• 1, 15 & 29 August
• 12 & 26 September

While our general tours are suitable for all, we know that some visitors with access needs may prefer a shorter tour, at a slower pace, in a smaller group.

These 40-minute tours can be enjoyed on their own, or one after the other with a comfort break in between.

£5 per person, plus Cathedral admission charge.

Uncover the full story of St Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, where echoes of his life and legacy resound.

Explore the places in the Cathedral associated with the life and death of the renowned saint and martyr, from the location of his shocking murder in 1170 to the site of his first tomb, where over 700 miracles were reported. Discover how the story was re-told in stained glass.

£5 per person, plus admission charge.

Join us on a guided tour, offering an introduction to the history and range of stained glass found at the Cathedral, from medieval to modern.

Discover richly-detailed Bible-story windows, explore Miracle Windows and see the oldest stained glass in England. You will be introduced to 20th Century glass reflecting stories of hope, and meet a host of famous faces immortalised in glass along the way.

£5 per person, plus admission charge.

Our Cathedral Library collection includes books from the early decades of printing onwards, including books from some of the earliest European printing presses.

The Howley-Harrison Library was rebuilt over the Infirmary Cloister in 1665 and recently restored to its splendid 19th century décor. It is the largest individual collection in the Library, made up of approximately 16,000 books and pamphlets.

Join a guided tour to learn more about the Library and to explore some of the collection close-up.

£8 per person, plus admission charge.

Please join us for our monthly film screenings. Films start at 14:00.

Visitors to the Cathedral, as well as Cathedral Lodge guests, are all welcome.

Sunday 11 August
Godland - 2hr 23mins

Sunday 8 September
Neptune Frost - 1hr 45mins

The first rule of Film Club, is that there is no charge for Film Club...(but any donations are gratefully received!)

Turn up for a cuppa and a biscuit followed by some sociable singing to put a smile on your face, led by Jamie Rogers, Assistant Director of Music, and our Choral Scholars.

ALL welcome – rusty singers included!

Free to attend but donations welcomed.

14.00-15.00 on the following Mondays:

• 9 September
• 14 October
• 11 November
• 9 December

Discover the strong bond that Canterbury Cathedral has with the United States.

This is the story of centuries of friendship across the Atlantic.

Dates:

• Monday 12 August, 11.15-12:30
• Labor Day: 2 September, 11:15-12:30
• Patriot Day: 11 September, 11:15-12:30
• Thanksgiving: 28 November, 11:15-12:30
• Pearl Harbour Memorial Day: 7 December, 11:15-12:30

Hear stories of Becket and the Black Prince, Monks and Miracles, Tombs and Towers.

These tours are aimed at children aged 6 - 13 but are suitable for the whole family to enjoy!

Family Tours last 45 minutes, and pre-booking is suggested, as spaces are limited.

* Included free with a valid Cathedral Admission Ticket or Cathedral Pass. Children aged 17 and under go free (T&Cs apply).

Drop-in activities, including trails, crafts and more!

Activities vary each week. All ages welcome. No need to book.

• Make your own Lavender Bag
• Green Men and Grotesque Mask Making
• Floral Printing
• Make your own Sundial

Explore the Cathedral Precincts to find traces of the lives of the monks who were the site’s early inhabitants and discover our beautiful public gardens while learning how these spaces, created over centuries, are still used and tended by our gardening team today.

£5 per person, plus admission charge.

Discover more about the introduction of Roman Christianity to Britain on this unique fully-guided tour experience which takes you through the heartland of historic Canterbury.

Delve deeper into history with a guided tour at each location, and enjoy a sandwich lunch in beautiful gardens overlooking Canterbury Cathedral - all included.

£59.95 per person

Experience this special themed tour.

Uncover the lives of the queens, noblewomen and more humble artists and makers who have all helped shape Canterbury Cathedral.

• Wed 13 August, 11:15-12:30
• Mon 9 September, 11:15-12:30
• Mon 14 October, 11:15-12:30

£5 per person, plus admission charge.

Our Cathedral Studios workshop is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of Stained Glass Heritage.

Visit the studio, meet one of our conservators and learn more about their work specialising in the conservation, restoration and protection of stained glass from the 12th Century to the 20th Century.

£25 per person. Cathedral admission not included.

Dance to hits by Kylie, Madonna, Prince and other artists of the 1980s, as the Silent Disco returns to the magnificent Nave of Canterbury Cathedral.

