Earlier in the day I had caught the train up from Derby and visited Rotherham Minster. The Supertram from Rotherham brought me to Sheffield Cathedral just as the clock struck two.
I realised as I left the tram that I had totally forgotten my cathedral passport until now. Rotherham may not have had a stamp anyway, though I probably could have got the vicar's signature or something, but I dug the passport out of my bag to be sure to remember it.
The shop had a stamp, I was told, and so it did. Formalities completed, I went to explore Sheffield Cathedral.
It's a strange jumble of a building; "one of those forever unfinished places" as an architectural journal describes it. This view along the church towards the east end makes it look pretty standard - a medieval chancel and a Victorian-renovated nave. But if you turn ninety degrees to the north, there is another long axis - a regimental chapel that leads through to the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. At one point in the 1930s there were plans to reorientate the whole church in that direction, so St George's Chapel would have been the new nave. World War II intervened and it never happened.
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| along the nave |
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| St George's Chapel |
At the west end is the most distinctive feature of the modern cathedral - the stunning stained-glass lantern, added in the 1960s. There's a cafe next to the regimental chapel, The main entrance and shop are on the opposite side. I found the colour-coded model helpful to figure out how it all fitted together.
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| crown of thorns lantern |
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| entrance and shop |
Much of the floor was relaid in 2014 to provide level access and underfloor heating, and the rather nice oak benches were also added at that time. I'm sure the dogs approve.
Dogs were not the only animals roaming Sheffield Cathedral that day. There were lion cubs in the nave, and adult lions outside. Trails of painted statues have gone from exciting novelties to boringly familiar, but it has to be said this one is particularly extensive. There are 300 felines all over South Yorkshire, raising funds for the Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity. And yes, someone has completed that particular checklist already!
The minimalist font and a nativity scene are both steel, created by Brian Fell to commemorate Sheffield's steel industry. The bishop's throne is gilded oak with pretty floral designs.
And a crypt is tucked away underneath St George's Chapel - a serene space with a burst of colour in the corner.
I stayed for Evening Prayer at 3pm. Only three of us attended: the celebrant, a member of the cathedral staff who read one of the lessons, and myself. The vicar prayed that the demonstrations happening that day in the city would be peaceful. I hadn't even realised they were going on.
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| by the River Don |
By this point my head ached and I was feeling decidedly queasy. I wondered whether I should just head for a train, but I'd agreed to meet my cousin Vicky, and I didn't want to miss that. She gave me a short and enthusiastic tour of the city. We fed pigeons in the Peace Gardens and had a cold drink in a gigantic greenhouse lined with shops. There was much more to Sheffield than I'd realised, but I'm not sure I appreciated it very well. I think I managed a coherent conversation.
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| Peace Gardens |
The 6:00 train was delayed due to points failure. I got on anyway, and sat limply in a seat until it decided it would go, but not stop at Derby. So I dragged myself over to the 7:00 train, which finally left at 8:00 and made its way to Derby on the regular route. Graham picked me up from the station. I was sick in the car on the way home.
Sheffield Cathedral 13 June 2026
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