An earlier cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1067, shortly after the Norman Conquest and rebuilding began under the first Norman archbishop, Lanfranc, whose elaborate plans goaded the archbishop of York into a frenzy of building. Lanfranc had claimed primacy for his cathedral over York. York wasn’t having it and built its own cathedral, York Minster, on a scale to rival Canterbury. Read more about York Minster here.
Treasures to see on your visit
For such a big story, it’s surprising that today only a small altar marks the site of Thomas Becket’s murder in the cathedral. It was erected after the visit of Pope John Paul II to the cathedral. He commented that he had visited memorials to St Thomas Becket all over the world, but here in his own cathedral there was nothing to remember him by.
Becket’s body was taken to the crypt after his murder, today in that crypt you’ll find an evocative sculpture by the artist Antony Gormley, most famous for his Angel of the North artwork. Made from old iron nails taken from the repaired roof of the cathedral, it outlines the shape of a floating body and is suspended above the site of the first tomb of the archbishop.
Check out the medieval wall art in St Gabriel’s chapel – left intact throughout the Reformation as the chapel was walled up; the Great South Window, featuring some of the oldest stained glass in the world, dating from 1175, and considered to be one of the most famous works of English medieval painting; and the ship’s bell from HMS Canterbury, which is rang every day at 11am.
The Canterbury monks’ medieval priory is now the cathedral chapter house, with its own separate entrance through the cloisters outside. Monks often worked on transcribing manuscripts in the cloisters, where the light was better for doing such delicately detailed work. The priory dates from the Norman period with later Gothic additions. The timber ceiling is a rare example of a surviving 600-year-old design – most were destroyed by fire. The glass in the windows is Victorian, though the masonry surrounding them is medieval.
Important tombs include the grave of King Henry IV and the tomb of the Black Prince, Edward of Woodstock, the oldest son of Edward III, who died before he could inherit the throne.
Canterbury: cathedral city
Canterbury is surely one of the most atmospheric and attractive cities in England, with its medieval winding streets, river location and ancient city walls. It has been one of the country’s biggest attractions for centuries, from the pilgrims who came to pay homage to the shrine of Thomas Becket in the cathedral to the countless numbers of tourists who flock there every year.
Where to stay: Take up residence in the cathedral grounds – Canterbury Cathedral Lodge is a comfortable modern hotel and conference centre that offers you the chance to wake up to stunning cathedral views. Not only that, you get free admission to the cathedral and can go in and out as many times as you like.
What to do: The Canterbury Heritage Museum showcases everything from the city’s Roman history to the assassination of Thomas Becket, and the museum also houses the Rupert Bear Museum. Mary Tourtel, who created Rupert, was a Canterbury local.
For more history and a deeper look into Canterbury’s Roman past, there’s the Roman Museum or you can get cultural at the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge, with its museum and art gallery. The Eastbridge Hospital, set up for pilgrims, soldiers and the elderly in 1180, is also well worth a visit for its Romanesque undercroft, chapel and 16th century almshouses, all sitting across Britain’s most ancient road bridge, which is over 800 years old.
Nearby, St Martin’s Church is the oldest parish church in England in continuous use and you can also visit the ruins of Augustine’s Abbey, which is part of Canterbury’s World Heritage Site and dates from 597. A small museum on the site tells the story of the re-establishment of Christianity in all of England from here.
Cathedrals of Britain: London and the South East by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword and on sale for £12.99
]]>Known as the ‘Ship of the Fens’, Ely Cathedral rises majestically from the surrounding landscape. Once it stood on an island, surrounded on all sides by water, but the draining of the Fens marshland several centuries ago reunited the land around the cathedral with the rest of the countryside. It still retains some of that other-worldly allure however and today rises magically from the early morning mists. The first church on this site was founded by a woman, Ethelreda, a 7th century Anglo-Saxon princess, although buiding on the present cathedral didn’t start until 1081.
