Staying in Manchester

This morning we walked to the cathedral for the main morning service at 10:30. It was just under a mile, mostly along the straight Deansgate and took us around half an hour. We left in good time so we had plenty of opportunity to admire the splendid interior.

The church dates back centuries and was originally the main collegiate parish church for Manchester. The diocese was created in 1847, taking in parts of several surrounding older dioceses. The present layout has a focus on an altar in the nave, in front of the rood screen with the choir stalls behind. It gives a calm but impressive feel with a distinctly contemporary outlook, even if this work was done a while ago.

The Stoller Organ, right in the centre and above the rood screen was completed in 2017. When we arrived the seats were almost all empty but gradually filled up and by the time the service began there were around 100 in the congregation.

The cathedral choir take a break for the summer and although some weeks there is a visiting or volunteer choir, today it was just the organist and the congregation to make music! The sermon was given by the Dean who spoke informally but very effectively and re-iterated the challenge that the cathedral community feel very strongly to be as inclusive as possible. Next Sunday, the weekend of the Pride march, there is a special service for that community in the evening.

After the service we stayed for coffee an chat, followed by a wander around the retro choir.

From this position the organ looks even more splendid, framed by the dark wood of the choir stalls.

To celebrate the 600th anniversary of the collegiate church a special installation art work was commissioned featuring 600 ceramic doves, each inscribed with a short message - just about visible in the close up.

 

Christine was especially taken by the 1992 sculpture by the French artist Josefina de Vasconcellos who was then in her 90s. It is called Holy Night and depicts Mary and Joseph holding the tiny baby soon after it was born.

Behind this view of the high altar (itself barely visible when sitting in the nave) is a statue of the second bishop of Manchester. This was a time of considerable change to Manchester with rapid expansion of industry and the shift of the residential population out to the suburbs. Old churches were closed and new ones opened in order to serve the needs of the thriving congregations. It is said that this bishop opened more new churches than any other in history!

In looking at old maps to understand how the present layout developed, we spotted this view from an 1889 map - OK it is too detailed to see properly at this scale and we have failed to label the significant items (work in  progress!) but what it shows are two churches very close to the basin where we are moored (bottom left) The nearer is between the two parts of the Campfield Market and is labelled as having seating for 1833 people. (see here for an illustration of how it looked in 1877) The second is where the former churchyard is now a green space, on Lower Byrom Street. This one could seat 1200. There are no remains of either.

Of course, the pendulum is swinging again. In this central area, many building developments of very recent times are principally housing apartments and so what was once residential, then industrial and commercial is now reverting back to residential. Lower Campfield Market (no photo as the battery ran flat at this point!) is currently being converted to business accommodation aimed at the media, creative and tech industries with a special focus on providing flexible space for new businesses.

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