Wirral's independent local news website
Chester Cathedral is getting ready to run its second annual Heritage Discovery Day, with this year’s set to be bigger and better than ever.
Join the Cathedral’s very own heritage professionals – the Works Department – and friends on Saturday 22 October in a free event bringing to life the medieval heritage of Chester’s most iconic historic church.
Attendees will enjoy a range of activities taking place across the Cathedral site on the first Saturday of half term, with medieval objects on display, live demonstrations of heritage skills, music-making, family activities, tours, and worship, all contributing to this autumnal extravaganza.
Visitors will be able to access parts of the site 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 team will be joined by colleagues from Chester, the north west and further afield, including the University of Chester’s ‘Mobility of Objects’ Arts and Humanities Research Council Funded Project.
This includes a pop-up exhibition which will be available in the Vestibule of the Cathedral where visitors will get a chance to handle medieval and early modern objects excavated in and around Chester and discover the stories they have to tell. Handle unseen everyday objects from the past: shoes, keys, tiles, pottery, ceramics, rings, pilgrim badges and devotional tokens.
In the build-up to the day those wanting to learn more about Chester’s unique medieval history can purchase affordable tickets to a lecture series held in the Cathedral’s medieval Lady Chapel on a range of engaging topics. Ticket-holders will hear academics from four prestigious universities delve into discussions on the veneration of St Werburgh, what burial practices looked like to our medieval counterparts, and hear about the life of Chester Cathedral’s own medieval scholar, Ranulph Higden.
The Very Rev’d Dr Tim Stratford, Dean of Chester, says “We are thrilled to be able to bring this event back to Chester Cathedral for the second time. Visitors hugely enjoyed getting to see and learn about out medieval history and talk to our heritage professionals who care for and interpret it for us today. The Heritage Discovery Day is a fantastic way for families and students alike to kick off the weekend and the start of half term and immerse themselves in Chester’s truly fascinating medieval history.”
Visitors are encouraged to book their free ticket to the day (and paid tickets for specific parts of the day) well in advance.
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