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Chester Cathedral

The cathedral was the church of a Benedictine abbey dedicated to St Werburgh, founded in 1093 by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, with monks from Bec in Normandy. The abbey was dissolved in 1538 and in 1541 Henry VIII made it a cathedral. Of the Norman building there remain the north-west tower, the north transept and part of the monastic buildings. Inside, the choir stalls of around 1380 stand out, with 48 misericords, nearly all original, which Pevsner considered among the finest in the country. The Gothic cloister dates from the 1490s and its garth holds a modern sculpture by Stephen Broadbent, 'The Water of Life'. The 13th-century refectory keeps a pulpit in the Early English style. In the Lady Chapel stands the shrine of St Werburgh, from the 14th century, dismantled at the Reformation and reassembled in 1888. Outside, the freestanding Addleshaw bell tower, by George Pace (1973-1975), stands apart from the church. It is in the centre, beside Northgate Street and Town Hall Square.

Things to do at Chester Cathedral: 4 missions

• Walk the cloister and find 'The Water of Life'Walk through the Gothic cloister of the 1490s and find the modern sculpture by Stephen Broadbent in its garth.
• Look at the freestanding Addleshaw bell towerGo outside and walk round the building until you see the separate bell tower, from 1973-1975, which houses twelve bells. Compare its style with the medieval tower.
• Look for the misericords in the choir stallsGo into the choir and look at the stalls of around 1380, which have 48 misericords, nearly all original. Choose one and see what figure is carved on the underside of the seat.
• Find the shrine of St WerburghGo to the Lady Chapel and look at the 14th-century stone shrine, which was rebuilt in 1888 with pieces found during the 1873 restoration.

Near Chester Cathedral

Source: Web oficial - Chester Cathedral