Chester Cathedral’s popular Heritage Discovery Day returns for 2023 to explore the infamous Tudors in Chester’s most iconic historic church and grounds.
You can join the Cathedral’s very own heritage professionals – the Works Department – and friends on Saturday 9 September to explore Chester Cathedral like never before in this free event.
The whole-day event will feature partners from across Chester to unravel the hidden Tudor stories in our city. Attendees will enjoy a range of activities taking place across the Cathedral site, including archery workshops late-medieval and Tudor objects on display, live demonstrations of heritage skills, music-making, family activities, tours, and worship all contributing to this autumnal feast for the senses.
Visitors will be able to access parts of the Cathedral not normally open to the public in this once-a-year event, with objects on display in the Cathedral rarely able to be displayed to the public.
The Cathedral’s own team will be joined by friends from across the city, with Grosvenor Museum’s incredible objects and dressing up on show and Sick to Death’s eye-catching Plague Doctor showing you how to make your own pomander.
To build-up to the day those wanting to learn more about Chester’s Tudor past will be able to purchase affordable tickets to a lecture series held in the Cathedral’s medieval Lady Chapel on a range of exciting topics. Ticketholders will hear academics dissect different aspects of Tudor life and illuminate the lived experience of our fifteenth- and sixteenth-century counterparts.
The day will round off with a special Tudor music-focussed Evensong sung by the Cathedral Choir which will be followed by an intimate Fantastic Byrd organ recital performed in the Lady Chapel. 2023 is the 400th anniversary of the death of William Byrd, one of England’s most famous Tudor composers, and ticket holders will hear featured some of the virtuosic organ pieces that Byrd is known for.
The Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford, Dean of Chester, says, “We are thrilled to be able to bring this event back to Chester Cathedral for the third time. It is a unique opportunity to see and learn about our Tudor history and talk to our in-house heritage professionals who care for and interpret the Cathedral for us today. The Heritage Discovery Day is a fantastic way to kick off the weekend and immerse yourself in Chester’s engaging Tudor history.”
Free tickets for the day and paid tickets for specific activities can be booked at chestercathedral.com 
Chester Cathedral receives no regular funding from the government or the Church of England and relies on the donations of visitors and patrons. Please consider donating in-person or online in support of their work.
Visitors can visit the Heritage Discovery Day between 10am – 6pm on Saturday 9 September.
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