Cathedral Angels – a Winter Campaign

Angels: our Winter Campaign. Sharing love and hope. Take a look at these stunning angels. Some old, some new. All of them gorgeous.

Angels in our stained glass, carved in our stones, stitched into our kneelers, whittled into our roof bosses, fashioned in our reredoses, placed atop our Christmas trees and in our festive decorations – angels are in the very fabric of our cathedrals and at the heart of the Christmas story.

This winter we will bring you an angel a day (mostly) from every one of our cathedrals – from the medieval stone carving fragment of the angel Gabriel discovered at Lichfield Cathedral during an archaeological survey in 2003, to the lovingly knitted small woollen angels adorning Derby Cathedral this festive season.

As the Christmas story reminds us, angels are messengers from God, coming alongside us to embody God’s love for everyone and declaring the hope and peace that Christ brings for all the world.

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13.2

We hope you enjoy this campaign. Look out for an angel from one of our cathedrals every morning on our social media platforms … you can find us on Bluesky now too!

Here is where you can find us on Social Media.

• Facebook – Association of English Cathedrals
• X / Twitter – English Cathedrals
• Instagram – English Cathedrals
• Bluesky – Association of English Cathedrals

 

Here are the Angels from our #CathedralAngels campaign.

Bradford – Angels by William Morris

The three windows at the east end of Bradford Cathedral were originally one large window designed by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. and inserted in the then Bradford Parish Church in 1863.

The window, with three rows of tracery above seven lights divided by a transom, was the work of several artists. Morris himself designed the angels in the tracery, which originally occupied three tiers, surrounded by slit lights, beneath the dove in the octofoil of the apex.

From 1958-1963 the east end of Bradford Cathedral was re-built and extended, with the Morris & Co. glass being removed and re-inserted in a new position. Sir Edward Maufe, RA was responsible for the extension work and reconfigured the original stained glass window at the east end as three windows for its new position.

When the window was re-designed for the new position, five of the six angels in the top tier of tracery were given to the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, the sixth being too damaged to preserve, having been inserted the wrong way round in 1863. The other two tiers of tracery were arranged to form one tier, eight angels being used along with the octofoil and some corner lights, while four were altered to make more corner lights. Three windows were now made, a centre one of three lights, with a two-light window on each side in the semi-octagonal apse.

John Aldam Heaton, a Bradford textile manufacturer who later became an arts and crafts designer- who recommended Morris & Co. for the stained glass work in 1863- said of the window at the time that, “Compared with modern work generally, the drawing will be found particularly vigorous and forcible; the faces and the limbs boldly defined by line, rather than shaded or minutely worked up, the flesh tints particularly well obtained – a matter often missed – and the colour generally founded on an artist’s appreciation of the value of gradation and harmony, rather than delighting in crude colours and striking contrasts.”

Cathedral Isle of Man

The South Transept Window depicts Jacob’s ladder with angels ascending and descending (Genesis 28. 10-15).

The window is in memory of the Bishop who built the ‘new Cathedral’ (Bishop Rowley Hill 1877-1887).  St German’s only became the Cathedral of Sodor and Man 100 years later in 1980 when legislation was passed by Tynwald.

St Edmundsbury

This carved angel features on a pair of limed oak stalls that were designed by Stephen Dykes Bower in the 1960’s for St Peter’s Church, Birch, Essex, in the St Edmundsbury Gothic style.

Dykes Bower was St Edmundsbury Cathedral’s architect from 1943 until his death in 1994 and transformed the space with his chancel extension, north transept and Edmund and Lady Chapels. The limed oak stalls were given to the Cathedral by the Diocese of Chelmsford when St Peters became redundant in 1990.

Westminster Abbey

Angels which decorate the case of the grand organ in Westminster Abbey.

The organ was installed for the coronation of King George VI in the Abbey in 1937.

Hereford Cathedral

These angels are located in the choir stalls at Hereford Cathedral.

Photo by Caroline Potter

Bristol  – Toddlers’ Carols, Wednesday 18 December – 9.00am, 11.00am & 2.00pm

Families are invited to a short, informal service designed for babies, toddlers, and preschool children.

With the Cathedral beautifully decorated for Christmas, attendees can enjoy singing favorite carols in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Noise and movement are embraced, and everyone is welcome to join. No need to worry about noise or wrigglers! Everyone is welcome!

