The building of the cathedral was originally commissioned by John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, the intended architect being Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, but both men died in 1852 before the work was expected to start.

The succeeding nephew, the 17th Earl, Bertram Talbot, offered to fund the building of the cathedral[3] from which the new diocese of Shrewsbury would be based.

In 2019, it was decided by Bishop Mark Davies that the cathedral's interior would be restored to its original state.

[6] The resulting programme of conservation work in the cathedral found a series of 19th century wall paintings by Joseph Aloysius Pippet.

The cathedral also has seven windows made during the second and third decades of the 20th century by an artist inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, Margaret Agnes Rope, the daughter of a local doctor; Rope had a studio in the Glass House in Fulham from 1911 to 1923.

She also designed and made a notable series of five large lancets at St Peter and Paul Church, Newport.