Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Werburgh, is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since 1541, it has been the seat of the bishop of Chester.

The cathedral is a Grade I listed building, and part of a heritage site that also includes the former monastic buildings to the north, which are also listed Grade I. The cathedral's construction dates from between the 10th century and the early 16th century, having been modified a number of times throughout history, a typical characteristic of English cathedrals; however, the site itself may have been used for Christian worship since Roman times. All the major styles of English medieval architecture, from Norman to Perpendicular, are represented in the present building. while Chester was controlled by Legio XX Valeria Victrix. Legend holds that the basilica was dedicated to Saint Paul and Saint Peter. This is supported by evidence that in Saxon times the dedication of an early chapel on this site was changed from Saint Peter to Saint Werburgh. In 958 King Edgar granted land to the Minster of St Werburgh in Chester.

During the Early Middle Ages Barloc of Norbury, a Catholic Celtic saint and hermit, was venerated at Chester Cathedral with a feast day on 10 September. He is known to history mainly through the hagiography of the Secgan manuscript; he also occurs in a litany in MS Tanner 169* of the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

In 907 Chester was refortified against the threat from the Vikings, and shortly afterwards the minster was founded or refounded, and Werburgh's remains were transferred there from Hanbury, probably by Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians. The collegiate church, as it was then, was restored in 1057 by Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and Lady Godiva. This church was razed to the ground around 1090, with the secular canons evicted, and no known trace of it remains.

In 1093 a Benedictine abbey was established on the site by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, with the assistance of St Anselm and other monks from Bec in Normandy. The earliest surviving parts of the structure date from that time. In 1538, during the dissolution of the monasteries, the monastery was disbanded and the shrine of Saint Werburgh was desecrated.

Although little trace of the 10th-century church has been discovered, save possibly some Saxon masonry found during a 1997 excavation of the nave, there is much evidence of the monastery of 1093. This work in the Norman style may be seen in the northwest tower, the north transept and in remaining parts of the monastic buildings. The west front was given a Tudor entrance, but the tower was never completed. Until 1881, the south transept, which is unusually large, also took on a separate function as an independent ecclesiastical entity: the parish church of St Oswald. Although the 17th century saw additions to the furnishings and fittings, there was no further building work for several centuries. By the 19th century, the building was badly in need of restoration. The present homogeneous appearance that the cathedral presents from many exterior angles is largely the work of Victorian restorers, particularly George Gilbert Scott.

The 20th century has seen continued maintenance and restoration. In 1922, the Chester War Memorial was installed in the cathedral grounds and dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the First World War and later the Second World War. In 1973–75 a detached belfry, the Addleshaw Tower, designed by George Pace, was erected in the grounds of the cathedral. During the 2000s, the cathedral library was refurbished and relocated. It was officially reopened in September 2007. The cathedral and the former monastic buildings were designated as Grade I listed buildings on 28 July 1955.

In October 2021, the abbey's gateway was one of 142 sites across England to receive part of a £35-million injection into the government's Culture Recovery Fund.

Architecture

Cathedral

Plan

Chester Cathedral has an east–west axis, common to many cathedrals, with the chancel at the eastern end, and the façade to the west. The plan is cruciform, with a central tower (as is usual in English monastic churches), but is asymmetrical, having a small transept on the north side remaining from an earlier building, and an unusually large south transept. As the plan shows, the asymmetry extends to the west front, where the north tower remains from the Norman building, and the south tower is of the early 16th century. At the eastern end, the symmetrical arrangement of the aisles was lost when the end of the south aisle was demolished and rebuilt in an apsidal shape. The nave, choir and south transept have wide aisles on either side, and are lit by clerestory windows and large multi-light windows in each of the three cliff-like ends. To the north of the cathedral are monastic buildings, including the cloister, refectory and a rectangular chapter house. The façade of the building is abutted on the north by later buildings.

Because the south transept is similar in dimension to the nave and choir, views of the building from the south-east and south-west give the impression of a building balanced around a central axis, with its tower as the hub. The tower is of the late 15th century Perpendicular style, but its four large battlemented turrets are the work of the restoration architect George Gilbert Scott. Close examination reveals window tracery of several building stages from the 13th to the early 16th century. The richness of the 13th-century tracery is accentuated by the presence of ornate, crocketted drip-mouldings around the windows; those around the perpendicular windows are of simpler form.

