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Tickets and opening times

We can’t wait to welcome you to Canterbury Cathedral. Tickets can be booked online or are available to buy on the day at our visitor centre. Please check our website prior to your visit as opening times may be subject to change.

Monday to Saturday 09.00 - 17.00 (last admission at 16.00)

Sunday 11.30* - 17.00 (last admission at 16.00)
*Between 11.30-12.30, access is available to the Cathedral grounds and Shop only. The Cathedral church opens at 12.30.

 

 

Adult

£17.00

Our standard visitor ticket is valid for 12 months, meaning you can re-visit the Cathedral as often as you want during that time at no extra cost.

Children (aged 17 and under)

Free

Children go FREE when accompanied by a paying adult. (Max 2 children per paying adult; does not apply to group bookings or school visits). Children must be accompanied at all times.

 

Canterbury Students

Free

Students studying full-time at local universities - Canterbury Christ Church University, University of Kent, University for the Creative Arts - enjoy FREE entry with their student ID.

English Heritage Members

20% discount on visitor entry

  • Not valid with other promotions or offers.
  • Discount applies to tickets bought on the door at our Visitor Centre only. Discount is not available for online booking. Standard price admission tickets cannot be refunded and exchanged for discounted tickets.
  • Valid until 31 March 2024. T&Cs apply.

Cathedral Pass

Locals can enjoy unlimited visits for the equivalent of just 10p per month!

You may be eligible for a Cathedral Pass if you:

  • work in the old city of Canterbury
  • live within 4 miles of Bell Harry tower, including within The Precincts
  • are a member of the Cathedral Congregation
  • are immediate family of a Cathedral staff member
  • are a member of any church in the diocese (on the parish electoral roll or equivalent)

Our Cathedral Pass cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions or offers.

Apply for The Cathedral Pass

Event calendar

Have a look at the range of events Canterbury Cathedral has on offer below.

 

 

What's on

There’s something for everyone – see what exciting events are currently taking place.

See what's on

Service times

Daily Eucharist   08:00
Lunchtime Eucharist   12:30 (Wednesdays and Feast Days only)
Daily Choral Evensong or Said Evening Prayer with Organ Meditation*   17:30
Sunday Choral Eucharist*  11:00
All are welcome and there is no charge to attend a service. *Live streamed online.

Services

Online worship

Every day the Cathedral’s services are broadcast on our YouTube channel. It’s perfect for when you are unable to be here in person. 

Explore 

Find us

We can't wait to welcome you to the Cathedral

Monday to Saturday 09.00 - 17.00 (last admission at 16.00)
Sunday 11.30 - 17.00 (last admission at 16.00)

Between 11.30-12.30, access is available to the Cathedral ground and Shop only. the Cathedral church opens at 12.30.

Address

Cathedral House
11 The Precincts
Canterbury
CT1 2EH
United Kingdom

Parking 

Parking in the Cathedral grounds is only available for Blue Badge holders, subject to limited availability and prior arrangement. There are several public car parks nearby. 

Find out more

How Your Donation Helps

Canterbury Cathedral typically receives no funding from Government or the Church of England. It costs nearly £30,000 per day to keep this special place open.

We desperately need your help to continue serving our local, national and international community. Your donations directly contribute to:

  1. Conservation – big and small projects on the Cathedral’s stone, stained glass and collections
  2. Music provisionupkeep of the organ, chorister bursaries, and Choral Scholars
  3. Learning and Community Engagement – including work with schools and local organisations supporting refugees, the homeless, and older people
  4. Missiondaily worship at the Cathedral and outreach work

A world without this UNESCO Heritage Site is unthinkable, so please help us to save it for generations to come. Thank you.

Congregational Giving/Offerings

 

Whether you worship regularly at the Cathedral or make an occasional visit, you may wish to consider making an offering during/after the service. There are various ways in which you can do this, if you choose:

  • Parish Giving – this Church of England-approved scheme enables you to set up a regular gift to the Cathedral, with Gift Aid (if appropriate). Full details on the Parish Giving website 
  • Online Form – you can give a service collection through our website here
  • Offertory Envelopes – if you intend giving regularly, you can apply to the Cathedral to receive a numbered envelope. The Fundraising Department will send you a batch of envelopes, each with a number that corresponds to your number on our database. You can put cash or a cheque in one of your envelopes when you attend a service, and put it in the offertory purse. Please contact the Fundraising Department if you are on the Cathedral Roll and would like numbered envelopes.
  • You can use one of the contactless devices in the Cathedral.
  • Text Giving is also publicised in orders of service and in the pews
  • You are also welcome to put cash or a cheque (in a Gift Aid envelope which can be found at the donation points in the Cathedral, if appropriate) in the service collection, or in one of the general donation boxes throughout the Cathedral.

Additionally, at Easter-tide the Cathedral is decorated with lilies which can be dedicated in memory with a donation of any size, and at Christmas, we decorate a Christmas tree with handwritten memories. Keep an eye out on our social media if you wish to take part.

 

You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us

2 Corinthians 9:11

FAQs

We welcome gifts of any size to support our work and there are many ways to give. You can donate online, by sending a cheque made payable to ‘Canterbury Cathedral’ to the Fundraising Department; by making a cash donation into one of our collection boxes in the Cathedral Precincts; or at one of our contactless giving devices.

Unrestricted gifts are used to help with the running costs of the Cathedral. 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. If you would particularly like to support a certain aspect of our work, that is usually possible – please contact the Fundraising Department for a chat.

We don’t receive funding from the Government or Church of England so have to generate all our funds ourselves. We do this by charging an entrance fee to the Cathedral, by renting out some of the properties we own and through the Cathedral Lodge and Shop. However, this commercial income does not cover all aspects of our work. We therefore need to raise funds through donations and grants to undertake special projects and to help sustain the Cathedral community.

The Fundraising Department is responsible for raising money to help with the day-to-day running of the Cathedral. We do this by seeking donations (one-off or regular), by encouraging congregational giving, by promoting the Becket Patrons programme (for people giving £750+ per year), through the Augustine Legacy Circle (for people who have pledged to leave a gift in their Will) and through appeals. The majority of this income is unrestricted which means the Cathedral can use it wherever it is needed most. Click here to fill in the donation form.

The Cathedral Trust is a separate charity which raises significant funding for special projects, mainly through major donors and charitable trusts/foundations.

The Friends is a membership scheme. The Cathedral's 'fan club', The Friends are a group of like-minded people who admire the building, its history and the community which surrounds it. Becoming a Friend is not only about restoring a beautiful old building; it’s about being a part of a community and forming lasting relationships, one which enjoys many activities and ‘behind the scenes’ events. You can find out more about the Friends here.

The Fundraising Department will be happy to help with any queries. Please email [email protected] or phone 01227 865343.

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