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In the early 12th century Archbishop Thomas of York, probably Archbishop Thomas II (1109-1114) authorised the rebuilding of the original Anglo Saxon church, which must by now have appeared small and old-fashioned. Work began on its east end or chancel, well to the east of the old church. Very little of this first construction is left, thanks to later rebuilding, but by the 1120s construction had reached the arches below the central tower, which still survive. This progress meant that the services could be held at the new high altar, in a partially finished area, and it was at this point that the old church was demolished, to allow the building of the transepts and tower, which were originally finished before about 1130. This east end was originally entered from the transepts by small doorways in solid walls: the present tall arches belong to the rebuilding later in the 19th century.
The Chapter House was the last large project building project at Southwell, but the minster was kept in good repair throughout the middle ages. Around 1335-40 the screen which separated the Nave from the Choir was rebuilt in finely carved stone, and in the later 14th and 15th centuries the contemporary trend towards lofty light interiors was reflected in Southwell by the replacement of the narrow Norman lights of the Nave by larger windows in the perpendicular style. Probably at this time the old timber roofs were replaced by flatter versions, shown in the earliest drawings of the building. Various niches, some of which now survive only as areas of later patching on the Nave columns, held statues of favourite saints for worship in an increasingly personalised religion.
The college at Southwell was dissolved in 1547 by Edward VI, and its lands dispersed, only to be refounded in 1557 by Queen Mary and again in 1585 by Queen Elizabeth, with a portion of its medieval holdings. From then until 1840 it continued part collegiate and part parish church. After the removal of statues and painting, and the limewashing of the rest, it is clear that less and less was done to maintain the building, which continued to decay. Damage in the Civil War was probably more to the Palace than to the church, and some repairs of the Minster were carried out afterwards, but in 1711 lightning struck the western spires and caused a fire which damaged almost the whole building as far as the central tower. All the timber apart from that in the chancel had been destroyed, and new roofs were quickly raised, but the work was hasty, and the condition of the church continued to deteriorate.
The building of the church had been repaired in 1801 (when the 18th century spires were removed from the western towers), but by now it was found to be in a very poor state. In consequence it was closed for nearly forty years, while extensive repairs were undertaken by the architect Ewan Christian, paid for by the Commissioners who now administered the country’s churches. Ewan Christian repaired every part of the Minster, and replace the roofs, including once again adding spires on the western towers. He refaced much of the fire-damaged stonework, and reordered the chancel. His work was thorough and it is thanks to this programme that the church has survived so well into our times. Finally in 1884, the newly restored Minster, for a long time the parish church of Southwell, was opened for divine service but it was now for the inauguration of the new cathedral of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
It was not until 1936 that a Provost was appointed to manage the cathedral and not until 1958 that two full-time residentiary canons joined the cathedral staff.

(Edited from the Minster guide book)

Created: Sat, 5 Nov 2011, Updated: Tue, 8 Nov 2011