Liverpool Anglican Cathedral View
Belltower Views, Victorian Cemetery, Stained Glass Tell City's Story
A perfect first stop in any Liverpool tour, the gorgeous, accessible space reflects the city's history with elevator ride to city views from the belltower.
Liverpool Anglican Cathedral's Gorgeous City View
The perfect bearings-getting first stop in any Liverpool tour, the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral looms like a huge red sandstone ship on the southern edge of this nautical city presenting sensational bell tower-top views over the parks, landmarks, and the gorgeous River Mersey. Entrance is free, although a 3 pound donation is considered thoughtful.
How to Get There
Wear comfortable shoes for the short, but steep walk up Mount Pleasant Street or take the hop-on hop-off City Sightseeing or City Explorer buses from Albert Dock that stop at its doorstep. The closest train station is Lime Street. Liverpool Central Station in Bold Street is also close.
Cathedral History is Liverpool History
You can wander the cathedral's gorgeous space on your own or with one of several gowned volunteers: fonts of cathedral facts, English history, city lore, and personal insight -many remember the difficult, dangerous war years when the cathedral was a landmark to German bombers flying up the Mersey to bomb the docks and strafe the city, as well as happier days like Elizabeth's visit to the cathedral in 1949, and the day the final stone was laid in 1978.
The cathedral was built principally of Woolton sandstone over seventy of the most eventful years of the city's history from 1904 to 1978: years of waning maritime glory, through the wars, to real destitution as the industry of England's North ground to a rusting halt.
Liverpool's Story in Stone and Stained Glass
Liverpool's powerful citizens owed their wealth to the river, the sea, and trade thereon. Look for their tributes to the sea and ships throughout the Cathedrals architecture and in stained glass windows dedicated to shipping lines like White Star.
Its architect, inexperienced, but brilliant, 22-year-old Gilbert Giles Scott was supervised by elder George Bodley. They differed bitterly in taste and temperment. Neither lived to see the structure completed, but are commemorated sitting together in a stained glass window.
Breaking with tradition, the Liverpool cathedral is aligned north-south to fit along the immense jut of sandstone, St. James' Mount, that was once a promontory and quarry where Lliverpool citizens would stroll of an evening. The promontory, chosen for its lovely views, and because on that rock, the structure can be seen for miles, especially, they say, by rival city Cheshire.
You can see the red standstone outcrop boiling up along the car park at the western portal.
The Bells, the Tower, and the British Phone Box
The central tower, built as a lantern, at 101 meters, is one of the tallest belltowers in the world. The bells, 31 tons of them, are at 219 feet up the "highest ringing peal" in the world. You can see them, the impressive copper inner roof, and the city from above.
Buy a ticket to the tower in the gift shop, cross the transcept to the red telephone box, seemingly incongruous until you learn that the Cathedral's architect, Gilbert Giles-Scott, designed it: one of his myriad creative forays that includes contributing to the design of the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Take the elevator, following rather tangled button-pressing instructions to the see the bells in their drafty loft.
Bell Tower Views of Echo Arena, Albert Dock, and Liverpool Icons
Then, along winding, narrow halls walk up 118 steps spiralling up to the blustry bell-tower roof top, usually in a spanking Irish Sea wind off the river. You will notice that the city sits in an amphitheater-like bowl ringed by the Childwall hills and facing the Mersey.
The guide stationed there points out iconic Liverpool landmarks including the gleaming new Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre (said to be shaped like a ship or a whale), neighboring Albert Dock and the waterfront buildings crowned with Liver birds, the Liverpool's Catholic Cathedral (originally by Lutyens) to the north, the blue mountains of Wales to the west, and the stadium grounds of Liverpool or Everton football clubs pointed out depending on the preference of your guide.
The Cafe for Tea and Inspiration
With so much to think about: the views, the World's maritime history, the magnificent building- refresh in the the cafe beneath the southern windows, an exceptional space for a cuppa and biscuits, gathering your thoughts, and inspiration. Beyond the gift-shop, the larger Refrectory Restaurant offers more substantial hot fare and views of the eerily lovely St. James' cemetery and gardens.(www.stjamescemetery.co.uk)
