75-475: Buckingham Palace Road is a street that runs through Victoria, London , from the south side of Buckingham Palace towards Chelsea , forming the A3214 road . It is dominated by Victoria Station . In the 18th century, the road was known as Chelsea Road and was often frequented by highwaymen . A reward of £10 was offered in 1752 for the capture of one of the worst offenders. Towards the southern end, Victoria Station
150-444: A Norman prototype in striking contrast to the rest of the design. The main structural parts of the building are of brick and concrete, the latter material being used for the vaulting and domes of graduated thickness and complicated curve. Following Byzantine tradition, the interior was designed with a view to the application of marble and mosaic . Throughout the exterior, the lavish introduction of white stone bands in connection with
225-506: A "distinguished" gathering. After the "recitation of the Litanies, Cardinal Logue celebrated Low Mass coram episcopo . A procession composed of Benedictines , Franciscans , Jesuits , Passionists , Dominicans , Redemptorists , and secular clergy made the circuit of the grounds. The choir, directed by the Rev. Charles Cox, rendered, among other pieces, Webbe's 'O Roma Felix' and 'O Salutaris'. At
300-541: A 20 feet (6.1 m)-tall clock tower in the style of Big Ben , stands at the intersection of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Victoria Street. It was erected in 1892 but removed in 1964 during road widening works, and was kept in storage until eventually being restored in 1981. The Apollo Victoria Theatre was built in 1929 in Art Deco style, opening in 1930 the New Victoria Cinema. It closed in 1975 before being reopened as
375-513: A 9th-century Christian neo-Byzantine style , and accordingly made almost entirely of brick , without steel reinforcements, Sir John Betjeman called it "a masterpiece in striped brick and stone" that shows "the good craftsman has no need of steel or concrete." In the late 19th century, the Roman Catholic Church 's hierarchy had only recently been restored in England and Wales, and it
450-522: A distinguished choral tradition. It has its origin in the shared vision of Cardinal Vaughan , the cathedral's founder, and Sir Richard Runciman Terry , its inaugural Master of Music. Terry prepared his choristers for a year before their first sung service in public. For the remainder of his tenure (until 1924) he pursued a celebrated revival of great quantities of Latin repertoire from the English Renaissance , most of which had lain unsung ever since
525-516: A firm footing for years to come." When the question of a musical director was first considered, the choice fell on the singer Sir Charles Santley , who had conducted the choir of the pro-cathedral in Kensington on several occasions. But Santley knew his limitations and refused. Richard Runciman Terry—Director of Music at Downside Abbey School —then became the first director of music of Westminster Cathedral. It proved to be an inspired choice. Terry
600-497: A national fundraising campaign called "Save Our Stuff", the Guides were able to move into their own purpose-built headquarters at 17–19 Buckingham Palace Road, which they still occupy today. 51°29′42″N 0°08′45″W / 51.4950°N 0.1459°W / 51.4950; -0.1459 Victoria, London Victoria is an area of Central London in the City of Westminster . It
675-518: A snake, was installed at the entrance to the chapel in his honour. In 2001, a striking mosaic of Saint Alban , strongly influenced by the style of early Byzantine iconography, was installed by the designer, Christopher Hobbs. Due to the very favourable reception of the work, Hobbs was commissioned for further mosaics: the chapel to Saint Joseph which contains mosaics of the Holy Family (2003) and men working on Westminster Cathedral (2006). Hobbs also did
750-598: A theatre in 1981. In 1984 it became host to the musical Starlight Express , which remained its main production until 2002. Opposite the Victoria Street entrance to Victoria Station is the site of the former Metropole Kinema, built in 1929 and in operation until 1977. It reopened in 1978 as The Venue , a live music club owned by Virgin Records , which ran until 1984. The building was demolished in 2013. The House of Fraser department store on Victoria Street, opened in 2005,
825-541: A traditional choir of men and boys was set up instead. Despite great financial problems, the Choir School opened on 5 October 1901 with eleven boy choristers, in the building originally intended for the monks. Cardinal Vaughan received the boys with the words "You are the foundation stones". The Cathedral Choir was officially instituted three months later in January 1902. Sung Masses and Offices were immediately established when
