Cathedrals

A selection of images of some of England's Medieval cathedrals

Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR Ely Cathedral, Ely, Cambridgeshire A double religious house was founded on the present site by Etheldreda, a daughter of Anna, King of East Anglia, in 673. The monastery was laid waste by the Danes in 870, but 8 monks are said to have returned and founded a scular college, (minster). It was refounded by Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, as a Benedictine abbey in 970, and dedicated to St Peter and the Blessed Virgin by Dunstan in 974. The building of the present church and monastic buildings was begun under Simeon, the first Norman abbot, in 1083, and was virtually completed in its present form by 1350 after which no further major building took place. The monastery was dissolved on 18th November 1539, and the dedication of the Cathedral was changed to the Holy and Undivided Trinity.	Add to My Favourites Reproduced by permission of English Heritage.NMR Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent A view across the rooftops towards Canterbury Cathedral. The cathedral dates from 1070 with many subsequent alterations. It is the seat of the first primate of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury. St Augustine founded a monastery here in 597 which was refounded as a Benedictine monastery in 997. The monastery was dissolved in 1540 but Canterbury remained the metropolitan cathedral of Reformation England.
Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR Rochester Cathedral, Kent An elevated view from the keep of Rochester Castle looking down towards the Cathedral. The present building dates from circa 1180 when Bishop Gundulf rebuilt the Saxon cathedral. The church was consecrated in 1130. In 1080, the secular canons were replaced by a priory of Benedictine monks. Building and rebuilding continued until the surrender of the monastery in 1540. In the following year, the cathedral was placed in the hands of a new secular body named the "Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Rochester", but all the monastic buildings were reserved to the king. It was subject to major restoration work in the 19th century.	Add to My Favourites Copyright Crown copyright.NMR Cathedral of St Mary, Worcester, Worcestershire A view of the former Benedictine priory from the river. The Cathedral of St Peter was built around 680. A separate monastery of St Mary, probably a double house, was created in 743. In 969, Bishop Oswald began the construction of a new cathedral with the monks from both former houses. By 977 it had been reformed to the Benedictine order. The present cathedral church dates from 1084. The cathedral priory was dissolved in 1540 at the dissolution. The monks were replaced by secular canons and Worcester continued as a Reformation Cathedral.
Add to My Favourites Copyright Crown copyright.NMR York Minster, York, York A view of York Minster from the south. Work on the gothic cathedral began in c.1220 under the Archbishop of York, Walter de Gray.	Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR/Mr Edward A. Dillimore Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Cathedral and Cloisters, begun in 1096 by Herbert de Losinga. He bought land to found a Benedictine monastery in 1094. It has seen many later alterations. The priory was dissolved in 1539. Some of the monastic building were destroyed but the church became a Reformation cathedral. It had a dean, six prebendaries and 16 canons, most of them were former monks from the priory.
Add to My Favourites Mr Martin Roberts. Source English Heritage.NMR York Minster, York, York York Minster was founded on the site of a Roman fortress in 627. It is also known as the Cathedral Church of St Peter. The present building is the fifth building on this site and dates from the 11th century. It was started after 1070 on a cruciform plan. The church burned down in 1137. Rebuilding was undertaken from 1171 by Bishop Roger. The nave and transepts were begun under Archbishop Thomas after 1181. The transepts were completed between 1225-55. The South transept was badly damaged by fire in 1984 and repaired 1984-8.	Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR/Mr Bob Cottrell Durham Cathedral, Durham Cathedral church, originally the church of a Benedictine Priory. The priory was refounded in 1541, after the dissolution, as a secular cathedral.
Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR/Mrs Ann Vint Worcester Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral church of Christ and St Mary, including important early Norman crypt, cloisters and chapter house. The Cathedral of St Peter was built around 680. A separate monastery of St Mary, probably a double house, was created in 743. In 969, Bishop Oswald began the construction of a new cathedral with the monks from both former houses. By 977 it had been reformed to the Benedictine order. The present cathedral church dates from 1084. The cathedral priory was dissolved in 1540 at the dissolution. The monks were replaced by secular canons and Worcester continued as a Reformation Cathedral.	Add to My Favourites Mr Kieran Morris LRPS. Source English Heritage.NMR Cathedral Church, College Gate, Rochester, Medway The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Rochester has its origins in the 7th century. It was re- established as a cathedral-priory by Bishop Gandulf and rebuilt by him around 1078-1108. Building and rebuilding continued until the surrender of the monastery in 1540. In the following year, the cathedral was placed in the hands of a new secular body named the "Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Rochester", but all the monastic buildings were reserved to the king. It was subject to major restoration work in the 19th century. Read official list description.
Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR Hereford Cathedral, Hereford, Herefordshire An exterior view looking towards the west front of the Cathedral from King Street. The west front was built by Oldrid Scott.	Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR/Mr Les M. Kedward Hereford Cathedral Cathedral church of St Mary and St Ethelbert
Add to My Favourites Reproduced by permission of English Heritage.NMR Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, Lincolnshire A view of the west front of the Cathedral over the surrounding rooftops.	Add to My Favourites Copyright English Heritage.NMR Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, Lincolnshire Aerial view of Lincoln Cathedral from the south. The cathedral was founded in the late 11th century by Bishop Remigius and is an outstanding example of gothic architecture. The medieval cathedral has been damaged by both a fire and an earthquake.
Add to My Favourites Reproduced by permission of English Heritage.NMR Lichfield Cathedral, Lichfield, Staffordshire Exterior of the west front of Lichfield Cathedral	Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR/Dr Anthea Hatfield Lichfield Cathedral Cathedral church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Chad
Add to My Favourites Reproduced by permission of English Heritage.NMR Exeter Cathedral, Exeter, Devon A view of motor cars parked in near the west front of the Cathedral.	Add to My Favourites Reproduced by permission of English Heritage.NMR West front of Wells Cathedral, Wells, Somerset The imposing west front of Wells Cathedral seen here from across the Cathedral Close is one of the most important galleries of 13th-century sculpture in northern Europe. It was completed by the addition of two towers in the late 14th to early 15th centuries.
Add to My Favourites English Heritage.NMR/Mr Peter Read Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral Church of St Mary. Foundations laid April 25, 1220 and consecreated 1225