Birmingham Cathedral
Birmingham, West Midlands
The church of St Philip was built for the growing town of Birmingham in 1715 and has a stunning set of stained glass windows by Birmingham born artist, Edward Burne-Jones.
St Chad's is one of Birmingham's architectural and artistic gems and possesses a large collection of medieval furnishings and carvings collected by Pugin. He was the pioneer of the Gothic revival in England and, until his early death in 1852 aged 40, designed many cathedrals, churches and convents with their furnishings and contents in England, Ireland and Australia. Pugin was also responsible for much of the interiors of the Houses of Parliament in London.
Three of Pugin's sons, Edward, Cuthbert and Peter Paul, also worked in the Cathedral. His grandson, Sebastian Pugin Powell, designed St Edwards Chapel which was consecrated in 1933.
The Cathedral is especially proud of its unique collection of stained glass, metalwork and vestments made to Pugin's designs by John Hardman and Company. Hardmans is a world famous Catholic family firm founded by John Hardman, a close friend of Pugin, in 1845. For over one hundred years it was based in Newhall Hill in the Jewellery Quarter. Four generations of the Hardman family were faithful and generous parishioners of the Cathedral, and some are buried in the family chantry chapel in the crypt.