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#1732852358904900-608: A tremendous amount of work done, with mosaics placed in the Lady Chapel, in the alcoves above the confessionals, in the crypt dedicated to Saint Peter , and on the sanctuary arch. No new mosaics were installed until 1950 when one depicting St Thérèse of Lisieux (later replaced by a bronze) was placed in the south transept and another, in 1952, in memory of those in the Royal Army Medical Corps who died in World War II , in
975-642: Is a designated 'Opportunity Area' in the Mayor's London Plan and Westminster City Council's Adopted Core Strategy January 2011 policy planning document, recognising the potential of the area, with its excellent transport links to accommodate commercial and residential growth. There are a number of emerging proposals for major redevelopment in the area, including improvements to the Victoria Underground Station, and regeneration of surrounding sites. Westminster Cathedral Westminster Cathedral , formally
1050-472: Is a street named Stag Place and a pub called the Stag.) Part of a slum, dubbed " Devil's Acre " by Charles Dickens , was demolished to construct Victoria Street, which opened for use in 1851. Pleasance Pendred and three other suffragettes smashed the windows of various shops including the antiquities shop at 167 Victoria Street in 1913. Victoria Station was built in 1860. The architect Archibald Leitch who
1125-643: Is above the entrance to the cathedral. The Tympanum of the portal shows in a Byzantine mosaic technique from left to right the kneeling St Peter with the Keys of Heaven , the Virgin Mary , Jesus Christ as Pantocrator on the throne, St Joseph , the Nursing Father of Jesus with a lily in his right hand, and in a kneeling position the canonized English King Edward the Confessor in royal regalia. As Jesus Christ blesses
1200-502: Is built on the site of the former flagship branch of the Army & Navy Stores , opened in 1872. Army & Navy Stores had been acquired by House of Fraser in 1973. Three notable schools are closest to the Victoria neighbourhood, Westminster City School for Boys and Grey Coat Hospital for Girls, as well as the independent Westminster School at Deans Yard near Westminster Abbey . Victoria
1275-521: Is named after Victoria Station , which is a major transport hub. The station was named after the nearby Victoria Street, opened 1851. The name is used to describe streets adjoining or nearly adjoining the station in the West End of London , including Victoria Street, Buckingham Palace Road , Wilton Road , Grosvenor Gardens , and Vauxhall Bridge Road. Victoria consists predominantly of commercial property and private and social housing, with retail uses along
1350-435: Is richly inlaid with coloured marbles, lapis lazuli, pearl, and gold. Eight columns of yellow marble, from Verona , support the baldacchino over the high altar, and others, white and pink, from Norway , support the organ galleries. Behind the baldacchino the crypt emerges above the floor of the sanctuary , and the podium thus formed is broken in the middle by the steps that lead up to the retro-choir . The curved wall of
1425-413: Is separated by an open screen of marble, was the first to have its decoration completed. The marble lining of the piers rises to the springing level of the vaulting and this level has determined the height of the altar reredos, and of the screen opposite. On the side wall, under the windows, the marble dado rises to but little more than half this height. From the cornices the mosaic decoration begins on
1500-482: Is the 50th largest church in the world in terms of interior area (5,017m²), seating up to 2,000 people. It is the 38th largest Catholic church globally in terms of interior area. The whole building, in the neo-Byzantine style, covers a floor area of about 5,017 square metres (54,000 sq ft); the dominating factor of the scheme, apart from the campanile , being a spacious and uninterrupted nave , 18 metres (59 ft) wide and 70 metres (230 ft) long from
1575-640: The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ , is the largest Roman Catholic church in England and Wales and the seat of the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster . The site on which the cathedral stands in the City of Westminster was purchased by the Diocese of Westminster in 1885, and construction was completed in 1903. Designed by John Francis Bentley in
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#17328523589041650-552: The Feeding the multitude and the Wedding Feast at Cana . In his old age, Anrep also acted as adviser and principal sketch artist for the mosaics installed in the chapel of Saint Paul (1964–1965). These mosaics depict various moments in the life of Paul; his occupation as a tent-maker, his conversion to Christ, the shipwreck on Malta and his eventual execution in Rome . It was not until
