139x195mm. Exterior view of St Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta, built in Gothic style and situated at the southern end of the Maidan. The Bishopric of Calcutta was created as early as 1813, but for many years St John's was used as the cathedral church. The idea of building a cathedral church was suggested in 1819, but the original proposal fell through and it was not until 1833 that Bishop Wilson revived the scheme. The foundation stone was laid in October 1839 and the building consecrated in October 1847. One of the few attempts at neo-Gothic in India. The church was designed by Major (later General) William Nairn Forbes (1796-1855) of the Bengal Engineers, who was also responsible for the Bengal Mint. The spire seen here was damaged by an earthquake in 1934 and replaced by a tower designed by W.I. Kier after Bell Harry Tower at Canterbury, (Massey p. 24).