NHER 26095 (Building record) - Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Earlham Road

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Summary

This church is now a cathedral. It was built from 1882 to 1910 by Giles Gilbert Scott (jnr) and J. Adrid Scott. It is constructed of ashlar with a lead roof and is designed in an Early English style. It has a cruciform plan with aisles and an octagonal chapel off the north transept. Other architectural features include flying buttresses, clerestory, turrets at the corners of the nave and chancel and a two-stage crossing tower. Inside, the nave arcade is formed by massive round piers and the stained glass is by John Powell and Dunstan Powell.

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Location

Map sheet TG20NW
Civil Parish NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

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February 1954. Listed, Grade I.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Church, now cathedral. 1882 (foundation stone 1884) to 1910 by Giles Gilbert Scott (jnr) and J. Adrid Scott. Ashlar (Beer stone for nave; Ancaster weathered and Clipsham stone for tower and transepts) with lead roof. Cruciform plan with aisles and octagonal chapel off north transept. Early English style."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
Amended by P. Beers (HES), 09 March 2020.

April 1986. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Boundary wall of Cathedral House and Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. GV II Boundary wall. Late C19/early C20. Ashlar with moulded coping. 3 pairs of gate piers to Earlham Road (q.v.) and 3 pairs to Unthank Road (gates removed)."
Information from (S2).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S2) for the current listing details.
Amended by P. Beers (HES), 09 March 2020.

2008. Norwich HEART (S3, S4).
One of the finest examples of Victorian Gothic architecture in England. Norwich's Catholic Cathedral was gifted to the city of Norwich by Henry Fitzalan Howard, the 15th Duke of Norfolk. At the Duke's request it was designed in the Early English style of the 13th century by architect George Gilbert Scott junior, a recent convert to the Catholic faith. After nearly a century as the parish church of the Catholic community in Norwich it became the mother church of the new diocese of East Anglia in 1976. It is now the second largest Catholic cathedral in the country.
D. Gurney (NLA), 27 January 2009.

January 2009.
£72,000 grant received to complete the re-leading of the roof.
See (S5)
H. White (NLA), 5 February 2009

December 2009.
An extension to the building, providing community and learning facilities, is due to be completed by January 2010.
See (S5) for details,
H. White, (NLA), 13 April 2010

February 2010.
The Cathedral is built on the site of the city gaol. See (S6) for a photograph of the Cathedral under construction.
H. White, (NLA), 25 February 2010

  • --- Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1994. TG 2208ACX - ACZ, ADC - ADE; TG 2308BFL - BFM.
  • --- Article in Serial: Rossi, A. 1980. The Cathedral of Saint John the Bapist at Norwich. The Archaeological Journal. Vol 137 pp 318-321.
  • --- Correspondence: English Heritage. 2014. Minor amendment notification e-mail from English Heritage. Listed Building Entry 1051299, Roman Catholic Church of St John the Baptist, Norwich.. 16/04/2014.
  • --- Drawing: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 330-331; Pl 102, Pl 103.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Heavenly buildings. 19 November.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. The Norwich 12. 2 February.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Wander your way through 1,000 years of city history. 24 June.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. More highs and lows. 22 March.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. New light on church art. 26 May.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 20 NW 223.
  • <S1> Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1051299.
  • <S2> Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1051818.
  • <S3> Publication: Sheehan, B.. 2008. Norwich 12: A journey through the English city..
  • <S4> Moving Image: Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART). 2008. Norwich 12. A journey through the English city.. DVD.
  • <S5> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2008-2010. [Articles on the £2million extension on the Roman Catholic Cathedral].
  • <S6> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. [Articles on the collection of stories on the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist to help celebrating it's centenary].

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Record last edited

Mar 9 2020 8:48PM

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