St. Chad's Cathedral

In the city centre of Birmingham, obscured by high office blocks and thundering road-ways, lies the twin-towered Cathedral of St. Chad's. The first church on this site was a Georgian Classical chapel built in 1808, the like of which Pugin detested as a "protestant errection" (Pugin being a staunch convert to Catholicism!) Pugin based his design upon the North German style of the 13th Century. It was consecrated on 21 June 1841 by Bishop Thomas Walsh.

"Any person would be aware this was a Catholic church at first sight"

As you can see, there is extensive redevelopment of the surrounding Snow Hill area at the moment, which will hopefully extend the interest of the Cathedral, especially with a prospective Crypt redevelopment programme to make it more tourist friendly.

Inside the Cathedral one is struck by the grand high ceiling supported by the great high gothic arches. The full drama of Pugin's hallen kirchen is visible to its utmost heights. The intricate stencilling on the ceiling contrasts strongly against the white-washed walls; a product of the extensive reordering in 1967. The Cathedral was lucky to keep its great rood screen up until this point, since these were under constant threat by church authorities and critics of this architectural style. The interior division between the nave and sanctuary was particularly important to Pugin, providing a window into the heavenly worship contained in the sanctuary. The screen still survives in an Anglican church in Reading, presumably rescued from a skip.

I am particularly fond of the Lady Chapel, with screen, altar and reredos designed by Pugin. The screen is still present, but this photo is taken through it. Notice the altar frontal depicting the Presentation, Birth, and Adoration of Our Lord; three central mysteries to His early life involving Our Lady. The carvings in the reredos are of Our Lady and the Christ Child flanked by the Annunciation and Visitation. The oak statue of Our Lady is from 15th Century Netherlands, and was restored and given by Pugin himself. It matches the great Crucifix which hangs over the chancel steps, now divorced from the rood screen, but reinstated during a period of restoration in the 1990s.

Here is a view of the Sanctuary itself, with the Archbishop's Cathedra in the foreground against the north pillar of the chancel arch. The original canopy was removed in 1967, but a reconstruction is now in place with the Archbishop Vincent Nichol's coat of arms, by Ormsby of Scarisbrick.

Tonight the Brothers of the Little Oratory have arranged a tour of the Cathedral and crypt (which I have yet to visit). It is a special occasion because we have the kind opportunity to celebrate the old feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Chad using the 1962 Missal, in St. Edwards Chapel. This chapel of St. Edward the Confessor was designed by Sebastian Pugin Powell (1866-1949, grandson of A.W.N. Pugin) and consecrated in 1933 as the memorial to Archbishop Edward Ilsley (1st Archbishop of Birmingham from 1888). The windows around this chapel depict the story of the translation of the relics, which makes it a particularly appropriate setting for this Mass.