Truro Cathedral Totally Explained

Everything about Truro Cathedral totally explained

The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Truro is an Anglican cathedral located in the city of Truro, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. It was the first cathedral to be built in Britain since the golden age of cathedral building in the Middle Ages, and the only to be begun and completed during the nineteenth century. It was built in the Gothic Revival architectural style fashionable during the period, and is one of only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom with three spires.

History

Construction began in 1880 on the site of the sixteenth-century parish church (St Mary the Virgin) to a design by the architect John Loughborough Pearson, a leading figure of the 19th Century Gothic Revival. The design combines the early English style with certain French characteristics, chiefly spires and rose windows. Truro's resemblance to Lincoln Cathedral isn't coincidental. Pearson had been appointed as Lincoln's Cathedral Architect and the first Bishop of Truro, Edward Benson, had previously been Canon Chancellor at Lincoln. The central tower and spire stands 250 feet (76 metres) tall, while the western towers reach to 200 feet (61 metres).
   An original aisle of St Mary's church is still contained within the south-east corner of the cathedral and still functions as the city centre's parish church. Because the Cathedral is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, there's no Lady Chapel, but there's a Jesus Chapel. Truro has a further unusual feature – a slight bend in its plan: because the cathedral is situated in the heart of the city there was little room with houses and shops packed closely about on all sides. In order to accommodate the cathedral it was necessary to bend the building six feet northward.
   Two foundation stones were laid in 1880 and the first section of the cathedral was consecrated in 1887. The central tower was completed by 1905 and the building was completed with the opening of the two western towers in 1910. Pearson died in 1897 and the work of his architectural practice was continued by his son, Frank.
   The Cathedral attracts over 200,000 visitors a year and was the location for the first service of Nine Lessons and Carols, devised by Bishop Edward White Benson for Christmas Eve, 1880. In 2002 the East End was completely renovated and restored with some of the ornate Bath stone replaced with harder wearing Syerford stone. In 2005 the West Front was restored similarly. Both projects were supervised by MRDA Architects of London, the Cathedral architects.

Organs

A fine new organ of four manuals and forty-five stops built by Henry Willis was installed in 1887, since when it has seen very little alteration. One of many built to a standard design, the combination of its superb voicing and the Cathedral's fine acoustics have given it a reputation as one of the finest organs in the world. More of its history can be seen on its page

on the Cathedral website, while its specification can be seen on its entry

on the National Pipe Organ Register.
The other main organ in the Cathedral is a two-manual instrument in the St Mary's Aisle, the sole remnant of the former parish church. It was originally built by Renatus Harris and was installed in Truro in 1750 by John Byfield (External Link

). It was re-installed in the temporary church in 1880, but was significantly rebuilt and reduced in size in 1887 for installation in its current location (External Link

). There is also a four-stop continuo organ by Kenneth Tickell (External Link

Organists

1881 George Robertson Sinclair
1890 Mark James Monk
1920 Hubert Stanley Middleton
1926 John Dykes Bower
1929 Guillaume Ormond
1971 John Winter
1989 David Briggs
1994 Andrew Nethsingha
2002 Robert Sharpe
2008 Christopher Gray (from September)

Photo gallery

Image:TruroCathedral-BVM-fromSW-01.jpg|The Cathedral seen from the South-West Image:TruroCathedral-StMary-fromE-01.jpg|The Cathedral seen from the East in 1913 Image:Truro Cathedral in 1905, before completion of its spire.jpg|The Cathedral in 1905, before completion of the central tower. The former south aisle of the old church (St Mary's Aisle) can be seen in the foreground. Image:TruroCathedralRain.jpg|The Cathedral seen from the South-East. The St Mary's Aisle can be seen in the foreground, plus the tower with which Pearson provided it. Image:Truro Cathedral 1.jpg|The West Front looking across High Cross Image:TruroCathedralWest.jpg|The West front Image:Truro_rooftops.jpg|The Cathedral seen over Truro's rooftops Further Information

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