Carlisle Cathedral is buying the headquarters of the Diocese of Carlisle – with the hope of then converting its own offices into flats.

Church chiefs have been in discussions for some months now about the future of Church House, in West Walls, which has been the diocese’s offices since 1934.

Talks are now well advanced between the two entities of the Church of England about a potential sale.

“Well-advanced means well-advanced,” said Wendy Murrell, of Carlisle Cathedral. “My understanding is that it hasn’t gone through as yet. They’re in the process.”

Though it is yet to complete, details about the acquisition of Church House have been revealed.

The former vicarage and Resources Centre, which is now the home of St George’s United Reformed Church, are also part of the parcel.

The cathedral has plans for Church House to become accommodation for its organ scholar and up to three choral scholars each year.

It also intends to relocate its own offices into the building, which would release its current office building, within the Cathedral area, for conversion into apartments.


The Very Reverend Mark Boyling The Dean of Carlisle, the Very Reverend Mark Boyling, said: “We have been looking at options very carefully and we are excited by some of the opportunities we see Church House can offer.

“In all our discussions with the diocese, our priority as a cathedral is to make sure that the property will help the mission of the cathedral and our work to serve the city and the wider community.”

He added: “The former vicarage poses the greatest challenge. The cost of refurbishment and conversion into very attractive residential apartments will be high, but a way is being explored that we hope will make this possible.”

The Rev Martin Jayne, chair of the Carlisle Diocesan Board of Finance, said: “It would be wonderful if the cathedral could use Church House to further enhance its mission and ministry to the community.”

At the end of May the Diocese of Carlisle is set to relocate to a newly-renovated office block it already owns in Penrith.

Meanwhile Carlisle Cathedral has been granted a £25,000 boost for music-making in support of choral scholarships.

It’s one of a string of cathedrals to receive a share of £600,000 from the Friends of Cathedral Music.

Until now the cathedral had received a total of about £50,000 dating back to 1985.

Jeremy Suter, master of the music said: “Thanks to this wonderful sum, Carlisle Cathedral is for the first time in its history able to provide rent free accommodation to choral and organ scholars.

“The presence of talented young people of student age, singing in the Cathedral Choir and contributing to the musical life of the cathedral in many other ways, will make a huge difference to our music-making.”

It’s come at a time when some music departments are battling with running costs and will enable the cathedral to continue to be part of centuries of music making in the nation’s cathedrals.