Chester Cathedral

Chester Cathedral stands at the centre of this most historic city. According to legend, there has been a Christian church on the site since Roman times while the present building was begun in 1092 as a Benedictine monastery. The monastic foundation was dissolved in 1540, but the building survived as the ‘new’ Cathedral of the Diocese of Chester created in 1541, and therefore little damage was done; as a result Chester Cathedral is a wonderful example of a medieval monastery. Within its walls lie treasures of national significance including the finest medieval choir stalls in existence and the best pre-Raphaelite mosaics in the country, the shrine of a medieval Saint, a fabulous Victorian organ, a seventeenth century Narwhal tusk, nineteenth century church furnishings and more. The Cathedral is the centre of community life in Chester, hosting many special services and events each year; it is a place which uniquely represents both the heritage of the City as well as present day community life.