Chester Cathedral is the must-see attraction within the historic city of Chester. It's a vibrant community of worship, an ancient abbey and an architectural treasure.
Past, present, and a very bright future
The original church was built in the Romanesque or Norman style, parts of which you can still see today. The church was rebuilt from 1250 in Gothic style, taking 275 years and resulting in the incredible structure seen today.
With the most complete set of monastic buildings in the country, a Georgian square and streets, the remains of Roman barracks on the Dean’s field, and the largest green space within the walls, which means you can experience everything the cathedral has to offer!
Our Refectory Café is the perfect post-tour stop-off. The Gift Shop has beautiful souvenirs to remind you of your visit, including local produce courtesy of the bees in our natural gardens.
We are the largest venue in the city for performances, concerts, and fundraisers, which we host throughout the year. Chester Cathedral is a centre of musical excellence with weekly Organ Recitals and hosts the finest choirs in the country.
Chester Cathedral has a rich and fascinating heritage. It is a living community of prayer and worship, a centre of excellence in Church Music, and plays a key role for the Christian community across Chester, Wirral, and Cheshire. We welcome thousands of visitors from all over the world.' The Very Revd Professor Gordon McPhate Dean of Chester Entrance to the Cathedral is free, with donations warmly welcomed
Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since 1541 it has been the seat of the Bishop of Chester.
The Rows are a set of timber-framed galleries on Watergate Street, Northgate Street, Eastgate Street and Bridge Street in the old centre of Chester.
These covered walkways have no equivalent anywhere in the world, and are set above street level, leading you past a second line of shops.
The first mention of the Chester Rows dates to 1293, following a city-wide fire two decades before.
They are believed to have been built to increase the amount of shopping space in the middle of the city.
Underground, beneath the galleries are vaulted stone undercrofts, 20 of which survive from the 13th and 14th centuries, while at no. 48 Bridge Street is the Three Old Arches, believed to be the oldest shop front in England, dating to 1274.
