Sheffield's Catholic Cathedral is set to travel back in time

As part of Sheffield's Heritage Open Days (8-11 September 2016), St Marie's will travel back to 1850, the year when the church was built.

The big Victorian Party will take place on Saturday, September 10, from 1.30-4.30pm and will celebrate that the church has been part of the city for over 160 years. This one-off free event will be packed with Victorian-themed family crafts workshops, dressing-up boxes, trails and games. Children will also be able to enjoy story-telling and face-painting sessions. Visitors will be welcomed by Victorian characters and offered traditional cakes. History lovers will also be able to discover more about what St Marie’s and its surroundings looked like during the Victorian era in a display which will feature photographs from the period. The programme will also include live music performed by Cathedral’s organist, Mr Hugh Finnigan. “We are very excited about our Victorian Party. It will be our biggest family-friendly heritage event of the year and there will be something for everyone,” said Laura Claveria, Heritage Engagement & Learning Officer at St Marie’s Cathedral. “This is definitely a first for St Marie’s and it will be a great opportunity to share the Cathedral’s stunning heritage with everyone in Sheffield and beyond,” added Laura. St Marie’s Cathedral will also hold other enlightening events over the Heritage Open Days weekend. On Friday, 9 September 2016, there will be a talk by the Cathedral historian, Deacon Bill Burleigh, on St Marie’s exquisite stained-glass windows, some of which were designed by the renowned architect, Augustus Pugin. On Saturday morning, a guided tour will take visitors around the world without leaving St Marie’s by discovering interesting artworks or listening to fascinating war and emigration stories.

The morning will be rounded-off with two bell-ringing demonstrations organised in partnership with Sheffield Universities’ Guild of Change Ringers (SUGCR). This will offer members of the public the rare chance to visit the Cathedral’s bell chamber and find out more about the complex systems used by the bell-ringers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We want everyone to have a great time, so we have planned lots of free exciting activities for people to have fun and discover St Marie’s fascinating history and treasures,” added Laura.

Full details of all the events can be found on www.stmariecathedral.org.