---
title: "Plymouth Cathedral"
description: "Located in Plymouth, Devon. Built 1856–58; tower and spire 1866; reordered 1920–27 and later. Diocese of Plymouth. Grade II. Early English Gothic Revival style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Catholic Church","Devon","Plymouth","Grade II","Cathedral","Gothic Revival","Hansom"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/plymouth-cathedral-plymouth"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T02:31:51.686Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-07T17:50:18.415Z"
location: "Plymouth, Devon"
country: "England"
county: "Devon"
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"
grade: "II"
style: "Early English Gothic Revival"
materials: "Plymouth limestone rubble with limestone dressings; steep dry slate roofs; stone spire"
website: "https://www.plymouthcathedral.co.uk/"
openingHours: "Mass and arranged times only."
parish: "Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1386510"
gridReference: "SX 471 548"
accessNotes: "Non-accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby. Accessible toilets in church"
---

# 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.

## 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

- [Plymouth Cathedral](https://www.plymouthcathedral.co.uk/)
- [Historic England list entry 1386510](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1386510)
- [Taking Stock](https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/plymouth-st-mary-and-st-boniface-cathedral/)
- [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Cathedral)