Lincoln
On top of one of the steepest hills in Britain, Lincoln cathedral can be seen from most parts of the county and was described by the Victorian critic John Ruskin as ‘the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles’. For a time in the Middle Ages, it was the tallest building in the world and is one of the few English cathedrals standing on the rock it is built from. Founded in 1072 by William the Conqueror’s travelling companion and supporter, the Benedictine monk Remigius, today its great west front is all that remains of the original Norman building.
Norwich
Built by the Normans soon after their victory at Hastings in 1066, Norwich Cathedral and nearby Norwich Castle were clear demonstrations of the invaders’ power and influence in what was then England’s second biggest city. As much a political statement as a religious one, the cathedral’s narrow nave with its soaring height and dramatic vaulting was deliberately sized to create the impression of power and grandeur. Its foundation stone was laid at the east end of the building in 1096.
Lichfield
Founded in the 8th century and filled with delicate angels, Lichfield Cathedral has come close to destruction several times over the centuries. The three spires of the cathedral are known locally as ‘the ladies of the vale’ and can be seen from all directions – but by the time they were completed there had already been a cathedral on the site for 600 years. The first church was built in 700, then demolished and rebuilt by the Normans in the 11 century, while today’s cathedral dates mainly from the 1400s.
Peterborough
While considerably less revered than its famous neighbours in Ely, Norwich and Lincoln, Peterborough cathedral has great historical significance and holds many treasures. It is one of the finest Norman buildings in the country and one of the few medieval cathedrals whose core structure remains essentially the same as it was on completion. Its 13th century wooden ceiling is the only one of its type in the UK and one of only four from this period surviving in all of Europe. It’s the final resting place for one of the nation’s most famous queens and maybe just have inspired part of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
St Edmundsbury
A modestly sized and recently conferred cathedral, St Edmundsbury received its status in 1914 when the former parish church of St James became the cathedral for the newly created diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. But it has a huge and unique heritage, sharing its site with a spectacular ruined abbey laid out over several acres that marks it as a place of religious worship for over 1,000 years. And its other unique aspect is a more contemporary one. It boasts the country’s newest cathedral tower, a mere infant in the grand scheme of cathedral histories, completed in 2005.
Oxford
England’s smallest cathedral, Christ Church Oxford survives today due to a series of fortunate coincidences. One of the oldest buildings in Oxford, it dates from the 12th century and as well as a cathedral, it’s the chapel for Christ Church College, one of the largest and wealthiest colleges in the university. It has strong links with several monarchs and famous literary figures and, unusually, its patron saint, Frideswide, is a woman. But it hasn’t been without controversy, particularly in more recent times.
Cathedrals of Britain: East and Central by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here
Read more
Around the UK in 30 cathedrals
Cathedrals of Britain: London and the South East – Canterbury, St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, Southwark, Westminster Cathedral, Rochester, Chichester
Cathedrals of Britain: West, South West and Wales – Winchester, Salisbury, Wells, Gloucester, Exeter, St Davids, St Asaph’s
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland – York, Durham, Ripon, Wakefield, Sheffield, Bradfield, Edinburgh, Aberdeen
Image credit: Lichfield Cathedral, Bernadette Fallon
]]>York
York Minster is one of the biggest Medieval Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe and holds half of all the Medieval stained-glass in England. As the Mother Church of the Northern Province, it’s one of Britain’s most important spiritual centres and the seat not only of a bishop but an archbishop. It costs £20,000 a day to run and employs a full-time staff of 200, including thirty permanent glaziers and stonemasons, as well as 500 volunteers. Read more
Durham
Durham Cathedral was founded in 1093 when the Byzantine empire was in its heyday, the Nubian kingdom was at the peak of its power and Vikings were still roaming Europe. Today the Byzantines are gone and Vikings confined to fancy dress parties, but Durham Cathedral still stands and its soaring architecture remains, in the words of Sir Walter Scott, ‘Half church of God, half castle ‘gainst the Scot’. Read more