1725-510: The Stations of the Cross to be found along the outer aisles. The ones at Westminster Cathedral are by the sculptor Eric Gill , and are considered to be amongst the finest examples of his work. When the cathedral's architect John Bentley died, there were no completed mosaics in the cathedral and Bentley left behind precious little in terms of sketches and designs. Consequently, the subject and styles of
1800-828: The flying boat service. The terminal continued in service until the end of the 1970s, by which time there were dedicated rail or bus connections to Gatwick and Heathrow Airports . It is now the headquarters of the National Audit Office . The entrances to the Royal Mews and Queen's Gallery are in Buckingham Palace Road. In June 1917, the Imperial Headquarters of the Boy Scouts' Association (since 1967, The Scout Association ) moved to 25 Buckingham Palace Road from its previous office at 116 Victoria Street. It
1875-590: The 1998 Gramophone Awards for both Best Choral Recording of the Year and Record of the Year, for the performance of Martin 's Mass for Double Choir and Pizzetti's Requiem, conducted by O'Donnell. It is the only cathedral choir to have won in either of these categories. When its duties at the cathedral permit, the choir also gives concert performances both at home and abroad. It has appeared at many important festivals, including Aldeburgh , Cheltenham , Salzburg, Copenhagen, Bremen and Spitalfields . It has appeared in many of
1950-540: The Blessed Sacrament chapel, the chapel dedicated to the Blessed Mother is completely open. The building of the Lady Chapel was funded by Baroness Weld in memory of her second husband. Those chapels which may be entered from the aisles of the nave are also 6.7 metres (22 ft) wide, and roofed with simple barrel vaulting . The chapel of Saints Gregory and Augustine , next to the baptistery , from which it
2025-466: The Grand Organ of four manuals and 81 stops occupies a more commanding position than many British cathedral organs enjoy. Built by Henry Willis III from 1922 to 1932, it remains one of the most successful and admired. One of Louis Vierne 's best-known organ pieces, " Carillon de Westminster ", the final movement from Suite no. 3 (op. 54) of Pièces de Fantaisie, was originally improvised on it in 1924, and
2100-705: The Reformation. Students at the Royal College of Music who would become household names were introduced to their heritage when Charles Villiers Stanford sent them to the cathedral to hear " polyphony for a penny" (the bus fare). This programme also required honing the boys' sight-reading ability to a then-unprecedented standard. The choir has commissioned many works from distinguished composers, many of whom are better known for their contribution to Anglican music , such as Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams . However,
2175-741: The UK and the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster . It was built between 1895 and 1903 in the Neo-Byzantine style on a site previously occupied by the Tothill Fields Bridewell prison from 1618–1884. Victoria Palace Theatre dates from 1911 and replaced the Royal Standard Music Hall, built in 1886. That itself had been a replacement for an earlier Royal Standard Music Hall, which originally opened in 1850 as Moy's Music Hall. Little Ben ,
2250-575: The altar of the Blessed Sacrament chapel a small baldacchino is suspended from the vault, and the chapel is enclosed with bronze grilles and gates through which people may enter. In the Lady Chapel the walls are clad in marble and the altar reredos is a mosaic of the Virgin and Child , surrounded by a white marble frame. The conches of the chapel contain predominantly blue mosaics of the Old Testament prophets Daniel , Isaiah , Jeremiah and Ezekiel . Unlike
2325-501: The beauty and integrity of the cathedral's liturgy. Initially, he determined there should be a community of Benedictine monks at the new cathedral, performing the liturgies and singing the daily Office. This caused great resentment amongst the secular clergy of the diocese, who felt they were being snubbed. In the end, negotiations with both the English Benedictines and the community of French Benedictines at Farnborough failed and
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2400-580: The building. The music was provided by an orchestra of a hundred and a choir of two hundred, including the Cathedral Choir, directed by Richard Terry. The programme included music by Wagner , Purcell , Beethoven , Palestrina , Byrd and Tallis . The acoustics proved to be excellent. One year later, on 6 June 1903, the first performance in London of The Dream of Gerontius , a poem by Cardinal John Henry Newman , set to music by Edward Elgar , took place in
