Wakefield Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Wakefield Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of All Saints Wakefield is the cathedral
for the Church of England
's Diocese of Wakefield
and is the seat of the Bishop of Wakefield
. The cathedral has Anglo Saxon origins and the tallest cathedral spire in Yorkshire. It is the tallest building in the City of Wakefield.
church in the centre of Wakefield
. Evidence of the Saxon building was discovered in 1900 when extensions to the east end of the building were made. In 1090 King William II
gave the church and land in Wakefield to Lewes Priory
in Sussex and shortly after that a Norman
church was built. Up to the 16th century the church was known by the Anglo Saxon All Hallows and after the Reformation changed to All Saints. In 1888, the Diocese of Wakefield was created and All Saints
church became the cathedral of the diocese. Unusually, it still serves as a parish church
, meaning that until 2000 the head of the chapter of canons was called the provost
, rather than the dean
. In January 2000 a parish boundary change brought the chantry chapel
on Wakefield Bridge into the care of the cathedral.
and restored
to its late mediaeval appearance between 1858-1874 by Sir George Gilbert Scott
in ashlar
sandstone. The north aisle is the oldest part of the church, the north wall dates from about 1150.
The chancel
, a transept
and chapel were built at the east end in 1904 to designs by John Loughborough Pearson
and completed by his son, F L Pearson.
The large four stage west tower has angle buttress
es and a very tall crocket
ed spire
behind an embattled parapet
with crocketed corner pinnacle
s and is 247 feet (75 m) tall, the highest spire in Yorkshire. On the south wall is a porch
with a sundial
over the door arch.
None of the medieval stained glass survives and most of the cathedral's windows were created by Charles Eamer Kempe
.
The archives of Wakefield Cathedral are held at West Yorkshire Archive Service
in Wakefield.
The organ of 1902 built by Abbott and Smith was rebuilt by John Compton in London in 1951 - 1952. It was again rebuilt and restored by Wood of Hudderfield in 1985.
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Organists
There have been four organists of the Cathedral in 120 years, with Jonathan Bielby being the longest serving English Cathedral organist.
Assistant organists
The Wakefield Cathedral Choir, directed by Thomas Moore and assisted by Simon Earl (assistant director of music) and Daniel Justin (organ scholar), consists of boys, girls and men who perform at the cathedral and have appeared on BBC One
's Songs of Praise
and BBC Radio 3
's Choral Evensong. In 1992 Wakefield Cathedral became only the second cathedral in Britain to form a girls' choir.
visited the cathedral for the Maundy money
Ceremony.
, Ripon Cathedral
and possibly Leeds Pro-Cathedral
), although the area Bishop of Wakefield would presumably continue to have a "seat of honour" there. The canons from the colleges of the three cathedrals would merge into a new diocesan college, the deans would retain day-to-day authority in their own cathedral, while one would become presiding dean of the college.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
for the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
's Diocese of Wakefield
Diocese of Wakefield
The Diocese of Wakefield is a Church of England diocese based in Wakefield in West Yorkshire, covering Wakefield, Barnsley, Kirklees and Calderdale...
and is the seat of the Bishop of Wakefield
Bishop of Wakefield
The Bishop of Wakefield is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Wakefield in the Province of York.The diocese based in Wakefield in West Yorkshire, covers Wakefield, Barnsley, Kirklees and Calderdale...
. The cathedral has Anglo Saxon origins and the tallest cathedral spire in Yorkshire. It is the tallest building in the City of Wakefield.
History
The cathedral stands on the site of a SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
church in the centre of Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
. Evidence of the Saxon building was discovered in 1900 when extensions to the east end of the building were made. In 1090 King William II
William II of England
William II , the third son of William I of England, was King of England from 1087 until 1100, with powers over Normandy, and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales...
gave the church and land in Wakefield to Lewes Priory
Lewes Priory
The Priory of St Pancras was the first Cluniac house in England and had one of the largest monastic churches in the country. It was set within an extensive walled and gated precinct laid out in a commanding location fronting the tidal shore-line at the head of the Ouse valley to the south of Lewes...
in Sussex and shortly after that a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
church was built. Up to the 16th century the church was known by the Anglo Saxon All Hallows and after the Reformation changed to All Saints. In 1888, the Diocese of Wakefield was created and All Saints
All Saints
All Saints' Day , often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown...
church became the cathedral of the diocese. Unusually, it still serves as a parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, meaning that until 2000 the head of the chapter of canons was called the provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
, rather than the dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
. In January 2000 a parish boundary change brought the chantry chapel
Chantry Chapel of St Mary the Virgin, Wakefield
The Chantry Chapel of St Mary the Virgin, Wakefield is a chantry chapel in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England and is designated a Grade I Listed building by English Heritage. It is located south of the city centre on the medieval bridge over the River Calder. It is the only survivor of four...
on Wakefield Bridge into the care of the cathedral.
Structure
The cathedral was built in the Perpendicular Gothic style in the early 15th centuryand restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
to its late mediaeval appearance between 1858-1874 by Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
in ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
sandstone. The north aisle is the oldest part of the church, the north wall dates from about 1150.
The chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, a transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
and chapel were built at the east end in 1904 to designs by John Loughborough Pearson
John Loughborough Pearson
John Loughborough Pearson was a Gothic Revival architect renowned for his work on churches and cathedrals. Pearson revived and practised largely the art of vaulting, and acquired in it a proficiency unrivalled in his generation.-Early life and education:Pearson was born in Brussels, Belgium on 5...
and completed by his son, F L Pearson.
The large four stage west tower has angle buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es and a very tall crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
ed spire
Spire
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....
behind an embattled parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
with crocketed corner pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s and is 247 feet (75 m) tall, the highest spire in Yorkshire. On the south wall is a porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
with a sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
over the door arch.
None of the medieval stained glass survives and most of the cathedral's windows were created by Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe was a well-known Victorian stained glass designer. After attending Twyford School, he studied for the priesthood at Pembroke College, Oxford, but it became clear that his severe stammer would be an impediment to preaching...
.
The archives of Wakefield Cathedral are held at West Yorkshire Archive Service
West Yorkshire Joint Services
West Yorkshire Joint Services provides certain public services to the five districts of West Yorkshire, England . It is jointly funded by the five district councils, pro rata to their population, and is run by a committee of equal numbers of councillors from the five councils...
in Wakefield.
Music
OrganThe organ of 1902 built by Abbott and Smith was rebuilt by John Compton in London in 1951 - 1952. It was again rebuilt and restored by Wood of Hudderfield in 1985.
There have been four organists of the Cathedral in 120 years, with Jonathan Bielby being the longest serving English Cathedral organist.
- 1886 Joseph Naylor Hardy
- 1930 Newell S. Wallbank
- 1945 Percy George Saunders
- 1970 - 2010 (Easter Day) Jonathan Bielby
- 2010 - current Thomas Moore
Assistant organists
- William Frederick DunnillWilliam Frederick DunnillWilliam Frederick Dunnill was an English cathedral organist, who served in St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham.-Background:He was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire on 16 March 1880. He was the son of Jeremiah Dunnill and Pollie...
1896 - 1900 - John ScottJohn Scott (organist)John Gavin Scott LVO is an English-born organist and choirmaster. He directed the Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral in London from 1990 to 2004. He now directs the Choir of Men and Boys of Saint Thomas Church on 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City...
- Peter David GouldPeter David GouldPeter David Gould is an cathedral organist, who serves at Derby Cathedral.-Background:Peter Gould was born on 9 February 1952 in Portsmouth.He studied at the Royal Academy of Music.-Career:Assistant Organist of:...
1975 - 1983 - Gareth Green 1983 - 1985
- Keith Wright 1985 - 1991
- Sean Farrell 1991 - 1997
- Louise Reid 1997 - 2002
- Thomas Moore 2002 - 2010
- Daniel Justin 2010
- Simon Earl 2011 - Current
The Wakefield Cathedral Choir, directed by Thomas Moore and assisted by Simon Earl (assistant director of music) and Daniel Justin (organ scholar), consists of boys, girls and men who perform at the cathedral and have appeared on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise is a BBC Television programme based around traditional Christian hymns. It is a widely watched and long-running religious television programme, one of the few peak-time free-to-air religious programmes in Europe Songs of Praise is a BBC Television programme based around traditional...
and BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
's Choral Evensong. In 1992 Wakefield Cathedral became only the second cathedral in Britain to form a girls' choir.
2005 Maundy Money Ceremony
In 2005, Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
visited the cathedral for the Maundy money
Maundy money
Royal Maundy is a religious service in the Church of England held on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. At the service, the British Monarch or a royal official ceremonially distributes small silver coins known as "Maundy money" as symbolic alms to elderly recipients...
Ceremony.
Future
Under the Dioceses Commission's Draft Reorganisation Scheme, the Diocese and See of Ripon and Leeds would be dissolved to facilitate the creation of a new Anglican Diocese of Leeds. Wakefield Cathedral would become a seat for the new diocesan bishop of Leeds (other equal seats being Bradford CathedralBradford Cathedral
Bradford Cathedral , full name Cathedral Church of St Peter, is situated in the heart of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England, on a site used for Christian worship since the 8th century when missionaries based in Dewsbury evangelised the region...
, Ripon Cathedral
Ripon Cathedral
Ripon Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds and the mother church of the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, situated in the small North Yorkshire city of Ripon, England.-Background:...
and possibly Leeds Pro-Cathedral
Leeds Parish Church
Leeds Parish Church, or the Parish Church of Saint Peter-at-Leeds, in Leeds, West Yorkshire is a large Church of England parish church of major architectural and liturgical significance. It has been designated a grade I listed building by English Heritage...
), although the area Bishop of Wakefield would presumably continue to have a "seat of honour" there. The canons from the colleges of the three cathedrals would merge into a new diocesan college, the deans would retain day-to-day authority in their own cathedral, while one would become presiding dean of the college.