Ripon
Ripon cathedral may hold the body of one of the greatest early saints of England and might just have provided the inspiration for one of the best-known books in the English language. But we do know this for sure. While this is not the oldest church building in the UK, the 7th-century crypt at Ripon dates from 672 and predates every existing cathedral in the country. Read more
Wakefield
The spire of Wakefield Cathedral is the tallest in Yorkshire. At 75 metres, it dominates the skyline for miles around. But the honour of marking the area as a place of Christian worship for 1,000 years goes to a much smaller and humbler monument. So humble, in fact, it was discovered being used as a lowly doorstep in a barber’s shop in Westgate back in the 1800s. Read more
Sheffield
Political intrigue and power struggles. Royal prisoners. England’s most famous cardinal on the run. A queen in bondage. Sheffield has seen it all and the cathedral has been central to much of the action. But if you view cathedrals as remote lofty spaces, standing apart from modern times and outside contemporary culture, a visit to Sheffield may cure you. Read more
Bradford
The entry for Bradford in the Domesday Book, 1086 merely records ‘Ilbert hath it. It is waste’. But from those inauspicious beginnings, Bradford has grown from a crossing place that became a market to an important industrial town and multi-cultural city. And the city’s cathedral, which received its status in 1919, reflects this history throughout the building with its memorials, shrines and stories. Read on
St Giles, Edinburgh
A place of worship for nearly 900 years, St Giles Cathedral has played a tumultuous part in Scottish history and has been a legendary scene of revolts and reconciliations. Today, as well as being Edinburgh’s chief seat of worship and a spiritual centre for the community, it holds a special place within its walls for royalty. And dogs. Read on
St Machar’s, Aberdeen
It had an auspicious beginning but has also been the site of much destruction and dispute, attacked by wars, the Reformation and the weather. It’s thought to be the final resting place for Scotland’s famous hero William Wallace. Well, part of him at least. It’s said that in 1305 the left quarter of his body was brought to Aberdeen after his grisly execution in London by Edward I and interred within the wall of the new cathedral. Read on
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here
Read more
Around the UK in 30 cathedrals
Cathedrals of Britain: London and the South East – Canterbury, St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, Southwark, Westminster Cathedral, Rochester, Chichester
Cathedrals of Britain: West, South West and Wales – Winchester, Salisbury, Wells, Gloucester, Exeter, St Davids, St Asaph’s
Cathedrals of Britain: East and Central – Ely, Lichfield, Norwich, Lincoln, Peterborough, St Edmundsbury, Oxford
Image credit: York Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral is vast. It is the longest cathedral in Britain, stretching 169m from the west entrance to the east end, and one of the biggest medieval churches in the world. Its stone floor is cracked and uneven, worn by centuries of pilgrims, and part of it even slopes But whatever its physical state, its spiritual place is among the elite. The cathedral is in the one-time capital city of England and is one of the country’s most important. Winchester was established as England’s capital by the Saxon King Alfred, centuries before London laid claim to the title.
Salisbury Cathedral
It’s one of the most quintessentially English cathedrals and its spire is the tallest in the country. Set in lush meadows by a river, Constable painted about 300 different versions of it over his lifetime. It is unusual among its medieval counterparts in not evolving piecemeal, section by section, but was built as a single creation in the 13th century. And it’s actually the third establishment to hold the name of Salisbury Cathedral, but the first one to occupy this site.
Wells Cathedral
It was a Roman mausoleum in the 5th century and the Church of Aldhelm in the 8th. It was a cathedral in 909, though subsequently lost its status for nearly 200 years. The present building was started in the 12th century, and the magnificent west front, the first part of the cathedral that most people see, is decorated with one of the largest collections of medieval statues in Europe. Though the days when it was a beacon of colour, covered in bright reds, blues and greens and alive with song as the voices of choristers and the sounds of trumpets rang out between the statues, are long gone.
