Manchester Cathedral
22 December 1940 · Manchester, Greater Manchester
View this record on the map →- Date
- 22 December 1940
- Record type
- Historic bombing site
- Bomb type
- parachute-mine
- Location
- Manchester, Greater Manchester
- Position accuracy
- Confirmed site (fixed, well-known landmark)
What happened
A parachuted land mine detonated at the cathedral's north-east corner, destroying the Ely Chapel — never rebuilt — and the Lady Chapel, and wrecking both organs, the choir stalls, the high altar and every window.
Casualty note
No casualties are recorded at the cathedral. The figure of around 684 killed is the city-wide total for the whole Christmas Blitz.
Also worth knowing
The blast lifted the lead roof clear and dropped it back into place. Because no fire took hold, the building survived where Coventry Cathedral had not. Restoration ran for two decades after the war.