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Leaving a Legacy

In Memory Giving
Giving in your Will
Legacies
Becket Patrons
FAQs

It costs nearly £30,000 per day to keep the Cathedral open to all, and we typically receive no funding from Government or the Church of England.

Your kind generosity will help us to continue serving our local, national and international community. Your donations directly contribute to:

  1. Conservation – large and small projects on the Cathedral’s stone, stained glass and collections
  2. Music provision –  our Cathedral Choir, Organ and Choral Scholarships, upkeep of the Cathedral organ, and community engagement work.
  3. Learning and Community Engagement – including work with schools and local organisations supporting refugees, the homeless, and older people
  4. Mission – daily worship at the Cathedral and outreach work

A world without part of Canterbury's UNESCO Heritage Site is unthinkable, so please help us to save it for generations to come. Thank you.

In Memory Giving

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” – Matthew 5:4

Remember someone’s life by supporting a cause close to their heart – Canterbury Cathedral.

You can give a one-off gift or set up a regular donation in memory of someone special who has died. Your gift will mean that Canterbury Cathedral will stand in perpetuity, and the memory of the person you have lost will be kept alive in the mission, music and conservation of this place.

Every gift In Memory will be acknowledged with:

  • Your loved one’s name in our online Book of Remembrance - click here to see it.
  • an invitation to the next Benefactors’ Service so that you are present at the blessing of those remembered in the Book of Remembrance; and
  • a keepsake Canterbury Cathedral In Memory card.

Gifts of £1,000 and over may be restricted to Stone Conservation, the Archives and Library, Stained Glass or Music and can lead to:

  • initials carved on the inside of a new stone to be fixed on the building;
  • a dedication inside the conservation housing of a historic book or document in our Archives and Library;
  • a name engraved on the leadwork of the protective glazing of our stained glass; or
  • music at a service of your choice dedicated to your loved one’s memory.

How to give in memory:

  • Donate online – make a gift in memory today using our online form 
  • JustGiving – an online donation in memory through JustGiving 
  • Bank Transfer – a direct payment to our bank account. Contact our team for details.
  • By Cheque – download our In Memory donation form and send it with a cheque made payable to ‘Canterbury Cathedral’

Please do get in touch to tell us more about the person you would like to remember, or to discuss making a gift, email us at [email protected]. It would be lovely to hear from you.

Thank you.

Giving in your Will

“For the miracle is that this Cathedral was conceived and built by ordinary men and women like ourselves. And it is our responsibility to hand on that inheritance into the future.” – Victor De Waal, Dean of Canterbury (1977)

Create a lasting link with your Cathedral

Thank you for considering leaving a legacy to Canterbury Cathedral in your Will. By doing so you are giving the ultimate gift which could help ensure the future of the Cathedral for generations to come. The needs of Canterbury Cathedral are constantly changing. The most beneficial gift would be an unrestricted bequest, allowing us to make the best use of your gift at the time we receive it. We always recommend that you consult with a solicitor before writing, or making changes to, your Will.

Click here to see our leaflet, including more information about different types of legacies. With that in mind, here is some suggested wording:

‘I give to Canterbury Cathedral (state the % residue or sum of money you wish to give) and request without obligation that it be used:

- To support their general work
- To conserve the Cathedral’s fabric
- To support the Archives and Library
- In support of music
- To support education programmes
- Other (please specify)

FAQs

We welcome gifts of any size to support our work and there are many ways to give:

  • Donate online
  • Donate in person, on your visit or at services; with a cash donation or using one of our contactless devices.
  • Leave a legacy
  • Donate in memory
  • Become a Friend of Canterbury Cathedral or Friend in the US

Find out more

You can also send a cheque made payable to ‘Canterbury Cathedral’ to the Fundraising Department:

11 The Precincts
Canterbury, CT1 2EH
United Kingdom

If you would like to discuss making a donation, you can email the Fundraising Department at [email protected]

It costs nearly £30,000 per day to keep the Cathedral open, and donations supplement our visitor income to help pay for staff, activities and projects, big and small.

Unrestricted gifts are used to help with the daily running costs of the Cathedral, and may be distributed across all areas.

If you would like to support a particular aspect of Cathedral life - such as our ministry, music, conservation or outreach work - with a restricted donation; that is usually possible.

Contact the Fundraising Department to find out more: [email protected]

It costs nearly £30,000 per day to keep the Cathedral open to all, and we typically receive no funding from Government or the Church of England.

As such, we have to generate funds ourselves, through commercial income; such as visitor admission; renting out property; and income from the Cathedral Lodge and Cathedral Shop.

However, this commercial income does not cover all aspects of our work.

We therefore need to raise funds through donations and grants to help sustain all aspects of Cathedral life and undertake special projects.

The Fundraising Department is responsible for raising money through individual giving (one-off or regular donations, congregational giving, legacies, gifts in memory), fundraising for special projects, working with trusts and foundations, and accessing grants.

The Friends are the Cathedral's fan club; a group of like-minded people who admire the building, its history and the community which surrounds it. The Friends of Canterbury Cathedral is a membership scheme; through which members help to contribute to various projects to enhance and preserve the Cathedral; as well as enjoying many benefits, such as free entry, special activities and ‘behind the scenes’ events.

Find out more

The Fundraising Department will be happy to help with any queries.

Please email [email protected]

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