Nottingham Buildings

Saint Barnabas' Cathedral, Derby Road

The Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of Saint Barnabas in Derby Road was built between 1841 and 1844 in the Gothic Revival style.  It was designed by renowned architect Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin who is probably best know for his masterpiece of Gothic architectural design, The Houses of Parliament in London.  I'm not a fan of Pugin's interior designs as far as wall coverings go,  and before I entered this church  I was expecting to find quite a dark space covered with his trademark decorations.  I was therefore surprised to find mostly white walls giving the space a beautifully bright, open and serene quality from the light entering via the high and  narrow gothic windows.  Pugin's stamp is still firmly on the decorations, but with the exception of Blessed Sacrament Chapel, this is in a very restrained way that is not at all overbearing. So, in this one building we have examples of what is known as Early English Plain Gothic (Main Church)  and Decorated Gothic (The Chapel). For more history of this church visit the church web site - see links page

It will be noted that Nottingham architect Watson Fothergill was a great admirer of Pugin, so much so that his bust can be found on the front of the Fothergill offices in George Street.  If one looks at  Pugin's work in this Cathedral his influence on Fothergill designs around Nottingham is unmistakeable and the city is much enhanced by it.

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