Archive of the Month
Capturing the Cathedral: A 19th–Century Record of St Fin Barre’s
By Rachel Bennett, Assistant Archivist, RCB Library
Following on from July’s Archive of the Month, for August we are continuing the exploration of the recently acquisitioned photo album MS 1194, which originally belonged to the family of the Rt Revd Robert Samuel Gregg, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, 1874–1893. This album, from the late 19th century contains a rare and significant collection of photographs, documenting the newly built St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Co Cork.
The Victorian Era album is bound in black leather and features a decorative quatrefoil frame design, with the title St FinBarr’s Cathedral embossed in gold. This style of album was popular in the 19th century; however, it is worth noting that the cover of the album references the quatrefoil details which appear throughout the cathedral both internally and externally. This indicates that the album may have been created as a significant gift or memento to mark the completion of the building. The album, containing a mixture of photographic prints and sketches includes 47 unique images. These comprise 25 large and 20 smaller albumen prints, as well as two sketches, one drawn by Burges himself (Read More Here) as well as a sketch by an unnamed artist illustrating the earlier cathedral in 1862.
Records dating back to the 12th century suggest that there has been a church on the site of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral for almost 900 years. The most recent predecessor to the present cathedral was built in 1735, serving the people of Cork for more than a century. By the mid 19th century, however, the building had deteriorated to such an extent that it was decided a new cathedral should be constructed in its place, to create a building more worthy to be named “Cork Cathedral”. In 1861, the financial committee of Cork Cathedral suggested the formation of a fund to repair or rebuild the existing cathedral and by 1862 had launched a competition to design a new cathedral, with prizes being offered for both first and second place. The competition attracted a total of 63 entries from the United Kingdom and Ireland with the winning design being submitted by the English architect William Burges.
The Gothic Revival design transformed the site and St Fin Barre’s Cathedral is now recognised as one of the best examples of French Gothic revival architecture in Europe. The photographs captures and immortalised in in the album provide a visual record of the newly completed cathedral, showcasing its elaborate design. Despite the initial projected budget of £15,000, the final cost was almost £100,000. Burges’s vision for the cathedral went beyond the architecture of the building. He was also responsible for the interior design elements including the sculptures, stained glass, mosaics, furniture and metal works.
The first portion of the album shows an extensive selection of external views of St Fin Barre’s, including images that illustrate the scope of the cathedral, as well as close–ups capturing the intricate details of the stonework. Many of the images focus on the West Front, showing the intricate stonework of the three portals which include a range of sculptural scenes such as the ‘Expulsion from Paradise’, ‘The Last Judgment’ and ‘Abraham sacrificing Isaac’. In total there are over 60 stone sculptures on the exterior of the building, including 32 unique gargoyles and a large rose window.
The photographs then move inside the cathedral, with various views of the ornate interior. Many of the motifs that are seen outside are incorporated into the internal design, with decorative elements repeating throughout. The images focus on a variety of decorative elements, including the marble pulpit, the iron work gates and the bishop’s throne, constructed with a mixture of Cork red marble and wood, standing at 14 metres tall with carvings depicting the heads of some of the most notable bishops of Cork.
More than a record of a newly completed building, this album preserves a unique snapshot of one of the most significant ecclesiastical building projects of the 19th century. The photographs and sketches attest not only to the architectural achievement of William Burges, but also local pride and ambition. Today, the album provides a valuable visual resource, offering a rare opportunity to experience the cathedral much as it appeared when it first opened its doors.
Before his retirement, Bishop Paul Colton and his wife Susan arranged and paid for the album to be conserved and restored by the Muckross Bindery in Killarney (Click Here), to the benefit of future generations. MS 1194 has now been digitised and is available to view online (To view MS 1194 please click here) For further information or questions about MS 1194, please contact Rachel Bennett, Assistant Archivist – [email protected]