Nottingham Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral Church of St. Barnabas in the city
of Nottingham
, England
, is a cathedral
of the Roman Catholic church. It is the mother church
of the Diocese of Nottingham
and seat of the Bishop of Nottingham
.
and the Nottingham Playhouse
(Wellington Circus).
ended most restrictions on Catholicism in the United Kingdom
. A substantial amount of the cost was paid by the important Catholic Lord Shrewsbury. The architect
was Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin who also designed the interior of The Houses of Parliament
. It was built in the Early English Plain Gothic
style, although in contrast, the Blessed Sacrament
Chapel
was richly decorated and Pugin’s later churches were built in that Decorated Gothic style throughout. Pugin was retained as architect by Rev Robert William Willson
, then priest in charge of Nottingham. In 1842 he was named as Bishop-Elect of Hobart, Tasmania
, and had to leave the work in Nottingham before completion.
With the establishment of a new Catholic hierarchy in the United Kingdom in 1850 by the decree of Pope Pius IX
, it was raised to cathedral
status. It is the seat of the Bishop of Nottingham
.
The cathedral is a Grade II* listed building http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/cdpl_listedbuildingsindex.pdf of the lancet style of architecture, and is considered to be one of the best specimens of the work of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin.
The clergy
of the Cathedral also serve the churches of Our Lady
and St. Patrick in The Meadows and St. Augustine on Woodborough Road.
s at the Cathedral
under the direction of the Director of Music, Mr. Neil Page BA LRAM ARCO, the Full choir which consists of thirty-two adults including twelve choral scholars, and Schola Cantorum, which is the Cathedral's Chamber Choir. The Full Choir's repertoire ranges from Gregorian Chant
to Górecki
. In addition to the obvious commitment of singing at the Cathedral's Choral Mass
es, both choirs sing at additional special occasions and put on concerts throughout the year. The choirs have given several premiers of works by the composer-in-residence, Alex Patterson.
The Cathedral's choral scholarships are available to students above or of eighteen years of age who are in full-time tertiary education in the Nottingham area.
There is also a youth choir which was set up by a previous choral scholar, Sarah Smith n 2003 and is open to children between the ages of eight and fourteen. This is a great opportunity for children to gain vocal training and the intention of this choir is to provide music at some of the Cathedral's 10.00am Masses as well as to occasionally support the Cathedral Choir during the hectic periods of Lent
and Advent
. It is directed by the Assistant Director of Music, assisted by the Music Associate and others.
In addition to these three choirs, the Cathedral also has a music
group which serves the first and third 6.00pm Sunday Masses of each month. The group's members lead the congregational singing, accompanied by guitar
s and flute
s.
The music staff currently consists of:
Mr Neil Page (Director of Music)
Mr Paul Hayward (Assistant Director of Music)
Mr Graeme Vernon (Director of Parish Music)
Ms Katherine Choonara (Music Associate)
Mr Alex Patterson (Composer-in-residence)
Assistant Directors of Music:
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, 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...
, is a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of the Roman Catholic church. It is the 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 Nottingham
Diocese of Nottingham
The Diocese of Nottingham is a Roman Catholic diocese of the Latin Rite which covers covers an area of 13,074 km², taking in the counties of Nottinghamshire , Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Rutland and Lincolnshire. The see is in the City of Nottingham where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church...
and seat of the Bishop of Nottingham
Bishop of Nottingham (Roman Catholic)
The Bishop of Nottingham is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham in the Province of Westminster.The diocese covers an area of and spans the counties of Derbyshire , Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and North Lincolnshire...
.
Location
It is located on the corner of Derby Road and North Circus Street, on the opposite side of which are the Albert HallAlbert Hall, Nottingham
The Albert Hall, Nottingham, is a City Centre Conference and Concert venue, situated in Nottingham, England.-History:The original Albert Hall was started in 1873 as a Nottingham Temperance Hall. Watson Fothergill, a local architect won the commission. On completion the building cost around £15,000 ,...
and the Nottingham Playhouse
Nottingham Playhouse
The Nottingham Playhouse is a theatre in Nottingham, England. It was first established as a repertory theatre in the 1950s when it operated from a former cinema. Directors during this period included Val May and Frank Dunlop.-The building:...
