Important Notice

This coloured lithograph is taken from plate 15 of Sir Charles D'Oyly's Views of Calcutta Environs. D'Oyly left Calcutta in 1838 and this never saw St Paul's cathedral, which began construction in the following year. Perhaps he saw the architect's designs, or a lithograph after William Clerihew published in 1845, which this image is said to closely resemble.

The first Anglican cathedral in Asia. Situated on the south-east corner of... This coloured lithograph is taken from plate 15 of Sir Charles D'Oyly's Views of Calcutta Environs. D'Oyly left Calcutta in 1838 and this never saw St Paul's cathedral, which began construction in the following year. Perhaps he saw the architect's designs, or a lithograph after William Clerihew published in 1845, which this image is said to closely resemble.

The first Anglican cathedral in Asia. Situated on the south-east corner of the Maidan, the large green space at Calcutta's heart, the cathedral was designed in the Gothic style by William Nairn Forbes (1796-1855) of the Bengal Engineers, who also designed the Calcutta Mint, along with C K Robinson, who was one of the Magistrates of Calcutta.

Forbes had the cathedral blueprint since 1819, when the then-Governor-General of Bengal, the Marquess of Hastings, commissioned him to design one. However, the proposed structure was deemed excessively expensive, and the government declined to release funds for its construction. Forbes, at Bishop Daniel Wilson's urging, altered the design to its current configuration. At Bishop Daniel Wilson of Calcutta's urging, he subsequently constructed the present cathedral on a modified scale. Being constructed on marshy ground would later lead to numerous structural issues. Forbes, cognizant of the potential complications, documented them in his notes. Due to the likelihood that the structure would settle into the marshy soil, he stated, it was critical to maintain a very light roof. Consequently, this would guarantee minimal lateral rigidity. Cathedral construction commenced in 1839 and was concluded in 1847.

The spire was modelled on that of Norwich cathedral but collapsed in an earthquake in 1897. The tower was then rebuilt to resemble that of Canterbury.

The original stained-glass window in the East Wing had been a gift from the Dean of St George's Chapel (Windsor Castle), to whom it had been presented by King George III. It depicted the crucifixion of Christ but was blown in and smashed to pieces by a tropical cyclone in 1864.

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