The main front doors of the Cathedral have ornate wrought iron gates. The other front doors have ornate iron hinges and decoration. This side door is set in a four layer alcove with columns and arches, and a finely decorated apex. Like many Cathedrals these days, St Peter’s is open to the public every day for sheer enjoyment, worship and quiet meditation. Volunteers are ready to answer questions, and there are regular guided tours. PLAN
22. ENTRY ORNAMENTATION
Above the central pair of front doors we find some beautiful fine decoration. There are two lower trefoil patterns of vine (or ivy?) leaves, and above, a central circular design with four circular arcs also decorated with vine leaves, surrounding ... but what is this central symbol? Close up, we see that it is a common Christogram based on the first three letters of Jesus in Greek (IH∑OY∑, semi-Latinized: IHSOVS). Time to enter the Cathedral!
23. BELL RINGERS IN ACTION
The Cathedral bells are located in the North West tower. The entry to the Bell Tower is from the nave balcony; however, this area is not normally open to the public. The Ringers’ room is square and fairly plain, with steep steps coming up in the centre. The room is lined with various plaques and memorabilia. The eight bells are rung from 10.00 - 10:30 am for the Choral Eucharist every Sunday morning and for special services and events.
24. BELL RINGING CENTRE
A world-leading centre has been set up in the Southwest Tower. It features: • A set of eight dumbbells, connected via sensors to software, allowing for a wide range simulated ringing. • Audiovisual facilities including cameras. • A seminar facility. • An extensive library. • A set of handbells for handbell training and ringing. • Network facilities to watch the bells and ringers live via video link. • A video outlet facility in the Cathedral narthex. Public access here is restricted.
25. NAVE
This is a view of the nave, looking down the main aisle. The Cathedral’s interior is 203 feet (62 m) long of which the Lady Chapel occupies 30 feet (9 m) and the nave and chancel the remainder. The nave is 59 feet (18 m) wide. I savour this view Sunday by Sunday often with a tear in the eye or a lump in the throat: this is where I meet God!
26. FLOOR TILES
In the 1990s extensive restoration of the Cathedral was carried out. Cathedral floors are particularly vulnerable to wear, and much of the floor needed replacing; some tiles were retained and others made in England to match were used.
27. BOER MEMORIAL
This plaque is at the left inside the main doors. It reads: ‘In grateful memory of our brave and loyal soldiers who volunteered for service with the Army of the British Empire in South Africa, where they died for Sovereign and Country ... 1899 – 1901.’ A list of names follows.
28. FACE TO FACE
High on opposite columns near the crossing are two carved heads: the first Bishop of Adelaide, Augustus Short, and Dean James Farrell. It is said that the Bishop and the Dean didn’t always see eye to eye, but this has now been rectified! Two other carved heads face outwards from these columns, said to be those of builders of the Cathedral.
29. NORTH NAVE WINDOWS
The central window was made in 1893 by Montgomery and Grimbley of Adelaide and Melbourne, the others in London by Charles Kemp and Co. between 1904 and 1910. Pictured from left are • Bishop John Coleridge Patteson (b.1827) • St Osmund of Sarum (d.1099) • St Edward the Confessor (1003–1066) • St Hilda of Whitby (614–680), and • St Columba of lona (c.521–597).
30. STONE AND CROSS
At eye level on the columns closest to the crossing we find the Westminster Stone, given in 1966 by Westminster Abbey (also dedicated to St Peter) to mark its 900th anniversary. Also the stone from Canterbury Cathedral with the mounted Cross – a replica of an 8th century Cross discovered beneath a Canterbury street in the mid-1800s. In 1935 all Anglican cathedrals in the British Empire and USA received one of these stones which were blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury at an Empire Service held in Canterbury Cathedral.
31. THE POPE WINDOW
The Pope window, given in 1926 by William Pope, is in the North transept above the Peace Chapel. The central panel depicts Jesus on the Cross, and John the Baptist beneath. The other figures are (centre L–R): the Old Testament prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah and Micah; and (bottom L–R): four Fathers of the Western Church, Jerome, Gregory the Great, Ambrose of Milan, and Augustine of Hippo.
32. PEACE CHAPEL
The North Transept was formerly called the Warriors’ Chapel, but is currently set aside as the Peace Chapel. Here hang historic swallow tail guidons and regimental colours which have been laid up for safe keeping in perpetuity by South Australian Regiments and Battalions. Modern regiments still have guidons and colours and treat them with great respect.
33. CHRISTUS REX
The Christus Rex together with a set of candlesticks and an altar plate were made by sculptor Voitre Marek. They were given in memory of Lionel Charles Lenthall by his son Rev’d Ross Lenthall. Voitre Marek lived in Prague under the Nazi regime and later migrated to South Australia. The candlesticks are now used on the Chapel altar below the Christus Rex.
34. BANNERS
Leaving the Peace Chapel we follow the darkened aisle behind the organ where a number of banners hang. At left is the Diocesan Mothers’ Union Banner designed and made by Mrs Roma Lowe in 1986. Next is the Cathedral Bellringers’ Society Banner, presented in 1992 and made by Kaye Lynas. Then the Cathedral Choir Banner, presented in 1993, designed and made by Kaye Lynas.
35. MORE BANNERS
At left is the St Peter Church Congress banner presented in 1928. At centre is the Sancta Ecclesia Banner which was dedicated in 1902 at the Church Congress. And at right is the Cathedral Servers’ Guild Banner having an ivory background, with royal blue silk depicting the Sanctuary archway, cream and tan silk for the candles and candlesticks, and silver cloth for the Chalice and the Patten. It was designed by the servers, made by the Needlework Group and presented in 1992.
36. PLAQUES
In the Northeast transept a collection of plaques is mounted on a cupboard. These commemorate various Cathedral Wardens, and donations relating to the organ.
37. ICONS
Moving towards the Lady Chapel we come to these icons. A recent addition to the cathedral is the St Nicholas icon. Below, the icon Mother of God of Vladimir was made in 1993 by Leonard Brown, a priest/monk of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was given by Colleen Beinl and Stephen Baggaley, who was the Dean’s Verger from 1992 to 1994. A floor plaque here commemorates the life of Bishop Thomas Thornton Reed.
38. WALL CRESTS
We continue towards the Lady Chapel. The embossed panelling at the East end of the Cathedral features past Bishops: here, the Second Bishop George Wyndham Kennion (1845 – 1922) and Sixth Bishop Thomas Thornton Reed (1902 – 1995).
39. LADY CHAPEL
The Lady Chapel is located behind the high altar and is entered by the aisle under the organ. Built in 1904 and dedicated to the honour of Mary the Mother of Jesus, it was the last part of the Cathedral fabric to be built. Behind the Chapel altar is Butterfield’s original reredos for the high altar.
40. LADY CHAPEL GRILL AND TILING
On the wall of the Lady Chapel hang two carved gilt wood screens (ca 1830) reputedly from Sion House in England. The ornately carved letters in the centre are the first three letters, IHS, of the name ‘Jesus’ in Latinized Greek. (These also appear above the main doors to the Cathedral.) The tiling of the Lady Chapel is quite different from that of other tiling in the Cathedral, but retains a similar colouring.