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St. Andrew's Cathedral

St Andrew's Cathedral, at 11 St Andrew's Road, is an Anglican Cathedral located next to the City Hall MRT station. Named after the patron saint of Scotland, it is the oldest Anglican house of worship in Singapore and was gazetted as a national monument in 1973. It was designed by Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald MacPherson, with the construction carried out entirely by Indian convict labourers.

History
St Andrew's Cathedral is the second church building on the site of the original Church of St Andrew, a location selected by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1823. Many books indicate that there were three church buildings, and this arose from the confusion caused by two different illustrations of the original building, the first without a tower and spire, and the second with a tower and spire later added to the building.

Church of St Andrew
The foundation stone of the original church was laid on 9 November 1834. The building was designed by George D. Coleman, in his trademark Palladian style, and constructed between 1834 and 1836. It was named after the patron saint of Scotland because initial financial support came from the local Scottish community. The first church service was held on 18 June 1837 and was conducted by the first Chaplain Reverend Edmund White. The building was subsequently consecrated on 10 September 1838 by Bishop Daniel Wilson of Calcutta. It had a unique church bell donated by Mrs Maria Revere Balestier, the wife of American Consul Joseph Balestier. Carved on the bell were the words "Revere Boston 1843" and thus it came to be known as "The Revere Bell". A tower and spire designed by John Turnbull Thomson was added between 1841 and 1844. The building was struck twice by lightning - in 1845 and again in 1849. By 1852, the building was considered unsafe and was closed. It was eventually demolished.

The Second Church
On 4 March 1856, the foundation stone of the present building was laid by the Right Reverend Daniel Wilson, Lord Bishop of Calcutta. Built between 1856 and 1864, the building owes its English Gothic influence to its designer, MacPherson, who was Executive Engineer and Superintendent Public Works Department. The detailed work was done by a civil and mechanical engineer, John Bennet (who also designed the Raffles Lighthouse). Construction was carried out by industrially-trained Indian convict labourers and supervised by Major J. F. A. McNair, while W. D. Bayliss was the superintendent. The structure, 68.58m (225ft) long and 35.5m (115ft) wide, has a nave, side aisles, north and south porches, and a roof made of teak and slates. The first service was held on 1 October 1861 and the church building was consecrated on 25 January 1862 by the Right Reverend George E. L. Cotton.

In 1870, with the growth of the congregation, the church was elevated to the status of "Cathedral Church of the United Diocese" by Archdeacon John Alleyne Beckles. On 6 February 1889, a peal of eight bells, named St Matthew, St James, St Paul, St Peter, St Thomas, St Bartholomew and St Andrew, was installed as a gift from the heirs of Captain J. F. Fraser. On 20 June 1891, St Andrew's Cathedral was struck by lightning, but no serious damage was noted. The north transept, known as the "War Memorial Wing", was added in 1952 with the generous donation by the late Mrs Loke Yew. The south transept was added in 1983.

Japanese Occupation
In the few days before Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942, the Cathedral was turned into an emergency hospital. Casualties of the frequent bombings were sent to the Cathedral to be treated, creating overcrowding in the hospital. Church services in the Cathedral resumed after the Japanese surrendered in 1945.

Church Dedications and Memorials 

• The stained glass windows in the apse are dedicated to Raffles, John Crawford, and Major-General W. B. Butterworth.
• The window at the Cathedral entrance was erected in memory of its designer and architect, MacPherson. The MacPherson Monument stands outside, within the church grounds.
• Tablets on the north wall, and on one of the pillars on the left aisle, remember victims of the 1915 Sepoy Mutiny in Singapore.
• The War Memorial Wing is dedicated to those who died in World War II (WWII). It was added in 1952 and opened by Malcolm MacDonald, Commissioner General in South East Asia.
• A memorial plaque unveiled in 1988 commemorates Malayan Civil Service officials who died in WWII.

Quiet Places Project
To accommodate a growing congregation, the Quiet Places Project to build an extension was initiated in 2003. The extension had to be built mainly underground as preservation requirements of the gazetted Cathedral meant that the existing building and its grounds could not be modified. Actual construction on the S$12.5-million project began in May 2004 as local archeologists were allowed time to dig in the area for possible artefacts. The extension, called the Cathedral New Sanctuary, was completed in November 2005. Built on the North Lawn, the 3,221 sq m building with two basement levels houses a new worship hall that can seat 800 people.

