Chester Cathedral, Chester (must see)
Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral. It is also the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It has been the seat of the Bishop of Chester since 1541.
The church was first constructed in 1093 with many additions, renovations and remodeling projects having taken place since that time. The most notable architects of the cathedral were Richard Lenginour, Nicholas de Derenford, William Rediche, Seth and George Derwall, Thomas Harrison and George Gilbert Scott. Though the church itself is considered mostly Romanesque and Gothic, it also uses elements from the most notable English medieval architecture like Norman and Perpendicular.
One of the reasons the church has been restored so many times is the use of Keiper Sandstone. This material is very popular because it is easy to make detailed carvings, which lends to the beauty of the building. Unfortunately, it is also easily damaged.
A detached bell and clock tower was added in 1975 due to difficulties in repairing the previously constructed bell tower. New bells, based off of the original ones, were recast for use in the bell tower. Only two of the older bells, both from the 17th century, were re-used in the new tower. It was somewhat controversial because it was the first detached bell tower built in England since the Reformation.
The cathedral continues to offer regular church services. It is also used for concerts and exhibitions. The cathedral has a gift shop and cafe for those who wish to spend more time enjoying the medieval atmosphere.
Why You Should Visit:
- To see one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chester
- To explore the beauty of medieval architecture
Tips:
The cafe and gift shop are open from 10 AM to 4 PM Monday through Saturday and from noon to 4 PM on Sundays. Visitors who wish to tour the interior of the cathedral must make advance arrangements for a 60-minute ground floor tour or a half-hour tour that ends with views from the cathedral's tower.
The church was first constructed in 1093 with many additions, renovations and remodeling projects having taken place since that time. The most notable architects of the cathedral were Richard Lenginour, Nicholas de Derenford, William Rediche, Seth and George Derwall, Thomas Harrison and George Gilbert Scott. Though the church itself is considered mostly Romanesque and Gothic, it also uses elements from the most notable English medieval architecture like Norman and Perpendicular.
One of the reasons the church has been restored so many times is the use of Keiper Sandstone. This material is very popular because it is easy to make detailed carvings, which lends to the beauty of the building. Unfortunately, it is also easily damaged.
A detached bell and clock tower was added in 1975 due to difficulties in repairing the previously constructed bell tower. New bells, based off of the original ones, were recast for use in the bell tower. Only two of the older bells, both from the 17th century, were re-used in the new tower. It was somewhat controversial because it was the first detached bell tower built in England since the Reformation.
The cathedral continues to offer regular church services. It is also used for concerts and exhibitions. The cathedral has a gift shop and cafe for those who wish to spend more time enjoying the medieval atmosphere.
Why You Should Visit:
- To see one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chester
- To explore the beauty of medieval architecture
Tips:
The cafe and gift shop are open from 10 AM to 4 PM Monday through Saturday and from noon to 4 PM on Sundays. Visitors who wish to tour the interior of the cathedral must make advance arrangements for a 60-minute ground floor tour or a half-hour tour that ends with views from the cathedral's tower.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Chester. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Chester Cathedral on Map
Sight Name: Chester Cathedral
Sight Location: Chester, England (See walking tours in Chester)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Chester, England (See walking tours in Chester)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Chester, England
Create Your Own Walk in Chester
Creating your own self-guided walk in Chester is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Chester Introduction Walking Tour
Chester is a walled city in Cheshire. It was originally founded in 79 AD as a Roman fort with the name Deva Victrix. It was garrisoned until the 4th century when it was abandoned by the Romans. It is thought that the area was settled by Anglo-Saxons during medieval times. It was also briefly occupied by the Danes.
Chester was very important during the Industrial Revolution. This is largely due... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Chester was very important during the Industrial Revolution. This is largely due... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Chester's City Walls
Chester City Walls are the oldest, longest and most complete (missing only just about 100 meters) historic defensive structure in Britain. Walking the full circuit of this ancient fortification provides wondrous views, wherever you choose to go, down into the city, and offers a fantastic insight into Chester's rich history.
First built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago, the Walls were... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
First built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago, the Walls were... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Chester's Black-and-white Architecture Tour
While the origins of Chester date back to Roman Times, much of the city center, and by far the greatest part of it, looks medieval. Indeed, if you visit the city, the first thing you notice is the magnificent black-and-white architecture. Despite their appearance, however, the majority of these buildings are Victorian by the time of construction.
The Black-and-White Revival was an architectural... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
The Black-and-White Revival was an architectural... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles