Peterborough Cathedral

Peterborough Cathedral was founded in 655 by the Mercian nobleman, Paeda, destroyed by the Danes in 870, reconstructed in 972 and then burnt down by mistake in 1116. The present Cathedral, started in 1118, took more than 120 years to build and was consecrated in 1238 by Bishop Robert Grosseteste of Lincoln. It is a superb example of Romanesque architecture. The West front built in the early 13th century is unique in Christendom.

The Cathedral suffered badly at the hands of Cromwell's soldiers in 1643. As a result the interior of the Cathedral is uncluttered with monuments and light streams in through clear glass, creating an air of space and purity. Much work has been done in recent years including the restoration of the beautiful Nave ceiling, one of the most important examples of this kind of medieval art in Europe. Henry VIII's first queen Katharine of Aragon is buried at the Cathedral.

The Cathedral is still the seat of the Bishop of Peterborough, as it has been since the Diocese was created in 1541. Worship, enhanced and supported by a long choral tradition, still takes place every day (please telephone for service times). The Cathedral is used for many functions including exhibitions, concerts and school outings. There is a permanent exhibition depicting the life of the Cathedral and the daily life of a Benedictine monk. There are also scale models of how the Cathedral was constructed.

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