Lutyens Crypt — Attraction in Liverpool

Lutyen's Crypt is often referred to as Liverpool's third Cathedral. The late 19th century saw efforts from the growing Catholic community to build a cathedral of their own in Liverpool. In the early 20th century the site of the Brownlow Hill workhouse was chosen and in the 1930s Sir Edward Lutyens was chosen to design the structure. Lutyens was one of the best architects of the 20th century, with works ranging from the sombre Cenotaph and Thiepval Memorial to the formidable Lindisfarne Castle and the palatial Rashtrapati Bhavan in India. Lutyens designs for the new cathedral were ambitious. Set to be the second largest cathedral in the world, the vast structure would have housed 53 altars and enough space for 10,000 worshippers. Work started on the foundations and crypt but with the outbreak of war in 1939 work all but stopped. A single apprentice bricklayer, 19 year old Arthur Brady, worked on the site until he too was called up in 1941. Works stopped completely for 15 years and the Crypt was used as an air raid shelter during the Liverpool Blitz. After the war, funding for the cathedral was unavailable. Lutyens grand plans were reduced but that plan was mothballed. In 1962, construction began on the current Metropolitan Cathedral, building on top of Lutyen's original foundation. The Crypt today is a masterpiece of brick and granite. The largely symmetrical design features two long halls, a central chapel and a concert hall. The Pontifical Hall is home to a treasury of ornate Catholic finery, the other hall is often used for exams for the University of Liverpool. Extensive restoration took place in 2009, modernising the wiring and lighting and adding in new visitor facilities. Over 7 million deep purple bricks were used and many tonnes of Cornish granite. It is the largest crypt in the UK and an architectural marvel in...

What an amazing place. A truly immense space and built by true artisan craftsmen of their time. The design is fantastic but then built with such precision. It’s awe inspiring to descend the steps (that are modern) and then walk in to the cavernous crypto with its stunning arches! At £5 entrance fee I felt this was well worth it. There are boards of information stepping visitors through the journey from inception to building, the pause during the war years and then the construction of the cathedral above the crypt. Easy to read and informative. Well...

A hidden gem beneath the modern cathedral. Admission was £3 and a very helpful guide took me down in the lift. It's a vast brick vaulted space, much bigger than I had expected, dimly lit and very atmospheric. There's an exhibition about the cathedral's history and construction, interesting to see what Lutyens' cathedral would have looked like. The chapel is lovely and there's an amazing concert hall. Some beautiful church silver and richly embroidered vestments in the treasury. Was very impressed with this place. Not...