Visit Gloucester Cathedral Where Some of Harry Potter Was Filmed

Gloucester Cathedral in Gloucestershire is the cathedral I have visited the most, because it is in my hometown. It is the jewel in the city’s crown and absolutely gorgeous inside and out. Gloucester Cathedral is in the Westgate area of the city.

Gloucester Cathedral is great for a look around, and you can also attend one of the events that take place there. The cathedral has events over the Christmas and Easter periods. The building has been in films and TV shows, the most significant being Hogwarts School from the Harry Potter movies and Dr Who.

The grounds of Gloucester Cathedral are an ideal place to eat an alfresco lunch on a warm day. There are many places to sit.

Gloucester Cathedral Architecture

They built Gloucester Cathedral in a combination of Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles between 1089 and 1499. The 15th-century tower of the building is 69 metres in height; hence, it is visible from some distance. This tower has 4 pinnacles at its corners.

The cathedral is 130 metres long and 44 metres wide, surrounded by well-maintained gardens. The cloisters in Gloucester Cathedral are one of the most beautiful in any of the world’s cathedrals. The cloisters use fan vaulting. This was the first use of this style in the UK.

Best Parts of Gloucester Cathedral to See

First, the grounds are a perfect place to look around or enjoy lunch. There are some landscaped gardens, medieval walls and gates to see here. As a bonus, you can peruse the exterior at any time of the day.

Tower

You can see the tower from many parts of the city, including from up close on the grounds. My favourite spots to see this are from the docks, the far riverbank, or even in a multi-storey car park. One of the most splendid views from afar is from St Oswald’s Priory, close to the grounds.

Cloisters

The cloisters, made even more famous by the Harry Potter movies, are a grand example of fan vaulting. They are fantastic to have a wander through and look at the decorative features. The small stained-glass windows in the cloisters are splendid to look at and create some interesting lighting, too.

The Pipe Organ

The organ is very grand and sits in the principal part of the building. The pipes and position are fantastic to look at or to listen to, either at an event or, if lucky, when someone is practising.

Secret Garden

The secret garden of Gloucester Cathedral is an enclosed garden with cloisters on three sides and the principal building on the fourth. Its official name is The Garth, which has one of the best views of the tower. For eagle-eyed visitors, you may be lucky enough to spot a peregrine falcon here too.

St Andrew’s Chapel

St Andrew’s Chapel is fantastically painted in the Italian style. Thomas Gambier Parry completed the paintings in St Andrew’s Chapel about the theme of disciples.

He painted them between 1866 and 1868 and was inspired by medieval frescoes he had seen in Italian churches. It certainly differed from other chapels in Gloucester Cathedral and is well worth seeking out.

Processional Cross

This is a processional cross dating from 1923 and is regularly used for processions. Most interestingly, they used it at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Mason’s Bracket

Stonemasons mostly built cathedrals, such as Gloucester Cathedral. In the cathedral is the mason’s bracket, which they think is a memorial to an apprentice mason who fell from the vault above during the 1300s. The carving shows the Master Mason looking up in horror as he sees the apprentice falling. In keeping with a stonemason’s tradition, the monument is L-shaped, like their frequently used tool.

The Lady Chapel

The Lady Chapel is particularly decorative, with Gothic features, a vaulted roof, and special stained-glass windows. It is usually pretty quiet here and a great place to reflect and admire the details.

History of Gloucester Cathedral

The cathedral has a fascinating and colourful history over the last 13 centuries. This shaped the cathedral and the city.

Early History of the Site

Gloucester Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship constantly for over 1,300 years. This started in 678 AD when Osric, an Anglo-Saxon prince, founded a religious house here.

During the Norman Conquest in 1066, the abbey was not doing particularly well. In 1072, King William I appointed a monk named Serlo from Normandy as the abbey’s abbot. This led to the monastery’s growth and wealth over the next 23 years, enabling it to begin work on the cathedral we know today.

The then Abbey of St Peter becomes a wealthy and powerful institution with extensive landholdings in Gloucestershire and also South Wales.

Middle Ages

In 1216, they crowned King Henry III here. He inherited the throne at the young age of nine. Also in the 13th century, building work started on the first Lady Chapel, the new tower and the refectory.

In 1327, King Edward II died at Berkeley Castle under suspicious and gruesome circumstances typical of the medieval era. After his death, they buried him here. They erected a shrine-like monument over the tomb of King Edward II. Royal patronage and popular devotion led to funds flowing into the abbey. The extra money funded the remodelling of the east end. They did this in the very latest Perpendicular style.

In the 15th century, further building work took place, including the remodelling of the west end, the construction of the present tower, and more.

The 16th & 17th Centuries of History

During the ideological “struggles” of the 16th and 17th centuries, bad things happened in Gloucester. The most notorious was Bishop Hooper being burnt at the stake for his religious beliefs. The Catholic Queen Mary ordered Bishop Hooper’s death here in 1555. There is now a monument to Bishop Hooper, a stone’s throw from the grounds next to St Mary de Lode church.

Under the rule of Oliver Cromwell, there was a suggestion to demolish the cathedral building altogether. However, they spared it after the intervention of the mayor and burgesses of the City of Gloucester.

Post-Civil War Era

After the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, the Dean and Chapter resumed the running of the Cathedral. This is also how they managed it today. Renovation and conservation of the building became a priority, rather than growth and expansion. Throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, they have carried out repairs and conservation work rather than rebuilding or remodelling the building.

Harry Potter & Hogwarts School

For film buffs, the cathedral is a filming location for two of the Harry Potter movies. They transformed parts of the cloisters into the corridors of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The two movies are based on JK Rowling’s first two books, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Christmas At The Cathedral

Each Christmas, the cathedral becomes a festive attraction for a variety of reasons. The interior has decorations in the main nave and throughout the cloisters. This year, the trees at the altar were beautifully decorated. The cloisters had some rather special lighting and a variety of themed decorations. They also host carol services and other events during December. Most of these are bookable via their website.

Entry & Tours of Gloucester Cathedral

Visiting the cathedral, as with most cathedrals throughout Europe, is free; however, donations are encouraged for its upkeep. A suggested donation is £5 for a mooch around; however, special tours, including visiting the crypts, are available for a fee.

Visitors are welcome between 10am and 5 pm, Monday through Saturday. Also on Sunday, you can visit, but only from midday until 5 pm. It is best to consult their website for current entry times.

You can also book guided tours of the cathedral or the city.