Gloucester Cathedral
It has crowned a king and buried a king and is one of only six former abbeys refounded as cathedrals after Henry VIII closed all the others during the Reformation. And it’s considered one of the finest examples of the Perpendicular Gothic style in all of Britain. But if Westminster Abbey claims to have crowned every monarch since William the Conqueror, who’s telling lies? All shall be revealed…
Exeter Cathedral
The site of Exeter Cathedral has been a Christian place of worship since the Roman period. In its time it has been an Anglo-Saxon monastery that educated the county’s most famous saint, a home for part of the true cross, and the site of a grisly murder. The cathedral that exists today was started by a nephew of William the Conqueror. Though not much of it has lasted. The most obvious remains of that mighty Norman building from the 1100s are the solid twin towers, best appreciated from the green lawns that surround the cathedral. By the 1270s the Romanesque cathedral was being demolished to make way for a bigger, grander and much brighter Gothic building with magnificent architectural features. Today the Gothic stone vaulted ceiling at Exeter is the longest in the world.
St Davids Cathedral
Walking down the gentle slope from the city of St Davids, the cathedral unfolds itself dramatically against the sky, stretched across a lush green valley and enjoying one of the most stunning settings of any cathedral in the country. It is built on the site of St Davids Monastery, the former priory that became a place of pilgrimage after David’s death in 589, eight years before St Augustine arrived in Kent to spread Christianity.
St Asaph’s Cathedral
In a tiny city, the second-smallest in Britain, you’ll find the nation’s smallest cathedral. St Asaph’s measures just 182 feet from the west door to the east end and is 68 feet wide. And this city close to the north coast of Wales has an interesting connection with Scotland, which is the reason the cathedral exists here today.
Cathedrals of Britain: West, South West and Wales by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here
Read more
Around the UK in 30 cathedrals
Cathedrals of Britain: London and the South East – Canterbury, St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, Southwark, Westminster Cathedral, Rochester, Chichester
Cathedrals of Britain: East and Central – Ely, Lichfield, Norwich, Lincoln, Peterborough, St Edmundsbury, Oxford
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland – York, Durham, Ripon, Wakefield, Sheffield, Bradfield, Edinburgh, Aberdeen
Image credit: Salisbury Cathedral by Ash Mills
Canterbury Cathedral
Murder in the cathedral. Pilgrims on procession. A saint’s shrine lost forever. The Mother Church, not only of all England but of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the seat of the most powerful archbishop in the country. Canterbury Cathedral has seen it all in 1,400 years of history and today is one of the most famous church buildings in Europe.
St Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul’s is one of the oldest religious sites in Britain, established at the foundation of English Christianity itself. With a few caveats.The Benedictine monk Augustine is usually credited with bringing Christianity to Britain, under the instruction of Pope Gregory in 597. He landed on the coast of Kent and founded Canterbury Cathedral, which accordingly became the Mother Church of all England. Seven years later, Augustine sent a party of monks to London where they founded the first St Paul’s.
But while St Paul’s is the oldest site of religious worship in the capital, the current building, completed in 1708, is one of its newest cathedrals. It also holds the rare distinction of being built solely for the Protestant faith. Unlike most of its English cathedral counterparts that were originally Catholic buildings converted for Protestant worship following the 16th-century Reformation, the current St Paul’s was built as a Protestant cathedral.
Westminster Abbey
When you walk through Westminster Abbey you are walking through 1,000 years of history, and on 3,500 bodies. That’s how many rest in the graves beneath your feet. Kings and queens. Prime ministers and statesmen. Writers and musicians. Scientists and inventors. Built for the glory of God and a place for royalty to worship, the abbey today is a fascinating record of the history of British rule and government, power, discovery and achievement.
It’s not in fact a cathedral, but a Royal Peculiar, granted this important and rather unusual status in 1534, when King Henry VIII relieved the pope of his duties as head of the church. And together with the Palace of Westminster and St Margaret’s Church, known as the parish church of the House of Commons, it forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Abbey has also been the site of every English coronation since the 11th century.
Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral is often overshadowed by its famous neighbour St Paul’s on the other side of the River Thames. Located on London’s south side, Southwark was historically associated with low-life and revelry, with theatres, bear-baiting and ladies of the night. While St Paul’s in the City of London was at the centre of trade, commerce and wealth. In the city, the bankers clinked their gold, across the river the bawdy clinked their ale mugs.
But don’t fall victim to the hype. Southwark Cathedral or, to give it its proper name, the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, is a gem on the south bank of the river. A walk around this beautiful building will reveal rich links with literature and theatre, with commerce and royalty, and with the fascinating colourful history of this part of London. And Southwark has one particularly precious possession that is the envy of St Paul’s. A resident cat called Doorkins Magnificat.
Westminster Cathedral
Before you explore the grand Westminster Cathedral, the largest and most important Catholic church in England and Wales, take some time to climb to the top of its mighty Byzantine tower that dominates the landscape around London Victoria. Looking over these streets that were once swampland, it’s a good place to reflect on the difficulties this church has overcome to exist. It’s still only half- finished in fact, 122 years after the first foundation stone was laid, as you will see when you go back downstairs.
Rochester Cathedral
Sharing a close birth date with its nearby neighbour Canterbury, Rochester Cathedral was founded by Augustine’s monks in 604, just seven years after they landed on the coast of Kent from Rome. Today, nothing exists above ground of this original building but the cathedral’s fascinating history, stunning architecture and beautiful Romanesque facade puts it firmly on the list of must-sees. It also has one of the oldest doors in England, which can be viewed by special appointment as befits an entrance of its extreme seniority.
Chichester Cathedral
Chichester is the only English cathedral that can be seen from the sea, making it an important site for sailors as well as Christians. It houses a notable collection of modern artworks – including a bespoke Chagall – has hosted the likes of Gustav Holst and Leonard Bernstein, and inspired one of the most famous love poems in the English language. By a rather unlikely ‘love poet’ – the former Poet Laureate Philip Larkin.
Cathedrals of Britain: London and the South East by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here
Read more
Around the UK in 30 cathedrals
Cathedrals of Britain: East and Central – Ely, Lichfield, Norwich, Lincoln, Peterborough, St Edmundsbury, Oxford
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland – York, Durham, Ripon, Wakefield, Sheffield, Bradfield, Edinburgh, Aberdeen
Cathedrals of Britain: West, South West and Wales – Winchester, Salisbury, Wells, Gloucester, Exeter, St Davids, St Asaph’s
Image credit: Southwark Cathedral by Rob Wilson Jnr, Fluid4Sight
Would I like to spend 11 months visiting 30 cathedrals across the UK and write 4 books about them?
Ever since I moved to the UK at the start of the millennium, I have been fascinated by cathedrals. The power, the glory and the majesty of them. Their sheer size and bulk. Their unbroken link with the past, back to the Middle Ages and Roman times and, even before that, to Pagan times and prehistory when the sites of today’s magnificent buildings were shrines and places of ritual.
Cathedrals are the oldest buildings in continuous use in their communities. They are a living link with our ancient past and with the lives of the people who have gone before us. But most of all, they are filled with stories. And it was mainly those stories that fascinated me.
So, getting a commission to write about 30 of the greatest cathedrals in Britain in a series of four books was my dream job. I didn’t even care when my arthritic hip packed up two weeks before I was due to start which meant I had to do the journey on crutches.
Starting in Scotland and the north of England, one of the main seats of ecclesiastical power in the country (Book 1), I travelled south as far the coast and the only cathedral that can be seen from the sea (Book 2). I went right through the centre of the country, to some of the most famous cathedrals of all (Book 3), and finished up heading west, all the way into Wales and the smallest cathedral in the UK (Book 4).