Expect some of the UK's best 80s DJs playing your favourite tracks for a feel-good experience alongside 100s of like-minded 80s fans.

by Immersion Theatre

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This hilarious adaptation sees Shakespeare’s fantastical characters brought vividly to life as audiences are transported to an enchanting world bursting with magic, romance, and of course, heaps of laugh-out-loud comedy!

Four young lovers, a band of hapless actors, and a magical realm populated by mischievous spirits set on causing mayhem at every turn culminate in an unparalleled open-air experience of beauty and hilarity.

Suitable for ages 8+

£17.00 per person. Under 3’s go free.

Monday-Friday, 15:30-16:30 (19 August - 13 September)

The Corona Chapel was built in the 12th century to house the crown - corona in Latin - of St Thomas Becket’s skull, which had been sliced off during his murder and was revered as a saintly relic.

Explore the Chapel, usually closed to the public, before climbing the 95 steps to the top of the Corona Tower itself!

£15 per person. Cathedral admission not included. Over 16s only.

Bookable on the day only - Book at our Visitor Centre.

Please read full tour information and restrictions before booking.
You will be required to sign a disclaimer on the day, to confirm you have understood and will abide by the tour guidelines and restrictions.

Have you ever wanted to experience Canterbury Cathedral without the hustle and bustle of daytime guests?

Start your evening exploring this magnificent building on an exclusive ‘out of hours’ tour, led by one of our knowledgeable guides.

Afterwards you will be led across the Precincts to enjoy a delicious 3-course dinner in our Refectory Restaurant.

£67 per person (10% discount for Friends of Canterbury Cathedral).

by Immersion Theatre

Peter Pan

Get ready to think happy thoughts and fly high as the mischievous Peter embarks on an awfully big adventure, introducing Wendy Darling to the Lost Boys, the cheeky Tinkerbell, the hilarious Smee, and a host of other exciting characters before facing the most feared villain of them all, the infamous Captain Hook!

Suitable for ages 4+

£17.00 per person. Under 3’s go free.

led by Canon Emma

(Previously 'The Julian Prayer Meetings')

An opportunity to be still in the midst of the business of life and rest in the holiness and peace of this sacred place.

If you are drawn to silent prayer, please join us 18:15-18:45 on:

• Thursday 1 August
• Thursday 5 September

These meetings are for people of all denominations, faiths or none who wish to join with others in the practice of silent prayer, resting in the present moment.

September 2024

Every September, thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore.

We are hosting a range of FREE tours at the Cathedral, between 6 - 13 September, so don't miss out and book now!

Whether your child is starting school for the first time or transitioning into their next school year, this event offers a truly unique and unforgettable experience for all the family to enjoy!

Participate in a fun musical workshop with members of the Cathedral’s Music Department, followed by a joyful talk with a blessing, and make your own personalized bookmark - an absolute ‘back to school’ essential.

All children attending the event will also be given a special Canterbury Cathedral bag tag to take away with them (kindly sponsored by The Friends of Canterbury Cathedral.)

Free event - booking is preferred but not essential.

with Canon Tim

We are delighted to welcome The Revd. Dr Tim Naish, Canon Librarian, to speak to Friends.

Canon Tim has lived and worked with the Church in different parts of the Anglican Communion, including south India, Zaire (as it then was) and Uganda. In this talk he’ll combine stories from his experience with bits of the story of the Anglican Church worldwide. He will also reflect on the Anglican Communion today and the challenges it faces, and the place and work of our Cathedral within it. And he will ponder the importance of effective cross-cultural communication in our world, which is where the ‘highly spiced novelties’ come into it…

£10 Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, £15 non-members. Includes tea and coffee.

‘All that is made’: Contemplating Creation with Julian of Norwich

An opportunity to reflect on the beauty of creation and our place within in through the writings of Julian of Norwich.

The quiet day is led by Canon Emma and held in the Jesus Chapel, in the Eastern, with an opportunity to reflect on the beauty of creation and our place within in it using the peaceful space of All Saints Chapel and the Quiet garden in No 15.

The event is free but donations are kindly accepted.

Join us at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge for a fascinating illustrated talk by Cressida Williams, Cathedral Archivist about ‘A history of Canterbury Cathedral in 20 objects’. Cressida will provide a potted history of the Cathedral told through some of the fascinating items from its collections

The talk will take place in the Lodge’s AV Theatre, followed by a full afternoon tea to finish, in the Refectory Restaurant.

£25 per person (10% discount for Friends of Canterbury Cathedral).

Tues 24 – Sat 28 September, slots between 18:30-21:30

Come to Canterbury Cathedral to experience the splendour of Coronations and the Crown Jewels in this amazing new immersive light show.

