What are cathedrals for?
New research explored at the third National Cathedrals Conference
A new report finds English cathedrals remain vital civic, cultural, and spiritual institutions in a changing England, while finances remain fragile.
England’s 42 Anglican cathedrals are among the country’s most significant institutions, serving as places of worship as well as centres of civic life, community outreach, education, music and the arts – but most of them are in financial crisis, according to a new report examining their social, cultural and spiritual contribution.
While worship remains foundational, the research finds cathedrals also provide space for the civic calendar, communal grief and celebration, and unhurried spiritual exploration – offering “stillness, beauty and wonder” to visitors, including those who do not identify as Christian.
The report, Living Stones: English Cathedrals as Sacred Spaces in Changing Times examines the role of English Anglican cathedrals today and what pressures they face, both financial and societal.
It warns that while the financial picture is stark with three quarters of cathedrals operating in deficit, cathedrals continue to play a vital role holding together worship, heritage, culture and community service, while adapting to a more secular, religiously diverse and “spiritually curious” society.
Undertaken by researchers at the religion and society think tank Theos, the report draws on a nationally representative YouGov poll, a survey of more than 1,300 cathedral visitors, and qualitative fieldwork involving 146 interviewees across six representative cathedrals.
In the visitor survey of 1,300 cathedral visitors, just over a third of non-religious people (35%) said that they ‘experience God’ through the calm and quiet of the cathedral space, while 94% of non-religious respondents agreed that cathedrals were ‘a hub’ to engage in the life of the wider community.
It notes that 77 per cent of English adults have visited a cathedral in the last three years with 37 per cent visiting more than once in the last year – which if compared to the latest Government statistics, suggests cathedrals attract a comparable share of the public to museums and galleries, and more than those that attend live sporting events.
The report is a partnership project commissioned by the Association of English Cathedrals and the Church Commissioners for the third National Cathedrals’ Conference (May 18-21) when the findings will be revealed and discussed by key speakers from a range of disciplines spanning politics, public life, theology and academia, including businessman and philanthropist, Sir Paul Ruddock, who chaired the Governemtn’s First World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund, and David Olusuga, OBE, writer, historian and broadcaster.
Panel discussions and workshops will grapple with the role of these sacred spaces in a changed England, and the conference will ask how cathedrals can be sustained in their ongoing service to the nation.
The report also charts how cathedrals have changed since an earlier major study also undertaken by Theos in 2012, Spiritual Capital. Changes include more professional management, more diverse income streams, expanded events programmes, stronger digital communications, and deeper partnerships with local institutions.
In recent years, cathedrals have navigated the sharp fall in visitor numbers during the pandemic and adapted to changes introduced by the Cathedrals Measure (2021), the report notes.
However, the resources needed to sustain this work are increasingly stretched. The report warns that the gap between what cathedrals contribute and the support they need is widening.
Further research evidencing the social and economic value of cathedrals has been commissioned by the AEC and the Church Commissioners from State of Life.
Will Watt, Publisher and Government Advisor from State of Life will share early findings from five representative cathedrals at the conference and unveil a new estimator tool for cathedrals to use later this year.
The Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, who chairs the AEC and is the National Cathedrals Conference lead, said:
“Cathedrals remain vital community anchors—integral to the diversity of life in the dioceses they serve and essential places of gathering.
‘While cathedrals sustain the rhythm of daily worship, at the heart of which is the English Choral Tradition, they also open their doors to pilgrims and visitors of all faiths and none: the spiritually curious, heritage seekers, those with questions, and those who need someone to walk alongside them through grief or celebration.
‘Cathedrals have something to offer everyone who crosses the threshold, providing a place where communities can meet, connect and belong.
‘Conserving these Grade I listed buildings, and keeping them open, safe, warm and welcoming brings constant financial pressure—one we must address together. A demonstration of the urgency is seen in the fact that nearly three quarters of cathedrals are experiencing operational deficits at this time.
‘With no government support—and the fact that the Church Commissioners do not have the ability to fund fabric work—the structural funding gap for repairs and maintenance of these national treasures is becoming an ever-greater burden.
‘Our National Cathedrals Conference is an opportunity to name and explore the extraordinary potential and presence of our cathedrals—and to confront the very real task of funding that ongoing service to the nation.”
Chine McDonald, director of Theos, said:
‘The myth of secularity suggests that people have outgrown spiritual questions. But the continued draw of places like cathedrals tells another story.
