Chester Cathedral & Grounds: An Impressive Dog-Friendly Place
One of the most eye-catching buildings in the city is Chester Cathedral in the city. It’s a great tourist attraction and well worth visiting inside and its beautiful gardens. As a bonus, this is both dog-friendly and free to enter inside or to explore its grounds. As a bonus, my visit was in autumn, so the colourful leaves on the churchyard trees were especially beautiful.
I spent an hour inside to see all the key details and the special exhibits they had on display. I really enjoyed the nave, the cloisters and the garden in the courtyard accessible via the cloisters. There were some lovely art exhibits to see too.
History
The site of Chester Cathedral has an interesting history, and historians believe there may have been a Roman basilica here. The cathedral is a former Benedictine abbey dating to 1093, and there are some parts inside from this era. It has been added to many times over the years, resulting in this beautiful blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Thus, visiting is one of the top things to do in Chester.
What To See Outside
Chester Cathedral is a pretty building to see from many angles. One of my favourite views of the building was from the city walls. On my visit, this was enhanced by the autumnal colours in the gardens. For a wonderful view of the exterior, the city walls are a great option during the day. It is also a good place to see the cathedral after dark, which is a bit eerie.
The blend of Gothic and Romanesque architecture is striking up close. You can do this near the entrance and on the sides when exploring the cathedral’s grounds.
War Memorial
The gardens are also home to the Chester War Memorial, which commemorates those who lost their lives in both World Wars. The memorial is made from red sandstone from Delamere in Cheshire. It’s a pretty gothic monument featuring 6 saints, including St Werburgh, the patron saint of Chester.
Addleshaw Tower
The cathedral has a free-standing bell tower on the grounds too, the Addleshaw Tower. The bells were in the main building; however, it was deemed unsafe due to structural issues, so they built the Addleshaw Tower. The new tower opened in 1973 and was the first free-standing tower to be built in the UK since the 15th century.
What’s Inside?
The interior of the cathedral is pretty special with all the usual features you’d expect in a UK cathedral. The nave, aisle and high altars are impressive. On my visit, it had some interesting coloured lighting. These are the notable parts I enjoyed seeing on my most recent visit.
Cloisters
The cloisters here are nice to see and surround the cloister garth garden. These were built during the Norman era, and to reach them, you pass through an old Norman door. There are many smaller stained-glass windows to see while walking through the cloisters. They also had an interesting exhibit on the history of European stained glass in the cloisters.
Cloister Garth
Surrounded by cloisters is the cloister garth of Chester Cathedral. This is a small garden/courtyard and rather pretty. It’s a great place for a view of the tower and the building’s architecture.
The garden is all well maintained and has lots of pretty plants. The centrepiece of the Cloister Garth was the fountain in the centre. This is called the Water of Life and features Jesus and the Woman of Samaria sharing an overflowing bowl of water.
During my visit, there were many exhibits as part of the Enchanted Garden of Light exhibition. This was created by Borowski Glass Studio in Chester. These were rather pathogenic and certainly added some flair to the garden.
Undercroft
One of the earliest remaining parts of the building is an undercroft. You can find this just off the west cloisters. The undercroft dates from the early 12th century and was originally used by the monks for storing food.
During my visit, there were some beautiful community art exhibits on display here. The archways were also lit up nicely with purple lights, which added to the mystique and ambience.
The Organ
The main organ is pretty special, looks great, and is pretty unique. It dates from 1844, when it replaced a 17th-century organ. The organ has been rebuilt many times since installation. It is regularly used for daily services and concerts if you want to hear it play.
Mosaics in The Nave
One thing that caught my eye when exploring inside was the mosaics on the wall of the north aisle in the nave. These featured various biblical figures and told their stories. This includes Abraham, Moses, David and Elijah. These were made between 1883 and 1886.
Visiting Chester Cathedral
Some information that may be helpful when planning a visit to the church. This is one of many historic places to visit in Chester and a top pick for me.
Location
The cathedral is pretty centrally located and easy to find, as it’s one of the taller buildings in the area. Its full address is St Werburgh St, Chester CH1 2DY, United Kingdom. Location…
Cost
On my visit, entry to the cathedral was free; however, they suggested a donation on entry. Apparently, there is a small fee during the summer and Christmas breaks. They also have a shop to help finance this wonderful place.
Opening Times & Services
Opening times and service dates can be found on the cathedral’s website. They open at 9:30 daily, except on Sundays, when they open at 10am. Every day, the site closes at 6 pm.
Is It Dog Friendly?
Although I didn’t visit with Henry, I checked to see if they were dog friendly after seeing people inside with their pets. The cathedral’s website notes that well-behaved pets are welcome inside. They can visit everywhere except inside the cafe, which has restrictions. Some events are also unsuitable for dogs.