Westminster Cathedral is the mother-church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster. The architectural master-work of John Francis Bentley (1839-1902). The Cathedral is unique – although its prototypes include Santa Sophia in Constantinople, St Mark’s, Venice and many of the ‘primitive’ church buildings of Europe and the Mediterranean. The choice of an Early Christian Byzantine style enabled the structure to be finished within a very short time. It was less costly than any form of Gothic architecture and provided ample space for great ceremonies in an urban setting.

Cathedrals are one of the glories of England and visiting them has always been an enriching experience. Most of these great churches are the better part of a thousand years old and although much is known of their history, the story of their creation can only be guessed at. The personalities, ecclesiastical figures, architects, artists, craftsmen and noble sponsors and the stories associated with their interaction are beyond the reach of historical research.

Not so with a Cathedral conceived and built a mere century ago. A great deal is understood about the vision and motives of those who built Westminster Cathedral. Also known in ample detail is the social and cultural setting of late Victorian London. So a visit to Westminster Cathedral creates not so much a challenge to the visitor’s imagination as a need for access to known facts. Why a particular chapel looks the way it does, how the architect got along with his client, even how the money was raised to complete a particular stage of the project.