CHELMSFORD CATHEDRAL
ESSEX ENGLAND
PAUL SCOTT
Chelmsford Cathedral began life as a Parish Church, and therefore has a rather unorthodox plan. There is a basic rectangle with a chapel in each corner. The nave has a covered aisle on each side, with the North (left) nave aisle being doubled in width. This aisle runs into a North transept, but there is no corresponding South transept, even though this name is given to the Eastern end of the South aisle. There are two main entries to the Cathedral: the conventional West Door (at bottom) and through the South Porch (right).
The numbering on this plan is allocated by the Cathedral in its publication; we shall make our own way: first looking at the exterior, entering by the South Porch, and finally working our way Eastwards from the West door to the sanctuary.
Some brief historical notes can be found below. If you want to proceed with the Cathedral tour click / tap on START .
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HISTORY
[Wilipedia]
The·church of St Mary the Virgin in Chelmsford was probably first built along with the town eight hundred years ago. It was rebuilt in the 15th and early 16th centuries, with walls of flint rubble, stone and brick. The church has a tower with a spire and a ring of thirteen bells, twelve of which were cast by John Warner & Sons at Cripplegate, and were dedicated in 1913. The nave partially collapsed in 1800, and was rebuilt by the County architect John Johnson, retaining the Perpendicular design, but using Coade stone piers and tracery, and a plaster ceiling. The upper part of the chancel was rebuilt in 1878.
Cathedral
In 1914 the church became the cathedral for the newly created diocese of Chelmsford.
The South porch was extended in 1953 to mark Anglo-American friendship after World War II and the many US airmen stationed in Essex. In 1954, the cathedral was additionally dedicated to Saints Peter and Cedd. In 1983, the interior of the cathedral was extensively refurbished, with a new floor, seating, altar, bishop’s throne, font and artwork. In 1994 and 1995 two pipe organs were installed, the first in the nave and the second in the chancel. The stained-glass windows were all installed in the 19th and 20th centuries.
In 2000 a sculpture, Christ in Glory by Peter Eugene Ball, was placed above the chancel arch. In 2004 two further major works of art were commissioned, and are now in place: Mark Cazelet’s Tree of Life painting in the North Transept, and Philip Sanderson’s altar frontal in the Mildmay Chapel.
The Cathedral celebrates its links with Thomas Hooker, who was Chelmsford Town Lecturer between 1626 and 1629. He fled to the New World because of his Puritan views and founded the town of Hartford, Connecticut and was one of the founders of American democracy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelmsford_Cathedral
