Chester Cathedral - opening of Cathedral at Height visitor attraction

Are you ready to discover the secrets of the tower? In Spring 2014, Chester Cathedral will be inviting visitors to take a 900 year journey through locked doors and hidden rooms. Cathedral at Height, a new visitor attraction for Chester, has something for everyone - breathtaking views, medieval mysteries, ancient bells and a defeated king.

The Cathedral at Height attraction will allow visitors to take a guided tour of some of the cathedral’s ‘secret spaces’, includin g the old bell ringing chamber and the shallow arched galleries above the Nave. The tour includes 216 steps and a series of winding spiral staircases and takes in a breathtaking view of the interior of the building from the east gallery. It culminates at the top of the cathedral’s central tower with an open air panorama that reveals one city, two nations and five counties.

The Cathedral at Height tour has many stories to tell. Perhaps one of the most captivating is that of a defeated king. According to folklore, Charles I watched the Battle of Rowton Moor from the vantage point of the cathedral tower in 1645. Unfortunately for him, his Royalist troops were defeated and he was forced to make a hasty retreat to safety, down the tower’s winding staircase and away from the city.

There are, of course, also tales about everyday people, people that helped to make the cathedral what it is today. Along the tour route there are a series of ‘little faces’ carved into the stonework of the cathedral’s ceiling. The faces date back to medieval times and are thought to be depictions of workmen who worked on the building during this period.
The Cathedral at Height project is funded by a £1.3 million grant from Cheshire West and Chester Council and forms part of the council’s One City Plan.

Chester Cathedral appointed William Anelay Ltd., specialists in the restoration, conservation and refurbishment of listed and historic buildings, as the project contractor and development work began in Summer 2013.

Extensive works have been undertaken to prepare the cathedral tower, tower roof, bellringing chamber and bell-frame chamber for an unparalleled level of public access.

The bell-ringing chamber has been transformed into a modern exhibition space which will tell the story of the cathedral’s bells. The bell-frame chamber has been converted into a multisensory visitor area and makes use of state of the art, specially-commissioned split-screen images and surround sound technology.

The top of the tower – a place for tour members to pause, take photographs and enjoy the view – now features a new visitor walkway and interpretative panels. The medieval staircases have been repaired and stonemasons have worked in the elevated galleries.

The 100 year old Tower Clock, an original feature of the cathedral’s bell-ringing chamber but removed in the 1960s, has been restored by specialists Smiths of Derby and will now be fitted back onto its original brackets in the central tower. A carillon, a musical box which allowed one person to ring eight bells simultaneously using a handle, has also been returned to its original home in the chamber.

Chester Cathedral’s Heritage Manager Nick Fry said:

“Cathedral at Height is a very exciting project – and we can’t wait to open to visitors. We are thrilled to be able to reveal more of this magnificent building and share more of our fascinating history and heritage via new stories and new perspectives.”

Attraction fast facts

1: tour duration in hours
2: number of bells that remain in the cathedral’s central tower
15: century the tower was built in
216: number of steps to the top of the tower
127: tower height in feet – the highest accessible point in the city
5: number of counties you can see from the tower roof
1000: number of years the tour’s secret spaces have been inaccessible to the public

Attraction highlights

Cathedral at Height has a number of key features. The ‘tour highlights are as follows:

1. Walk the galleries: the tour will allow visitors to walk along the cathedral triforiums shallow arched galleries within the thickness of the inner wall which are positioned above the Nave.

2. See the city: the tour will take visitors to the top of the cathedral’s central tower, the highest accessible vantage point in Chester at 127ft.

3. Spot our little faces: the tour will allow visitors to get up close and personal with a series of ‘little faces’ carved into the stonework of the cathedral’s ceiling. The faces date back to medieval times and are thought to be depictions of workmen who worked on the building during this period.

4. Marvel at our crown of stone: the tour will allow visitors to peer up at the tower’s intersecting arches of stone at ceiling level – this intricate feature has been dubbed the Crown of Stone and is unique amongst UK cathedrals.

5. Follow in the footsteps of royalty: according to folklore, Charles I watched the Battle of Rowton Moor from the vantage point of the cathedral tower in 1645. Unfortunately for him, his Royalist troops were defeated and he was forced to make a hasty retreat to safety, down the tower’s winding staircase and away from the city.

6. Don’t forget to look down: the tour will offer visitors an unusual overhead glimpse of two jewels of the cathedral’s interior. The organ is Victorian and boasts 4864 pipes. The ornate wooden quire stalls date back to the fourteenth century and are the finest example of their kind in the country.

7. Get up close and personal with our stained glass: visitors will be able to see the cathedral’s Victorian stained glass windows in detail as they tip-toe along our elevated galleries.

8. Experience the bells: the tour will take in a cutting-edge multi-sensory experience in the bell-ringing space and will also feature new installations such as a restored clock and a carillon.

9. Take a moment: the tour wouldn’t be complete without an expansive and elevated view of the cathedral nave from the east gallery. This vantage point allows visitors to take in the magnificent building in its entirety. Here is a minute or two for reflection and silence.
10. Remember the Romans: the tour will include glimpses of original Roman columns that were recycled by builders in the eleventh century.

Attraction vision

Each tour will be made up of 12 people. During peak times, it is anticipated that the tour will run up to 13 times a day.

It is hoped that the Cathedral at Height attraction will have a knock on effect for the city as a whole – increasing dwell time in the short term and boosting economic growth in the longer term.

It is envisaged that the visitor attraction will help to position Chester Cathedral as the premier tourist destination within the city walls.

Attraction images

Attraction tickets

Tickets for the tour will be charged at £8.00 for adults and £6.00 for children. Booking will be taken in the cathedral on the day of the tour and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Group bookings of 6 or more people will be charged at £7.00 per person and can be made up to two months in advance by contacting the Chester Cathedral Box Office on (01244) 500959.

Contact information

For further information contact: Amie Williams Marketing and Communications Officer This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (01244) 500969