ɪt wʌz ɪnˈɪʃəli bˈɪlt nˌɑːt æz ɐ kɐθˈiːdɹəl, bˌʌt æz ɐ tʃˈɜːtʃ ðæt kʊd hˈoʊld wˈʌn,fˈaɪvhˈʌndɹɪd pˈiːpəl tə sˈɜːv ðə pˈiːpəl ʌv mˈɪdəlsbɹə.
It was initially built not as a cathedral, but as a church that could hold 1,500 people to serve the people of Middlesbrough.