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The Cathedral Church of Saint Michael, commonly known as Coventry Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry within the Church of England. The cathedral is located in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current dean is John Witcombe. Bishop Sophie Jelley will be welcomed and installed in the Cathedral as Bishop of Coventry on Saturday 7 June 2025.
The city has had three cathedrals. The first was St Mary's, a monastic building, from 1102 to 1539, of which only a few ruins remain. The second was St Michael's, a 14th-century Gothic church designated as a cathedral in 1918, which remains a ruined shell after its bombing during the Second World War, apart from its tower and spire, which rise to Template:Convert. The third, consecrated in 1962, is the new St Michael's Cathedral, built immediately adjacent to the ruins and tower of the former cathedral – together forming both a symbol of war-time destruction and barbarity, and also of peace and reconciliation.
St Mary's PrioryEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Coventry had a medieval cathedral that survived until the Reformation. This was St Mary's Priory and Cathedral, 1095 to 1102, when Robert de Limesey moved the bishop's see from Lichfield to Coventry,<ref>Nicolas, Nicholas Harris (1825). A synopsis of the peerage of England: exhibiting, under alphabetical arrangement, the date of creation, descent and present state of every title of peerage which has existed in this country since the conquest... J. Nichols and son. p. 862.</ref> until 1539 when it fell victim to Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. Prior to 1095, it had been a small Benedictine monastery (endowed by Leofric, Earl of Mercia and his wife Godiva in 1043).<ref>Page, William (1908). The City of Coventry: Churches: Introduction Template:Webarchive. A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 8: The City of Coventry and Borough of Warwick.</ref> Shortly after 1095 rebuilding began and by the middle of the 13th century it was a cathedral of Template:Convert in length and included many large outbuildings.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Leofric was probably buried within the original Saxon church in Coventry. However, records suggest that Godiva was buried at Evesham Abbey, alongside her father confessor, Prior Æfic.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It was the only medieval cathedral to be demolished at the Reformation.<ref>The English Cathedral by Peter Marlow (p 108) Template:ISBN</ref>
St Michael's CathedralEdit
First structureEdit
St Michael's Church was largely constructed between the late 14th century and early 15th century from red sandstone. It was one of the largest parish churches in England when, in 1918, it was elevated to cathedral status on the creation of the Diocese of Coventry.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> This St Michael's Cathedral now stands ruined, bombed almost to destruction during the Coventry Blitz of 14 November 1940 by the German Luftwaffe. Only the tower, spire, the outer wall and the bronze effigy and tomb of its first bishop, Huyshe Yeatman-Biggs, survived. The ruins of this older cathedral remain hallowed ground and are listed at Grade I.<ref>Template:National Heritage List for England</ref> Following the bombing of the cathedral in 1940, Provost Richard Howard had the words "Father Forgive" inscribed on the wall behind the altar of the ruined building. The spire rises to 284 feet (87 metres)<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> to the base of the weathervane, and is the tallest structure in the city. It is also the third tallest cathedral spire in England, with only Salisbury and Norwich cathedrals rising higher. When the height of the weathervane is included, it is 290 feet (88 metres) high.<ref name=":0" />
Present structureEdit
The current St Michael's Cathedral, built next to the remains of the old one, was designed by Basil Spence and Arup, was built by John Laing<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and is a Grade I listed building.<ref>Template:National Heritage List for England</ref>
The selection of Spence for the work was a result of a competition held in 1950 to find an architect for the new Coventry Cathedral; his design was chosen from over two hundred submitted.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref> Spence (later knighted for this work) insisted that instead of rebuilding the old cathedral, it should be kept in ruins as a garden of remembrance and that the new cathedral should be built alongside, the two buildings together effectively forming one church.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The use of Hollington sandstone for the new Coventry Cathedral provides an element of unity between the buildings.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The foundation stone of the new cathedral was laid by Elizabeth II on 23 March 1956.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The unconventional spire or flèche is Template:Convert tall and was lowered onto the flat roof by a helicopter, flown by Wing Commander John Dowling in April 1962.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The cathedral was consecrated on 25 May 1962 by Cuthbert Bardsley, Bishop of Coventry with Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, composed for the occasion, premiered in the new cathedral on 30 May to mark its consecration.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
