Plymouth Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Boniface in Plymouth
, England
is the seat of the Bishop of Plymouth
and mother church
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth, which covers the counties of Cornwall
, Devon
and Dorset
. The Diocese of Plymouth was created in 1850, but it has a Pro-cathedral
, Saint Mary. In 1858 the Cathedral was built merging the Church of Saint Mary and the Church of Saint Boniface.
was the seat of the bishops whose diocese included all of Devon and Cornwall. In 1850, under Catholic emancipation, the church at Plymouth became the cathedral centre for Cornwall, Devon and Dorset in the reconstructed Catholic diocesan structure. Initially established as a Pro-cathedral
, St Mary’s Church in Plymouth was subsequently elevated to cathedral status. The first bishop was consecrated
on July 25, 1851: George Errington
, a Yorkshireman who was notable for visiting Dartmoor Prison
weekly. Four years later Bishop Errington was appointed coadjutor Archbishop of Westminster
, and on July 19, 1855, William Vaughan from Bristol
was consecrated the new Bishop of Plymouth.
Vaughan decided to build a cathedral replacing the pro-cathedral. On February 20, 1856, he bought a portion of land on the town's outskirts. It cost £3,904: £1,000 from Mr Bastard and the remaining money was raised throughout the diocese and elsewhere in England. Joseph Hansom
and Charles Hansom were the architects and local men from Stonehouse
built it. Work commenced on June 22, during which a Royal Navy
officer fired new Turkish Man-of-war guns in Plymouth Sound
, which caused subsidence
. The Cathedral was opened with Mass on March 25, 1858 (the Feast of the Annunciation
), and consecrated by Bishop Vaughan on 22 September, 1880.
On July 26, 1860 the Notre Dame sisters, who looked after poor schools, settled in the presbytery
of St Mary’s Church. On October 19, 1858, they purchased land near the Cathedral and opened a convent and girls’ boarding and day school. It was closed after being bombed during the Plymouth Blitz
of 1941. It has now been redeveloped as a residential complex. The Notre Dame R.C. School, Plymouth is now located in the Plymouth suburb of Derriford.
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
is the seat of the Bishop of Plymouth
Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop of Plymouth is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth in the Province of Southwark, England.The diocese covers an area of and consists of the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset...
and mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth, which covers the counties of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. The Diocese of Plymouth was created in 1850, but it has a Pro-cathedral
Pro-cathedral
A pro-cathedral is a parish church that is temporarily serving as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese.-Usage:In Ireland, the term is used to specifically refer to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin since the Reformation, when Christ Church...
, Saint Mary. In 1858 the Cathedral was built merging the Church of Saint Mary and the Church of Saint Boniface.
History
Prior to the Reformation Exeter CathedralExeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon in South West England....
was the seat of the bishops whose diocese included all of Devon and Cornwall. In 1850, under Catholic emancipation, the church at Plymouth became the cathedral centre for Cornwall, Devon and Dorset in the reconstructed Catholic diocesan structure. Initially established as a Pro-cathedral
Pro-cathedral
A pro-cathedral is a parish church that is temporarily serving as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese.-Usage:In Ireland, the term is used to specifically refer to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin since the Reformation, when Christ Church...
, St Mary’s Church in Plymouth was subsequently elevated to cathedral status. The first bishop was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on July 25, 1851: George Errington
George Errington
George Errington , the second son of Thomas Errington and Katherine of Clints Hall, Richmond, Yorkshire, was a Roman Catholic churchman....
, a Yorkshireman who was notable for visiting Dartmoor Prison
Dartmoor (HM Prison)
HM Prison Dartmoor is a Category C men's prison, located in Princetown, high on Dartmoor in the English county of Devon. Its high granite walls dominate this area of the moor...
weekly. Four years later Bishop Errington was appointed coadjutor Archbishop of Westminster
Archbishop of Westminster
The Archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the Metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and, as a matter of custom, is elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and therefore de facto spokesman...
, and on July 19, 1855, William Vaughan from Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
was consecrated the new Bishop of Plymouth.
Vaughan decided to build a cathedral replacing the pro-cathedral. On February 20, 1856, he bought a portion of land on the town's outskirts. It cost £3,904: £1,000 from Mr Bastard and the remaining money was raised throughout the diocese and elsewhere in England. Joseph Hansom
Joseph Hansom
Joseph Aloysius Hansom was a prolific English architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style, who invented the Hansom cab and was one of the founders of the eminent architectural journal, The Builder, in 1843....
and Charles Hansom were the architects and local men from Stonehouse
Stonehouse, Plymouth
East Stonehouse is one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth. West Stonehouse was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall...
built it. Work commenced on June 22, during which a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer fired new Turkish Man-of-war guns in Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a bay at Plymouth in England.Its southwest and southeast corners are Penlee Point in Cornwall and Wembury Point on Devon, a distance of about 3 nautical miles . Its northern limit is Plymouth Hoe giving a north-south distance of nearly 3 nautical miles...
, which caused subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
. The Cathedral was opened with Mass on March 25, 1858 (the Feast of the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
), and consecrated by Bishop Vaughan on 22 September, 1880.
On July 26, 1860 the Notre Dame sisters, who looked after poor schools, settled in the presbytery
Presbyterian polity
Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...
of St Mary’s Church. On October 19, 1858, they purchased land near the Cathedral and opened a convent and girls’ boarding and day school. It was closed after being bombed during the Plymouth Blitz
Plymouth Blitz
The Plymouth Blitz was a series of bombing raids carried out by the Nazi German Luftwaffe on the English city of Plymouth in the Second World War. The bombings launched on numerous British cities were known as the Blitz....
of 1941. It has now been redeveloped as a residential complex. The Notre Dame R.C. School, Plymouth is now located in the Plymouth suburb of Derriford.
External links
- www.plymouthcathedral.co.uk, website of Plymouth Cathedral.
- www.plymouth-diocese.org.uk, website of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth.