A TALK on the history of Chelmsford Cathedral will be held in Maldon.

The Maldon Society will host Tony Tuckwell on Thursday, November 1 at The Swan Hotel in High Street.

His talk is titled Essex a diocese? Chelmsford a Cathedral Town? A tale of skulduggery, politics and a little Christianity.

A spokesman said: “A population explosion in Thamesside Essex earned the County its own Fiocese in 1914.

“The wealthy worshippers of St Mary’s, Chelmsford lost a bitter battle to retain private pews but won another against six rivals to become the Cathedral.

“Forty years of war and austerity saw plans for a new building shelved.

“New churches in East London came first. Worshippers wanted to keep the Diocese at arm’s length. No one knew what a Cathedral was for. Even looking and sounding good proved difficult.

“Eventually visionary leadership gave Chelmsford Cathedral an identity as servant and not just ornament of the Diocese.”

Mr Tuckwell is the retired Headmaster of King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford as well as a historian and speaker.

Doors open at 7.15 pm.

For details, visit maldonsoc.org.