The façade of the cathedral is dominated by a large deeply recessed eight-light window in the Perpendicular style,

Norman remnants

The present building, dating from around 1283 to 1537, mostly replaced the earlier monastic church founded in 1093 which was built in the Norman style. It is believed that the newer church was built around the older one. The monastic refectory to the north of the cloister is of about the same date as the chapter house. The choir stalls, dating from about 1380, are one of the glories of the cathedral. Among the earliest remaining structures on the site is an undercroft off the west range of the cloisters, which dates from the early 12th century, and which was originally used by the monks for storing food. Above the abbot's passage, approached by a stairway from the west cloister, is St Anselm's Chapel which also dates from the 12th century. It is in three bays and has a 19th century Gothic-style plaster vault. The chancel is in one bay and was remodelled in the early 17th century. The screen, altar rails, holy table and plaster ceiling of the chancel date from the 17th century. Between 1818 and 1820 the architect Thomas Harrison restored the south transept, adding corner turrets. This part of the building served until 1881 as the parish church of St Oswald, and it was ecclesiastically separate. In addition to extensive additions and alterations to the body of the church, Scott remodelled the tower, adding turrets and crenellations. In addition to the restoration of the fabric of the building, Scott designed internal fittings such as the choir screen to replace those destroyed during the Civil War; the roof had also been melted down to make musket balls.

Later in the century, from 1882, Arthur Blomfield and his son Charles made further additions and modifications, including restoring and reinstating the Shrine of St Werburgh. More work was carried out in the 20th century by Giles Gilbert Scott between 1891 and 1913, and by F. H. Crossley in 1939. The new bells were cast in 1973. Work on the new bell-tower began in February 1973. Two old bells dating from 1606 and 1626 were left in the tower. On 26 February 1975 the bells were rung for the first time to celebrate the wedding of a member of the Grosvenor family. The official opening on 25 June 1975 was performed by the Duke of Gloucester. The belfry is known as the Dean Addleshaw Tower, after the dean of the cathedral responsible for its construction. Between the bell tower and the south transept is a garden in remembrance of the Cheshire Regiment (originally the 22nd Regiment of Foot). The stalls include 48 misericords, all but five of which are original,

Turret clock

In 1725 Joseph Smith was commissioned to make a new turret clock. The clock had no dial, but chimed the quarters with a ting-tang on two bells and struck the hour. The pendulum period was 1¼ seconds. As part of this commission he was paid 16s annually () for its maintenance.

The clock survived until 1873 when it was replaced by a new mechanism by J. B. Joyce & Co of Whitchurch. In the 1970s, the clock mechanism was moved to the Addleshaw Tower.

Stained glass

:See Gallery below

Chester suffered badly at the hands of the Parliamentary troops. The eight-light Perpendicular window of the west end contains mid-20th century glass representing the Holy Family and Saints, by W. T. Carter Shapland. Three modern windows in the south aisle, designed and made by Alan Younger to replace windows damaged in the Second World War. They were donated by the 6th Duke of Westminster to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the cathedral and contain the dates 1092 and 1992 to reflect the theme of "continuity and change".

Features

The west end of the nave is dominated by an eight-light window in the Perpendicular Gothic style which almost fills the upper part of the west wall. It contains stained glass designed by W. T. Carter Shapland dating from 1961 and depicts the Holy Family in the middle two lights, flanked by the northern saints Werburgh, Oswald, Aidan, Chad and Wilfrid, and Queen Ethelfleda.

The stone nave pulpit was designed by the restorer R. C. Hussey and the lectern, dated 1876, is by Skidmore. The candlesticks also date from the 17th century and are by Censore of Bologna who died in 1662. Also in the chapel are a sedilia and a piscina. The stained glass of 1859, is by William Wailes. The chapel contains a monument to Archdeacon Francis Wrangham, made by Hardman & Co. and dating from 1846. In 1555, George Marsh, Protestant martyr stood trial here accused of heresy.

North quire aisle

The north quire aisle has a stone screen by R. C. Hussey and an iron gate dated 1558 that came from Guadalajara. At the east end of the aisle is the chapel of St Werburgh which has a vault of two bays, and an east window depicting the Nativity by Michael O'Connor, dated 1857. Other stained glass windows in the north aisle are by William Wailes, by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, and by Clayton and Bell. The chapel contains a piscina dating from the 14th century,

