Hereford Cathedral

Hereford Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin and Saint Ethelbert the King in Hereford, is a Church of England cathedral in Hereford, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Hereford and the principal church of the diocese of Hereford. The cathedral is a grade 1 listed building.

A place of worship has existed on the site of the present building since the 8th century or earlier. The present building was begun in 1079. Substantial parts of the building date from both the Norman and the Gothic periods.

The cathedral has the largest library of chained books in the world, its most famous treasure being the Mappa Mundi, a medieval map of the world created around 1300.

January Events, Activities & Services

 

DAILY EVENTS

Everyone is welcome to join any of the acts of worship that take place at the cathedral. Services are normally held at the following times:

Monday – Saturday

8 am – Morning Prayer

10.30 am – Eucharist (8.30 am on a Saturday)

5.30 pm – Evening Prayer or Evensong

Sunday

8 am – Holy Communion

10 am – Cathedral Eucharist (this service is also live streamed)

11.30 am – Matins or Morning Prayer

3.30 pm – Evening Prayer or Evensong

EXHIBITIONS

The Mappa Mundi and Chained Library Museum will be closed for essential cleaning and conservation work from 1 January to 25 January 2026 and will reopen on Monday 26 January.

TOURS

Cathedral Tours
Monday to Saturday, 11.05 am & 2.15 pm.

Explore the rich history and treasures of the cathedral from its Saxon origins to the present day with our knowledgeable guides.

Tickets cost £7.50 (Adult), £6 (Student) and £2 (Child aged 8 - 16) and can be booked in advance via the cathedral or by calling the ticket desk (01432 374 202)

EVENTS

Nativity Family Trail
Thursday 11 December – Saturday 10 January
Discover the story of the Nativity this Christmas with our family trail! Collect your free trail from the Welcome Desk as you arrive, explore the building and collect a sticker once you’ve completed the worksheet.

Cathedral Seedlings – Toddlers Group
Thursdays in term time, 10 – 11.30 am

Back from Christmas Break on Thursday 8 January
Calling all toddlers and their grown-ups to play and pray in the College Hall. Listen to a Bible story, take part in a craft activity and have fun in our weekly drop-in. To add to the experience, refreshments, delicious cakes and healthy snacks for children will be provided.

Cathedral Seedlings is a group for children from birth upwards, with a range of craft activities aimed at ages 2 plus. Toddler Group is free to attend, and no booking is required.

Escape Room
On selected dates.

Solve our brand-new Escape Room: an immersive clue-cracking and decoding game, hosted in the Old Chapel in the Cloisters. It is Medieval Hereford, and pilgrims have been travelling from all over the country to visit the shrine of St Thomas Cantilupe. Earlier today, a precious golden ring was left at the shrine as an offering. But- when the Shrine Keeper returned from Morning Prayer, they noticed that the ring has been stolen…Can you find the ring, but more importantly, identify the thief before the time runs out?

Tickets cost £70 and can be booked in advance via the cathedral website or by calling the ticket desk (01432 374 202)

Afternoon Music – ‘Time’ Theme
Saturday, 10 January, 3.15 pm
Everyone is welcome to join us for a short concert of beautiful music on the Father Willis organ, performed by our Assistant Director of Music, Peter Dyke.

Outdoor Family Epiphany Service
Sunday 11 January, 1.30 pm

Join the Chancellor as he shares the story of Epiphany in this relaxed and informal outdoor service.

Epiphany Carol Service

Sunday 11 January, 3.30 pm

Sung by Hereford Cathedral Voluntary Choir, celebrating the veneration of the Christ-Child by the Magi. All are welcome to attend - no tickets required

Evening Hour

Sunday 11 January, 5.30 pm

All are welcome to join us for this service of Prayer for Healing and Wholeness

Lego Club
Tuesday 13 & 27 January, 3.40 – 5 pm
Test your skills at creating crazy constructions and superstructures with Lego in the inspiring surroundings of Hereford Cathedral. Enjoy this freestyle Lego session in The Rear Nave with thousands of bricks and hundreds of mini-figures. The session will remain a free-play session until 4.45 pm, at which point we’ll come together to explore a Bible story from the Brick Bible and use our bricks to help tell the story. 
This after-school session is free to attend, and booking is not required for this event.