2475-431: The bus station at the westerly end of the street when his parents split up at the age of 9. Before going into comedy he worked as an errand boy in the then grand Artillery Mansions on Victoria Street which was then a grand hotel. In the 1980s it went into decay and became a squat – and in the 1990s was gutted, refurbished and now it is an elegant apartment block. Westminster Cathedral is the largest Catholic church in
2550-579: The cathedral opened for worship in 1903, and have continued without interruption ever since. In September 2020, Cardinal Vincent Nichols responded to a strategic review of sacred music at Westminster Cathedral, asking that "all those who profess to be fervent supporters of this precious inheritance of sacred music to become regular contributors to its financial support. It is, unquestionably, time to look ahead in order to ensure that this tradition of sacred music in Westminster Cathedral...can be put onto
2625-633: The cathedral to view a flower show. On 28 May 1982, the first day of his six-day pastoral visit to the United Kingdom, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass in the cathedral. On St Andrew's Day (30 November) 1995, at the invitation of Basil Cardinal Hume , Queen Elizabeth again visited the cathedral but this time she attended Choral Vespers , the first participation of the Queen in a Roman Catholic church liturgy in Great Britain. On 18 September 2010, on
2700-585: The cathedral was soon attended by inquisitive musicians as well as the faithful. The performance of great Renaissance Masses and motets in their proper liturgical context remains the cornerstone of the choir's activity. Terry resigned in 1924, and was succeeded by Canon Lancelot Long who had been one of the original eleven choristers in 1901. At the beginning of the Second World War , the boys were at first evacuated to Uckfield in East Sussex, but eventually
2775-530: The cathedral. In June 2005 the choristers performed the world première of Sir John Tavener 's Missa Brevis for boys' voices. Westminster Cathedral Choir made its first recording in 1907. Many more have followed in the Westminster Cathedral Choir discography , most recently the series on the Hyperion label, and many awards have been conferred on the choir's recordings. Of these the most prestigious are
2850-666: The cathedral. The composer himself conducted, with Richard Terry at the organ. Once again, the proceeds went to support the Cathedral Choir School. John Tavener's The Beautiful Names , a setting of the 99 names of Allah found in the Qur'an , premièred in the cathedral on 19 June 2007, in a performance by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in the presence of Charles, Prince of Wales . The founder of Westminster Cathedral, Cardinal Herbert Vaughan laid great emphasis on
2925-439: The central entrance, flanked by tribunes, and stairway turrets. The elevation on the north, with a length of nearly 91.5 metres (300 ft) contrasted with the vertical lines of the campanile and the transepts, is most impressive. It rests on a continuous and plain basement of granite, and only above the flat roofing of the chapels does the structure assume a varied outline. Marble columns, with capitals of Byzantine type, support
3000-507: The chapel in honour of Saint Thomas Becket illustrating the saint standing in front of the old Canterbury Cathedral on the chapel's east wall and the murder of Thomas on the west wall. The vault is decorated with a design of flowers, tendrils and roundels (2006). As of 2011 , there were plans for further mosaics, including depictions of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Anthony in the narthex . Despite its relatively short history compared to other English cathedrals, Westminster has
3075-482: The chapel of Saint George . From 1960 to 1962, the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was decorated in a traditional, early Christian style, with the mosaics being predominantly pale pink in order to afford a sense of light and space. The designer, Boris Anrep , chose various Eucharistic themes such as the sacrifice of Abel , the hospitality of Abraham and the gathering of the manna in the wilderness, as well as
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3150-459: The choir is particularly renowned for its performance of Gregorian chant and polyphony of the Renaissance . Unlike most other English cathedrals, Westminster does not have a separate quire ; instead, the choir are hidden from view in the apse behind the high altar . This, with the excellent acoustic of the cathedral building, contributes to its distinctive sound. Located in the west gallery,
3225-488: The choir school was closed altogether for the remainder of the war. The music at the cathedral was performed by a reduced body of professional men singers. During this period, from 1941 to 1947, the Master of Music was William Hyde, who had been the sub-organist under Richard Terry. Hyde was succeeded by George Malcolm , who developed the continental sound of the choir and consolidated its musical reputation—in particular through