As well as the cathedrals, I wrote about the cities that grew up around them, unravelling history and finding out what makes them great today. It was a fantastic project to work on – even on crutches.
I visited Ely Cathedral early in 2017. While I was there, I saw a touring exhibition by photographer Peter Marlow called ‘The English Cathedral’. These photographs of the naves of 42 cathedrals of the Church of England were all shot from the same position, looking east towards the altar, as dawn broke through the main window.
Sadly, Peter had died the year before, following complications from an illness, but before he died had published a book of his cathedral photographs, writing in the introduction: ‘How many times a year do you wake up excited by what is going to happen that day? I felt that way on my cathedral days.’
And, as I got up in the morning on my own ‘cathedral days’, I felt it too. Excited to find out more about the stories that have shaped these mighty buildings and their mixed and sometimes magical, often bloody, histories. Excited to explore the cathedral cities. And to go on a magical journey.
Book 1: Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland
Book 2: Cathedrals of Britain: London and the South East
Book 3: Cathedrals of Britain: West, South West and Wales
Book 4: Cathedrals of Britain: East and Central
Top cathedral cities of Britain
It’s the site of one of the most famous murders in English history and the destination for Chaucer’s classic tales. The original Canterbury cathedral is oldest cathedral in England and its contemporary foundation marks the Christian conversion of a large part of the country. It’s the Mother Church, not only of all England but of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the seat of the most powerful archbishop in the country. Read more
York
York Minster is one of the biggest Medieval Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe and holds half of all the Medieval stained-glass in England. It costs £20,000 a day to run and employs a full-time staff of 200, including thirty permanent glaziers and stonemasons, as well as 500 volunteers. The city of York began life as a Roman garrison, used by Hadrian as the base for his northern campaign. It later became the Viking capital of Britain for a hundred years and the name ‘York’ is derived from its Viking name ‘Jorvik’. Read more
Durham
Durham Cathedral was founded in 1093 when the Byzantine empire was in its heyday, the Nubian kingdom was at the peak of its power and Vikings were still roaming Europe. Several centuries later its soaring architecture remains, in the words of Sir Walter Scott, ‘Half church of God, half castle ‘gainst the Scot’. The mighty Romanesque building still dominates the Durham city landscape; next door the 11th century Durham Castle forms part of the halls of residence for Durham university. Read more
Ripon
Ripon cathedral may hold the body of one of the greatest early saints of England and might just have provided the inspiration for one of the best-known books in the English language. Steeped in history, the 7th-century crypt at Ripon dates from 672 and predates every cathedral in the country. The city of Ripon has its own ancient historical traditions; every night at 9pm a horn-blower sounds his horn at each corner of the obelisk in the square to set the night watch, a ritual that dates back over a thousand years. Read more
St Giles, Edinburgh
A place of worship for nearly 900 years, St Giles Cathedral has played a tumultuous part in Scottish history and has been a legendary scene of revolts and reconciliations. Today, as well as being Edinburgh’s chief seat of worship and a spiritual centre for the community, it holds a special place within its walls for royalty. And dogs. Meanwhile Edinburgh city is brimming with history and culture – and just a short journey from the sea. Read on
The Cathedrals of Britain series by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here
It’s believed that St Giles was founded around 1124 by King David and named in memory of a 7th century Greek hermit, the patron saint of – among other things – lepers. Only a few of the stones of the original medieval building remain and today the oldest part of the cathedral is believed to be the sanctuary at the crossing, dating from the early 1300s.
It’s played host to many famous characters over the years, including minister John Knox, one of the foremost proponents of the Reformation in Scotland, Jenny Geddes who may have been responsible for the start of the Civil War that overthrew the monarchy and the Knights of the Most Ancient and Most Noble of the Thistle, who have their own regal chapel in the cathedral. And John Knox is the reason dogs are welcomed in the cathedral, which is a very interesting story…
Have a look in St Giles at the 15th century Preston aisle, the former resting place of the arm bone of St Giles that now holds medieval monuments, grave stones and carvings; the stunning stained-glass window created in memory to the Marquis of Montrose, executed as a Royalist in 1650; and a wonderful set of memorials around the building to the great writers of Scotland.