 

Novels in dialogue - Friends of Hereford Cathedral

Wednesday 14 January, 11 am
Novelist Paula Brackston, who lives in Hereford, reflects in dialogue on her series of novels set in and around Hereford Cathedral. Coffee and biscuits will be served after the lecture courtesy of the Friends’ Trustees. This lecture is ticketed, but free of charge to all. We particularly welcome anyone who may be interested in finding out more about the Friends of Hereford Cathedral. To book your place please email: friends@herefordcathedral.org   

Time by Luxmuralis
Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 January 2026 with allocated time slots from 6.40 – 9pm.

The light show will transform the interior of Hereford Cathedral and invite visitors to embark upon an extraordinary exploration of the concept of time as they journey through history, science and imagination.

Tickets cost £9 for adults, £6 for children (4 – 16) and free tickets for children aged 3 and under and are on sale now! Tickets can be booked in advance via the cathedral website or from the cathedral's Ticket Desk in person or by calling 01432 374 202 (Monday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm). www.herefordcathedral.org/time

Time is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Time has also been sponsored by Home Instead, C J Bayliss and Gabbs Solicitors as well as receiving support from Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire, Sunshine Radio, Your Herefordshire and Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust.

Christmas Oratorio
Saturday 31 January, 7 pm
Hereford Cathedral Choir, together with Marches Baroque and an international lineup of soloists, will be performing J S Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in its entirety (sung in German).

Tickets £25 (Front Nave), £18 (Rear Nave) or £10 for Under 25s in Rear Nave are available to purchase in advance via the cathedral website, from the cathedral ticket desk in person or by calling 01432 374202.

 

February Events, Activities & Services

DAILY EVENTS

Everyone is welcome to join any of the acts of worship that take place at the cathedral. Services are normally held at the following times:

Monday – Saturday

8 am – Morning Prayer

10.30 am – Eucharist (8.30 am on a Saturday)

5.30 pm – Evening Prayer or Evensong

Sunday

8 am – Holy Communion

10 am – Cathedral Eucharist (this service is also live streamed)

11.30 am – Matins or Morning Prayer

3.30 pm – Evening Prayer or Evensong

EXHIBITIONS

Sacred Creatures

Monday 6 October 2025 until Saturday 21 March 2026*
The latest exhibition in the Mappa Mundi and Chained Library at Hereford Cathedral is a site specific exhibition by Jeanette McCulloch MA(RCA), that explores the relationship between humans and animals with a focus on British wildlife.  

This exhibition has been kindly supported by The Ulrike Michal Foundation for the Arts 

*Please note the museum will be closed throughout January 

Normal admission charges apply and tickets can be booked in advance via the cathedral website.

Re-interpret
Friday 30 January– Monday 23 February 2026
A curated exhibition of Contemporary Craft, Jewellery, Textiles and Artist Blacksmithing in response to Hereford Cathedral. Featuring work from the degree students of Hereford College of Arts.

This exhibition is located in The Crypt of Hereford Cathedral which is accessed by steps. The exhibition is open during normal cathedral opening hours.

TOURS

Cathedral Tours
Monday to Saturday, 11.05 am & 2.15 pm

Explore the rich history and treasures of the cathedral from its Saxon origins to the present day with our knowledgeable guides.

Tickets cost £7.50 (Adult), £6 (Student) and £2 (Child aged 8 - 16) and can be
booked in advance via the cathedral or by calling the ticket desk (01432 374 202)

Tower Tours
On selected dates.

Adventurous visitors can climb the 218 steps for some of the finest views of the city and county of Herefordshire, and beyond. Tours may not take place if the weather is poor, and may not be suitable for all visitors so please contact the cathedral office if you are making a special journey to take part.

