Description of the attraction
Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary is a Catholic cathedral in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the Granger Town area. This church cannot be called old, it was built in the middle of the 19th century. But this is the tallest church in the city, and its 70-meter spire has become the same hallmark of the city as the Cathedral of St. Nicholas or the Millennium Bridge.
In 1838, a general meeting of Catholics living in Newcastle decides to build a church, large and beautiful, which "would become an honor to our faith, adorn the city and would accommodate twelve hundred people." There were not many Catholics in Newcastle, and the decision to build such a large church was a testament to their faith. A fundraiser was announced, and by 1842 enough money had been raised to buy a piece of land and invite an architect. It turned out to be Augustus Pugin, famous for his work on the Houses of Parliament in London. His conversion to Catholicism robbed him of many orders, but secured him orders from the Catholic Church.
In 1842, Pugin arrived in Newcastle and soon presented his project. The resources of the church building committee were limited, but after much discussion, the cost was agreed and the project was largely adopted. The tower and spire had to be abandoned. The church was opened in 1844. In 1850, after the creation of the diocese of Hexam, the church became a cathedral, and in 1860 the name was approved in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. With the money bequeathed to the church, the tower and the spire were completed in 1870.
During the Second World War, the church's stained glass windows were badly damaged by bombing.
The church was built in the neo-Gothic style typical of Pugin and is richly decorated with stained glass windows.