Timeline
9 Nov 1834 : First church's foundation stone laid
18 Jun 1837 : First service conducted
10 Sep 1838 : Building consecrated
1843 : "Revere Bell" donated
25 Aug 1845 : Building struck by lightning
1849 : Lightning struck again
1852 : Building declared unsafe and closed
4 Mar 1856 : Present building's foundation stone laid
1 Oct 1861 : First church service in today's building held
25 Jan 1862 : Church consecrated
1870 : St Andrew's Church became Cathedral of the Diocese of Labuan and Sarawak, and renamed St Andrew's Cathedral
6 Feb 1889 : Gift of eight bells installed
20 Jun 1891 : Cathedral struck by lightning
1952 : North transept opened
28 Jun 1973 : Cathedral became a preserved national monument of Singapore
6 Jul 1973 : Cathedral gazetted as a national monument
1983 : South transept added
23 Nov 2003 : Ground-breaking ceremony conducted for the Quiet Places Project
May 2004 : Construction of the extension began
Nov 2005 : Extension completed



Author
Vernon Cornelius-Takahama



References 
Buckley, C. B. (1984). An anecdotal history of old times in Singapore: 1819-1867 (pp. 286, 621, 686). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 BUC)

Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1988). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (pp. 371-372). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 915.957 EDW)

Hall-Jones, J. (1979). An early surveyor in Singapore: John Turnbull Thomson in Singapore, 1841-1853 (p. 36). Singapore: National Museum.
(Call no.: RSING 925 THO)

Liu, G. (1996). In granite and chunam: The national monuments of Singapore (pp. 172-183). Singapore: Landmark Books & Preservation of Monuments Board.
(Call no.: RSING 725.94095957 LIU)

Monuments worth preserving. (1976). Female living, 2(3), 75.
(Call no.: RSING 747.05 FL)

Pugalenthi, S. (1999). Singapore landmarks: Monuments, memorials, statues & historic sites (p. 97). Singapore: VJ Times International.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 PUG)

Sng, B. E. K. (1980). In His good time (pp. 41-42). Singapore: Graduates' Christian Fellowship.
(Call no.: RSING 275.957 SNG)

St Andrew's Cathedral. (n.d.). The Quiet Places. Retrieved January 17, 2005 from www.livingstreams.org.sg/sac/info/project/quiet.html

St. Andrew`s Cathedral: A living church (p. 21). (2006). Singapore: St Andrew's Cathedral, Diocese of Singapore.
(Call no.: RSING 283.95957 SAI)

Swindell, F. G. (1929). A short history of St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore [Microfilm: NL 7461]. Singapore: F.G. Swindell.
(Call no.: RRARE 283.5951 SWI)

Tan, H. Y. (24 November 2003). New wing to ease space squeeze at St Andrew's. The Straits Times.


Further Readings
Samuel, D. S. (1991). Singapore's heritage: Through places of historical interest (p. 100). Singapore: Elixir Consultancy Service.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 SAM)

St. Andrew's Cathedral (Singapore). The Courier: St. Andrew's Cathedral annual report. Singapore: Author.
(Call no.: R 283.5957 SAI) 

St Andrew's Cathedral preservation guidelines. (1992). Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority.
(Call no.: RSING 363.69095957 SAI)

Woods, R. (1958). St. Andrew's Cathedral Singapore: A short history for members and visitors. Singapore: Straits Times Press.
(Call no.: RSING 283.95957 WOO) 

(1985).Goodwood Journal, 4th Qtr, 23. 
(Call no.: RCLOS 052 GHCGJ)

St Andrew's Cathedral. (n.d.). Welcome to St. Andrew's Cathedral Online. Retrieved December 19, 2001, from www.livingstreams.org.sg/sac/

Singapore. Preservation of Monuments Board. (1972-1973).  Report. Singapore :  Preservation of Monuments Board, p. 9.
(Call no.: RCLOS 722.4095957 PMBSR



The information in this article is valid as at 2005 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Religious Buildings
Anglican church buildings--Singapore
Historic buildings--Singapore
Arts>>Architecture>>Religious buildings

Librarian Recommendations
>> G. D. Coleman
>> Revere Bell
>> Stamford Road
>> Ronald MacPherson
>> Anglican Diocese of Singapore


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