Aldershot Cathedral
Aldershot, Hampshire
Long and red brick with Portland stone facings and with a tall tower topped by a spire, the church is a prominent local landmark.
Built in 1912/13 by George Drysdale and is Grade II listed. It is a wedge shaped plan, with a rounded end at the junction of Queens Road with Edward Street. It features high flank walls pierced by a doorway on each street (at different levels) with windows above which provide clerestory lighting; a bell turret is prominent by virtue of the ground falling to the east. Inside, the church is a basilica with an impressive character, richly textured and complete with original furnishings. Externally, everything is in brick work, with upper levels of dark brindle, and the flank walling in brindle banded red.
The foundation stone was laid by the third Bishop of Portsmouth, Bishop William Cotter on St Joseph's Day (19th March) 1912 and opened by him for worship on 30th January 1913 when the first Mass was celebrated in the new church. Over 100 years later, the church is still serving Catholics across Aldershot.
The church was originally designed in line with the liturgical practice of the time, with a high altar at the liturgical east end of the church (almost against the wall) for ad orientem celebrations of the Holy Mass where the priest faced the same direction as the people - towards the east, leading the people in prayer towards God, as was the practise for hundreds of years, rather than facing them as is popular modern practise.
It was to be nearly 70 years after the opening of the church in 1913 before the church was consecrated in 1982.