Manchester Cathedral

A lot of restoration has been carried out both inside and outside of the church during the 19th century and many people think that the cathedral is rather modern.

In the original South Porch of the cathedral one can find the Angel Stone which dates back to around 8th century.  It is a fragment of a Saxon Church.  The Saxon words mean: 'into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.'  This stone was the first evidence of an early Saxon church in Manchester.

In 1075 the land between the River Ribble and the River Mersey was given by William the Conqueror to Roger de Poitou, son of the Earl o Shrewsbury.  He in turn gave the Manor of Manchester to the Greslet/Gresley family.

The Domesday Book mentions that in 1986 there was a Parish Church and it is believed that this church was located at the corner of St Mary's Gate and Exchange Street.

The site was deserted in 1215 when Robert Greslet, Lord on the Manor and 5th Baron of Manchester decided to build the current church next to his manor house (now Chetham's Libary.) This church became the Parish Church of Manchester.

St. Nicholas Chapel	Fraser Chapel
The Lady Chapek	St. John the Baptist Chapel
Looking up into the tower above the west door	The Rood Screen

There are no graves outside the Cathedral, they were moved during the restoration.  In 'The Bowkers of Tharfield' by Ivan Mitford-Barberton, pg 9 he mentions that Ralph Bowker (1541-1603) was buried in Manchester Cathedral in 1603 and his wife Lucy was buried there on 8 March 1609.  I contacted the Cathedral  to find out more, and their records show that a Ralph Bourchier and not Bowker was buried there in 1603 and his wife in 1609. li

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© Copyright Margaret C Manning 2008