BOOK REVIEW : Phoenix at Coventry. The Building of a Cathedral by Basil Spence

One of the great joys of Bloomsbury is the number of second-hand bookshops to explore. It was wonderful to discover this book recently. Written four months before the consecration of Coventry Cathedral on 25th May 1962, Basil Spence guides us through his eleven years of “toil, frustration, hope and ecstasy” as the cathedral was designed and built. My own office has not (yet) had the opportunity to work on such a prestigious commission but what is striking from Spence’s account of the design and development process is that we often share many of the same challenges, frustrations and joys – albeit on a much more modest scale.

The book is ordered chronologically, beginning with his first site visit after deciding to submit an entry:

“I was deeply moved. I saw the old Cathedral as standing for the sacrifice, one side of the Christian faith, and I knew my task was to design a new one which would stand for the triumph of the Resurrection.”

Basil Spence : Sketch Perspective, 1951

After finding out he had won the competition, on 15th August 1951, he spent an hour under the dome in St Paul’s Cathedral, meditating. 

Spence records his opinions on some of the other 280 entries, which included a giant cross and an underground (bunker style) design! The entry which most impressed him was by the acclaimed husband and wife team Alison and Peter Smithson. There were a number of Gothic Revival entries; Spence particularly rated Albert Richardson’s submission.

Proposal by Alison and Peter Smithson

Four appendices offer a rare and detailed description of the decision-making structures and committees that existed to approve various aspects of the design, as well as the detailed competition brief, the (anonymous) written submission by Spence for the competition and the final report of the competition judges.

Any architect today has to navigate a myriad of committees and different bodies to have the slightest hope of seeing any design realised. These bodies are often populated by people who enjoy talking more than listening and who have little real knowledge or apparent interest in any subject other than themselves. Despite (or perhaps because of) the grandeur of his commission, Spence’s experience was no different. He was spurred on during a two hour presentation to the “Central Council for the Care of Churches” by the “encouraging grunts” from the Dean of Windsor; but his ego was damaged during a fundraising trip to Canada when, after getting off the plane, one of the hosts expressed surprise that “the architect” should be among the party. Perish the thought!

The book includes some fantastic anecdotes from Spence’s meetings with Bishop Neville Gorton and Fr C.E.Douglas (of the Society of Faith) at the Liberal Club, to debate the finer points of the liturgical use of space over several bottles of wine. Bishop Gorton disliked the idea of a choir screen, since this would obscure the view of the altar, but at the same time he disliked the thought of the choir being on view (describing them as “fidgety, scruffy people who should be out of sight”). Spence remarks, dryly, that Bishop Gorton was probably one of the most fidgety people he had ever met, particularly when officiating. At a later meeting, the Bishop’s feelings about the importance of music in the church nearly caused Ernest Bullock, acting as a consultant on the choir and organ, to explode. Spence came up with a proposal for retractable choir stalls as a compromise; the Bishop and Bullock parted on good terms. Fr Douglas wanted the design to include an altar canopy – which Spence rejected outright.

Chapelle Du Rosaire, Vence, interior by Henri Matisse

Whilst on holiday after winning the competition, a visit to Gerona Cathedral and a visit to Matisse’s Chapel in Vence with Graham Sutherland both proved formative in developing the detail of the design. 

The description of the evolution of the design is fascinating – including sketch illustrations of the various iterations of the nave vault, designed in partnership with Ove Arup. Budget problems (with abysmally low pre-tender estimates for the stone cladding) meant a significant re-design had to be effected – but Spence saw the positive side to this, in the improved colouring of the interior and improved acoustics brought about by the use of plaster. “Value engineering” is a familiar part of the design process today – but perhaps what is less familiar is that in this case the firm of Quantity Surveyors were so embarrassed that they asked to be replaced (or did Spence require them to do so?)

Interior perspective from south looking down nave towards chancel, high altar, Lady Chapel and tapestry.

The development of what were referred to as “Hallowing Places” in the original competition brief, to what became ‘Tablets of the Word’ is also an interesting joirney to follow – as are the changes to the Chapel of Unity, which evolved to become a more physically distinct space; according to Spence this “emphasised the idea underlying its conception, that Christian unity was new, and separate from the established church.”

The 'Tablets of the Word' by Ralph Beyer, which replaced the 'Hallowing Places'

Obviously a key difference between the account Spence gives and our own experience today is the clout he had – which he used to select artists, consultants and contractors. I am not sure we will ever have such authority! He argued successfully for the appointment of Geoffrey Clarke and Keith New – then just students at the RCA – for the stained glass in the nave, explaining to the cathedral committee that they must take risks with fresh talent. He was also firm in his support for John Laing as the contractor, rather than a local company that most of the cathedral favoured. The Laing family later offered to donate all the profit they made on the construction back to the cathedral. I wonder what happened – and what would have happened if they had made a loss?!

Spence records the opposition of Coventry City Council and their various attempts to block the start of construction through delays in the issue of a building permit, even petitioning the Government to suggest that the cathedral was a ‘non essential’ building and should not be drawing on limited post-war construction resources. Planning and building officers play similar games these days to get their way. Most are either failed architects with an axe to grind or inflexible bureaucrats for whom the ‘letter’ of their policies is the only thing that matters. 

Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph by Graham Sutherland

The decision to commission the great tapestry (the world’s largest) and the large glass screen early in the programme was as much about ensuring their timely completion as it was about ensuring that they would be so far advanced that they could not be later cut from the budget. A smart move! The description of Spence’s meetings with Sutherland, John Piper and others are fascinating. He is particularly critical of the cathedral committee over their reticence to appoint Jacob Epstein for the statue of St Michael suggesting that their antisemitism was not unexpected “from a Midland committee”!  

This book is a great insight into the story of the design and construction of Coventry Cathedral – something Spence himself describes as “a great act of faith”.

Links
Coventry Cathedral Website