There's a mildly cryptic letter in a national newspaper today pointing out that "Anglican attendance in the 43 cathedrals in the country has now rocketed to 35,800 attendees per week......They have now overtaken West Ham's match day attendance and are about to overtake Tottenham Hotspur". I think I've mentioned that I knew from the Chamberlain of York Minster that attendances at English cathedrals have risen sequentially since the war. There are reasons for this. There's anonymity (you're unlikely to be hauled on to the tea rota), good architecture and good music, for example. As for the comparison with football clubs (eg West Ham and Tottenham), football attendances were very low in the eighties, but have gone up since in spite of increased prices. Reasons for this are varied, but off topic, though violence and racist chanting have never been a problem in Anglican cathedrals (and the toilets were rarely vandalised). You are also unlikely to have to contend with wafting odours of burgers and onions being fried in cheap fat. I was going to head this topic "Good News from England", but that might give offence. But I did wonder if the same was happening in other parts of the Anglican Communion? And have splinter groups started their own cathedrals? Incidentally, we're in Gloucester this weekend and will be attending a cathedral service there. Has anyone got a favourite cathedral? For me it's a toss up between Lichfield and Carlisle.
Great news, and thank you for posting this. As of yet I hadn't visited The Old Country to have a favorite, although based on pictures alone I might say the Carlisle and Salisbury cathedrals are most impressive.
As Wiltshire lad, I can't say Salisbury was ever so impressive as to leave an impression upon me... Durham, every time. Though I have quite a soft spot for Liverpool too, it must be said. Oh, and Coventry. I think it's a really powerful piece of architecture.
i know that this thread is about english cathedrals, but I fell in love St. Philip's Cathedral in Atlanta. A truly beautiful edifice of our faith. And of course the National Cathedral is amazing. I also found St. John's Cathedral in St. Pete, FL to be quite lovely as well.
Thanks. No, it's not just about English Cathedrals: it's about other parts of the Anglican Communion too.
I've a soft spot for Blackburn, early nineteenth century in the middle of a very down at heel city. They have at least eight choirs and the singing is magnificent.
Maybe for "splinter groups starting their own cathedrals", you could mention those pesky old Romans, who came back in 1850 with - what do you say, gusto? Your English cathedral services always look big and full, from what is seen on YouTube. With names like Amner or Byrd or Stanford or Purcell providing huge music for well-trained choirs, and architecture like St. Paul's or Durham or Winchester or Lincoln providing huge scenes for well-processing clergy, it is obvious why. The English have the best and brightest tradition of "big" worship (outside the Grachten, anyway!) in my small opinion. It is very good if your cathedrals are getting full. This is better than museums or stadiums or theatres on a Sunday.