St Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore
Encyclopedia
Saint Andrew's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral
in Singapore
, the country's largest cathedral. It is located near City Hall
MRT Interchange in the Downtown Core
, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district
. It is the Cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Singapore
and the mother church of her 26 parishes and more than 55 congregations here. The logo of the Cathedral is the St Andrew's Cross. The Year 2006 marks the 150th Anniversary of the St Andrew's Church Mission since 1856.
Designed by George Drumgoole Coleman
, the original Saint Andrew's Church was built from 1835 to 1836. The second Church of Saint Andrew was designed by John Turnbull Thomson
and built in circa
1842. Rumours of unhappy spirit
s and damage caused by two lightning
strikes in 1845 and 1849 resulted in its closure in 1852 and subsequent demolition in 1855.
Colonel
Ronald MacPherson, the Executive Engineer
and Superintendent
of convict
s, designed the new church. To cut costs, India
n convict labour was used, as it was for many buildings of the day. The Right Reverend Daniel Wilson, Lord Bishop
of Calcutta, laid the foundation stone on 4 March 1856, and the first service
was held on 1 October 1861. The Right Reverend G.E.L. Cotton, who succeeded Daniel Wilson, had the honour of consecrating the cathedral on 25 January 1862. In 1869, it was transferred from the jurisdiction of Calcutta to the Diocese
of Labuan
and Sarawak
and, in 1870, Archdeacon
John Alleyne Beckles consecrated it as the Cathedral Church of the United Diocese.
Saint Andrew's Cathedral is owned by the Synod
of the Diocese of Singapore, and is a centre for Singapore's Anglican Mission. In 1856, Saint Andrew's Mission launched the first Anglican evangelical
outreach in Singapore. The first Anglican bishop, The Right Reverend J. Ferguson-Davie was appointed in 1909.
In 1942, shortly before the fall of Singapore to the Japanese
, the cathedral served as an emergency hospital
.
An archaeological excavation was held on its grounds in 2004 by the National University of Singapore
.
Saint Andrew's Cathedral was gazette
d as a national monument
on 6 July 1973.
who contributed to many of the important buildings of early colonial Singapore
.
The second cathedral designed by J.T. Thomson had a tower
and spire
but they were not architecturally very satisfactory, and was demolished subsequently after two lightning strikes.
The third, and existing, cathedral was built by Indian convicts. Ronald MacPherson's design for the church, which was consecrated as a cathedral in 1870, has many good qualities and makes a prominent contribution to the Padang
and Singapore's skyline. It was constructed in a Neo-Gothic architectural style, and was finished with Madras chunam. The architect is said to have drawn inspiration for aspects of the design from Netley Abbey
, a ruined thirteenth century church in Hampshire
, England
. The pier
s of the nave
of Saint Andrew's closely resemble the surviving piers at Netley.
Three stained glass
windows dedicated to Sir Stamford Raffles; John Crawfurd
, the first Major Resident
of Singapore; and Major General
William Butterworth, Governor of the Straits Settlements fill the apse
. MacPherson is remembered in the grey and red granite
memorial monument
surmounted by a Maltese cross
in the grounds and by the stained glass
window over the big west door. Jalan Klapa was renamed MacPherson
Road in remembrance of his work.
Saint Andrew's Cathedral expresses its affiliation with the Anglican Communion in England
through three symbolic objects. Set in a pillar
by the lectern
, the Canterbury Stone engraved with a bronze cross was presented by the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Canterbury
and is a sign of Saint Andrew's allegiance to the See of Canterbury . On the column
that supports the pulpit
is the Coventry Cross, made from two silver
-plated iron
nails from the ruins of the 14th century Coventry Cathedral
. The Coronation
Carpet in the Epiphany
Chapel
is a portion of the flax
en carpet that was used for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
in Westminster Abbey
.
The choir director is Mr. Lim Chin Kai. Susan Siaw and Lucille Quek are the choir representatives of the 46 members choir.
There is also a children choir .
The choir director is Connie
Members of the St. Andrew’s Cathedral Choir are very much members of the St. Andrew’s Cathedral community.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, the country's largest cathedral. It is located near City Hall
City Hall, Singapore
The City Hall in Singapore is a national monument gazetted on 14 February 1992. Located in front of the historical Padang and next door to the Supreme Court of Singapore, it was designed and built by the architects of the municipal government, A. Gordans and F. D. Meadows from 1926 to 1929...
MRT Interchange in the Downtown Core
Downtown Core
The Downtown Core is a 266-hectare urban planning area in the south of the city-state of Singapore. The Downtown Core surrounds the mouth of the Singapore River and southeastern portion of its watershed, and is part of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district...
, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. It is the Cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Singapore
Anglican Diocese of Singapore
The Anglican Diocese of Singapore consists of 26 Anglican parishes in Singapore to date and 6 deaneries throughout the Asia region. It has an established history of church-planting as well as providing educational, medical and social services in Singapore and the neighbouring region. The Diocese...
and the mother church of her 26 parishes and more than 55 congregations here. The logo of the Cathedral is the St Andrew's Cross. The Year 2006 marks the 150th Anniversary of the St Andrew's Church Mission since 1856.
History
George Drumgoole Coleman
George Drumgoole Coleman , also known as George Drumgold Coleman, was an Irish civil architect who played an instrumental role in the design and construction of much of the civil infrastructure in Singapore, after the island was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819.Born in Drogheda County Louth,...
