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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 2025. 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. 

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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

 

Planning your visit? Remember to check our closures.

FREE* EXHIBITION | FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY

Cross-Currents

Life as Journey

18 October 2024 – 15 February 2025

Artist: Frances Carlile
Curated by: Jacquiline Creswell

Canterbury Cathedral has for centuries been the focus of pilgrimages and journeys started in hope and faith. The Cathedral will now host an exhibition of a fleet of countless ephemeral vessels.

These beautiful and fragile hand-crafted boats serve as a powerful metaphor for the impermanence of life and human vulnerability.

In an ecclesiastical setting, Cross-Currents prompts contemplation on the shared experiences of seeking sanctuary, embarking on spiritual quests, and navigating the unpredictable waters of life.

Participating in the creative process is very much a part of this exhibition; visitors and the community will have an opportunity to participate in the Cross-Currents voyage through the practice of creating a boat themselves to accompany the fleet.

*This exhibition is included free with a valid Cathedral Admission Ticket, Cathedral Pass or Friends Card. Children aged 17 and under go free (T&Cs apply). No need to book.

Cross-Currents is an installation of hundreds of beautiful, delicate hand-crafted boats embarked on their own journey through the vast architecture of Canterbury Cathedral, each fragile boat symbolizing the transient passage of the life of an individual.

These painstakingly-crafted magical creations remind us of the fragility of life itself. Life can be seen as a journey across an ocean, sometimes still, calm and steady and at times storm tossed, unpredictable and hazardous. The ephemeral nature of the boats displayed, created from materials collected from the forest floor and along our coastline, reminds us of the impermanence of our earthly existence. Like boats adrift on the sea, we navigate the unpredictable currents of life, seeking stability and purpose amidst the waves. The exhibition prompts us to reflect on our own journey through life and the choices we make along the way, inviting us to consider the human cost of displacement and the importance of offering assistance or sanctuary to those we meet on their journey. As we all take a path toward deeper connection with the divine, we are reminded of our shared humanity and the interconnectedness of all beings. 

The concept of journey and pilgrimage is deeply rooted in the history of Canterbury Cathedral. Founded by St Augustine in 597 AD, Canterbury Cathedral is England’s first cathedral and Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. For centuries, pilgrims have travelled to this sacred site seeking spiritual renewal and enlightenment. The installation in a sacred setting prompts contemplation on the shared experiences of seeking refuge, embarking on spiritual quests, and navigating the unpredictable waters of life. In many religious traditions, pilgrimage is a holy journey undertaken as an act of devotion or penance. By understanding their journey as a pilgrimage or exodus, we can appreciate the spiritual significance of migration and the courage it takes to leave behind everything familiar in search of a better future. Through this poignant work of art we can empathize with all those who have been displaced, recognize their inherent dignity, and appreciate the resilience and courage they exhibit as they navigate the challenges of resettlement. 

Participating in the creative process is very much a part of this exhibition; visitors and the community will have an opportunity to participate in the Cross-Currents voyage through the practice of creating a boat themselves to accompany the fleet. The collection of vessels will be arranged to ascend and descend the grand stone staircases, passed by so many pilgrims over hundreds of years. By engaging with the symbolic message of the exhibition, visitors are invited to reflect on the urgent need for compassion, empathy and solidarity with those experiencing displacement or hardship. These graceful ephemeral artworks capture the essence of journey as a transformative experience that transcends physical boundaries and connects us to something so much greater than ourselves.

Copyright; Jacquiline Creswell and Frances Carlile

 

The Artist's Thoughts

Artist Frances Carlile works directly with the landscape. She shares her thoughts on the exhibition:

“The fleeting nature of life is mirrored in the transient natural materials used in making these vessels. The subdued hues of ephemeral seaweed, delicate leaves and translucent birch bark are juxtaposed with rugged elements of driftwood and prickly thorns. The materials themselves inspire an imaginary world where miniature shell boats can voyage through the enormous sea of the Cathedral equipped with tiny oars. Cross-Currents commemorates the beauty of the natural world where frequently-overlooked fragments, trodden upon and crushed underfoot, are unveiled in their ephemeral splendour.  

The making of each vessel is itself a contemplative journey. The landscape comes into greater focus as you search for leaves, thorns, seedpods, pinecones, seaweed, driftwood, bones, shells and fragments of all kinds. Finding the unexpected. Observing the colours. Walking through woods, along lanes, over moorland. Forever walking the seashore, the strandline, living with the turning tide. Hearing the cry of the oyster catchers as the light falls and the colours fade.   

All the found materials must be processed before they can be used. The drying, pressing, moulding, shaping and preserving adds a constant background rhythm to the passing days. Slowly the materials come together. Sweet chestnut, silver maple, cherry leaves are formed into fragile boats.  Masts of heather, dogwood, holly and briar rose are added. Seaweed, leaves and translucent birch bark are transformed into sails, attached with thorns. Driftwood is balanced and fixed to form the basis of larger vessels. And now the magic starts to happen. A shoal of black catshark egg cases drift past a thorny dogrose mast, found in a hedgerow.  The seascape and the landscape have become entwined. A piece of driftwood becomes a bird boat with a golden twig in its beak, its body a roundel of seaweed. As they come together the vessels start to acquire characters, just like people. Some are sombre and inward, others are joyous and active. They travel at different speeds, each one intent on its own purpose, but also united by a common journey. They chart their own passage between life and death”.

Frances Carlile

Sculptor and printmaker

Frances Carlile is an environmental artist specialising in site-specific installations. She works directly with the landscape, both as a source of inspiration and of materials found. She uses fragments of the real landscape from hedgerows, moorland and the sea shore and constructs them into fragile sculpture. 

Frances employs motifs of house, tree and boat to explore ideas of solitude, quietness and stillness. They provide a human scale and presence in an otherwise limitless landscape. Her work is imaginative and is informed by myths and legends, voyages, journeys, navigation and the stars. 

Frances is part of Vulgar Earth artists' collective.

Jacquiline Creswell

Visual Arts Advisor and Curator

Since 2009, Jacquiline has been central to the development of visual arts programmes at Salisbury, Ely and Chichester Cathedrals and is now engaged with further commissions and an expanding range of locations.

During this time Jacquiline has delivered 48 exhibitions, working with a diverse group of artists, galleries, foundations and estates. These include Antony Gormley, Mark Wallinger, David Mach and Ana Maria Pacheco, galleries such as Lisson, Hauser&Wirth and the estates of Henry Moore, Lynn Chadwick, Barbara Hepworth and others. She has developed lasting relationships with many of the leading figures in the contemporary art world whose dedication and support has been crucial to the success of the many projects delivered.

  • Visual art Advisor and Curator at Salisbury Cathedral 2009-2021
  • Consultant Curator Chichester Cathedral 2015-2022
  • Trustee and project Curator for Art+ Christianity – Currently
  • Director and Consultant Curator WAC – 2022 – Currently
  • Consultant Curator for Association of English Cathedrals – Currently
  • @visualartsadvisor

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