3300-427: The crypt is lined with narrow slabs of green carystran marble. Opening out of this crypt is a smaller chamber, directly under the high altar. Here are laid the remains of the first two Archbishops of Westminster , Cardinal Wiseman and Cardinal Manning . The altar and relics of Saint Edmund of Canterbury occupy a recess on the south side of the chamber. The little chapel of Saint Thomas of Canterbury , entered from
3375-447: The death of the artist, George Bridge. Mosaics installed during the period 1912–1916 were mostly done by devotees of the Arts and Crafts Movement . Those in the Lady Chapel were installed by the experienced mosaicist Gertrude Martin (who had worked with George Bridge), in 1912–1913. The work was supervised by Anning Bell and Marshall, who later designed the mosaic of Christ enthroned which
3450-511: The debt on the building fund was liquidated, consecration ceremony took place on 28 June 1910 Under the laws of the Catholic Church, no place of worship could be consecrated unless free from debt. The decoration of the interior had hardly been started at the time of consecration, as the decoration in Byzantine churches is applied, rather than integral to the architecture. Therefore finishing
3525-651: The decoration of the cathedral was left to the subsequent generations. It is an architectural gem with its interior notable for rich marble decorations and the beautiful, but still incomplete, mosaics. In 1895, the cathedral was dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ . This is indicated by the Latin dedication above the portal arch: Domine Jesus Rex et Redemptor per Sanguinem tuum salva nos (English translation: "Lord Jesus, King and Redeemer, heal us through your blood"). The additional patrons are St Mary,
3600-486: The domes divide the nave into three bays, each about 395 square metres (4,250 sq ft). The domes rest on the arches at a height of 27 metres (89 ft) from the floor, the total internal height being 34 metres (112 ft). In selecting the pendentive type of dome, of shallow concavity, for the main roofing, weight and pressure have been reduced to a minimum. The domes and pendentures are formed of concrete, and as extraneous roofs of timber were dispensed with, it
3675-431: The early 17th century it started off as a small brewhouse with properties that once were part of St James's Palace. This then substantially grew and then was bought and owned by Watney & Co . They built lodgings around the brewery as well as amenities for their staff to use. By the end of the 19th century they were employing a sizeable number of staff. (It closed down in 1959 and was demolished. All that now remains of it
3750-540: The first episode looked at women who attend and/or work at the cathedral and their faith, and the third episode looked at the men training to become priests at Allen Hall seminary , and in the episode was a brief scene of their ordination at the cathedral. In May 2021, during the Covid Pandemic and the banning of public mass, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds were wed at the Cathedral. Westminster Cathedral
3825-512: The galleries and other subsidiary parts of the building. The marble selected for the columns was, in some instances, obtained from formations quarried by the ancient Romans, chiefly in Greece . The central feature of the decoration in the cathedral is the baldacchino over the high altar . This is one of the largest structures of its kind, the total width being 9.5 metres (31 ft), and the height 11.5 metres (38 ft). The upper part of white marble
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#17328523589043900-469: The headquarters of Transport for London at Windsor House, and the former New Scotland Yard building (headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service from 1967 to 2016). The area formed part of the parish of St George Hanover Square . Long before Cardinal Place opposite the cathedral came into being there was a huge brewery (Stag Brewery) based at the western end of Victoria Street. From
3975-498: The luncheon which followed, the speakers included Cardinal Vaughan, Cardinal Logue, the Duke of Norfolk , Lord Acton , Henry Matthews MP , Lord Edmund Talbot , and Sir Donald Macfarlane." The cathedral opened in 1903, a year after Bentley's death. One of the first public liturgies to be celebrated in the cathedral was Cardinal Vaughan's Requiem Mass; the Cardinal died on 19 June 1903. When
4050-552: The main streets. The area contains one of the busiest transport interchanges in London and the United Kingdom, including the listed railway station and the underground station, as well as Terminus Place, which is a major hub for bus and taxi services. Victoria Coach Station , 900 yards (800 metres) southwest of the railway station, provides road-coach services to long-distance UK and continental destinations. Victoria Street runs on an east–west axis from Victoria station to Broad Sanctuary at Westminster Abbey . Cardinal Place , across
