The Cathedral Church of Saint Philip, also called the Birmingham Cathedral, is a Church of England cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of Birmingham. Built as a parish church in the Baroque style by Thomas Archer, it was consecrated in 1715. Located on Colmore Row in central Birmingham, St Philip's became the cathedral of the newly formed Diocese of Birmingham in 1905. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.

History

Founding

St Philip's Church was planned when the nearby medieval church of St Martin in the Bull Ring became insufficient to house its congregation because of the growing population of Birmingham. The land, previously named the Barley Close, was donated by Robert Philips in 1710. It is one of the highest points in the district and is said to be at the same level as the cross on St Paul's Cathedral in London. Following an Act of Parliament, construction commenced in 1711, to the design of Thomas Archer, and was ready for consecration in 1715, when it was dedicated to the Apostle Philip as a tribute to the benefactor Robert Philips. It appears to have been Archer's first church, apart from a rebuilt chancel at Chicheley attributed to him. Construction was estimated to cost £20,000, but the final figure was only £5,012.

World War II

During World War II, the cathedral was bombed and gutted on the 7 November 1940. Its most significant treasures, several windows by Edward Burne-Jones, had been removed in the early stages of the war by Birmingham Civic Society, and were replaced, unharmed, when the building was restored in 1948. The obelisk was unveiled by Lord Charles Beresford on 13 November 1885. An earlier red marble was erected in 1857 to commemorate the life and death of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Unett, who died leading his men during the Siege of Sevastopol. Upon completion of the Burnaby building, it was decided to prohibit monuments from being added to the interior.

Dean and chapter

  • Dean – Matt Thompson (since 30 September 2017 installation)
  • Canon Precentor – Nathan Mulcock (since 2 March 2025 installation)
  • Canon Missioner – Andy Delmege (since 26 July 2020 installation)

Music

Organ

upright|thumb|The cathedral's organ

The organ, originally built by Thomas Swarbrick, still dates in part from 1715. It underwent repairs during the late 19th century and was moved from its original position in the gallery. It has been restored, enlarged and modernised several times, most recently by Nicholson's in 1993.

Organists

Directors of Music and assistant organists at St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham, have included composers Charles John Blood Meacham, Richard Yates Mander, and Rupert Jeffcoat. Until 2018, the Director of Music was Marcus Huxley, and the Head of Music is now David Hardie with Ashley Wagner as the Assistant Head of Music.

Bells

Following the completion of the tower in 1725 Joseph Smith of Edgbaston provided a ring of eight bells which were subsequently augmented to ten, the tenor weighing approximately 26 cwt (1,320 kg). These bells were to prove unsatisfactory for in 1751 the vestry resolved to have them recast by Thomas Lester of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London. The new bells were slightly larger than the previous, with a tenor weighing in the key of D—a total weight of , and hung in a wooden frame.

Throughout the late 18th and 19th centuries, the bells were well used, however, from 1906, the bells had become unringable, due in part to concerns about the safety of the tower. Ringing was briefly revived in 1921 but when the Coronation of 1937 provided the impetus to restore the bells they had been unringable again for several years.

The 1937 restoration was carried out by the Croydon bell founders, Gillett & Johnston, the bells being recast and hung in a cast-iron frame at the base of the large louvre windows. The same foundry cast two additional treble bells in 1949, given by Frank B Yates, to complete the ring of twelve bells that exists today. The tenor bell weighs and is in the key of D.

In 2004, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry carried out rehanging and refurbishment of the frame and fittings, including further strengthening work to the upper frame and the installation of a viewing gallery, accessed from the original belfry doorway. Brian Yates, grandson of the above Frank Yates, was the principal donor for this project.

Clock

The tower clock was built by John Moore & Sons of Clerkenwell and installed in 1851 at a cost of £400 ().

See also

  • St Philip
  • List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
  • St Chad's (Catholic)
  • Dormition of the Mother of God and St Andrew (Greek Orthodox)
  • Provosts of Birmingham Cathedral

References

  • St Philip's Cathedral official site
  • Looking at Buildings - Pevsner Guides - Birmingham