Chelmsford

The Holderness window in the Cathedral’s South Aisle is a favourite with visitors for it’s beautiful depiction of red-winged Seraphim angels. It was designed by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Henry Holiday, one of England’s foremost stained glass artists.

The design is full of movement and vitality, portraying the passage of the human soul along the steep path of life, through the river of death before it reaches Paradise. Made by the firm Lowndes and Dury, who also have work at Gloucester Cathedral and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the window was commissioned by Lieutenant Holderness in memory of his wife Caroline who died in 1905.

Wakefield

1)    An angel from one of our stained glass windows. It’s taken from H.M Barnett’s ‘Infant Jesus and Christ in Majesty’, made in 1888, which can be found by the candle tree in the cathedral. The window itself stands out as a very purple anomaly in our otherwise mainly golden Kempe windows collection.

2)    This angel (below) is painted on the cathedral wall and was only discovered in 2012 during cleaning as part of our improvement project. They don’t know how old it is, only that it is medieval and is thought to be part of a doom painting. You can see the angel’s red wings, black body, and swinging a red thurible in front of it as a weapon.

St Albans

Six beautiful angels decorate Abbot Ramryge’s chantry chapel. The Abbot died in 1521 and his chapel was the last monument built within St Albans Abbey before the monastery was dissolved in 1539. The bare niches remained unfilled until 2007.

Artist Claudia Brown created these sculpted and etched Ramryge Angels in Perspex to complete the chapel’s decoration.

Gloucester

Eyes are lifted to the heavens as we admire the angel musicians carved into the Quire vault of Gloucester Cathedral, circling a figure of Jesus Christ.

Each angel holds a musical instrument, such as a harp, a reminder of the Cathedral’s rich tradition of worship through music, led by our choirs in praise of God.

Southwark

You don’t have to look very far to find angels when you visit Southwark Cathedral.

From wood carved angels in the Quire to pearl robed stained glass angels and the Virgin and Child flanked by angels in the Lady Chapel, there are plenty to be found.

York Minster

The view is looking up towards the Minster’s organ, with these angels greeting people as they pass through the King’s screen beneath the organ into the quire.

Carlisle

Carlisle Cathedral is famous for its starry ceiling, but did you know this beautiful decoration also incorporates angels, added in the 1850s? There are three pairs of truncated brackets projecting from the clerestory, each of which bears a large angel. There is also a continuous frieze of smaller angels along the cornice of the clerestory walls. Each angel has a unique face and holds a different object or has their arms in differing positions.

In the book, “Heavens Above” by James Palmer, it is noted that “On 20th January 1855, The Carlisle Patriot reported that a serious accident had befallen a young Belgian artist who was attaching a large model of an angel to the end of one of the six oak hammer beams that protrude from the clerestory wall above the choir. He fell from his scaffold onto the temporary platform spanning the choir at clerestory level. Both the artist and the angel suffered serious injury. The artist recovered but the angel was damaged beyond repair, at a loss of £40.”

Rochester – Detail from the fresco.

It was painted in 2004 to celebrate the 1400th anniversary of our consecration.

Chichester Cathedral

The angel with the heart (below) is from Bishop Durnford’s Tomb in the North Nave Aisle.

This angel (below) with the mitre is from Bishop Sherbourne’s tomb in the North Quire Aisle.

Manchester

Now displayed in Manchester Cathedral’s Nave, the Angel Stone is one of the Cathedral’s oldest artefacts.

The stone was discovered during excavation work in the south porch in 1871 and although the exact date is uncertain, it is believed to date back to the 11th or 12th Century.

Birmingham – Heavenly Host

Christ and The Archangel Michael are framed by angels, distinguished by the different colours of their haloes and wings. It is believed that the faces of the angels were inspired by Burne-Jones’ daughter Margaret, with whom he had a close relationship.

Margaret can be seen in a number of portraits he produced, and there is a very strong resemblance between the two. One angel holds a golden key and a double chain which refers to binding of the dragon in Revelation 20. Another angel holds the Book of Life; which is understood to serve as a testament to those saved who will enjoy eternity with the Lord.

Ripon

There are some 70 angels looking down from on high in the Mediaeval quire at Ripon Cathedral.

A few years ago one of the heavenly host fell to earth from the canopy directly above the choir stalls where the lay clerks (adult singers) sit, prompting a large-scale restoration project costing £120,000.