4125-548: The mosaics were influenced by donors as well as designers, overseen by a cathedral committee established for this purpose. Indeed, Bentley's influence is, in reality, only seen in the chapel dedicated to the Holy Souls. Due to the prevailing absence of any real designs by Bentley, there was no real agreement as to how the mosaics should look, and in one instance, works already installed (in the Sacred Heart shrine) were removed after
4200-528: The mother of Jesus, St Joseph , his foster father, and St Peter , his vicar. The cathedral also has numerous secondary patrons: St Augustine and all British saints, St Patrick and all saints of Ireland . The Feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral is celebrated each year on 1 July, which from 1849 until 1969 was the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ . In 1977, as part of her Silver Jubilee Celebrations , Queen Elizabeth II visited
4275-436: The narthex to the sanctuary steps, covered with domical vaulting . In planning the nave, a system of supports was adopted not unlike that to be seen in most Gothic cathedrals, where huge, yet narrow, buttresses are projected at intervals, and stiffened by transverse walls, arcading and vaulting. Unlike in a Gothic cathedral , at Westminster they are limited to the interior. The main piers and transverse arches that support
4350-519: The north transept, is used as a chantry for Cardinal Vaughan . A large Byzantine style crucifix , suspended from the sanctuary arch, dominates the nave. The chapel of the Blessed Sacrament , on the north side of the sanctuary, and the Lady Chapel on the south, are entered from the transepts; they are 6.7 m (22 ft) wide, lofty, with open arcades, barrel vaulting, and apsidal ends. Over
4425-578: The now legendary recording of Victoria's Tenebrae responsories . More recent holders of the post have included Francis Cameron, Colin Mawby , Stephen Cleobury , David Hill , James O'Donnell and Martin Baker . In May 2021, Simon Johnson was appointed as the Master of Music. In addition to its performances of Renaissance masterpieces, Westminster Cathedral Choir has given many first performances of music written especially for it by contemporary composers. Terry gave
4500-546: The premières of music by Vaughan Williams (whose Mass in G minor received its liturgical performance at a Mass in the cathedral), Gustav Holst , Herbert Howells and Charles Wood ; in 1959 Benjamin Britten wrote his Missa brevis for the choristers; and since 1960 works by Lennox Berkeley , William Mathias , Colin Mawby and Francis Grier have been added to the repertoire. Most recently four new Masses—by Roxanna Panufnik , James MacMillan , Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Judith Bingham —have received their first performance in
4575-570: The red brickwork (itself quite common in the immediate area) produces an impression quite foreign to the British eye. The bricks were hand-moulded and delivered by Faversham Brickfields at Faversham in Kent and Thomas Lawrence Brickworks in Bracknell . The main entrance façade owes its composition, in a measure, to accident rather than design. The most prominent feature of the façade is the deeply recessed arch over
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#17328523589044650-558: The sanctuary, thus closely following the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio , Milan, the open colonnade under the eaves, the timber roof following the curve of the apex, are all familiar features. The large buttresses resist the pressure of a vault 14.5-metre (48 ft) in span. Although the cruciform plan is not very noticeable inside the building, it is emphasised outside by the boldly projecting transepts. These with their twin gables, slated roofs, and square turrets with pyramidal stone cappings suggest
4725-509: The street from Westminster Cathedral , opened in 2006 and contains a selection of restaurants, banks and shops, including a Marks and Spencer store. Further along the street, there is a large House of Fraser department store (formerly the Army & Navy ) opposite Westminster City Hall . At the Broad Sanctuary end is the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy building,
4800-402: The subsequent 1927 published version is dedicated to Willis. The apse organ of fifteen stops was built in 1910 by Lewis & Co . Although the Grand Organ has its own attached console, a console in the apse can play both instruments. On 3 May 1902, some 3,000 people attended a concert of sacred music in the cathedral, organised to raise money for the Choir School and to test the acoustics in
