wfn.org | Cornerstone laid for new Canterbury education centre

["Christopher Took" <storm@indigo.ie>]

ACNS LC041 - 23 July 1998

Cornerstone laid for new Canterbury education centre

By E.T. Malone, Jr.
Lambeth Conference Communications

Tapping three times on the cornerstone with an ornate wooden
gavel once used by Queen Victoria, Archbishop of Canterbury
George Carey laid the cornerstone for a new Education Centre for
the Anglican Communion under construction at Canterbury
Cathedral.

"We thank God for the ministry of the Cathedral down the
centuries," said Archbishop Carey, as the Cathedral choir of men
and boys sang, "Thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build my
church."

A number of primates from the 37 provinces of the Anglican
Communion gathered for the occasion, as well as the architects
and contractors and members of the Cathedral Chapter.

The Education Centre, being built on the site of post-World War
II housing on the south side of the Cathedral, will have two
phases: first, a learning centre with a 250-seat auditorium,
audio visual theatres, teaching rooms, exhibition space, and
staff offices, to cost about £6 million; and second, residential
accommodations for groups of up to 35 people, including visitors
from the Anglican Communion overseas, to cost about £3 million.

Continuing a tradition

The new centre continues the tradition, begun 20 years ago when
the Lambeth Conference was first held in Canterbury, of "certain
symbolic acts" at Canterbury Cathedral that reflect its standing
as symbolic mother church of the Anglican Communion, said Dean
John Simpson, cathedral dean.

"In 1978 the Cathedral's Corona Chapel was dedicated as a place
of remembrance for saints and martyrs of our own time," he said.

In 1988 the Compass Rose in the floor of the Cathedral nave was
dedicated. This image of inlaid brass and colored marble,
symbolic of the worldwide scope of the Anglican Communion, was
designed by Giles Bloomfield.

"Now," explained Dean Simpson, "the new Education Centre will
help us with ministering and teaching the faith to visitors who
come here, and to people from around the Communion and the world
who want to study the history and role of the Cathedral."

When complete, the new Centre will give the Dean and Chapter the
opportunity to expand their present educational programmes and
make provision for courses, lectures, conferences, concerts,
recitals, and exhibitions not only for visitors to the Cathedral,
but also for others in the Diocese and City of Canterbury, said
Cathedral press secretary David Earlam.

Architects for the centre are William Whitfield and Partners. The
Education Centre will be located within the Cathedral precincts
facing the South Transcept of the Cathedral in the area known as
the South Close, next to the site of the long demolished medieval
bell tower. The new building, responding to the character of
other secular buildings within the close, will be constructed
using traditional materials with pitched roofs, but with a design
reflecting the present age.

The main contractor is Messrs Longley of Crawley, a firm
specialising in working in confined spaces and sensitive sites.
Constuction of phase one, scheduled for completion in 1999, has
been assisted by a £2.25 million grant from the Heritage Lottery
Fund. Noting that some £2 million in contributions is still
needed to complete the entire project, Archbishop Carey said he
hoped that further aid will come from places such as the United
States, which have already made generous donations.

Lambeth Conference Communications-2

For further information, contact:

Lambeth Conference Communications
Canterbury Business School
University of Kent at Canterbury
Telephone: 01227 827348/9
Fax: 01227 828085
Mobile: 0374 800212

http://www.lambethconference.org