St Columb's Cathedral in the

walled city A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...

, is the

cathedral church A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

and

episcopal see An episcopal see is, in a practical use of the phrase, the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, mak ...

of the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the sec ...

's Diocese of Derry and Raphoe. It is also the parish church of Templemore. It is dedicated to Saint

Columba Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is tod ...

, the Irish

monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedic ...

who established a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

settlement in the area before being exiled from

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

and introducing

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

and northern

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. Built after the

Reformation in Ireland The Reformation in Ireland was a movement for the reform of religious life and institutions that was introduced into Ireland by the English administration at the behest of King Henry VIII of England. His desire for an annulment of his marriage ...

, St Columb's is the first

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...

cathedral to have been built in the British Isles after the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

and was the first non-

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

cathedral to be built in

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...

History

The original site of the diocesan cathedral was in Templemore ( ga, An Teampalll Mór or "the Big Church"). Due to the violence of the

Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between Kingdom of France, France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by t ...

, the church was destroyed. It was first damaged by an accidental explosion on 24 April 1568, the church having been appropriated for the storage of gunpowder. On 16 April 1600, Sir

Henry Docwra Henry Docwra, 1st Baron Docwra of Culmore (1564 – 18 April 1631) was a leading English-born soldier and statesman in early seventeenth-century Ireland. He is often called "the founder of Derry", due to his role in establishing the city. Bac ...

entered Derry with a force of 4,000 soldiers. He tore down the ruins of the Big Church and used its stones to build the walls and ramparts of the city. A small square stone tablet from ''An Teampall Mór'' is today fixed into the porch of the present structure. The Latin inscription reads ''"In Templo Vervs Devs Est Verec Colendvs"'' ("The True God is in His Temple and is to be truly worshipped"). The cathedral is located close to the original. The present church was built by William Parratt, from London, and was consecrated in 1633. It is a good example of " Gothic Survival" in the

English Gothic architecture English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed ar ...

of the 17th century, contemporary with the college

chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common type ...

Peterhouse, Cambridge Peterhouse is the oldest constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England, founded in 1284 by Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely. Today, Peterhouse has 254 undergraduates, 116 full-time graduate students and 54 fellows. It is quite ...

. The style has been called " Planter's Gothic". Foundations for a

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. ...

extending the east end were laid in 1633, but the building work advanced no further. In the porch is an inscription: After its consecration in 1633, the church was nearly unaltered until the bishop in 1776,

Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol Frederick Augustus Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol, (1 August 1730 – 8 July 1803), was an 18th-century Anglican prelate. Elected Bishop of Cloyne in 1767 and translated to the see of Derry in 1768, Hervey served as Lord Bishop of Derry until ...

, extended the total height of the building to by building up the tower by and adding a very tall

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires a ...

. This spire lasted only two decades before it threatened to collapse and was dismantled for rebuilding. The tower was finished in 1802, but the replacement spire was built another two decades later. The original south porch, attached to the hitherto unaltered nave, was removed in 1825, and in 1827 the turrets on either side of the east end were remodelled, with their previously crenallated tops rebuilt with

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

s. In 1861–1862, the whole interior was remodelled with new woodwork in oak, and the galleries which had previously been in the

aisle An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, certain types of buildings, such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, pa ...

s were removed. Other decorations and furnishings were replaced at the same time. In 1887, in beginning work for a new chancel, the 17th-century foundations were unearthed, and the new chancel was constructed on their plan, completing the church's intended form. The

chapter house A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole commun ...

was built in 1910. St Columb's has in its possession many documents dating back from the

Siege of Derry The siege of Derry in 1689 was the first major event in the Williamite War in Ireland. The siege was preceded by a first attempt against the town by Jacobite forces on 7 December 1688 that was foiled when 13 apprentices shut the gates ...

. They have portraits of William of Orange and the original keys of the city. The cathedral also contains a memorial to

Valentine Munbee McMaster Surgeon Valentine Munbee McMaster VC (16 May 1834 – 22 January 1872) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...

VC.

Services

The cathedral has three Sunday services, 8:00 am

Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was institu ...

, 11:00 am Sung Eucharist (1st and 3rd Sundays of the month),

Matins Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning. The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which was originally celebrated ...

(all other Sundays of the month), 10:00 am Family Service (4th Sunday of the month) and 4:00 pm Choral

Evensong Evensong is a church service traditionally held near sunset focused on singing psalms and other biblical canticles. In origin, it is identical to the canonical hour of vespers. Old English speakers translated the Latin word as , which became ...

