Chester Cathedral is a truly remarkable building, with a history spanning almost two thousand years. According to legend, a prehistoric Druid temple existed on this site, which was succeeded by a Roman temple dedicated to Apollo. When Christianity became the state religion of Rome in the fourth century AD, the pagan temple may have become a Christian church.

Certainly a church was founded here in 660, and in 875 the relics of St Werburgh were brought to Chester to protect them from attacks by the Vikings. In 907 a church was built by King Alfred’s daughter, Queen Ethelfelda (‘The Lady of The Mercians’) specifically to house St Werburgh’s remains.

In 1092, the Norman Earl of Chester, Hugh Lupus (‘The Wolf’), the nephew of William the Conqueror, decided to found a great monastery in the heart of his administrative capital. He sought the help of Anselm, the Abbot of Bec in Normandy and one of the greatest theologians of his day, and at Hugh’s third invitation, Anselm came to Chester to establish the new foundation.

The building of the monastery began at the east end in 1092, working from east to west; the style of the church was Romanesque, in imitation of the Roman building style, with round headed arches and solid masonry.

When the east end was finished it was consecrated to allow services to take place; meanwhile work continued on the rest of the church and started on the cloisters (the domestic buildings).

The first part of the cloisters to be built was the south side (the side nearest the church) followed by the west, north and east sides. The final part to be constructed was the Chapter House, completed in about 1250 and, by that time, the architectural style had changed to the Gothic, with its pointed arches and ribbed ceilings.

The west end was constructed about 1520 and the work then moved aloft to construct the upper windows and the stone ceilings.

In 1540, however, the monastery was dissolved; building ceased at this time and very plain wooden ceilings were erected to allow services to take place inside.

Instead of the customary destruction of monasteries during the dissolution, Henry VIII handed it back as the Cathedral of the newly created Diocese of Chester.

By the nineteenth century, it was clear that the building needed restoration and some work was undertaken in the 1830s. However the major restoration took place 1868-76 by George Gilbert Scott, although further work continued into the early twentieth century; the external Bell Tower was opened in 1975, and the stone floor of the Nave dates from 1997 while the Song School was completed in 2005.

Each part of the building represents the work of different generations combining to make the Cathedral that we see today, but which remains one of the finest and most complete monastic complexes in the United Kingdom.

Significant Dates:

• Chester founded by the Romans 75 AD
• Church founded by King Wulfhere 660
• Relics of St Werburgh brought to Chester Cathedral 875
• Queen Etelfleda founds a church deciated to St Werburgh 907
• Monastery founded September 1092
• Surrendered Tuesday, 20th January 1540
• King Henry VIII sealed with his Privy Seal
  the writ establishing the Cathedral Saturday, 26th July, 1541

Five ‘don’t miss’ things in Chester Cathedral!

The amazing woodwork in the quire dates from 1380. This where the monks held their services, 7 times a day starting at 2.00 in the morning! The canopies above are to keep their draughts off the back of the monks’ necks as well as to reflect the sound of the singing, while below are elaborately carved ‘misericords’ which allowed the monks to take the weight off their legs during the long services. Each one is an extraordinary work of art in its own right.

Can you find the Elephant and Castle?  Whoever carved it had never seen an elephant and gave him horse’s hooves!