Narthex

From Wellington Cathedral of St Paul

The narthex of a cathedral is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper. The Dean's office is on the left and the Cathedral office, shop and visitor centre is on the right.

Angels engraved on panes of glass at the entrance to the Cathedral are the work of New Zealand-born artist John Hutton. When the Cathedral was completed in the 1990s, the panes were removed from the temporary narthex and stored.

Reinstated in the completed Cathedral, the panes remain the focal point of the glass screen between the narthex and the nave. Hutton used his wife Marigold as the model for the angels. Similar Hutton windows are a highlight of Coventry Cathedral, England, where they link the new Cathedral with the old one which was bombed during World War II.

Photo by Rebecca Apperley, 2009

Photo by Richard Apperley, 2009