Stone rises in silence, white with winter’s breath - Roads sleep, bare trees bow, the city at its rest.
Seen here from above, St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Cathedral sits quietly under a blanket of winter snow, its pale stone softened by the season and its long roofline emphasised by the surrounding roads and bare trees. With no traffic and no leaves, the scene feels hushed and almost timeless.
The cathedral was built between 1882 and 1910 for Norwich’s growing Roman Catholic community, following the restoration of Catholic worship in England during the 19th century. Designed by George Gilbert Scott Jr., it is one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the country. Its twin western towers, soaring nave and richly detailed stonework were intended to echo the great medieval cathedrals of Europe, yet it remains firmly rooted in its Victorian origins.
Unlike Norwich Cathedral to the east, this building crowns a hill at the edge of the historic city centre, overlooking St Giles Street and the ring road below. From the air, its plan and setting become clear: a place of worship encircled by movement, yet standing apart from it.
In winter, with snow settling on roofs and branches stripped bare, the cathedral’s form feels especially sculptural — solid, calm, and enduring — as the city around it pauses and rests.
Stone rises in silence, white with winter’s breath - Roads sleep, bare trees bow, the city at its rest.
Seen here from above, St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Cathedral sits quietly under a blanket of winter snow, its pale stone softened by the season and its long roofline emphasised by the surrounding roads and bare trees. With no traffic and no leaves, the scene feels hushed and almost timeless.
The cathedral was built between 1882 and 1910 for Norwich’s growing Roman Catholic community, following the restoration of Catholic worship in England during the 19th century. Designed by George Gilbert Scott Jr., it is one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the country. Its twin western towers, soaring nave and richly detailed stonework were intended to echo the great medieval cathedrals of Europe, yet it remains firmly rooted in its Victorian origins.
Unlike Norwich Cathedral to the east, this building crowns a hill at the edge of the historic city centre, overlooking St Giles Street and the ring road below. From the air, its plan and setting become clear: a place of worship encircled by movement, yet standing apart from it.
In winter, with snow settling on roofs and branches stripped bare, the cathedral’s form feels especially sculptural — solid, calm, and enduring — as the city around it pauses and rests.