Saint Aidan's Catholic Cathedral — Cathedral Street

Detached ten-bay double-height Catholic cathedral, built 1843-50, on a cruciform plan comprising six-bay double-height nave opening into six-bay single-storey lean-to side aisles; single-bay (single-bay deep) double-height transepts centred on single-bay three-stage tower to crossing supporting broach spire with single-bay (three-bay deep) chancel (north). Completed, 1872-3. Reroofed, 1936. Consecrated, 1946. Renovated, 1970, with sanctuary reordered. Restored, 1994. Interior including vestibule (south) retaining tessellated "quarry tile" floor; square-headed door opening into nave with glazed timber panelled double doors having overlights; full-height interior open into roof restored, 1994, with choir gallery on pointed-arch tripartite arcade supporting Gothic-style timber pipe organ (1894) centred on stained glass "South Window" (----), tiled central aisle between cruciform-detailed timber pews, pointed-arch arcades on cut-granite pillars, exposed strutted scissor truss timber roof construction on cut-granite beaded corbels with pointed-arch wind braced rafters to stencilled ceiling on carved timber cornice, pointed-arches to crossing framing cut-granite stepped dais supporting Gothic-style timber "cathedra" (west) or Gothic-style timber pulpit (east) centred on cut-veined white marble Gothic-style altar, pointed-arch chancel arch framing Gothic-style reredos below stained glass "North Window" (1885), encaustic tiled stepped daises to side altars supporting Gothic-style altars below stained glass windows (----), pair of cut-white marble Classical-style wall monuments (ob. 1819; 1849) with pair of polished brass plates (ob. 1875; 1884), timber panelled confessional boxes to side aisles, Gothic-style timber stations between stained glass memorial windows (1885), and exposed rafters to ceilings on carved timber cornices. Set back from street in landscaped grounds.