The cathedral was the last of the religious buildings I visited in Shrewsbury and again I received a very warm welcome. The cathedral was designed by Edward Pugin, 18 year old son of Augustus Pugin of Palace of Westminster design fame. It was finished in 1856 and paid for by Bertram, Earl of Shrewsbury.
It had at first been commissioned by Bertram’s cousin, a vocal campaigner for Catholic rights, from Augustus Pugin, but both died within a month of each other. However Edward Pugin had been working in his father’s office since he was 7 so he had the knowledge and the skills to continue; the cathedral was his first solo project.
It has some lovely stained glass windows six of them by local Shrewsbury artist Margaret Rope. Incidentally, Margaret Rope sounds like quite a character – smoking and riding motorbikes until taking her vows as a Carmelite nun in 1923.
There’s been a lot of work done on the church over the years including a wheelchair lift outside and a cafe next door.
A very pleasant place to explore entry is free – I gave a small donation.
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