4875-415: The third archbishop , Cardinal Vaughan , with John Francis Bentley as architect, in a style heavily influenced by Byzantine architecture . The cost of the building was anticipated at £150,000 and its area 54,000 sq ft, the cathedral to be 350 ft long by 156 ft wide by 90 ft high. The foundation stone blessing by Cardinal Vaughan took place on a Saturday morning, 29 June 1895, before
4950-482: The third day of his four-day state visit to the United Kingdom, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in the cathedral. In January 2011 the cathedral was the venue for the reception and later ordination of three former Anglican bishops into the newly formed Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham . In 2012, the cathedral was the host of two episodes of the BBC Four three-part documentary series named Catholics :
5025-549: The viewer with his right hand, he holds in his left hand the Book of Life . The Latin inscription of the opened book pages reads: Ego sum ostium per me si quis introierit salvabitur (I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved; Gospel of John 10,9). The mosaics in the chapel dedicated to Saint Andrew , paid for by The 4th Marquess of Bute , also belong to work of the Arts and Craft Movement. The five-year period 1930 to 1935 saw
5100-436: The visit of Pope John Paul II in 1982 that the next mosaic was installed above the north-west entrance. Rather than a scene, this mosaic is an inscription: Porta sis ostium pacificum per eum qui se ostium appellavit, Jesus Christum (May this door be the gate of peace through Him who called Himself the gate, Jesus Christ). In 1999, the mosaic of Saint Patrick , holding a shamrock and a pastoral staff as well as trampling on
5175-418: The walls and vault. This general arrangement applies to all the chapels yet each has its own distinct artistic character. Thus, in sharp contrast to the chapel dedicated to St. Gregory and St. Augustine which contains vibrant mosaics, the chapel of the Holy Souls employs a more subdued, almost funereal style, decoration with late Victorian on a background of silver. As in many Catholic churches, there are
5250-410: Was both a brilliant choir trainer and a pioneering scholar, one of the first musicologists to revive the great works of the English and other European Renaissance composers. Terry built Westminster Cathedral Choir's reputation on performances of music—by Byrd , Tallis , Taverner , Palestrina and Victoria , among others—that had not been heard since the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and Mass at
5325-504: Was in memory of Cardinal Wiseman (who died in 1865, and was the first Archbishop of Westminster from 1850) that the first substantial sum of money was raised for the new cathedral. The land was acquired in 1884 by Wiseman's successor, Cardinal Manning , having previously been occupied by the second Tothill Fields Bridewell prison. After two false starts, in 1867 (under architect Henry Clutton ) and 1892 (architect Baron von Herstel ), construction started in 1895 under Manning's successor,
5400-587: Was in that building that the Boy Scouts' International Bureau (now the World Scout Bureau ) was inaugurated in 1920. The UK Scout Headquarters remained at that address until December 1974, when it moved to Baden-Powell House . The Girl Guides Association (now Girlguiding ) rented offices within Scout Headquarters until 1929, when there was no longer storage space for the Association's records. Following
5475-508: Was necessary to provide a thin independent outer shell of impervious stone. The concrete flat roofing around the domes is covered with asphalt. The sanctuary is essentially Byzantine in its system of construction. The extensions that open out on all sides make the corona of the dome seem independent of support. The eastern termination of the cathedral suggests the Romanesque , or Lombardic style of Northern Italy. The crypt with openings into
5550-603: Was opened in 1866 and the adjacent Victoria Coach Station was built in 1932 in the Art Deco style. From 1890 to 1956 the street had a parish church in the form of St Philip's Church, Buckingham Palace Road . In 1938, the Empire Terminal of Imperial Airways opened opposite the coach station, designed by Albert Lakeman, also in the Art Deco style. It allowed passengers to check-in before boarding special trains from Victoria Station to Croydon Airport or Southampton Docks for
5625-419: Was renowned for his work designing football stadiums including Goodison Park , Craven Cottage , Anfield , Stamford Bridge , Old Trafford , Ibrox and White Hart Lane among many others, had offices which were based at 53 Victoria Street and the street as a whole housed many consulting engineering firms until the 1970s. According to Norman Wisdom 's biography, he slept near the statue of Marshal Foch by
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