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Coventry's new cathedral adopted a modernist design, and the interior is notable for its modern artworks. These include a huge tapestry of Christ, designed by Graham Sutherland. At 23 metres tall and 12 metres wide, it was once thought to be the world's largest tapestry, made in one single piece.<ref name=":1" /> The cathedral is also home to an emotive sculpture of the Mater Dolorosa by John Bridgeman in the East end, and the Baptistry window designed by John Piper (made by Patrick Reyntiens) of abstract design that occupies the full height of the bowed baptistery, comprising 195 panes, ranging from white to deep colours. The stained glass windows in the Nave, by Lawrence Lee, Keith New and Geoffrey Clarke, face away from the congregation. Spence's concept for these Nave windows was that the opposite pairs would represent a pattern of growth from birth to old age, culminating in heavenly glory nearest the altar—one side representing Human, the other side, the Divine. Also worthy of note is the Great West Window known as the Screen of Saints and Angels, engraved directly onto the screen in expressionist style by John Hutton. A pane of the Hutton window, depicting The Angel with the Eternal Gospel, was smashed during a burglary in January 2020.<ref name="LLoyd">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="CO">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (Although referred to as the West Window, this is the 'liturgical west' opposite the altar which is traditionally at the east end. In this cathedral the altar is actually at the north end.) The foundation stone, the ten stone panels inset into the walls of the cathedral called the Tablets of the Word, and the baptismal font were designed and carved by the émigré German letter carver Ralph Beyer. Their lettering was inspired by early Christian inscriptions, especially as seen in Roman crypts.<ref name=":1" /> The lectern has a bookrest in the form of an eagle, by the sculptor Elisabeth Frink,<ref name="Campbell">Template:Cite book</ref> who also designed the canopy for the Bishop's throne.<ref name="Campbell" />
- Coventry Cathedral -from above-8.jpg
The new cathedral as seen from the tower of the old cathedral
- Coventry Cathedral Interior, West Midlands, UK - Diliff.jpg
The interior of the new cathedral
- Christ in Glory tapestry by Graham Sutherland in Coventry Cathedral.jpg
Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph, tapestry by Graham Sutherland
Ministry and MissionEdit
The ministry and mission of the newly consecrated Cathedral has been shaped by the twin priorities of resurrection and reconciliation, established by Provost Howard in the days after the bombing in 1940. The first Provost of the new Cathedral, appointed in 1958 in readiness for the opening in 1962, was HCN (Bill) Williams, who brought the phrase “Christians heal the wounds of history” from his native South Africa. Williams focussed the new Cathedral on witnessing to what God was doing in the world, rather than inside the church, leading a team who were deeply involved in ministry in the city, including the poorer areas, different faith communities, and industry. He also built relationships with Germany and elsewhere in the world through the Community of the Cross of Nails link. The outward focus of the Cathedral and commitment to reconciliation has remained core to its work, and shapes the work of the whole of the Diocese of Coventry.
Successive deans have brought their own theological and missional emphases. Dean John Petty [dates] brought a focus on the healing ministry. Dean John Irvine, one of the co-authors of the Alpha Course had a strong emphasis on bible teaching and evangelism. Dean John Witcombe (from 2013) has renewed the early priorities of reconciliation in the world, especially using the arts as a way of stimulating imagination and establishing the role of Canon for Arts and Reconciliation.
The Cathedral’s story, embodied in its art and architecture, make it a popular venue for Christian and other events for organisations that want to draw from its values. Since 1962 the Cathedral, encompassing the ruins and new building, has hosted many innovative events, both religious and secular.
It continues to be host to an international network of partners working for reconciliation, the Community of the Cross of Nails
The cathedral is also known for innovation in its services. As well as the expected traditional services (on Sundays, eucharist at 10:30 am and choral evensong at 4 pm), there is a 6 pm Sunday service with contemporary music, preaching and prayer ministry. The Cathedral Youth Work runs Goth church and Urban Church outreach congregations for local groups of young people, an equipping and supporting cell group for youth workers within Coventry churches as well as a number of other regular groups. There continues to be a strong influence of reconciliation within the theology (both vertical: reconciling people to God; and horizontal: reconciling individuals and groups). This is present throughout the ministry of the cathedral but is most clearly seen in the International Centre for Reconciliation and the International Network of Communities of the Cross of Nails. The reconciliation work exists locally in reconciling churches and community groups but also internationally (predominantly in the Middle East and central Africa) working with terrorists and dictators as well as local churches, tribes and gangs.