The chapter house has stained glass in its east window by Heaton, Butler and Bayne and grisaille windows in the north and south walls, dated 1882–83, by Blomfield. It contains an oak cope cupboard from the late 13th century. The front of the chapter house was rebuilt to a design by Hussey. The aisle contains the tomb of Ranulf Higdon, a monk at St Werburgh's Abbey in the 12th century who wrote a major work of history entitled Polychronicon, a monument to Thomas Brassey (a civil engineering contractor who died in 1870), designed by Blomfield and made by Wagmuller, a monument to Samuel Peploe (Bishop, 1726–1752) who died in 1752, and three painted monuments by a member of the Randle Holme family. and two memorial plaques to members of the Egerton family. On the wall of the southwest crossing pier are monuments which include a cenotaph to the casualties in HMS Chester in the Battle of Jutland in 1916 who included the 16-year-old John Cornwell VC. The west wall of the south transept has many memorials, including war memorial cenotaphs to the Cheshire Regiment, the Royal Air Force and the Free Czech Forces. The refectory roof is dated 1939 and was designed by F. H. Crossley. The east window with reticulated tracery was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott and is dated 1913. The stained glass in the west window, depicting the Creation, was designed by Ros Grimshaw and installed in 2001 to celebrate the Millennium. It continued to grow over the centuries, but by the 19th century it had become neglected. Between 1867 and 1885 it was enlarged and in the 1890s new bookcases were added. A further reorganisation took place in the 1920s but by the 1980s the contents were contained in five separate sites around the cathedral. A programme of repair and re-cataloguing of the contents was instituted. During the 2000s more work was carried out and the refurbished library, housed in three rooms, opened in 2007. The library is available for research and for organised visits by groups.

  • Dean — Tim Stratford (since 8 September 2018)
  • Canon Missioner & Vice Dean — Jane Brooke (since 11 September 2010 installation; Acting Dean, 2017–2018)
  • Canon for Worship and Spirituality – Rosie Woodall (since 20 May 2023 licensing)

Services

The cathedral is a place of Christian worship, with two services held daily, and four or five each Sunday. There is Holy Communion each day, and Choral Evensong each day except Wednesday. There is a sung service of cathedral Eucharist every Sunday.

Music

The Organist and Master of the Choristers is Philip Rushforth, Head of Music Outreach and Assistant Organist, Dan Mathieson and Sub-Organist, Alexander Palotai. There are lunchtime organ recitals weekly on Thursday at 1:10pm, immediately following Holy Communion. The monthly program of music is available on the cathedral's website.

The hymn-writer William Cooke (1821–1894) was a canon of Chester.

Organists

The earliest recorded appointment of an organist is of John Brycheley in 1541.

Choirs

The choral tradition at Chester is 900 years old, dating from the foundation of the Benedictine monastery. In 1741 Handel heard the first recital of his Messiah at Chester. The Nave Choir, which sings Compline on Sunday evenings and in other services, also takes part in concerts, and undertakes tours. Having been founded during the 1860s, it is the longest-running voluntary cathedral choir in Britain.

Activities

Apart from services, a variety of events such as concerts, recitals, exhibitions and tours are held at the cathedral. There are weekly lunchtime organ recitals each Thursday, and concerts by the Chester Cathedral Nave Choir.

The cathedral and precinct are open to visits both by individuals and by groups. The former Refectory of the abbey is used as a café. The Refectory, the Cloister Room, the Chapter House, and the Vestibule can be hired for meetings, receptions and other purposes.

Burials

thumb|right|[[Memorial plaques of the Egerton family in the south transept: a tablet to family members killed during the First World War (top) and a tablet to Vice-Admiral Wion Egerton (below), killed in the Second]]

  • Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester (27 July 1101), first in the cemetery of Saint Werberg, reburied in the Chapter House
  • Ranulf le Meschin, 3rd Earl of Chester (1070–1129)
  • Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester, and his wife Maud of Gloucester, Countess of Chester
  • Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester
  • Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester (1170–1232)
  • Ranulf Higden (c. 1280–1364), chronicler
  • John Pearson, Bishop of Chester (1673–1686)
  • Samuel Peploe, Bishop of Chester (1725–1752)
  • John Graham, Bishop of Chester (1845–1865) — in the cemetery
  • George Clarke of Hyde, former Colonial Governor of New York, America between 1736 and 1743
  • Frederick Philipse III, a wealthy landowner from New York, America, who was loyal to the British Colonial Government and forced to quit his estates.

See also

  • Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England
  • English Gothic architecture
  • Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire West and Chester
  • Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
  • Norman architecture in Cheshire
  • List of works by Thomas Harrison
  • List of works by George Pace
  • Three hares
  • Chester Cathedral Choir
  • Chester Cathedral Choir School

References and notes

Notes

Citations

Sources

  • .
  • Chester Cathedral & its Historic Links with New York
  • A tour of Chester Cathedral
  • Chester Cathedral in the Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland
  • Details of organ
  • British History Online
  • Aerial photograph
  • Photographs from Art and Architecture
  • Plan of the cathedral
  • Medieval stained glass from CVMA
  • Photographs and panorama
  • The Chester Virtual Stroll Cathedral pages
  • The Chester Cathedral Old Choristers Association pages
  • Chester Cathedral Quarter — development project
  • Chester Cathedral Nave Choir Website