St Columb's Cathedral

The original site of the diocesan cathedral was in Templemore ({{langx|ga|An Teampalll Mór}} or "the Big Church"). Due to the violence of the Nine Years' War, the church was destroyed. It was first damaged by an accidental explosion on 24 April 1568, the church having been appropriated for the storage of gunpowder.The Cathedrals of the Church of Ireland, Day, J.G.F./ Patton, H.E. p. 33: London, S.P.C.K., 1932 On 16 April 1600, Sir Henry Docwra entered Derry with a force of 4,000 soldiers. He tore down the ruins of the Big Church and used its stones to build the walls and ramparts of the city.{{Cite web|title=The Parish of St. Eugene's, Derry Diocese, Ireland|url=http://www.steugenescathedral.com/storyofsteugenes.htm|access-date=2020-12-23|website=steugenescathedral.com}} A small square stone tablet from An Teampall Mór is today fixed into the porch of the present structure. The Latin inscription reads "In Templo Vervs Devs Est Verec Colendvs" ("The True God is in His Temple and is to be truly worshipped"). The cathedral is located close to the original.

The present church was built by William Parratt, from London, and was consecrated in 1633.{{Cite book|last=Curl|first=James Stevens|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TSywCgAAQBAJ|title=The Encyclopedia of the Gothic, 2 Volume Set|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|year=2016|isbn=978-1-119-06460-2|editor-last=Hughes|editor-first=William|location=Chichester|pages=40–45|language=en|chapter=Architecture, Gothic Revival|author-link=James Stevens Curl|orig-year=2013|editor-last2=Punter|editor-first2=David|editor-last3=Smith|editor-first3=Andrew}} It is a good example of "Gothic Survival" in the English Gothic architecture of the 17th century, contemporary with the college chapel of Peterhouse, Cambridge. The style has been called "Planter's Gothic".{{cite web|title=BRIEF HISTORY OF ST COLUMB'S CATHEDRAL LONDONDERRY|url=http://www.stcolumbscathedral.org/History.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104025334/http://www.stcolumbscathedral.org/history.htm|archive-date=4 January 2009|access-date=2010-02-13|publisher=stcolumbscathedral.org}} Foundations for a chancel extending the east end were laid in 1633, but the building work advanced no further. In the porch is an inscription:

{{Poem quote|text=If stones could speake

then London's prayse

should sound who

built this church and

cittie from the grounde.|char=|sign=|title=|source=}}

After its consecration in 1633, the church was nearly unaltered until the bishop in 1776, Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol, extended the total height of the building to {{Convert|221|feet|m|abbr=}} by building up the tower by {{Convert|21|feet|m|abbr=}} and adding a very tall spire. This spire lasted only two decades before it threatened to collapse and was dismantled for rebuilding. The tower was finished in 1802, but the replacement spire was built another two decades later. The original south porch, attached to the hitherto unaltered nave, was removed in 1825, and in 1827 the turrets on either side of the east end were remodelled, with their previously crenellated tops rebuilt with domes.

In 1861–1862, the whole interior was remodelled with new woodwork in oak, and the galleries which had previously been in the aisles were removed. Other decorations and furnishings were replaced at the same time. In 1887, in beginning work for a new chancel, the 17th-century foundations were unearthed, and the new chancel was constructed on their plan, completing the church's intended form.

The chapter house was built in 1910.

St Columb's has in its possession many documents dating back from the Siege of Derry. They have portraits of William of Orange and the original keys of the city.

The cathedral also contains a memorial to Valentine Munbee McMaster VC.

The cathedral has three Sunday services, 8:00 am Eucharist, 11:00 am Sung Eucharist (1st and 3rd Sundays of the month), Matins (all other Sundays of the month), 10:00 am Family Service (4th Sunday of the month) and 4:00 pm Choral Evensong.

On weekdays Morning Prayer is celebrated Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 am and on Tuesdays Holy Communion is celebrated with intercessions for the sick.

