Liverpool Cathedral is the vast red sandstone Anglican cathedral on St James's Mount, at the southern end of Hope Street. It took 74 years to build, from the foundation stone laid by King Edward VII in 1904 to its completion in 1978, and it is the largest cathedral and religious building in Britain. Its architect, Giles Gilbert Scott, was only 22 when his design was chosen.
Liverpool Cathedral at a glance
- Where: St James's Mount, at the southern end of Hope Street, on a ridge above the city centre.
- Built: 1904–1978; the Lady Chapel was consecrated in 1910 and the main body of the cathedral in 1924.
- By: Giles Gilbert Scott, whose design was chosen in 1903.
- What it is today: the cathedral of the Church of England's Diocese of Liverpool, dedicated to Christ, with daily services, concerts and a tower open to visitors.
- Time needed: 45 minutes to an hour inside; allow extra time if you want to go up the tower.
Seventy-four years in the making
The Diocese of Liverpool was created in 1880, and the city, then one of the world's great ports, wanted a cathedral to match. A competition drew 103 entries, and in 1903 the assessors recommended the design of Giles Gilbert Scott, a 22-year-old with no major building to his name and the grandson of the Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott. Because he was so young, the experienced architect George Frederick Bodley was appointed to work alongside him at first. King Edward VII laid the foundation stone in 1904, and the Lady Chapel, the first part to be finished, was consecrated on 29 June 1910.
Scott kept reworking the design as building went on, replacing the twin towers of his first plan with the single central tower that now dominates the skyline. The main body of the cathedral was consecrated on 19 July 1924, in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary. Work on the tower began in 1934, the Second World War slowed everything down, and bomb damage to the Lady Chapel was not fully repaired until 1955. Scott died in 1960 without seeing the building finished; his successor Frederick Thomas completed it, and a service of thanksgiving attended by Queen Elizabeth II marked its completion in October 1978.
What to look for
- The tower: 101 metres high. Its bells hang 67 metres up and are described as the highest and heaviest ringing peal in the world; the great bell, Great George, weighs over 14 tons.
- The length: about 189 metres from end to end on the outside, including the Lady Chapel. Stand at the west end and look east to take in the scale.
- The organ: with 10,268 pipes, one of the largest pipe organs in Britain.
- Tracey Emin's 'For You': a pink neon line in Emin's own handwriting, installed in 2008, which reads 'I felt you and I knew you loved me'.
- Elisabeth Frink's 'The Welcoming Christ': the bronze figure with open arms over the outside of the west door, installed in 1993, just days before the sculptor's death.
- The Lady Chapel: the oldest part of the cathedral, a smaller and more intimate church within the building, with its own entrance and staircase.
The architect of the red phone box
Scott went on to design some of Britain's best-known 20th-century structures, including the K2 and K6 red telephone kiosks, the exterior of Battersea Power Station and Bankside Power Station, now Tate Modern. Liverpool Cathedral, though, occupied him for his whole working life. There is a twist to the story: Scott was a Roman Catholic building the city's great Anglican cathedral, and he is buried just outside its west end. At the other end of Hope Street stands the city's Roman Catholic cathedral, finished in a completely different style in the 1960s.
Tips for your visit
- Go up the tower on a clear day for views over the city and the River Mersey. It closes in bad or windy weather and when services or events get in the way.
- This is a working cathedral: keep your voice down during services and check the cathedral's calendar before you go, as large events can affect access.
- For a view of the whole building, look up at it from St James' Gardens, the old quarry below the cathedral, or walk the length of Hope Street to see both cathedrals in one go.
Nearby
- St James' Gardens: the former quarry and cemetery below the cathedral, where the politician William Huskisson, killed at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830, is buried.
- Hope Street: the street linking the two cathedrals, with the Philharmonic Hall, restaurants and a pavement sculpture of piled-up suitcases.
- Metropolitan Cathedral: the circular Roman Catholic cathedral at the north end of Hope Street, consecrated in 1967, with a lantern tower shaped like a crown.
- Chinatown: the ornate Chinese Arch on Nelson Street marks the entrance to one of the oldest Chinese communities in Europe, a short walk from the cathedral.
See Liverpool with World City Trail
Our Liverpool scavenger hunt turns the city centre into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 3 hours, with about 58 minutes of walking. Among the places it includes are the World Museum and St George's Hall. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Liverpool.
Play the Liverpool scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Liverpool →
Play the outdoor escape game in Liverpool →
Facts checked in October 2026.