(Wellington Circus).
History
It was built between 1841 and 1844, costing £15,000 (£ as of ), and was first consecrated in 1844, fifteen years after the Catholic Relief ActCatholic Relief Act 1829
The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 24 March 1829, and received Royal Assent on 13 April. It was the culmination of the process of Catholic Emancipation throughout the nation...
ended most restrictions on Catholicism in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. A substantial amount of the cost was paid by the important Catholic Lord Shrewsbury. The architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
was Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin who also designed the interior of The Houses of Parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. It was built in the Early English Plain Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style, although in contrast, the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...
Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
was richly decorated and Pugin’s later churches were built in that Decorated Gothic style throughout. Pugin was retained as architect by Rev Robert William Willson
Robert William Willson
Robert William Willson was an English Roman Catholic Bishop, the first Bishop of Hobart and an advocate, on behalf of, convicts in Australia.-Life:...
, then priest in charge of Nottingham. In 1842 he was named as Bishop-Elect of Hobart, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, and had to leave the work in Nottingham before completion.
With the establishment of a new Catholic hierarchy in the United Kingdom in 1850 by the decree of Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
, it was raised to cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
status. It is the seat of the Bishop of Nottingham
Bishop of Nottingham (Roman Catholic)
The Bishop of Nottingham is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham in the Province of Westminster.The diocese covers an area of and spans the counties of Derbyshire , Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and North Lincolnshire...
.
The cathedral is a Grade II* listed building http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/cdpl_listedbuildingsindex.pdf of the lancet style of architecture, and is considered to be one of the best specimens of the work of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin.
The clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
of the Cathedral also serve the churches of Our Lady
Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...
and St. Patrick in The Meadows and St. Augustine on Woodborough Road.
Cathedral music
There are severalchoirChoir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
s at the Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
under the direction of the Director of Music, Mr. Neil Page BA LRAM ARCO, the Full choir which consists of thirty-two adults including twelve choral scholars, and Schola Cantorum, which is the Cathedral's Chamber Choir. The Full Choir's repertoire ranges from Gregorian Chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
to Górecki
Henryk Górecki
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki was a composer of contemporary classical music. He studied at the State Higher School of Music in Katowice between 1955 and 1960. In 1968, he joined the faculty and rose to provost before resigning in 1979. Górecki became a leading figure of the Polish avant-garde during...
. In addition to the obvious commitment of singing at the Cathedral's Choral Mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
es, both choirs sing at additional special occasions and put on concerts throughout the year. The choirs have given several premiers of works by the composer-in-residence, Alex Patterson.
The Cathedral's choral scholarships are available to students above or of eighteen years of age who are in full-time tertiary education in the Nottingham area.
There is also a youth choir which was set up by a previous choral scholar, Sarah Smith n 2003 and is open to children between the ages of eight and fourteen. This is a great opportunity for children to gain vocal training and the intention of this choir is to provide music at some of the Cathedral's 10.00am Masses as well as to occasionally support the Cathedral Choir during the hectic periods of Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
and Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
. It is directed by the Assistant Director of Music, assisted by the Music Associate and others.
In addition to these three choirs, the Cathedral also has a music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
group which serves the first and third 6.00pm Sunday Masses of each month. The group's members lead the congregational singing, accompanied by guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s.
The music staff currently consists of:
Mr Neil Page (Director of Music)
Mr Paul Hayward (Assistant Director of Music)
Mr Graeme Vernon (Director of Parish Music)
Ms Katherine Choonara (Music Associate)
Mr Alex Patterson (Composer-in-residence)
List of organists
- Edmund Hart Turpin 1850 - 1865
- James Turpin - 1866 - 1871 - ????
- ?
- William George Taylor ???? - 1885 - 1898 - ????
- William Francis Taylor ???? - 1905 - 1963
- Peter Smedley 1964 - 2003
- Neil Page 2003 - current
List of assistant organists
- Peter Smedley 1954 - 1964
Assistant Directors of Music:
- Christopher Burton ?-2010
- Paul Hayward 2011-Present