Dean of 19 years, the Reverend William Morton, retired on 18 September 2016 and was appointed dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. In the transition period, before the appointment of a new dean, the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Ken Good, appointed the Reverend Mervyn T. E. Peoples to assist the cathedral's curate, the Reverend Canon John Merrick.{{Cite web |url=http://www.stcolumbscathedral.org/september%202016.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=13 September 2016 |archive-date=14 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914054454/http://www.stcolumbscathedral.org/september%202016.pdf |url-status=dead }}

On 4 December 2016, Bishop Good appointed the Reverend Canon Raymond Stewart as the new dean of Saint Columb's Cathedral and rector of the Parish of Templemore. Stewart was inaugurated on 28 March 2017 at the cathedral by Bishop Good and succeeded the Rev William Morton who became dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin in September 2016.

{{Cite web|url=https://www.derryandraphoe.org/|title=Transforming Community, Radiating Christ…|accessdate=11 February 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ireland.anglican.org/news/6810/new-dean-appointed-for-saint|title=New Dean Appointed for Saint Columb's Cathedral|website=Church of Ireland|date=5 December 2016 |accessdate=11 February 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/new-dean-for-st-columb-s-cathedral-1-7711762|title=New Dean for St. Columb's Cathedral|website=newsletter.co.uk|date=5 December 2016 |accessdate=11 February 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.stcolumbscathedral.org/|title=Home|website=stcolumbscathedral|accessdate=11 February 2020}}

{{div col}}

• 1873-1878 James Turpin
• 1878-1911 Daniel Jones
• 1912-1914 Sydney Weale
• 1914-1921 Richard Henry Coleman
• 1921-1948 John T Frankland
• 1948-1968 Michael H Franklin
• 1968-1971 Neil Wade
• 1971 Ian Barber
• 1972-1980 Michael Hoeg
• 1981-1982 Marc Rochester
• 1982-1988 William West
• 1988-1990? Alexander Best
• 1990-1991 William West
• 1991-2001 Timothy Allen
• 2002-2004 Jonathan Lane
• 2005- Ian Kenneth Mills

{{Div col end}}

• William Nicolson, Bishop of Derry (1718–1727)

File:St Columb's Cathedral2 by Paride.jpg

File:St Columb's Cathedral4 by Paride.jpg

File:St Columb's Cathedral5 by Paride.jpg

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral South Aisle Window Exterior View 2013 09 17.jpg|Perpendicular Gothic tracery

File:St Columb's Cathedral6 by Paride.jpg

File:The Bomb Font St. Columbs Cathedral in Derry City.jpg|The Bomb Font (A cannonball) inside the Cathedral

File:Londonderry St. Columb's Cathedral Nordirland@panorama.jpg|South elevation

File:St Columb's Cathedral (08), August 2009.JPG|19th-century tower and spire

File:St Columb's Cathedral (04), August 2009.JPG|Dome

File:St Columb's Cathedral (07), August 2009.JPG|19th-century chancel

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Choir Vestry South Gable 2013 09 17.jpg|20th-century chapter house, Perpendicular Gothic tracery

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Pew End 2013 09 17.jpg|Decorative finial with mice on a 19th-century pew

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Ceiling 2013 09 17.jpg|Timber ceiling

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Chancel 2013 09 17.jpg|High altar and choir stalls in the chancel

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral North Aisle 2013 09 17.jpg|North aisle

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Nave 2013 09 17.jpg|Nave, looking east

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral Nave II 2013 09 17.jpg|Nave, looking west

File:Derry St Columb's Cathedral South Aisle 2013 09 17.jpg|South aisle

{{Portal|Christianity}}

• St Eugene's Cathedral in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Derry

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|St Columb's Cathedral}}

• [http://www.stcolumbscathedral.org/ St Columb's Cathedral website]
• [http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=D01572 Details of the organ from the National Pipe Organ Register]

{{Cathedrals of the Church of Ireland}}

{{Authority control}}

Derry

Category:Diocese of Derry and Raphoe

Category:Grade A listed buildings

Category:Religious buildings and structures in Derry (city)

Category:Churches in County Londonderry

Category:Churches completed in 1633

Category:1633 establishments in the British Empire