‘People are still searching for meaning, transcendence and spaces where they can experience beauty and awe and process grief.
‘The task for cathedrals is not to assume familiarity, but to continue to do more to draw in those pilgrims and visitors that might otherwise consider such a space – or faith itself – as ‘not for them’.
‘At a time when our society often prizes individualism and self-optimisation, the Christian faith through the presence of cathedrals has something profoundly counter-cultural to offer – not only to churchgoers, but to society as a whole: steadiness, presence, and community.
‘Now is the time for cathedrals to recognise the unique space they have in bridging the so-called divide between the sacred and the secular.’
Michael Minta, Director of Bishoprics and Cathedrals for the Church Commissioners, said:
‘This is a detailed and thorough report that goes some way to doing justice to the extraordinary contribution that Cathedrals make to the life of the nation. As the report notes, Cathedrals are amongst the most visited heritage sites in the country and contribute hundreds of millions of pounds to local economies, while mobilising thousands of volunteers and sustaining thousands of jobs
‘Worship remains at the centre of their life, with the report revealing polling showing that more than three quarters – 77 per cent of the English population – have visited a Cathedral at least once over the past three years, with the majority of visits made for a religious purpose, from attending services to simply finding space for prayer and reflection.
‘Our Cathedrals make a huge contribution in a range of other ways – to community cohesion, job creation and training, education, heritage, tourism, music and arts and culture.
‘I would like to pay tribute to the achievements of cathedral staff and clergy, to their resourcefulness and resilience amid the challenges and complexities that they have faced in recent years, including the set back of the pandemic.
‘The Church Commissioners looks forward to continuing to work with the Cathedrals, in supporting them in meeting the challenges that they face into the future.’
Key findings:
- Cathedrals remain ‘churches of the city’: diocesan centres with an outward-facing civic role, open to people of all faiths and none, holding a space to support public ceremonies, debate and shared civic moments.
- Cathedrals function as unique public spaces: large, historic and accessible buildings that support worship alongside tourism, reflection and public life.
- A changing religious landscape is reshaping engagement: England is less traditionally religious but more spiritually diverse, creating new patterns of connection beyond regular parish attendance.
- Music, arts and culture: maintaining significant musical heritage, promoting arts exhibitions, cultural programming and community engagement that reach beyond regular congregations.
- Education: partnering with schools, colleges and universities and welcoming students for learning and visits.
- Heritage and tourism: preserving historic buildings, libraries, archives and heritage craft traditions while supporting local economies and place identity.
- Community hubs and sanctuaries: events, services and social programmes, including food banks, shelters, cafés, wellbeing programmes and support groups.
- Civic leadership: convening power that brings together local partners across sectors
- Policy and governance shifts have increased scrutiny and support: Government funding has backed some repairs and maintenance, while the Cathedrals Measure 2021 strengthened governance and accountability.
- COVID-19 had severe operational impacts: with major drops in visitors and income, recovery is underway, but finances remain fragile.
According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of people identifying as Christian in England and Wales fell to 46% (down from 59% in 2011), while those reporting no religion rose to 37%. Alongside these shifts, many people now describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious,” often seeking meaning outside traditional church settings.
England is also increasingly multi-faith and the report notes that cathedrals therefore operate within a religiously plural society, not only a Christian one—supporting interfaith and ecumenical relationships as part of their public mission.
Over the past decade, government policy has increasingly recognised cathedrals as heritage sites, tourist attractions and community hubs, with funding supporting repair and maintenance of historic buildings.
The report highlights key programmes including the First World War Centenary Cathedral Repair Fund, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, and pandemic Culture Recovery funding.
The report also points to major governance changes under the Cathedrals Measure 2021, which made cathedral governing bodies regulated charities with stronger financial controls, external audits, diversity requirements in leadership and fixed leadership terms.
It also notes that the pandemic caused major disruption for cathedrals, with visitor numbers dropping by about 75% as tourism and events stopped, and more than 70% of staff furloughed.
Cathedrals rely on a mix of Church of England funding (through the Church Commissioners), commercial income, charitable giving and lottery grants to maintain historic buildings, employ staff and deliver services that communities have come to expect.
The report calls for greater recognition—both financial and societal—of cathedrals’ role as civic, cultural and spiritual assets.
READ THE REPORT IN FULL HERE.
