The Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of East Anglia and the mother church of the diocese of East Anglia. It is within the Province of Westminster.
| St John the Baptist Cathedral, Norwich | |
|---|---|
| Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist | |
 | |
  St John the Baptist Cathedral, Norwich Shown within Norwich | |
| 52°37′45″N 1°17′02″E / 52.6292°N 1.2840°E | |
| OS grid reference | TG2233508547 |
| Location | Norwich, Norfolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | sjbcathedral.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Consecrated | 1910 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Cathedral |
| Heritage designation | Grade I Listed |
| Designated | 26 February 1954[1] |
| Architect(s) | |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1882-1910 |
| Construction cost | Approximately £230,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Tower height | 38m (125ft) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Westminster |
| Diocese | East Anglia (since 1976) |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Peter Collins |
| Dean | Revd. Fr Alan Hodgson |
| Laity | |
| Director of music | Daniel Justin |
History
editThe cathedral, located on Unthank Road, was constructed between 1882 and 1910 to designs by George Gilbert Scott, Jr. as a parish church dedicated to John the Baptist, on the site of the Norwich City Gaol. The funds for its construction were provided by Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, as a gesture of thanksgiving for his first marriage to Lady Flora Abney-Hastings.[3]
In 1976, it was consecrated as the cathedral church for the newly erected Diocese of East Anglia and the seat of the Bishop of East Anglia.[4] In 2014, for the first time since 1558, a Pontifical High Mass was celebrated in this episcopal see's cathedral.[5]
It is one of two cathedrals in the city of Norwich, the other being the Church of England Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, begun in the Norman style in 1096.
Resources
editJust off the south aisle of the cathedral is the Duckett Library. It was named after Canon Richard Duckett who was rector of the church from 1876 to 1910. It was opened on 22 February 2012.[6] People need to become a member of the library to join, and that membership is available to all the cathedral's congregation. It has 3,000 religious publications and is staffed by volunteers.[7]
Also, within the cathedral ground is the Narthex. It opened in March 2010 and is the cathedral's visitor centre. It comprises an Education and Interpretation Gallery, a shop, a refectory with outdoor patio, a function hall, licensed bar and community garden.[8]
Parish
editThe cathedral's parish also covers Holy Apostles Church, West Earlham, a suburb of Norwich.
References
edit- ^ British Listed Buildings
- ^ Historic England. "Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist (1051299)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ^ Cathedral about page Retrieved 15 January 2013
- ^ Cathedral History Archived 2010-04-12 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 March 2010
- ^ "Historic: First Pontifical High Mass at the Throne in England since the advent of the new rite". Rorate Caeli. Published: 4 November 2014.
- ^ Cathedral Library Background Retrieved 15 January 2013
- ^ Cathedral Library Retrieved 23 July 2024
- ^ Cathedral Narthex Retrieved 23 July 2024
External links
edit- St John the Baptist Cathedral homepage
- History, description and images (Simon Knott, norfolkchurches.co.uk, accessed 29 October 2012)
- Image of the cathedral (accessed 24 September 2007)
- Floor plan of the cathedral (accessed 23 August 2017)
- Narthex opens March, 2010
- Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich (British Listed Buildings)
- Interior view at Google Maps
