SH Archive 1904-1978: Liverpool Anglican Cathedral

[KD Archive]

Liverpool Anglican Cathedral ​

The cathedral is based on a design by Giles Gilbert Scott, and was constructed between 1904 and 1978. The total external length of the building (including the Lady Chapel) is 207 yards (189 m) making it the longest cathedral in the world; its internal length is 160 yards (150 m). In terms of overall volume, Liverpool Cathedral ranks as the fifth-largest cathedral in the world. With a height of 331 feet (101 m) it is also one of the world's tallest non-spired church buildings. The cathedral is recorded in the National Heritage List for England.

• This Lady Chapel was allegedly built in 1910. Read here.

​

Construction photographs are plenty, but we have a few interesting, in my opinion, images to talk about. They pertain to the construction of the above Cathedral. The below three photographs were sourced from here.

1904: The Anglican Cathedral foundations


1927: The Anglican cathedral under construction​

Even though they've been at it since 1904, it still looks a mammoth task and it would take until 1978 before completion.

What Year?​

Below we have an image from the same source +1. I am trying to get some sort of a date attached to this photograph. For that we have the state of completion, the appearance of the structure and the truck. I guess that would be lorry in UK.

Anglican cathedral excavations showing how laborious and primitive they were.


Lady Chapel​

The Lady Chapel (originally intended to be called the Morning Chapel), the first part of the building to be completed, was consecrated in 1910 by Chavasse in the presence of two Archbishops and 24 other Bishops. The date, 29 June - St Peter's Day - was chosen to honor the pro-cathedral, now due to be demolished.

• Here is St. Peter's church they demolished in 1919. Why would you destroy something like that?

Apologies, buy I could not find a better image of the below Lady Chapel structure. As far as I understand it took them 6 years to complete

The Lady Chapel Organ

​

Then we have the below undated image. Based on what it says, I assume the building is not there yet, and this is something it's gonna look like.

• Our Lady Chapel is on the left. ​
• In the foreground you can see tombstones of the cemetery. Must have for this rendering, right?​
• Source + More similar images + Interesting One​

City Plans​

What structures do you think we have in place of the future cathedral? The Public Cemetery is obviously our today's Saint James Mount and Gardens.

• St James's Cemetery is an urban park behind Liverpool Cathedral that is below ground level. Until 1825, the space was a stone quarry, and until 1936 it was used as the Liverpool city cemetery. It has been designated a Grade I Historic Park by Historic England. ​

More plans: here.

1859
Allegedly this is all there was in that spot in 1859.

Source

1847

Source

​

KD: I guess that excavation photograph with a new building looking rather old, looks a bit suspicious to me. Why are they digging in there? That is a lot of dirt to move. At the same time this foundation cannot be that old if they only started in 1904. Did they really remove all that dirt to install the foundation, and then filled everything back in, so that they could remove the dirt one more time a few years later?

• May be it's some mislabeled building in this image, and this is not our Liverpool Cathedral...​
• 1884: They started planning early, huh?​
• This here is an album with allegedly early-1920's images of the inside of the Cathedral.​

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[Timeshifter]

Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.
Username: Timeshifter
Date: 2019-11-11 08:47:30
Reaction Score: 2

The thing that struck me when looking into this KD is this from the Cathedral website, which then and still does read like an astonishing admission (IMO) of a cover up.. they have their own secret stash of evidence which we are not allowed to view...

‘The Archive department of Liverpool Cathedral is a unique collection of drawings, letters, and artefacts relating to the building and history of the Cathedral from the beginning of the 20th century’.

‘Although it is not possible to have personal access to the collection, we are always happy to answer queries and regularly respond to email and telephone enquiries, especially where family members may have had an historic link to the Cathedral’.

Liverpool Cathedral - Cathedral Archives

Will search some more when I have time.

Just to add, I have been in this thing, it is massive, just massive. Also sits on a mound, which has graves around it/ beneath it. It feels like its built atop of something else.

 

[KD Archive]

Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.
Username: KorbenDallas
Date: 2019-11-11 08:53:05
Reaction Score: 2

I hope we can learn something about this building before they burn it down. Here is a couple "construction" images. Well, may be they are, but they just look strange. Both are from here.

1. A sculptor working on a sculpture of an angel for the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool.

2. A stonemason working on a detail of the Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool.

 

[Archive]

Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.
Username: jd755
Date: 2019-11-11 15:32:07
Reaction Score: 1

From here; Building the Anglican Cathedral 2
From here; Building a Great Cathedral - Wonders of World Engineering

 

[KD Archive]

Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.
Username: KorbenDallas
Date: 2019-11-11 15:36:37
Reaction Score: 0

Yes, there are many construction photographs.

