---
title: "Blackburn Cathedral"
description: "Located in Blackburn, Lancashire. Built 1820–26 (nave); eastward extensions from 1938; lantern tower 1961–67; consecrated as completed cathedral 1977. Diocese of Blackburn. Grade II*. Gothic Revival (Decorated) with mid-20th-century lantern style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church of England","Lancashire","Blackburn","Grade II*","Gothic Revival","Cathedral","John Palmer","Laurence King"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/blackburn-cathedral-blackburn"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T01:19:34.860Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-07T20:32:44.082Z"
location: "Blackburn, Lancashire"
country: "England"
county: "Lancashire"
town: "Blackburn"
address: "Cathedral Close, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5AA"
postcode: "BB1 5AA"
built: "1820–26 (nave); eastward extensions from 1938; lantern tower 1961–67; consecrated as completed cathedral 1977"
consecrated: "1826 (parish church); 18 November 1977 (completed cathedral)"
architect: "John Palmer; W. A. Forsyth; Laurence King"
denomination: "Church of England"
dedications: ["Mary","Paul"]
diocese: "Blackburn"
grade: "II*"
style: "Gothic Revival (Decorated) with mid-20th-century lantern"
materials: "Ashlar (19th century); snecked rubble (20th century); slate roofs; concrete lantern"
website: "https://www.blackburncathedral.com/"
openingHours: "Monday to Saturday 8am to our last service of the day. Bank holidays 10 to our last service of the day."
parish: "Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin with St Paul"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1239147"
gridReference: "SD 683 279"
accessNotes: "Non-accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby. Accessible toilets in church"
---

# Blackburn Cathedral

Blackburn Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin with St Paul, stands on Cathedral Close in Blackburn, Lancashire. It is the Grade II* cathedral of the Diocese of Blackburn, created in 1926 from the former parish church of St Mary the Virgin.

## Overview

Historic England records the present nave as 1820–26 by John Palmer of Manchester, in Decorated Gothic Revival ashlar, damaged by fire in 1831 and restored by Thomas Stones with Thomas Rickman. The cathedral website states Palmer’s church was consecrated in 1826 on a site with much older Christian associations; Norman carved stone was found when the foundations were dug. W. A. Forsyth designed large eastward extensions from 1933; the foundation stone was laid in 1938, then war and costs curtailed the scheme. Laurence King, appointed in 1961, replaced Forsyth’s projected central tower with an octagonal lantern over the sanctuary. The listing describes the corona’s eight facets of seven-light square-headed windows and a tall spire. Nave fittings of the 1960s include work by John Hayward. The completed cathedral was consecrated on 18 November 1977. Cathedral Court, dedicated in 2016, added cloister, library and refectory buildings.

## Further Information

- [Historic England list entry 1239147](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1239147)
- [Blackburn Cathedral: Our History](https://blackburncathedral.com/learn/our-history/)
- [Wikipedia: Blackburn Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Cathedral)