Restoring Fallen Angels, in 2019, saw carvings, canopies and misericords restored to their former splendour with centuries of dust and dirt removed. The remarkable carvings, which are of national significance, draw tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Durham Cathedral – RAF Memorial Window – The Seraphim

Durham Cathedral’s RAF Memorial Window was designed by Hugh Ray Easton (1906-1965) with a memorial to the British Armed Forces directly below.

In the glass you will see Durham City shown beneath a large black eagle that is flying above. The eagle is holding up a kneeling airman as he is received into paradise and welcomed by an angel. There are then four more angels at the very top. The inscription at the base of the window reads “As Birds Fly So Shall the Lord Of Hosts Protect Jerusalem”.

Durham Cathedral – St Cuthbert’s Coffin

St Cuthbert Coffin, which you can see at Durham Cathedral’s Museum, was made for St Cuthbert in 698 eleven years after his death.

The coffin is made from oak wood, and provides a unique example of techniques used for decorating wooden items in the 600s. Most of the fragments were recovered from Cuthbert’s tomb when it was opened in 1827, you can see at the ‘head’ end of St Cuthbert’s coffin carved figures of the Archangels Gabriel and Michael.

Southwell – Angel Window

Described accurately by the artist as “a great gathering of angels enjoying being with God; just all joy and worship”.

This inspirational contemporary window sits in perfect harmony with the medieval tracery.

Like all great windows it ‘works’ in a variety of different lights, but is especially glorious on a mellow autumn afternoon, as the sunlight makes the angels sparkle.

Taken from https://www.visitstainedglass.uk/location/southwell-minster

Peterborough

This ornate and intricately painted angel depicted playing the violin is located on Peterborough Cathedral’s Presbytery Ceiling.

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

This angel was designed by George Gilbert Scott as part of his restoration in 1871-2.

The window of St Michael leading his army of angels which was made by Clayton & Bell and installed in 1875. It’s by far the largest window in the Cathedral!

Newport Cathedral

From the Presentation window in Newport Cathedral, by Hardman’s in 1880/1881.

St Paul’s Cathedral – Victorian angels to brighten up a ‘dreary’ St Paul’s Cathedral.

During a visit to St Paul’s, Queen Victoria remarked that it was ‘most dreary, dingy and undevotional’; a comment that would lead to a scheme of ceiling mosaics being installed above the Quire.

These were designed by William Blake Richmond (1842-1921) an artist who turned his hand to large-scale stained glass and mosaic work later in his career. Work on the mosaics began in 1891 and was completed in 1904.

These vibrant, sparkling designs include several angels, the Creation and other Bible stories, Old Testament and historical figures, the Crucifixion, the Risen Christ and many animals, birds and flowers.

Limerick

This angel has presided over events in the Cathedral for over a century.

It is one of a pair and forms part of the reredos of the Great High Altar in Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick.  The reredos and surrounds were carved in 1907 by Michael Pearse, father of Patrick and Willie Pearse, executed leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916.

Newcastle

Newcastle artist Ralph Hedley carved the outstanding woodwork of the quire for the Cathedral’s inauguration in 1882.

Perhaps, most of all, it is the angels on high who dominate.

Legend says Hedley used his young daughter as a model. The angels provide a glorious heavenly choir to accompany the voices of the present Cathedral Choir.

And now some more angels from cathedrals across the country starting with …

 

Wells Cathedral

 

Salisbury Cathedral

 

Portsmouth Cathedral

 

Liverpool Cathedral

 

Guildford Cathedral

 

 

 

Worcester Cathedral

 

Blackburn Cathedral

 

This angel appears on the edge of the pulpit at Blackburn Cathedral.

The pulpit was one of the first gifts of ‘new’ furniture to mark the transition of Blackburn Parish Church to Blackburn Cathedral. Completed in 1940 as a memorial to local physician Dr. James Ramsey, it is a particularly fine example of work in the Gothic Revival style.

It was designed by W. A. Forsyth and installed into its current position in the 1970s. The delicately carved angel appears at the foot of the steps.

Ely Cathedral

 

Coventry Cathedral

 

Winchester Cathedral

 

Leicester Cathedral

 

Chester Cathedral

 

Canterbury Cathedral

 

Exeter Cathedral

 

Norwich Cathedral

 

Sheffield Cathedral – Angel on the Chancel Roof