 

[Timeshifter]

Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.
Username: Timeshifter
Date: 2019-11-11 15:46:54
Reaction Score: 2

Next time I am in Liverpool @KorbenDallas , hopefully before Christmas, I will go and take some photographs around the surrounding ground and landscape and post here, it is perched on a weird mound!

 

[Archive]

Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.
Username: jd755
Date: 2019-11-11 16:06:50
Reaction Score: 1

Tunnels 'n quarry Tunnels - St James' Cemetery
The quarry Quarry & Mount - St James' Cemetery
pictures Quarry and Windmill - St James' Cemetery

 

[Archive]

Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.
Username: EmmanuelZorg
Date: 2019-11-11 20:38:00
Reaction Score: 2

I went to that several years ago with a friend who lives within a hour's drive from it. I was in disbelief when he told me it was completed in the 1970's. Impressive building; words and images do not accurately convey the magnitude of it.

 

[Archive]

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Username: Beedubya
Date: 2019-11-17 09:06:46
Reaction Score: 1

A few years ago I took the trip to the top of the Cathedral tower. There is a lift that only goes part of the way then you have to climb these massive wide stone steps to the top. I was absolutely terrified at the sheer drop you knew was right there beside you so I clung to the wall. Magnificent views from the top but I won't be doing it again!

 

[Timeshifter]

Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.
Username: Timeshifter
Date: 2020-01-25 11:27:14
Reaction Score: 1

Just came across this image on instagram, stated to be from the interior of the Cathedral during construction, no date. Not had chance to visit again yet, hopefully soon.

Update @KorbenDallas

I finally got to visit and go around the site to see what I could discover around the place. It is sat atop a huge mound, and it appears to have passages underneath it (Like much of the rest of Liverpool) There are graves (stones at least) scattered everywhere, even used for the car parl. There were plenty of graves of people who died in their 70s, 80s and 90's. I thought we lived longer now?

West side:

I wonder why the hump?


South side,
Cellars?

East side, bricked up windows? Change in design? Could not see what was behind those covers, guards around,

East side, view down to previous graveyard



Below, is one of dozens of gravestones (or graves, not sure) which now double as the main car park! Interesting dates for one:


part of the car park. more cellars?


back to the front entrance, which was having some work done.


So, here is the slipway down to the older? graveyard, the whole thing feels very strange.



This passage is cut through whatever the Cathedral is perched on. Also noticed the brick butted up against it?



Interesting grave stones, from the Liverpool Infants orphan Asylum and Liverpool Female orphan Asylum? lots of dead young from one city?



A view looking up to the Cathedral.







As you can see, there are grave (headstones) scattered around the place, I am guessing from the previous supposed St James Church? Now St James gardens. You can clearly see at some point, this was used for allowing access to vehicles, with the ramps to the east side: The archways are now bricked up, but went where originally? Just arches?



You can see these on one of KD's post above



Below, on the lower part of the ramp is this Family Vault... waki



We do have an 'explanation' of the site here



The whole place is awash with graves, gravestone, markers, monoliths (Ok, its an old church yard?). This one in particular truck me, another one of those how old moments? My dogmatic understanding that we live longer these days shown again to be a fallacy. My wife, a medical professional was also astounded.

My gut feeling about his place is that there is/ was more here than meets the eye, not sure exactly what, but the whole area feels weird. it feels like a quarry, but more like a big gauge or slash was taken out of the earth here.

We also have the greek 'Oratory' and obelisk at the entrance (a separate thread for that indeed)

Take form this what you will, if you would like higher resolution images to study just ask.

 

[Fenderbass1]

The thing that struck me when looking into this KD is this from the Cathedral website, which then and still does read like an astonishing admission (IMO) of a cover up.. they have their own secret stash of evidence which we are not allowed to view...

‘The Archive department of Liverpool Cathedral is a unique collection of drawings, letters, and artefacts relating to the building and history of the Cathedral from the beginning of the 20th century’.

‘Although it is not possible to have personal access to the collection, we are always happy to answer queries and regularly respond to email and telephone enquiries, especially where family members may have had an historic link to the Cathedral’.

Liverpool Cathedral - Cathedral Archives

Will search some more when I have time.

Just to add, I have been in this thing, it is massive, just massive. Also sits on a mound, which has graves around it/ beneath it. It feels like its built atop of something else.

Tunnels from there to the Necropolis. To the Williamsons tunnels, to St Georges Hall and who knows where else under the city? Someone somewhere is is trying to hide our history for some reason, of that I'm am sure.