Cathedral Church of St Philip is a Grade I listed building in the Birmingham local planning authority area, England. First listed on 25 April 1952. A English Baroque Cathedral. 1 related planning application.
Cathedral Church of St Philip
- WRENN ID
- patient-cellar-honey
- Grade
- I
- Local Planning Authority
- Birmingham
- Constituency
- Birmingham Ladywood MP: Shabana Mahmood (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 25 April 1952
- Type
- Cathedral
- Period
- English Baroque
- Address
- Cathedral Church of St Philip, St Philip's Churchyard B2, B3 2PP
- OS grid reference
- SP 069 870
- Coordinates
- 52.48118, -1.8989
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Cathedral Church of St Philip, located in St Philip's Churchyard in the City Centre, was designed in 1709 and consecrated in 1715, although the tower was not completed until 1725. It was elevated to cathedral status in 1905. This building is the first significant commission by architect Thomas Archer and is recognized as an important example of English Baroque architecture. The structure is made of stone and was refaced between 1864 and 1869 by J A Chatwin. It underwent restoration after war damage from 1947 to 1948.
The church has a rectangular plan with slight projections at the east and west ends, representing the chancel and tower. The aisles extend beyond the nave at both ends, creating vestibules that contain stairs to the galleries on either side of the tower and vestries adjacent to the chancel. The vestries were added during alterations to the east end in 1883-1884 by J A Chatwin, who also extended Archer's original shallow apsidal chancel. The tower features porches on either side with Borrominesque details. The side elevations are adorned with arched windows that are separated by Doric pilasters, which support an entablature and a parapet topped with urns.
Inside, the church features a five-bay arcade, north and south galleries, and decorative plasterwork by Richard Hass. Notable furnishings include the organ case from 1715 by Thomas Schwarbrick of Warwick, wrought-iron chancel rails styled after Tijou or Bakewell of Derby, and stained glass windows on the east and west sides designed by Sir Edward Burne-Jones and made by William Morris between 1885 and 1897.
Local climate
Cathedral Church of St Philip receives an average of 780 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 60% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 76% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 39 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 75% of listed buildings. Of these, 19 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- Sale history — 1 transaction since 2017
- Related listed building consents — 1 application
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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