Bradford Cathedral stands on a hill in what was the oldest part of the city, Wapping, although nothing remains of the terrible Victorian slums that once surrounded what was then the parish church. It was designated a cathedral in 1919, when the Diocese of Bradford was created (and now merged with other areas to be the Diocese of Leeds). Parts of the church date back to the 14th century but it was enlarged in the 1950s and 1960s.
It's is somewhat unusual in having several windows that celebrate women - the West Window (below) depicts women of the Bible. My favourite is the one I've shown at the top, which has three female saints: St Elizabeth of Hungary, St Hilda of Whitby and St Ethelburga of York.
There had been some filming going on so the nave was cluttered with equipment and I couldn't get a clear shot. The photo above is an older one I took in 2019 but all the other pictures here were taken on my latest visit.
Having originally been a parish church, it's not nearly as grand as some of our purpose-built cathedrals. It has an intimacy that I really like, and under its current Dean, Andy Bowerman, strives to be a welcoming place for everyone, with an accessible rhythm of worship, strong inter-faith links in this diverse city, and a programme of exhibitions and concerts. It welcomes visitors interested in the heritage and history of the area.
It's a lovely cathedral. I liked the women saints depicted in stained glass, and having no knowledge of them, will look them up.
ReplyDeleteWow. They don't build them like this anymore!
ReplyDelete