Cathedrals (10) : Birmingham

The cathedral church of St Philip in Birmingham was built as a parish church in 1711-15. It was promoted to cathedral status in 1905. The church was designed by Thomas Archer in the Baroque style, inspired by Italian churches Archer has seen on visits to the country in the late 1600s. The church was opened and consecrated in 1715 though the tower was not completed until 1725.

The cathedral's nave has five-bay arcades. The chancel was enlarged in the 1880s. The cathedral was built from brick faced by Warwickshire stone from Archer's own quarry. However, the cathedral had to be refaced in the 1880s due to the softness of the original stone used.

Cathedrals (9) : York Minster

York Minster is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe and the seat of the third most important office in the Church of England. A wooden church was first built on the site in 627CE to baptise Edwin the King of Northumbria. A stone church was completed a few years later but fell into decay within a few decades and was destroyed in a fire in 714. The church was rebuilt on a larger scale though suffered a number of times due to the turmoil of the late Saxon period.

The church was rebuilt in the Norman style in 1080. The church was rebuilt and modified in the Gothic style in the following century. Building continued until 1472. The church suffered during the Civil War, Reformation and from a number of fires including a serious fire in 1984 which destroyed the roof of the South transept.

The church has a cruciform plan with North and South transepts. The church has the widest Gothic nave in England and two towers at the West end of the church. The 15th century central tower was one of the last parts of the church to be built.

Cathedrals (8) : Worcester

The magnificent cathedral at Worcester has early Norman origins with work starting on the cathedral in 1084 but not finishing until the early 16th century. However, this replaced an earlier building with dated from 680. No remains of this first cathedral have survived.

The cathedral contains a number of different architectural styles from early Norman to Perpendicular Gothic. The former survives in the cathedral's crypt. The cathedral has two transepts which cross the nave. The building has a chapter house and a cloister. The central tower once had a spire though this has now gone. The cathedral contains King John's tomb, other burials include Prime Minster Stanley Baldwin.

Cathedrals (7) : Coventry

Coventry cathedral is one of the most extraordinary buildings in the country, though that can be said to have been thanks to the Blitz! Coventry's first cathedral was built in 1095CE but was demolished during the Reformation, the only medieval cathedral to suffer this fate. The second cathedral was begun in the late 14th century and was a parish church dedicated to St Michael, one of the largest parish churches in England with one of the tallest spires. It was elevated to cathedral status in 1918.

In 1940 the cathedral was almost destroyed by German bombers, only the tower, spire and parts of the outer wall survived. Work on a new cathedral began in 1956 next to the remains of the old cathedral. The new cathedral had a Modernist design and the juxtaposition of this superb structure next to the remains of the old cathedral is poignant and forward thinking. The result is a building that truly captures the imagination and spirit of remembrance and reconciliation. 

Cathedrals (6) : Lichfield

Lichfield's first cathedral was built in 700 to house the bones of St Chad. In 1085 the original Saxon church, which was made from wood, was replaced by a stone one. However, this church was in turn replaced by the current cathedral in 1195. The building was completed in the 1330s. The cathedral was badly damaged during the Civil War including the destruction of one of the spires and all the stained glass. Restoration began in the 1660s but was not finished until the 19th century.

The cathedral is the only English medieval cathedral with three spires though is one of the smallest cathedrals. The cathedral was built from local sandstone and contains a large number of statues of kings, bishops and saints on the exterior.

Cathedrals (5) : Gloucester

Construction of Gloucester cathedral began in 1089CE on the site of a seventh century abbey church dedicated to St Peter. The Norman heart of the cathedral being added to in the following centuries. The original roof was replaced by a vault in 1242. The South aisle rebuilt in the early 14th century.

In the 15th century the central tower was rebuilt and the South porch added. The Lady Chapel was rebuilt in the 16th century. The cathedral has seen a number of restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Cathedrals (4) : Hereford

Hereford has been the seat of a Bishop since Saxon times, as far back as 680CE. The first cathedral dates from the 7th century though by Norman times was in ruins. The oldest part of the current cathedral, which is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and St Ethelbert the King, date from the reconstruction begun by Robert of Lorraine who was made Bishop in 1079CE. The surviving parts of the church from this time include the Bishop's chapel and the nave arcade.

Further additions and reconstructions, as is common with most churches of any vintage, took place over the following centuries. The central tower was rebuilt in the 14th century. A Western tower added in the 15th. This tower collapsed in 1786 devastating the Western parts of the cathedral. The cathedral was restored in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries.

The cathedral of course is filled with historic artefacts (including the 13th century Mappa Mundi), tombs and monuments. 

Cathedrals (3) : Manchester

Manchester Cathedral has it's origins in a parish church which was built in 1215CE. This was built on the site of an earlier church which existed in the early Norman period, an earlier Saxon church also once stood nearby. The parish church became a collegiate church, which was granted a licence by King Henry V and Pope Martin V, dedicated to St Mary, St Denys and St George in 1421CE. The collegiate church became a cathedral in 1847.

The cathedral has a relatively modern appearance due to extensive reconstruction and modifications in the 1860s including a new tower which was taller than the original. New porches were built replacing the medieval originals and the nave interior was replaced in the 1880s. Further restoration was needed in 1940s following bomb damage during the blitz, damage included the demolition of the original medieval lady chapel, the roof was also badly damaged.

Cathedrals (2) : Leicester

Until 1922 Leicester Cathedral was the parish church of St Martin. In 1922 it became a collegate church and in 1927 was granted cathedral status. The church dates from about 1086CE when it replaced an earlier Saxon church. Little of this Norman church now remain however due to additions and rebuilds over the centuries. The current cathedral state is largely thanks to a Victorian restoration.

King Richard III was buried at Greyfriars friary next to the cathedral (or church as it then was). A centotaph to the king was located in the chancel. In 2012 remains thought to be of the king were found on the Greyfriars site and after DNA confirmation that it was Richard, the king was interred in a tomb in the cathedral in 2015.

Cathedrals (1) : Derby

The Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby was originally built in the 14th century on the site of an earlier Saxon church. The oldest surviving part of the church, the three storey tower, dates from the 15th. The church was rebuilt in 1723-5 with everything apart from the tower replaced.

However the church was, at the time, a parish church. It did not gain cathedral status until 1927. The cathedral was extended with a new retrochoir built in the late 1960s.