Justin Welby (then a canon of the cathedral) established a special day for bereaved parents in the cathedral after the death of his own daughter. There is now an annual service commemorating the lives of children who have died. A book with the names of dead children is on display in the cathedral and anyone whose child has died under any circumstances can ask for their child's name to be added to the book.<ref name=BBC>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Clear left
Symbols of reconciliationEdit
The old cathedral grounds are home to a number of symbols of reconciliation to complement the church's mission. At first, however, the cathedral and its symbols represented the wartime destruction and barbarity.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The Charred CrossEdit
The Charred Cross was created after the cathedral was bombed during the Coventry Blitz of the Second World War. The cathedral stonemason, Jock Forbes, saw two wooden beams lying in the shape of a cross and tied them together. A replica of the Charred Cross built in 1964 has replaced the original in the ruins of the old cathedral on an altar of rubble. The original is now kept on the stairs linking the cathedral with St Michael's Hall below.
The Cross of NailsEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The Cross of Nails, also created after the Blitz, was made of three nails from the roof truss of the old cathedral by Provost Richard Howard of Coventry Cathedral at the suggestion of a young friend, the Reverend Arthur Philip Wales. It was later transferred to the new cathedral, where it sits in the centre of the altar cross. It has become a symbol of peace and reconciliation across the world. There are over 260 Cross of Nails Centres all over the world, all of them bearing a cross made of three nails from the ruins, similar to the original one. When there were no more of these nails, a continuing supply has come from a prison in Germany. They are coordinated by the International Centre for Reconciliation.
One of the crosses made of nails from the old cathedral was donated to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, which was destroyed by Allied bombing and is also kept as a ruin alongside a newer building. A replica of the cross of nails was also presented to the Chapel of Reconciliation (Kapelle der Versöhnung), which forms part of the Berlin Wall Memorial.
A medieval cross of nails has also been carried on board all British warships that have subsequently borne the name Template:HMS.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The cross of nails was on board the Type 42 destroyer Template:HMS when she was sunk by enemy action in the Falklands War. The cross was salvaged by Royal Navy divers, and presented to Coventry Cathedral by the ship's Captain and colleagues.<ref>The Army quarterly and defence journal, Volume 113. West of England Press. p. 229.</ref> The cross was subsequently presented first to the next Template:HMS in 1988 until she was decommissioned in 2002, and then to Template:HMS, which is affiliated to Coventry, during her commissioning ceremony on 6 May 2011 by Captain David Hart-Dyke, the commanding officer of Coventry when she was sunk.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Stalingrad MadonnaEdit
A copy of the Stalingrad Madonna by Kurt Reuber that was drawn in 1942 in Stalingrad (now Volgograd) is shown in the cathedrals of all three cities (Berlin, Coventry and Volgograd) as a sign of the reconciliation of the three countries that were once enemies.
The statue of ReconciliationEdit
In 1994 the cathedral received a copy of the statue Reconciliation, by Josefina de Vasconcellos. Originally created in 1977 and entitled Reunion, it had been presented to the University of Bradford's Peace Studies department. After repairs and renaming, a bronze cast of the statue was presented to the cathedral in 1995, to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Similar copies are held at the Hiroshima Peace Park in Japan, at the Stormont Estate in Northern Ireland, and at the Chapel of Reconciliation in Berlin.
The BBC broadcast a documentary in 1962 entitled Act of Faith, narrated by Leo Genn, detailing the history of Coventry Cathedral, its destruction and rebuilding.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
MusicEdit
The precentor of the new Coventry Cathedral at the opening service was Joseph Poole.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The service was televised and watched by many.