, the original Saint Andrew's Church was built from 1835 to 1836. The second Church of Saint Andrew was designed by John Turnbull Thomson
John Turnbull Thomson
John Turnbull Thomson was a British civil engineer and artist who played an instrumental role in the development of the early infrastructure of nineteenth century Singapore and New Zealand. -Biography:...
and built in circa
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1842. Rumours of unhappy spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
s and damage caused by two lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
strikes in 1845 and 1849 resulted in its closure in 1852 and subsequent demolition in 1855.
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Ronald MacPherson, the Executive Engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and Superintendent
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
of convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
s, designed the new church. To cut costs, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n convict labour was used, as it was for many buildings of the day. The Right Reverend Daniel Wilson, Lord Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Calcutta, laid the foundation stone on 4 March 1856, and the first service
Service of worship
In the Protestant denominations of Christianity, a service of worship is a meeting whose primary purpose is the worship of God. The phrase is normally shortened to service. It is also commonly called a worship service...
was held on 1 October 1861. The Right Reverend G.E.L. Cotton, who succeeded Daniel Wilson, had the honour of consecrating the cathedral on 25 January 1862. In 1869, it was transferred from the jurisdiction of Calcutta to the Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Labuan
Labuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
and Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
and, in 1870, Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
John Alleyne Beckles consecrated it as the Cathedral Church of the United Diocese.
Saint Andrew's Cathedral is owned by the Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the Diocese of Singapore, and is a centre for Singapore's Anglican Mission. In 1856, Saint Andrew's Mission launched the first Anglican evangelical
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
outreach in Singapore. The first Anglican bishop, The Right Reverend J. Ferguson-Davie was appointed in 1909.
In 1942, shortly before the fall of Singapore to the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
, the cathedral served as an emergency hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
.
An archaeological excavation was held on its grounds in 2004 by the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
.
Saint Andrew's Cathedral was gazette
Gazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
d as a national monument
National Monuments of Singapore
National Monuments of Singapore are buildings and structures in Singapore that have been designated by the Preservation of Monuments Board as being of special historic, traditional, archaeological, architectural or artistic value....
on 6 July 1973.
Architecture
The first cathedral was designed in the Palladian style by George Drumgoole Coleman, an architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who contributed to many of the important buildings of early colonial Singapore
History of Singapore
The history of Singapore dates to the 11th century. The island rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of Srivijayan prince Parameswara and became an important port until it was destroyed by Acehnese raiders in 1613. The modern history of Singapore began in 1819 when Englishman...
.
The second cathedral designed by J.T. Thomson had a tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
and spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
but they were not architecturally very satisfactory, and was demolished subsequently after two lightning strikes.
The third, and existing, cathedral was built by Indian convicts. Ronald MacPherson's design for the church, which was consecrated as a cathedral in 1870, has many good qualities and makes a prominent contribution to the Padang
Padang, Singapore
The Padang is an open field located within the Downtown Core of the Central Area in Singapore, at the heart of Singapore's central business district. It was formerly known as the Padang Cricket Ground...
and Singapore's skyline. It was constructed in a Neo-Gothic architectural style, and was finished with Madras chunam. The architect is said to have drawn inspiration for aspects of the design from Netley Abbey
Netley Abbey
Netley Abbey is a ruined late medieval monastery in the village of Netley near Southampton in Hampshire, England. The abbey was founded in 1239 as a house for Roman Catholic monks of the austere Cistercian order. Despite being a royal abbey, Netley was never rich, produced no influential scholars...
, a ruined thirteenth century church in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, 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...
. The pier
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
s of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
of Saint Andrew's closely resemble the surviving piers at Netley.
Three stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows dedicated to Sir Stamford Raffles; John Crawfurd
John Crawfurd
John Crawfurd , Scottish physician, and colonial administrator and author, was born in the island of Islay, Scotland...
, the first Major Resident
Resident (title)
A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indirect rule....
of Singapore; and Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
William Butterworth, Governor of the Straits Settlements fill the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. MacPherson is remembered in the grey and red granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
memorial monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
surmounted by a Maltese cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
in the grounds and by the stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
window over the big west door. Jalan Klapa was renamed MacPherson
Macpherson
MacPherson or Macpherson can refer to:*Clan Macpherson, a Scottish clan*MacPherson v. Buick Motor Co.*MacPherson strut, a car suspension system*MacPherson, Singapore*Macpherson Stadium -In sports:...
Road in remembrance of his work.
Saint Andrew's Cathedral expresses its affiliation with the Anglican Communion in 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...
through three symbolic objects. Set in a pillar
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
by the lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
, the Canterbury Stone engraved with a bronze cross was presented by the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
and is a sign of Saint Andrew's allegiance to the See of Canterbury . On the column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
that supports the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
is the Coventry Cross, made from two silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
-plated iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
nails from the ruins of the 14th century Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
. The Coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
Carpet in the Epiphany
Epiphany (Christian)
Epiphany, or Theophany, meaning "vision of God",...
Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
is a portion of the flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
en carpet that was used for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
St Andrew's Cathedral Choir
The St Andrew's Cathedral Choir is the oldest musical institution in Singapore.The choir director is Mr. Lim Chin Kai. Susan Siaw and Lucille Quek are the choir representatives of the 46 members choir.
There is also a children choir .
The choir director is Connie
Members of the St. Andrew’s Cathedral Choir are very much members of the St. Andrew’s Cathedral community.