mixed with fragments of Pugin's Decorated Gothic; only the east end, the lowest part of the west tower, the aisle walls and a few internal details remain of Pugin's work. The plan includes a western tower, a tall nave of 8 bays with clerestory, aisles and pseudo-transepts; the large tower and spire intended for the west end were never built. The interior has massive stone piers replacing Pugin's original ones, designed to support an elaborate stone vault over the nave, simplified when built to transverse arches with a boarded ceiling in between.

The Lady Chapel extension was built 1961-3 at the south east. The Baptistry north of the entrance was completed in 1966 and has a 3-light window and pyramidal roof. The Petre Chantry of 1848-9 is in Perpendicular style by Pugin with a vaulted roof and angel finials, and has original furnishings including a table tomb and carved altarpiece with Virgin and Child and angels. The Knill Chantry, St Patrick's Chapel, was begun in 1845 as a chantry for George Talbot, completed as a relics chapel in 1905 and largely reconstructed after the war.

St Joseph's Chapel was converted from the Weld Chantry of 1890 and has a stone vault. The Lady Chapel, 1961-3, contains a small C18 Flemish Virgin and Child.

The Baptistery, completed in 1966, has steps down symbolising the early practice of total immersion in a river; its window represents the Resurrection and is by the Harry Clarke Studios. The Romero Cross & Memorial was installed in 2013; the cross is by Fernando Llort. In Saint Patrick's Chapel a plaque commemorates Terence MacSwiney, Lord Mayor of Cork, who died in Brixton Prison in 1920 after a hunger strike; against the Government's wishes he was given a Requiem Mass in Saint George's. A window commemorating the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1982 is by Goddard & Gibbs.

The Stations of the Cross around the walls date from the rebuilding and are by Harry J. Youngman. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel, 1856-7 by Edward Welby Pugin, has a vault supported by thin internal piers linked to the outer walls by transoms, with original fittings including altar, reredos and encaustic tiles; gates by Hardman.

The 1950s Window above the West Door depicts the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and is by Harry Clarke Studios of Dublin. A memorial to Provost Thomas Doyle, founder of the Cathedral, was made by Farmer & Brindley and dates from 1882. A window dedicated to the work of the Knights and Dames of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre was installed in 1996 and designed by Goddard & Gibbs.

The cathedral organ was built by John Compton Organ Company Ltd and was completed in 1958. The organ contains only nineteen ranks of pipes, but these ranks inventively furnish a three-manual organ of 69 sounding stops, broadly in the English Romantic tradition. The organ is installed in two enclosed chambers located east of the south transept above the Martyr's Chapel.

Music and liturgy

The organ uses the extension principle, borrowing ranks of pipes to save space and money after the costly rebuilding. Remedial work on the organ was begun in 2000 by Whitwell Green, Organbuilders, with electronic components replaced in 2009 and more restoration completed in 2019.

The Southwark Singing Programme, established in 2022, is a Diocesan music education programme working with schools and parishes. The Cathedral Music Department is led by the Diocesan Director of Music, joined by the Cathedral Organist and a team of professional Lay Clerks. The Cathedral has a well-established choral tradition with numerous choirs for young people up to age 18, and the music department runs the diocesan schools singing programme.

Parish life

The Cathedral Choir is made up of boys and girl choristers aged 8 to 13 along with eight professional singers known as Lay Clerks. The Cathedral Children's Choir is for children in school years 1 and 2, aged 5-7. St George's Cathedral choirs have recorded two CDs under their previous director Norman Harper. The Southwark Diocesan Music Committee promotes sacred music across the diocese, offering training and advice to musicians, teachers and clergy.

The Cathedral parish administers the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist and Marriage. All those wishing to marry are required to give six months notice and to attend a course of preparation.

A small but enthusiastic group of parishioners work together to help those in need, including the lonely, isolated, hungry or homeless. The congregation of St George's reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of South London. The Cathedral is often used for concerts and other events. The Cathedral has a weekly pattern of Masses, Services and Confession times, as well as special services during the seasons of the liturgical year.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Young people of Year 9 or above are invited to join the confirmation formation programme, with sessions on alternate Friday evenings between October and Pentecost. The Sacrament of Confirmation is generally conferred at a special Mass on Pentecost Sunday.

Visiting

The cathedral and the Amigo Hall are very easily accessible by public transport in central London. Visitors are welcome to visit the cathedral any day of the week.