Our Collections
Chester Cathedral is the custodian of over a thousand years of living heritage.
Our collections are split into three categories – objects, library, and archive – which collectively tell the story of our magnificent medieval church and its people.
Objects
Chester Cathedral is a place of living heritage and most of our object collection is regularly used as part of worship or in our buildings. Visitors and researchers will soon be able to browse our object collection on this page.
Library
Chester Cathedral Library contains over 5,000 volumes connected to Chester Cathedral, its people, the local area, and the study of theology. Click below to access our library catalogue.
Please be aware, the Cathedral Library is open by appointment only.
As a Benedictine monastery, the Scriptorium of the Abbey of St Werburgh produced a rich library collection which included widely read works produced by Chester’s own monks, Lucian and Ranulph Higden. At the Dissolution in 1541 the monastic contents of the library were either destroyed or scattered and are no longer on site.
The Library Team regularly puts on exhibitions using our collections, supported by research from our Library Consultants. You can read some of the supporting catalogues from these exhibitions using the links to the right.
From Henry VIII to James II (2023)
The Very Revd F S M Bennett (1866–1947) Dean of Chester (1920–1937) (2020)
Charles Kingsley (1819-1875): Christian Socialist and Natural Historian (2019)
Dean John Saul Howson (1867-1885) and the Renovation of Chester Cathedral's Fabric and Worship (2018)
The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible (2017)
The Church and the Sword: the role of the Church in a time of war (2016)
The Church and the State: A Tale of Two Cities (2015)
A Prince Among Preachers: Matthew Henry and the Interpretation of Holy Scripture (2014)
Credo: The Thirty-Nine Articles, the Creeds, and the Christian Life (2013)
'The Church's Banquet': Celebrating the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (2012)
The Greatest English Bible: A Celebration of the King James Version (2011)
Archive
Most of the archival material belonging or related to Chester Cathedral is stored at and cared for by Cheshire Archives. The Cathedral Collection can be found by searching for ‘Dean and Chapter’ in their catalogue. Visit their website for more information.
Research
We encourage and support research by academics and individuals with a legitimate research interest, including students. A letter of introduction is usually required for those without affiliation with a university or research institute.
Donations
Our collecting policy guides the items we acquire for our collections:
Chester Cathedral will actively collect, gratefully accept the donation of, or consider the short-term loan of objects, documents, books, art, and other items that:
are strongly connected to Chester Cathedral in any period;
reflect the lives of individuals strongly connected to the Cathedral;
are offered (either by donation or loan) to enhance the worship or experience of the building as a Christian place of worship and heritage site in the city of Chester;
enhance the artistic and cultural life of the Cathedral’s visitor offer through short-term loans
To send an enquiry about a donation, use this form.