OrganEdit
The cathedral has a pipe organ by Harrison & Harrison dating from 1962, which is recognised as one of the finest in the UK. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Directors of musicEdit
| Year | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Circa | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| 1733–1749 | Thomas Deane | |
| 1750–1790 | Capel Bond | |
| 1790–1818 | Mr Woodroffe | |
| 1828–1885 | Edward Simms | |
| 1886–1892 | Herbert Brewer | |
| 1892–1898 | Harry Crane Perrin (afterwards organist of Canterbury Cathedral) | |
| 1898 | Walter Hoyle (first organist of the cathedral) | |
| 1928 | Harold Rhodes (formerly organist of St John's Church, Torquay) | |
| 1933 | Alan Stephenson | |
| 1961 | David Foster Lepine | |
| 1972 | Robert Weddle | |
| 1977 | Ian Little | |
| 1984 | Paul Leddington Wright (now assistant director of music) | |
| 1995 | David Poulter (subsequently organist of Chester Cathedral and director of music at Liverpool Cathedral) | |
| 1997 | Rupert Jeffcoat (subsequently director of music and organist at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane) | |
| 2005 | Alistair Reid (acting) | |
| 2006 | Kerry Beaumont | |
| 2020 | Rachel Mahon |
Assistant organistsEdit
Template:Expand list Template:Div col
- Allan Hawthorne-Baker 1934–1939
- Michael Burnett
- Robert George Weddle 1964–1972 (then organist)
- J. Richard Lowry 1972–1976
- Ian Little 1976–1977 (then organist)
- Paul Leddington Wright 1977–84 (then organist)
- Timothy Hone (1984–87)
- Chris Argent (1987–1990)
- David Poulter 1990–1995 (then director of music)
- Daniel Moult 1995–2002
- Martyn Lane
- Alistair Reid 2004–2011
- Laurence Lyndon-Jones 2011–2013
- Rachel Mahon 2018–2020
- Luke Fitzgerald 2021–2025
Dean and chapterEdit
As of June 2024:<ref>Coventry Cathedral—Our leadership team</ref>
- Dean: John Witcombe (since 19 January 2013)
- Andrew Walster (Senior Non-Executive Member)
- Bishop of Warwick
- Canon for Art and Reconciliation: Mary Gregory<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Canon for Worship and Welcome: Nitano Muller
- Chris Cliffe
- David Johnston
- Graham Warren
- Martin Williams
- Richard Sapcote
- Robin Thomas
BurialsEdit
- Gerard la Pucelle, Bishop of Coventry (1183–1184)
- Huyshe Yeatman-Biggs, Bishop of Coventry (1918–1922): a bronze effigy of him, commissioned by Hamo Thornycroft, was the only artefact to survive the bombing of the old Coventry Cathedral in 1940
GalleryEdit
- Anon - St Michael’s in Coventry.jpg
St Michael's in Coventry (Anon, Template:Circa)
- David Gee - Interior of St Michael's Church, Coventry.jpg
Interior of St Michael's Church by David Gee, 1862
- Winston Churchill at Coventry Cathedral cph.3a18421.jpg
Winston Churchill visiting the ruins of the old cathedral in 1941
- Ruins of the Old Cathedral -Coventry-5July2008.jpg
The surviving tower and steeple, which functions as a working bell tower
- Bishop Huyshe Wolcott Yeatman-Biggs full.jpg
Effigy and tomb of Huyshe Yeatman-Biggs, first Bishop of Coventry
- Reconciliation by Vasconcellos, Coventry.jpg
Josefina de Vasconcellos' 1977 statue Reconciliation in the old cathedral's nave
- Coventry Cathedral Baptistry window.jpg
The baptistry window by John Piper from inside the cathedral.
- Coventry Cathedral West Window 2019.jpg
Great West Window
- Coventry Cathedral font.jpg
The font, a boulder from Bethlehem
- New coventry cathedral spire 14d06.jpg
The top of spire of the new cathedral
- Coventry Cathedral -interior2.jpg
Chapel of Christ in Gethsemane, mosaic by Steven Sykes
- Coventry Cathedral Cuthbert Bardsley Memorial (2377707511).jpg
Bishop Cuthbert Bardsley Memorial
See alsoEdit
- Bishop of Coventry Chronological list of Bishops from 1918 to present.
- Dean of Coventry Chronological list of Provosts and Deans
- List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
- List of tallest structures built before the 20th century
- Grade I listed buildings in Coventry
- Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, its German counterpart in Berlin
- Coventry Chronicle
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Coventry Cathedral official website
- Further reading about Coventry's three Cathedrals
- Virtual tour of both the new cathedral and the ruins Template:Webarchive
- Template:Usurped
- Flickr images tagged Coventry Cathedral
- Template:Usurped
- Photograph of interior prior to destruction Template:Webarchive
- "Like a Phoenix from the Ashes: The Medieval Stained Glass of Coventry Cathedral" — Vidimus article about the cathedral's medieval stained glass
Template:Cathedrals of the Church of England Template:Provosts and Deans of Coventry Template:Authority control