Circa 1000 AD
Christianity
has been in England for 400 years. England is ruled by Saxon kings,
including Ethelred and Canute.The only thing remaining from the earliest
years of the church on the Cathedral
site is a stone Saxon cross. Unfortunately we no longer have this in
the Cathedral, but it can be seen in the British Museum. Although there
was a church here, it would be another 900 years before it turned into a
Cathedral.
Circa 1520 AD
The
century is dominated by King Henry the 8th, with his six wives. Henry
breaks with the Pope and declares himself head of the Church of England.
The distinctive thought and worship of the C of E begins here.
George,
the 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, had the Shrewsbury chapel built to one side
of the Cathedral as a family chapel, with a burial vault beneath. You
can see his tomb (with both his wives) there still.
The Chapel
also houses a grand monument to the 6th Earl, who, for a while, was the
guardian of Mary Queen of Scots during her imprisonment in Sheffield
(1570-1584).
In the 16th Century the Lords of the Manor of
Sheffield were the Earls of Shrewsbury. The Shrewsbury Chapel in the
south-east corner of the church was built circa 1520 by George Talbot,
the Fourth Earl, as a family chapel with a burial vault below. The
monuments in this chapel have been described by Joseph Hunter as being
among the finest in the land.
The Monument to the 4th Earl of Shrewsbury
The
monument on the left shows the figure of George Talbot who died in
1538. To the left and right of the Earl are his two countesses: Ann who
died in 1520 and Elizabeth who died in 1567.The tomb was erected in the
lifetime of the second countess.
George Talbot was born in 1468.
At the age of 13 he married Ann and they had 11 children. He became
involved in military and diplomatic work and was a commander in the
English invasion of France in 1513. He was later made Lt General of the
North. In 1530 he entertained Cardinal Wolsey who was travelling south
to face trial. In 1536 the Earl was responsible for putting down the
rebellion against Henry 8th’s religious policy, known as the Pilgrimage
of Grace. His second wife survived him for 29 years.
The Monument to the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury
Against
the south wall of the chapel is the massive monument to George, the
sixth Earl of Shrewsbury, husband of Bess of Hardwick and custodian of
Mary, Queen of Scots, during her fourteen years of imprisonment in
Sheffield. He is represented lying on a rush mat on a lofty sarcophagus,
wearing elaborately engraved armour, his feet on a Talbot.
The
inscription records his faithful military and diplomatic service during
the reigns of Mary I and Elizabeth I and his integrity as the guardian
of Mary Queen of Scots. Looking after Mary and her retinue nearly ruined
him financially.
Recent history
The Chapel became the
property of the Dukes of Norfolk who inherited the Manor of Sheffield
from the Shrewsbury family through marriage. It remained a Roman
Catholic chapel in an Anglican setting until 1933, when it was presented
to the Cathedral by the Duke of Norfolk for ‘the use of the
parishioners’.
The monument to the Fourth Earl of Shrewsbury has
recently undergone extensive conservation work, including laser
treatment cleaning of its surface. The costs were met by generous grant
aid from the Wolfson Foundation and the Sheffield Church Burgesses.
The Saxon cross of Sheffield (now in the British Museum) tells of a
thousand years of Christian history on this site. Stones from a Norman
church (11th to 12th Century), with their dog tooth pattern, can be seen
set into the east wall. Apart from this, the oldest parts of the church
date from the 15th Century: tower, spire and east end. The Cathedral is
cruciform (i.e. shaped like a cross) with the nave and transepts
intersecting at the tower whose piers and arches dominate the building.
The
parish church became a Cathedral in 1914. At the end of World War One,
plans were begun to enlarge the building. These involved turning the
axis of the church round by 90 degrees, constructing a second tower and
spire, and building a new chancel and sanctuary on the north side of the
old church and a long nave at right angles to the present one
stretching out on to Church Street on the south side. All the work on
the north side was completed, but after World War Two the rest of the
plans were not carried out. Extensions at the west end with the focal
point being the Lantern Tower, were completed in 1966.