For more information visit Stgilescathedral.org.uk
Edinburgh: cathedral city
It’s an exciting city, vibrant and buzzing with a great cultural scene, lively social life and centuries of fascinating history. The buildings are imposing and the views quite amazing from the hilly twists and turns of the old streets. And it’s on the sea, just a short bus or train ride from the city centre.
What to do: The Royal Mile is home to the cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, the Scottish Parliament, the house of John Knox and the beautiful Princes Street Gardens, all worth a visit; at the end of the ‘Mile’ the Palace of Holyroodhouse is the Royal Family’s official residence in Scotland and open to the public; the Edinburgh Festival, comprising the Festival Fringe, the International Festival, the Military Tattoo and the International Book Festival, runs throughout August and is world-famous but accommodation in the city is at a premium for the month.
Where to stay: The Scotsman Hotel, close to the main railway station, is housed in the former newspaper office and a plush retreat in the heart of the city.
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here
Aberdeen Cathedral, more properly known as The Cathedral Church of St Machar, has played a part in the fight for Scottish independence in conflicts that raged throughout the Middle Ages. This conflict goes deep into the very foundation of the church itself. And has created one of the cathedral’s most controversial situations. Because St Machar’s lost its cathedral status during the Reformation – like so many other cathedrals around the UK. But, unlike them, St Machar’s never had its status restored. So, despite the name, today it’s not a cathedral at all.
St Machar was a 6th century Celtic saint, a follower of the Irish St Columba who is credited with spreading Christianity in Scotland and the north of England. Machar established a place of worship in Old Aberdeen around 580 and there’s good evidence that this 6th-century place of worship was on the site of today’s cathedral. In 1131, King David I of Scotland moved a bishopric – the district under a bishop’s control – from Mortlach to the cathedral’s current site in Aberdeen because of its links with St Machar’s church and by 1165 a cathedral in the Norman style had largely been completed on this site.
Its treasures include Bishop Dunbar’s heraldic ceiling, with its 48 shields of Scotland’s bishops and archbishops, Europe’s royal houses and the Kings of Scotland, which dates from 1520; the 12th century Sanctuary Cross, whose origins go back to the early day of the cathedral and Machar himself and the wooden Barbour Tryptich dedicated to the 14th century poet John Barbour who wrote the epic poem ‘The Brus’ and who was for 40 years Archdeacon of Aberdeen. You’ll find more treasures outside the cathedral, where some of the original walls of the crossing and transepts can still be seen, left behind when this part of the building fell down.
Aberdeen: cathedral city
Located in Aberdeenshire on the east coast of Scotland, this has from medieval times has been one of the richest and most fertile regions of the Highlands and also home to Aberdeen Angus cattle.
What to do: The King’s Museum has an interesting exhibition of 18th century artefacts from the university, housed in the Old Town House, which also has a visitors’ centre and tells the story of the local history. Aberdeen Art Gallery shows contemporary Scottish and English works, alongside historical collections such as the Pre-Raphaelites, housed behind a grand old façade. The 210-year-old Glen Garioch distillery is just a few miles outside the city and has been producing single malt since 1797 – you can visit the room where 40,000 tonnes of barley were once turned by hand.
Where to stay: For some old world glamour, the Aberdeen Malmaison hotel and spa is a beautiful granite building on the outskirts of the city and its brasserie is renowned for its steaks.
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here
The earliest records of a church on this site date back to the 11th century, but findings on the site – carved stones thought to be part of a Saxon preaching cross – suggest this place was used for Christian worship as far back as the 7th century.
The oldest part of today’s cathedral is the nave, which dates from 1458, closely followed by the tower, added in 1508 and featuring, a century later, Bradford’s first public clock. Stones for other parts of the cathedral were used in its building, the date 1281 can be in the wall alongside the spiral staircase, carved by the master mason.
