The Cathedrals of Britain

Page 8 of 9

• 1. Centuries of style
• 2. Cathedral floorplan
• 3. Salisbury Cathedral
• 4. Winchester Cathedral
• 5. Wells Cathedral
• 6. St Magnus Cathedral
• 7. Lincoln Cathedral
• 8. Liverpool's cathedrals
• 9. Find out more
• Print entire article

Liverpool's cathedrals

Liverpool's skyline is dominated by two imposing cathedrals. Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Britain and the fifth largest in the world. The Roman Catholic Cathedral is known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King and was built after World War Two in a futuristic design by Frederick Gibberd.

The construction of the Anglican Cathedral began in 1904 to a design by Giles Gilbert Scott, a Victorian designer famous for red telephone boxes and the now defunct Battersea Power Station. Giles Scott came from a family of architects: his grandfather had designed the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park, London, and his father, George, was a leading exponent of the Gothic Revival in Britain. Giles Scott was just 21 when his entry won a design competition for Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral, and he can be seen in the bottom left of the Layman's Window, wearing a blue coat. Sadly, he died in 1960 and so did not see the cathedral finally consecrated.

Liverpool is home to many faiths but the Catholic and Protestant faiths have traditionally dominated the city. Around the turn of the century, there was an unstated competition between the leaders of the two communities who both attempted to have the larger, more impressive cathedral. Money problems dogged each side's ambitious plans, and the Anglican Cathedral was only consecrated in 1978.

The Roman Catholic Cathedral was to have been even more impressive thanks to a design by Sir Edwin Lutyen. Work started in 1933 but the crypt is all that remains of this grand vision before World War Two and budget deficits halted building work. Lutyen's plan was thrown out and a competition was hosted in 1960 to find a newer, cheaper design. Sir Frederick Gibberd's pioneering design won, and work began in 1962. The cathedral was consecrated just five years later.

The Lantern Tower has crowning pinnacles to help make the cathedral stand out against the Liverpool skyline. These are over 52 feet high and feature diagonal struts to strengthen them against the wind. Within the cathedral, the High Altar is at the centre of the circular design. The interior is bathed in many colours, primarily blue as befits a cathedral with more coloured glass than any other in Europe.

NextPrevious