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Current Celebration
The 40th anniversary of the
consecration of the new Coventry cathedral was
celebrated in May 2002. A twentieth century building
and a ruin of medieval fabric combine to form
the cathedral as it functions today.
The history of Coventry Cathedral
starts in 1043 but the most dramatically recorded
(and for some people still remembered) event was
the destruction in 1940 of the Cathedral alongwith
much of the city around it, by Luftwaffe bombers.
The subsequent activity is inspirational; from
the creation of a cross from charred timbers and
another of medieval nails on the morning after
destruction, to the collaboration between a city,
the architect and artists.
It is the outcome of those collaborations:
The tapestry, the metalwork and the glass all
within the setting of twentieth century architecture
that continue to inspire visitors today.
Old and new
In plan the new Cathedral is
at right angles to the old. They share the same
rose-red sandstone exterior, but where one is
worn, battered and fallen from bombing and time,
the other stands in sheer upright strength. Both
provide a dramatic setting for the art commissions
of building elements, fittings and finishes
The arts and architecture
Sir Basil Spence was architect
of the Cathedral. He was also the co-ordinator
of the whole operation of commissioning artists
and craftsmen with the skills to create a variety
of elements, including glass, congenially juxtaposed
and working together as a whole. This alchemy
of art and architecture is the focus for presenting
the Cathedral as ‘building of the month’.
Sir Basil Spence believed that
the architect, as leader of the team, should collaborate
at the earliest possible stage with his engineers
and artists. With the art in progress there was
also a reduced risk of it being lost in any subsequent
budget cut. He was therefore careful to commission
work from the outset. Artists were sought to suit
each project and the artist’s freedom was
maintained.
A clear glass screen engraved
by John Hutton enables a visual connection to
be made between the two buildings. At the monumental
porch to the new building Jacob Epstein’s
cast bronze of St Michael and the Devil
dominates the steps from the road.
Inside the new cathedral the
Gothic proportions of slender tall columns set
a dramatic frame for decorative detail. The simple
lines of the hammered concrete high altar are
set at the base of the structured design of the
tapestry, Christ in Glory, designed by
Graham Sutherland.
One of the most memorable impressions
from visiting the Cathedral is the impact of colour
and light created through the windows. John Piper
was commissioned for the Baptistry windows,
to complement the tapestry. Piper worked with
Patrick Reyntiens, master designer and maker of
stained glass, to translate his ideas.
John Pipers interest in glass
derived from research into colour at the beginning
of his artistic career, trying to find out how
the restricted use of rich colour in medieval
stained glass provided a positive response in
him whereas free use of colour in paintings did
not. The burst of light in the Baptistry represents
the Burgeoning of the Light of Creation or the
Holy Spirit on the World.
The nave windows are
the work of Geoffrey Clarke and Keith New, discovered
at the Royal College of Art, with Lawrence Lee
their teacher. Their skills combined to produce
the modern windows with bright rich colours and
strong design that Spence wanted. The Chapel
of Unity glass is by Margaret Traherne whose
thick abstract glass set in concrete impressed
Spence.
There are many other inspired
works. These include the lectern and pulpit designed
in Spence’s office by Anthony Blee with the
bronze eagle by Dame Elisabeth Frink and also
tablets on the walls with lettering by Ralph Beyer.
A living Cathedral
In 1962 response to the new
building was mixed. For some it was too progressive
while for many others the ideas of the 1950s had
become outdated because of liturgical changes.
It has however survived and appears as contemporary
now as then.
The Millennium Chapel is a recent
reuse of space defined by a glass screen etched
by Jane McDonald. This continues the precedent
set by Spence for art creating architectural scale
elements.
Legislation, regulations and
best practice standards in design for the built
environment have developed since completion of
the Cathedral in 1962. This includes a greater
concern for accessibility, therefore some approaches
to and areas within the building may now be considered
a challenge for visitors, such as steps only at
some level changes. However, during a visit in
May 2002 the building appeared to be responding
well to all the demands imposed by people using
it. The care in commissioning art as part of the
architectural concept is still evident in the
experience of visiting the cathedral today.
Further interest:
See events listing for other
Coventry buildings:
Coventry: 'firsts'
and after - Saturday 15th June 2002
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