Church of England sees its cathedrals at risk
England’s cathedrals are often described as the crown jewels of the nation’s architectural heritage, yet their future is in doubt following a series of financial crises.
Most of the 42 Anglican cathedrals were built in the Middle Ages as Catholic churches and were taken over by the fledgling Church of England following the English Reformation, when Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of monasteries. Issues of maintenance and repair are causing most of the cathedrals’ problems today.
To address those issues, the Church of England is forming a special working group to study how cathedrals are governed, their accountability, and how decisions about finances are made. The archbishops of Canterbury and York, Justin Welby and John Sentamu, ordered the review. Adrian Newman, bishop of Stepney, will be the chair.