. On weekdays Morning Prayer is celebrated Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 am and on Tuesdays

Holy Communion The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...

is celebrated with intercessions for the sick. Dean of 19 years, the Reverend William Morton, retired on 18 September 2016 and was appointed dean of

St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Saint Patrick's Cathedral ( ir, Ard-Eaglais Naomh Pádraig) in Dublin, Ireland, founded in 1191 as a Roman Catholic cathedral, is currently the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Christ Church Cathedral, also a Church of Ireland ...

. In the transition period, before the appointment of a new dean, the

Bishop of Derry and Raphoe The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe is the Church of Ireland Ordinary of the united Diocese of Derry and Raphoe in the Province of Armagh.'' Crockford's Clerical Directory 2008/2009 (100th edition)'', Church House Publishing (). The united dioces ...

Ken Good Kenneth Raymond Good (born 1 November 1952) is a retired Church of Ireland (Anglican) Bishop who served as Bishop of Derry and Raphoe from 11 June 2002 - 31 May 2019. Early life and priestly ministry Born on 1 November 1952 and educated at Tri ...

, appointed the Reverend Mervyn T. E. Peoples to assist the cathedral's curate, the Reverend Canon John Merrick. On 4 December 2016, Bishop Good appointed the Reverend Canon Raymond Stewart as the new dean of Saint Columb's Cathedral and rector of the Parish of Templemore. Stewart was inaugurated on 28 March 2017 at the cathedral by Bishop Good and succeeded the Rev William Morton who became dean of

in September 2016.

Organists

*1873-1878 James Turpin *1878-1911 Daniel Jones *1912-1914 Sydney Weale *1914-1921

Richard Henry Coleman Richard Henry Coleman (3 April 1888 – 17 February 1965) was a cathedral organist, who served at Peterborough Cathedral.The Succession of Organists. Watkins Shaw Background Richard Henry Pinwill Coleman was born on 3 April 1888 in Dartmouth. He ...

*1921-1948 John T Frankland *1948-1968 Michael H Franklin *1968-1971 Neil Wade *1971 Ian Barber *1972-1980 Michael Hoeg *1981-1982 Marc Rochester *1982-1988 William West *1988-1990? Alexander Best *1990-1991 William West *1991-2001 Timothy Allen *2002-2004 Jonathan Lane *2005- Ian Kenneth Mills

Burials

* William Nicolson,

Bishop of Derry The Bishop of Derry is an episcopal title which takes its name after the monastic settlement originally founded at Daire Calgach and later known as Daire Colm Cille, Anglicised as Derry. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, b ...

(1718–1727) File:St Columb's Cathedral2 by Paride.jpg File:St Columb's Cathedral4 by Paride.jpg File:St Columb's Cathedral5 by Paride.jpg File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral South Aisle Window Exterior View 2013 09 17.jpg,

Perpendicular Gothic Perpendicular Gothic (also Perpendicular, Rectilinear, or Third Pointed) architecture was the third and final style of English Gothic architecture developed in the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ages, typified by large windows, four-c ...

tracery Tracery is an architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the stonework elements that support the ...

File:St Columb's Cathedral6 by Paride.jpg File:The Bomb Font St. Columbs Cathedral in Derry City.jpg, The Bomb Font (A cannonball) inside the Cathedral File:Londonderry St. Columb's Cathedral Nordirland@panorama.jpg, South elevation File:St Columb's Cathedral (08), August 2009.JPG, 19th-century tower and spire File:St Columb's Cathedral (04), August 2009.JPG, Dome File:St Columb's Cathedral (07), August 2009.JPG, 19th-century chancel File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Choir Vestry South Gable 2013 09 17.jpg, 20th-century chapter house,

tracery File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Pew End 2013 09 17.jpg, Decorative finial with mice on a 19th-century pew File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Ceiling 2013 09 17.jpg, Timber ceiling File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Chancel 2013 09 17.jpg,

High altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in pagan ...

and

choir stalls A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tab ...

in the chancel File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral North Aisle 2013 09 17.jpg, North aisle File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Nave 2013 09 17.jpg, Nave, looking east File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Nave II 2013 09 17.jpg, Nave, looking west File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral South Aisle 2013 09 17.jpg, South aisle

References

External links

St Columb's Cathedral website

Details of the organ from the National Pipe Organ Register
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