The Lantern Tower
At
the west end of the nave is the Lantern roof typifying the Crown of
Thorns, coming down into the Cathedral, reminding us of the suffering of
Christ. The glass (1998) by Amber Hiscott is an abstract interpretation
of how resurrection and the Holy Spirit (golds and reds) transforming
human conflict and struggles (blues and violets) and leading to healing
and growth (greens). The Lantern, with its lively colours, illuminates a
joyous pathway to God.
Community Resources Centre
Facing
the main entrance to the Cathedral is the stone archway entrance to the
new Cathedral Community Resource Centre opened on 6 March 2007 by HRH
the Princess Royal. Through this Centre, with its varied state of the
art facilities, it is the Cathedral’s mission to give practical support
to the most vulnerable in society and to provide educational and
cultural resources for the use of the Cathedral, the City and the
community of Sheffield. The large 19th Century window above the entrance
by Dixon of London depicts St Peter and St Paul preaching and healing.
Beyond
the glass entrance doors is the 1554 Gallery. In the well in the centre
of the Gallery are two beautiful 19th Century memorial windows by
Pearce of Birmingham. They show Christ and his Disciples and the
Pharisees in the cornfields on the Sabbath and the presentation of the
infant Jesus in the Temple. Also within the well are the Heraldic
Achievements: these stone panels, taken from the 16th Century tomb
probably originally designed for the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, commemorate
our links with the Talbot lords, and the heraldry reflects the armorial
bearings of the family.
The Chancel leading to the High Sanctuary
The
most notable feature is the angel choir hammer beam roof of 1430. On
the north side of the Sanctuary the centre bust of the three is the
earliest known work (1805) by the great Sheffield born sculptor, Francis
Chantrey. The Bishop’s throne or “cathedra” stands on the south side
near the High Altar.
The Shrewsbury Chapel
This
was the private Roman Catholic chapel of the Dukes of Norfolk until
1933. The altar top is medieval. The Tudor monuments are of outstanding
importance. On the left is the tomb of the Fourth Earl of Shrewsbury,
who died in 1538, and the effigies of his two wives on either side. On
the right is the elaborate monument commemorating the Sixth Earl who
died in1590. He was the fourth husband of Bess of Hardwick and guardian
of Mary Queen of Scots during her fourteen years of imprisonment in
Sheffield.
St Katharine’s Chapel
This
Chapel was dedicated in 1935 to St Katharine and in memory of Mrs
Burrows, wife of the first Bishop of Sheffield. It was refurnished in
recognition of the work of women in the ministry of the church.
St George’s Chapel
This
chapel was originally planned as the high sanctuary of the enlarged
cathedral. Now it is a memorial chapel dedicated to those of the York
and Lancaster Regiment who gave their lives for their country. The
screen of swords and bayonets is unique. The links between the City and
the Cathedral with HMS Sheffield are also commemorated – the most recent
being the bronze anchor memorial, by sculptor Stephen Broadbent, at the
foot of the steps of the Chapel.
The Chapel of the Holy Spirit
The
fine stained glass by Christopher Webb (1940) is based on the Te Deum
Laudamus canticle “We worship thee, O Lord” – a celebration of the
Church on earth and in heaven. Webb also designed the east window and
the six Sheffield worthies window near the display of silver plate and a
series depicting scenes from the history of Sheffield and its parish
church in the Chapter House (permission to view the Chapter House may be
obtained from the Vergers).
The Crypt Chapel of All Saints
Underneath
the St George’s Chapel is the Crypt, a chapel dedicated to All Saints: a
place of peace where the ashes of the departed are interred.
Guided tours of the Cathedral
There is plenty see in and around Sheffield Cathedral and a guided tour will help you get the most from your visit.
You
might want to learn more about the history of Sheffield and its
Cathedral, or you might be interested in the story of worship here. Or
perhaps it is the monuments you are interested in, and the people they
commemorate. You may want to explore the story of the York and Lancaster
Regiment told in St George’s Chapel with its famous screen of swords,
or of HMS Sheffield. Or perhaps you are interested in the colourful
windows with their Bible stories. Whatever your interest, one of our
trained guides can help you.
Guides are often available during the
day, but if you are bringing a group or making a special journey you
might like to pre-arrange a tour.
enquiries@sheffield-cathedral.org.uk
http://www.sheffieldcityguide.com/
