Christ Church Cathedral, Lisburn
| Christ Church Cathedral, Lisburn | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| 54°30′40″N 06°02′30″W / 54.51111°N 6.04167°W | |
| Location | Castle and Bridge Street, Lisburn |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Website | www.lisburncathedral.org |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 1708 |
| Administration | |
| Province | Province of Armagh |
| Diocese | Diocese of Connor |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Bishop of Connor |
| Dean | The Very Revd John Bond |
Christ Church Cathedral, Lisburn (also known as Lisburn Cathedral), is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Connor in the Church of Ireland. It is situated in Lisburn, Ireland in the ecclesiastical province of Armagh. Previously St Thomas's church, it is now one of two cathedrals in the Diocese, the other being the shared Cathedral Church of St Anne, Belfast. The Dean and Chapter of Lisburn Cathedral are known as the Dean and Chapter of St Saviour, Connor in honour of the original cathedral of Connor.
The current building was started in 1708, after its predecessor was burnt down. Its noteworthy features are the gallery seating in the nave and the octagonal spire.
History
A church was built on the cathedral site in the early 1600's by Sir Fulke Conway as a chapel of ease for his new castle at what was then called Lisnagarvey. It was consecrated in 1623 and dedicated to St Thomas, but was destroyed along with much of the town during the rebellion of 1641.
The church was quickly rebuilt and in 1662 St Thomas's was designated the cathedral church and episcopal seat of the United Diocese of Down and Connor and Dromore by Charles II and renamed Christ Church Cathedral. Additional gallery seating was introduced in 1674 with access via a bell tower. The cathedral burned down a second time in 1707.
Again it was quickly rebuilt, retaining the galleries in the nave with access via the tower which had survived the fire. The octagonal spire was added in 1804 and the chancel built and consecrated in 1889. In 2003, the 1796 front gates were replaced and in 2004 the clock chimes refurbished.
See also
- Dean of Connor List of the Deans of Connor
References
- "LISBURN CATHEDRAL AND ITS PAST RECTORS WITH AN APPENDIX". Retrieved 2012-09-18.
- "Lisburn Cathedral". Retrieved 2012-09-18.
- "Lisburn Cathedral". Retrieved 2012-09-18.