Guildford Cathedral
Built 1936 - 61
Designed by Sir Edward Maufe
Guildford Cathedral dominates the local skyline, sitting respendently over the town on Stag Hill.
Building started in 1936 with a budget of £250,000. However, with the outbreak of the Second World War, work was suspended. Post-war building restrictions and an inadequate budget further delayed the construction. Work finally resumed in 1954 thanks to the Buy a Brick fundraising campaign. Over 200,000 people bought a brick for 2s 6d (about £5 today), and had their name inscribed on it (including The Queen and my father-in-law).
Before the war, bricks were made by Guildford Brick Works from the clay dug from the ground where the new Cathedral would stand. However they ceased to trade and the post-war bricks were made in Sussex. This is why there is a colour variation to the exterior.
Pevsner described the Cathedral as "sweet-tempered” and “undramatic” while the interior is “noble and subtle.” There is little ornamention and only a few stained glass windows, which gives the building a clean and modern design.
The Cathedral was consecrated on 17th May 1961. It was Grade II* listed in 1981. It is one of only three cathedrals built in the 20th century (the others being Coventry Cathedral and Liverpool). It is also only the third Anglican Cathedral built in England since the seventeenth century.
