England is divided into 43 dioceses. Each of these dioceses has a cathedral at the centre of its worshipping community. Some of the cathedrals are very old indeed having been in place when monks established them, whilst others are more modern and have been built to meet the needs of a growing population.
Essentially, a Cathedral is a Christian place of worship which has the Bishop’s Seat within it – a place where the main clergyperson of a diocese, the Bishop, has an opportunity to conduct worship.
The design of a cathedral is similar in many respects to that of a church, but generally with larger proportions. A Cathedral of traditional design also tends to have a ground plan based on a symbolic cross. Within the interior of the cathedral will often be found extremely beautiful stained glass and other carefully crafted stonework. The diagram here shows the interior of a typical cathedral.
Many Cathedrals have Education Officers and encourage educational visits. All have websites, many have virtual tours, and time visiting a cathedral is time well spent.
Click on the button ‘A Place Near You’ and follow the links to Cathedral sites near you.
