Liverpool Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Liverpool, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Liverpool and is the mother church of the diocese of Liverpool. The church may be formally referred to as the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool the Cathedral Church of the Risen Christ, Liverpool.^[1] It is the largest cathedral and religious building in Britain,^[2] and the eighth largest church in the world.

The cathedral is based on a design by Giles Gilbert Scott and was constructed between 1904 and 1978. It is the longest cathedral in the world;^[3] the total external length of the building, including the Lady Chapel (dedicated to the Blessed Virgin), is 207 yards (189 m), its internal length is 160 yards (150 m). In terms of overall volume, Liverpool Cathedral ranks as the fifth-largest cathedral in the world^[4] and contests with the incomplete Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City for the title of largest Anglican church building.^[5] With a height of 331 feet (101 m) it is also one of the world’s tallest non-spired church buildings and the fourth-tallest structure in the city of Liverpool. The cathedral is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.^[6]

An inscription at the bottom says : In honour and memory of the members of 2,3,8 and 100 Groups who served in the Ely district during the second world war, 1939 to 1945. The outer panels show aircrew and airman figures, between them are Archangel Michael and St. George. Below these are the badges of the four groups. At the bottom of the window there are scenes of aircraft in flight, including one of a bomber going over Ely Cathedral. The window is in the North Choir Aisle. It was designed by E.Liddall Armitage and unveiled on Remembrance Sunday, 1955 Link .

The pulpit is the place where, every Sunday, the preacher uses the Bible readings to explain the Christian faith and to apply it our lives today.*

The modern sculpture above the pulpit, ‘Christ in Majesty’ by Peter Ball is carved from oak and covered in copper, brass & gold leaf. It reminds us that the responsibility of preachers is not to expound their own ideas but to point us to Christ.*

What we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord’.

2 Corinthians 4:5

*From church signboard

Etheldreda (Æthelthryth, Ediltrudis, Audrey) (d.679), queen, foundress and abbess of Ely. She was the daughter of Anna, king of East Anglia, and was born, probably, at Exning, near Newmarket in Suffolk. At an early age she was married (c.652) to Tondberht, ealdorman of the South Gyrwas, but she remained a virgin. On his death, c.655, she retired to the Isle of Ely, her dowry. In 660, for political reasons, she was married to Egfrith, the young king of Northumbria who was then only 15 years old, and several years younger than her. He agreed that she should remain a virgin, as in her previous marriage, but 12 years later he wished their marital relationship to be normal. Etheldreda, advised and aided by Wilfred, bishop of Northumbria, refused. Egfrith offered bribes in vain. Etheldreda left him and became a nun at Coldingham under her aunt Ebbe (672) and founded a double monastery at Ely in 673. (from FARMER, David: The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, 3rd ed. OUP, 1992.)

Etheldreda restored an old church at Ely, reputedly destroyed by Penda, pagan king of the Mercians, and built her monastery on the site of what is now Ely Cathedral. After its restoration in 970 by Ethelwold it became the richest abbey in England except for Glastonbury.

Etheldreda’s monastery flourished for 200 years until it was destroyed by the Danes. It was refounded as a Benedictine community in 970.

Etheldreda died c.680 from a tumour on the neck, reputedly as a divine punishment for her vanity in wearing necklaces in her younger days; in reality it was the result of the plague which also killed several of her nuns, many of whom were her sisters or nieces. At St Audrey’s Fair necklaces of silk and lace were sold, often of very inferior quality, hence the derivation of the word tawdry from St Audrey.

17 years after her death her body was found to be incorrupt: Wilfred and her physician Cynefrid were among the witnesses. The tumour on her neck, cut by her doctor, was found to be healed. The linen cloths in which her body was wrapped were as fresh as the day she had been buried. Her body was placed in a stone sarcophagus of Roman origin, found at Grantchester and reburied.

For centuries, Etheldreda’s shrine was the focus for vast numbers of medieval pilgrims. It was destroyed in 1541, but a slate in the Cathedral marks the spot where it stood.

Work on the present Cathedral began in the 11th century under the leadership of Abbot Simeon, and the monastic church became a cathedral in 1109 with the Diocese of Ely being carved out of the Diocese of Lincoln. The monastery at Ely was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539. Ely suffered less than many other monasteries, but even so, statues were destroyed together with carvings and stained glass.

Bishop James Russell Woodford, Bishop of Ely 1873-1885 founded Ely Theological College, which offered training for the priesthood. The Diocesan Office and Retreat House, which stand in the grounds of the Old College on Barton Road, are named after him. His portrait along with a lock of hair is displayed in the entrance hall. Bishop Woodford is buried in Bishop West’s Chapel.

Bishop James Woodford was probably the Bishop who had more impact than any other on the modern shape of the Diocese of Ely.

This distinguished Victorian bishop established a theological college in Ely in 1876 which was responsible for training priests for several generations. However, in 1964 it was decided by the Church of England that the college should be temporarily closed due to the decline in the number of graduates and the difficulty of providing the opportunity for theological study in a small cathedral city in the middle of an East Anglian fen. The college was never re-opened and the buildings were consequently sold to the King’s School.

*Additional information from a sign next to Bishop Woodford’s monument.

George greeted us as we came down for breakfast. Rachel served us with granola and yoghurt topped with fresh fruit followed by freshly cooked breakfast items of our choice. As we ate, we had an enjoyable conversation with George.

After breakfast we walked to Cromwell’s House to visit the Tourist Information Centre but we were too early; it didn’t open till 11am. We flexed our plan and went into the Cathedral. Our first impression of the Cathedral was its immense size and we were impressed with the view looking down the transept towards the apse. The artwork on the ceiling and dome is exquisite.

Just to the side, as we entered, there was a stunning poppy display made of knitted poppies commemorating the 100 year anniversary of WWI. We browsed the Cathedral shop before having a cup of tea in the cafe. Next we explored some of the Ely side streets, spending some time in the City Cycle Centre, which is much more than a cycle centre,selling children’s toys, games, Airfix models and paints.

We had a slightly late lunch where I opted for a something modest, a toasted tea cake, because of the filling breakfast. By this time Cromwell’s House was open so we were able to visit the Tourist Information Centre and visit the Cromwell Museum. The building that houses these was once the family home of Oliver Cromwell. We were asked to consider if Cromwell was a villain or a hero; we came to the conclusion that he was a man of his time.

We returned to Toppings bookshop and came away with some purchases. Next, we visited the delightfully named Cutlacks, another department store where we picked up several kitchen items, so many we decided not to venture onto the upper floors lest we be tempted to add to our purchases. After this shopping experience we made our way straight back to the B&B so that we couldn’t be tempted further! I took advantage of the lovely roll top bath where I had a long soak before getting ready to go out for dinner.

We dined in The Old Fire Engine House where we were served by a delightful Scottish lady. The food was delicious. I had sea bass and Mr C had melt-in-the-mouth beef casserole. Seconds were offered, although I declined. We shared a dessert of rum and raisin ice cream, which was just as well because the portion was huge.

When we left, Mr C left a tip with the lady who had served us. It made her day being it was a Scottish note left over from our recent trip to the borders. We retired to the B&B for a nightcap (it would have been a shame not to take advantage of that lovely sitting room).

Following the 2014 ceramic poppies at the Tower of London, which represented the 888,246 British and Commonwealth Service men and women who lost their lives in the First World War, this Tommy commemorates the centenary of the end of the 1914-1918 war and those who lost their lives.

“There But Not There reminds us of those who served in WW1 and did not return home. I believe that alongside each symbolic figure stands the spectre of five others who did return and found themselves so changed by what they had experienced that life for them and their families would never be the same again. There But Not There stands as a powerful symbol for us to not forget them too.”
Lt Gen Andrew Graham CB CBE

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Robert Laurence Binyon

Holiday diaries coming soon…