Cathedral of St John the Evangelist

The Cathedral of St John the Evangelist stands in Portsmouth’s centre as the Roman Catholic mother church of the diocese. It occupies a site bought in 1877 from the War Department and is built of red brick with stone dressings in Gothic Revival style. The cathedral was opened in 1882 and became the diocesan seat five months later. Its first bishop enlarged the interior and added an episcopal residence and hall, forming an architecturally noteworthy group. A statue of Saint John by Philip Jackson was placed outside in 2010. The building has seen many changes since it opened. The elaborate baldacchino above the high altar was removed in 1970 during a reordering led by Bishop Derek Worlock. Later bishops restored earlier arrangements, including a traditional font in 2001. A memorial chapel to Our Lady Immaculate and St Edmund of Abingdon was created in memory of Bishop Vertue. The cathedral also contains paintings by Nathaniel Westlake and a bronze statue of St John the Evangelist. Visitors find a spacious interior with a modernised sanctuary and side chapels. The west front and bell towers were added in the early 20th century. The cathedral lacks a spire because the ground would not support it. Outside, the statue of Saint John stands eight feet tall. The group of cathedral buildings forms an artistic ensemble in the city.