Tickets cost £10 for adults, £5 for children under 16 and £8 for full-time students and can be booked in advance via the cathedral website or by calling the ticket desk (01432 374 202)

EVENTS

Cathedral Seedlings – Toddlers Group
Thursdays in term time, 10 – 11.30 am
Calling all toddlers and their grown-ups to play and pray in the College Hall. Listen to a Bible story, take part in a craft activity and have fun in our weekly drop-in. To add to the experience, refreshments, delicious cakes and healthy snacks for children will be provided.

Cathedral Seedlings is a group for children from birth upwards, with a range of craft activities aimed at ages 2 plus. Toddler Group is free to attend, and no booking is required.

Escape Room
On selected dates.

Solve our brand-new Escape Room: an immersive clue-cracking and decoding game, hosted in the Old Chapel in the Cloisters. It is Medieval Hereford, and pilgrims have been travelling from all over the country to visit the shrine of St Thomas Cantilupe. Earlier today, a precious golden ring was left at the shrine as an offering. But- when the Shrine Keeper returned from Morning Prayer, they noticed that the ring has been stolen…Can you find the ring, but more importantly, identify the thief before the time runs out?

Tickets cost £70 and can be booked in advance via the cathedral website, in person or by calling the ticket desk (01432 374 202)

Cathedral Biblical Study Group

Monday 2 February, 2.30 pm

Join a welcoming group at the Cathedral Library to dive deep into the Bible, exploring books like Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians.
For more information, contact the Cathedral Library: (01432) 374 225

Bereavement Café

Wednesday 4 February, 2.30pm – 4 pm

Everyone is welcome to join us for an informal and friendly gathering for those who have been bereaved, recently or long ago. Join us in College Hall on the first Wednesday of the month from 2.30 - 4pm for coffee, cake and conversation. Run by volunteers, this is a welcoming environment to share experiences and support.

Evening Hour

Sunday 8 February, 5.30 pm

All are welcome to join us for this service of Prayer for Healing and Wholeness.

Pub Theology - The Orange Tree
Wednesday 11 February, 7pm

A relaxed and informal monthly gathering in The Orange Tree where over drinks and crisps we’ll chat about issues related to God, faith, life, theology, philosophy and anything else you want to talk about. This is an opportunity to ask questions, hear peoples’ perspectives and chat about things that we might not have the chance to do in a normal church setting. Each session will have a loose focus, but we feel free to go off on tangents. All welcome (18+).

Afternoon Music
Saturday 14 February, 3.15 pm.
Everyone is welcome to join Peter Dyke for a short concert of beautiful music played on the Father Willis organ. Afternoon Music takes place from 3.15 - 3.40 pm on selected Saturdays during the year. Admission is free with a retiring collection.

Love from, Contrepoint

Saturday 14 February, 7.30 pm
Join Contrepoint in College Hall for a Valentine’s evening dedicated to love - from swooning renaissance madrigals, through much-loved choral classics, to unexpectedly classy new arrangements of pop tunes you definitely know

Tickets can be booked in advance via the cathedral website, in person or by calling the ticket desk (01432 374 202)

Lego Club
Tuesday 10 & 24 February, 3.40 – 5 pm
Test your skills at creating crazy constructions and superstructures with Lego in the inspiring surroundings of Hereford Cathedral. Enjoy this freestyle Lego session in The Rear Nave with thousands of bricks and hundreds of mini-figures. The session will remain a free-play session until 4.45 pm, at which point we’ll come together to explore a Bible story from the Brick Bible and use our bricks to help tell the story. 
This after-school session is free to attend, and booking is not required for this event.

Messy Church

Thursday 19 February, 12noon – 2pm.
Join the Hereford Cathedral team for an afternoon of craft and activities suitable for the whole family. Messy Church is Christ-centred and for all ages. This is a free drop-in event with no pre-booking required. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.