The Dean of Down, The Very Revd Henry Hull hosted a lunchtime reception in Down Cathedral last week to celebrate completion of the work in the narthex.
Friends of the Cathedral, volunteers, representatives of the local community and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, members of the Cathedral Chapter and Board, local clergy and the architects and designers, gathered in the now brighter and more welcoming entrance area.
A light lunch was served and guests enjoyed some musical accompaniment from Julia Cross (flute) and Michael McCormack (cathedral organist).
Michael showcased the acoustics of the space with ‘March in C Major’ by French organist and composer, Lefébure–Wély.
A light lunch was served and guests enjoyed some musical accompaniment from Julia Cross (flute) and Michael McCormack (cathedral organist).
Michael showcased the acoustics of the space with ‘March in C Major’ by French organist and composer, Lefébure–Wély.
The narthex renovations comprise a newly–refurbished cathedral shop, improved lighting, redecoration and new interpretative panels.
The baptismal font has also been relocated to the centre of the space. The cost for the work was approximately £200,000 and was part–funded by a Northern Ireland Tourist Board Grant as part of the St Patrick’s Signature Project.
More money came through fund–raising events and there were generous donations including a legacy, and support from the Cathedral Chapter.
In his welcome, Dean Hull thanked all those who had contributed, particularly the NITB, whose grant was vital. He also praised the architects, Consarc and designers, G2, who interpreted the Cathedral Board’s ideas and turned them into reality.
The just completed renovations are part of long–running work on the fabric of the cathedral.
In 1986–87, rot was discovered that was so extensive that almost the entire interior plaster walls and vaulting had to be removed. What the visitor sees now is an almost entirely new interior, a replica of what it replaced.
In 2003 /4 the new toilet facility was built specifically to cater for disabled visitors and the recently completed work on the narthex is again aimed at visitors, of which there were over 60,000 last year. Since the work was finished in May visitor tours and numbers have increased, so in that respect the scheme is already a success.
The curved interpretive panels around the perimeter tell the story St Patrick and the history of Down Cathedral. They can be moved into one spot and fitted together so that, for example, schoolchildren can quite easily collect information for a project.
The shop is now behind almost full–height glass panels and extends into what used to be the Chapter Room. It has an extensive range of gifts, cards and local crafts.
“The theme, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” emerged from our collaboration with the graphic design company, G2”, explains Dean Hull. “For a long time we have been speaking of the Cathedral as a place of pilgrimage and prayer, even a house of prayer for all nations. Our Benedictine heritage also reminds us of the need to be hospitable in welcoming people as we would welcome Jesus. These ideas have been woven into the interpretive panels using the words from Matthew 25: 35.”
“I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” is also etched on a slate sculpture standing in the cathedral porch. “We watched people come through the door and everyone looked up,” said Alison Gault from G2 Design. “That led us to commission a piece of artwork with a vertical emphasis that would draw the eyes upwards.”
Bishop Harold Miller thanked Dean Hull for leading the project and bringing it to fruition. He went on to explain the narthex as, historically, “a place for the community to come into and use – a place of meeting for the community. And that is our vision for the narthex of this cathedral. This is a place for the whole community – I want to say that today very strongly – in fact the whole cathedral is for the whole community and especially this place where we enter.”
Bishop Harold pointed out the text on the font, which says there is, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism – words echoed at the holy water stoup in Rostrevor’s Benedictine Monastery which is from the original monastery in Downpatrick and on long term loan from Down Cathedral.
“This is a wonderful symbol of what is happening in Northern Ireland and what is continuing to happen,” said Bishop Harold. “That we discover that in Jesus Christ there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism and that is our starting point, whatever our background. It’s great that that is right at the centre of this place.”
“This is a wonderful symbol of what is happening in Northern Ireland and what is continuing to happen,” said Bishop Harold. “That we discover that in Jesus Christ there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism and that is our starting point, whatever our background. It’s great that that is right at the centre of this place.”
Cecil Maxwell, Churchwarden, has a phrase that he uses for the cathedral, “The Jerusalem of Ireland.” In other words, it is the most important ecclesiastical site on the island of Ireland.
Some may dispute that, but it is certainly a place for telling the story of Patrick.
And more than that, it’s a place for telling the story that Patrick told – the story of Jesus Christ which has been transformative for our land.