There are some fine examples of the work of William Morris here, the windows he designed that hold 30,000 separate pieces of stained glass. Earlier treasures include the remains of an Anglo-Saxon cross, a medieval piscine holding stone from the Garden of Gethsemane and – a quirky piece of history – the old worn steps leading up to the rood loft that existed before the 16th century Reformation.
Bradford: cathedral city
It’s come a long way since its industrialised past, but part of the charm of this new cosmopolitan city is the interesting way it has incorporated that heritage into its modern fabric.
What to do: Experience the city’s history with a walk through its streets, from Little Germany, the former world centre for the wool trade with its 19th century buildings, to Market St’s Wool Exchange, today the home of contemporary shops and cafes; visit the National Media Museum, celebrating Bradford’s unique position as the world’s first UNESCO City of Film; outside the city there’s Moorside Mills, a former spinning mill turned museum and former aristocratic homes, Bolling Hall with its medieval connections and Cartwright Hall in Lister Park, the home of Bradford industrialists.
Where to stay: Dating from 1885, the Midland Hotel is a throw-back to the days of glamorous railway hotels with its grand foyer, glittering chandeliers and old-world style. Its hosted Laurel and Hardy, The Beatles and the actor Sir Henry Irving in his very last minutes in the world – he died on the main staircase.
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here
The beginnings of the holy site of Wakefield Cathedral can be dated to at least the 11th century, following a 21st century discovery. A burial cist was discovered in the south aisle of the nave in 2012 and the bones unearthed radiocarbon-dated to between 970 and 1150.
The people buried here would almost certainly have worshipped at the 10th century Saxon cross, discovered in the 1800s being used as a doorstep, that is believed to have stood outside. Today you’ll still find a Saxon cross here, but this is not the original, even though it has been carved, as it would have been back then, by hand with a hammer and chisel.
What’s that inside the door?
Moving from the cross to the interior of the cathedral, you’ll find another symbol of devotion just inside the door. The labyrinth is another modern manifestation of ancient worship here in the cathedral. With their roots in Pagan cultures, labyrinths have been found all over the world – from Peru to ancient Greece – and are associated with ancient pilgrimage routes and rituals of self-discovery.
Other fascinating features to look out for in Wakefield include the rood screen with its mix of architectural styles from the 1400s through to the 1600s to Victorian times, located at the entrance to the quire and sanctuary, and in the quire a number of carvings including the large owl, carved to mark a 15th century wedding and the ‘mooning man’ with naked bottom peeping out through his legs. And outside the cathedral, don’t forget to look up – to the tallest spire in Yorkshire, standing proud at 75m.
Wakefield: cathedral city
This West Yorkshire city is located on the edge of the Pennines on the River Calder, an important trading position that brought it great wealth in the 19th century. Fortunes declined in the later part of the 20th century, as manufacturing and mining industries stopped production and the Wakefield coal mines were among the first in the country to close in the 1980s. Investment in the 21st century has brought about regeneration, particularly in the historic areas along the city’s waterfront and around the Wakefield Westfield station yard.
What to see: The Hepworth Wakefield is named in honour of local sculptor Barbara Hepworth, exhibiting a large part of her work as well as that of Henry Moore, another local; Wakefield One houses the Wakefield museum and library, and among its treasures is a collection of preserved animals brought back to the UK by Victorian explorer Charles Waterton; the National Coal Mining Museum traces the area’s industrial past and offers the chance to descend 140 metres under the ground into one of the oldest coal mines in Britain, while historic castles Sandal and Pontefract were battlegrounds and prisons for some of England’s most famous medieval kings.
Where to stay: Explorer Charles Waterton’s former home, Walton Hall, is a Palladian-style stately manor turned hotel with its own moat, located on the outskirts of the city and now known as Waterton Park Hotel.
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here