Church

Plymouth Cathedral

Plymouth Cathedral

The Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface on Cecil Street (Wyndham Street West) is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Plymouth, a Grade II Early English Revival church by Joseph and Charles Hansom, opened in 1858.

Location
Plymouth, Devon
Country
England
County
Devon
City / town
Plymouth
Address
Cecil Street, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 5HW
Postcode
PL1 5HW
Built
1856–58; tower and spire 1866; reordered 1920–27 and later
Consecrated
22 September 1880 (opened 25 March 1858)
Architect
Joseph Aloysius Hansom and Charles Francis Hansom; F. A. Walters (1920–27 reordering)
Denomination
Catholic Church
Diocese
Plymouth
Parish
Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface
Grade
II
Style
Early English Gothic Revival
Materials
Plymouth limestone rubble with limestone dressings; steep dry slate roofs; stone spire
Grid reference
SX 471 548
Opening hours
Mass and arranged times only.
Access
Non-accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby. Accessible toilets in church

Overview

Historic England and Taking Stock record a cathedral of 1855–58 by J. A. and C. F. Hansom for Bishop William Vaughan, with the spire added to the tower in 1866, also to the Hansoms’ design. It is Plymouth limestone rubble with limestone dressings, steep slate roofs and a slender stone spire. The Catholic Diocese of Plymouth was created in 1850 for Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. Vaughan bought the Fivefields site in 1856; the foundation stone was laid that year; the cathedral opened at Mass on 25 March 1858 and was consecrated by Vaughan on 22 September 1880. F. A. Walters reordered the interior in 1920–27. Listed Grade II on 1 May 1975 (NHLE 1386510).

Further Information