Crown and Coronation will bring the spectacle, significance and shared experience of Coronations to life, demonstrating the pivotal role of the Crown Jewels, part of the Royal Collection, within the ceremony.

Tickets: £16

Everyone is invited to join us to:

• Set aside time and space to reflect on God in your life.
• Explore ways of praying which are helpful to you.
• Have opportunity for a retreat in daily life.

This is a free event, but donations are gratefully received.

This week of accompanied prayer is organised and led by a Team from Canterbury ‘Weeks of Accompanied Prayer’.

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) is well known. But what is the story of the women behind them and on their canvasses?

There were many: Elizabeth Siddal, Fanny Cornforth, Annie Miller, Fanny Waugh, Jane Morris, May Morris, Georgiana Burne-Jones, Maria Zambaco, Christina Rossetti, and Effie Gray to name just some. Many were talented artists in their own right.

Brenda Tate-Lovery, former Open University lecturer and Friend, will reveal to Friends some of the stories behind the names.

£10 Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, £15 non-members. Includes tea and coffee.

Saturday 19 October, 19:00 in the Cathedral Nave

Joby Talbot’s modern masterpiece, Path of Miracles was Tenebrae’s first major commission in 2005 and has been captivating audiences worldwide ever since.

The work is based on the most enduring route of Catholic pilgrimage - the great Pilgrimage to Santiago.

The four movements are titled with the names of the four main staging posts of the ‘Camino Frances’ - the central axis of a network of pilgrimage routes to Santiago. This unique, dramatic work, ‘an evocative odyssey’ (The Times), showcases the voices of Tenebrae’s world-class singers.

Tickets: £23 - £34, Listening Seats £15

Sponsored by Craven Street Wealth.

Image credit: Sim Canetty-Clarke

Thursday 24 October, 18:30 & 20:45 in the Cathedral Crypt

Secret Byrd celebrates the 400-year legacy of William Byrd, one of England’s finest composers, in an immersive performance by candlelight featuring The Gesualdo Six and Fretwork, created and directed by Bill Barclay and produced by Concert Theatre Works.

Byrd was a recusant Catholic writing secret Masses to be sung by worshippers during the Reformation. These Masses were held in people’s homes with smuggled priests and hidden Catholic artifacts.

This extraordinary theatrical concert recreates the sense of danger of these secret gatherings in the atmospheric setting of Canterbury Cathedral’s Eastern Crypt.

Audiences rove freely among the costumed artists feeling the original hand-made part-books, all illuminated by candlelight.

Tickets: £36 - Capacity for this event is limited.

This roving event will require audience members to stand and move during the immersive performance. However, there will be chairs available for those that need them.

Saturday 2 November, 19:30 in the Cathedral Nave

The Canterbury Festival is delighted to close this year’s Festival and mark its Ruby Jubilee with Canterbury Choral Society, who also celebrate Conductor Richard Cooke’s 40th year at the helm.

They will be joined by the Meridian Sinfonia to share its sheer beauty and greatness with a Festival audience, in the spectacular setting of the Cathedral Nave.

Tickets: £23 - £34, Listening Seats £15

Sponsored by South Canterbury and Fenwick Canterbury.

Venue: Canterbury Cathedral Lodge

Celebrating craft beer at its best, this brand-new festival hosted by Time & Tide Brewing will shine a spotlight on some of the country’s most exciting breweries, showcasing the best that independent craft beer has to offer.

A selection of beers ranging from hoppy IPAs to sours and imperial stouts will be available, with some wild fermentation thrown in for good measure.

Tickets: £15

Saturday 16 November, 10:00-16:00 in the Community Studio

Following the success of our previous classes, Helen Stevens, RSN Tutor will lead the class to stitch a stunning Christmas tree decoration inspired by the medieval glass of Canterbury Cathedral, which features the ornately decorated boots of Becket pilgrims.

You will also have the opportunity to see the stunning glass window depicting the pilgrimage and enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to the Stained Glass Studio with Director, Léonie Seliger.

This event includes entrance to the Cathedral after the class, until 5pm.

The class cost is £170 per student and includes all materials and necessary equipment to complete the project.

This exclusive project is part of The Friends of Canterbury Cathedral's unique association with the Royal School of Needlework.

Dr Tim Naish, our Canon Librarian, will lead a reflection each evening on a poem and passage of scripture, with an opportunity for questioning and group discussion.

The group is free, but any donation you may wish to make to the mission and ministry of the Cathedral will be warmly received.

Booking essential - Book to be sent a zoom link. It will be the same link for every week.