Gloucester Cathedral

Gloucester Cathedral

Gloucester Cathedral
4.5
Architectural BuildingsChurches & Cathedrals
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 2:30 PM
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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  • bridgnorthgirl
    Shropshire, United Kingdom61 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning cathedral and Hogwarts vibes
    It’s been a few years since I visited Gloucester cathedral and had forgotten just how beautiful it is. I visited with my daughter today; we are both pretty big Harry Potter fans but I am also a big ‘fan’ of churches and cathedrals generally. This is definitely one of the better ones to visit. Lots to look at, plenty of chapels within the main building as is usual for a cathedral. But the work, the architecture the work that went into this building is just stunning. You’re able to walk up to a gallery where you can look down upon the main area, gives a wonderful view. If you are a Harry Potter fan - several of the films had parts filmed here - it’s just lovely. Definitely made you feel you were walking through Hogwarts! We also had a cup of tea and cake on the cafe on site which was great. All in all a great visit, and would recommend highly.
    Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review. We are thrilled to hear you and your daughter enjoyed your visit, in particular exploring the Cloisters where parts of the Harry Potter movies were filmed. With lots of exciting events and activities over the coming months, we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back soon. Visit https://gloucestercathedral.org.uk/whats-on to find out what's on! Best wishes, The Gloucester Cathedral Team
    Written
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 October 2023
  • CastleProud
    Pyrmont, Australia72 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Artistry and History
    My visit to the Gloucester Cathedral was an enchanting experience. From the moment I stepped through the massive doors, I was in awe the sheer scale of the architecture. The towering ceilings and intricate stonework felt like a journey back in time. The enormous stained glass windows, dappled with sunlight, created an ethereal ambiance that was simply mesmerising. What made the visit even more special was the knowledgeable and friendly staff. Their guided tour brought to life the history and stories hidden within the Cathedral's walls. Learning about the craftsmanship and dedication that went into creating this masterpiece was both educational and inspiring.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 October 2023
  • Mary C
    Ilchester, United Kingdom96 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit!!
    Absolutely fantastic place, however the entry is very confusing. First there are signs staying donations for entry but then you queue and get charged £5. Long queue to see the Harry Potter presentation.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 October 2023
  • Terrasfan
    Weymouth, United Kingdom96 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful building
    Not just for the Harry Potter fans, some of the film was shot in the cloisters here. Magnificent building full of beautiful stained glass. Lots of history associated with the cathedral and much to see on different levels. Well worth the suggested donation for entry fee. Guided tours were available at extra cost. A thoroughly enjoyable few hours.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 25 October 2023
  • Steve Green
    Cheltenham, United Kingdom117 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Light Eternal
    Visited the Light Eternal transformation of the cathedral. This was our first visit to see a cathedral illuminated in this way and we weren't disappointed, what an amazing sight it was and quite emotional at times. We had a VIP ticket which allowed access to some quiet areas which was good. Very busy and at times quiet noisy with the huge number of families with children, but to be expected. There were a few places where to direction signs could have been clearer and perhaps the volunteer guides could have been a little more proactive but overall a great experience. Recommended.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 7 November 2023
  • Gardengel-IoW
    West Sussex, United Kingdom1,014 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Classic looking Cathedral.
    Amazing amount of stained glass some modern bits too. Long and ornate cloisters. We thought we had escaped our scaffold curse but no it was inside of the outer cloister area. Hey ho! Overall very ornate from top to bottom.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 November 2023
  • Bertie1224
    Northamptonshire, United Kingdom1,449 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing architecture
    I do love the history of a building and Gloucester cathedral does not disappoint. It is spectacular. You are spoilt with views all around and up. The ceilings are amazing. These include the Harry Potter ‘corridors’. The tomb of Edward II is poignant. The huge variety of memorial stones is equally moving. Massive stained glass windows are spectacular. The worn steps and thresholds into spaces makes you ponder the feet that have trodden the path before you. It is truly a place to stand and stare. Parking at Hare Lane is a 5 minute walk away. A must if you are in Gloucester.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 January 2024
  • Dulcie C
    Cyprus8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A cathedral full of surprises!
    A very beautiful cathedral. Set up to encourage both children and adults interaction and dressing up. It has displays of what different groups are doing in the area. And we were very fortunate to see and hear the rehearsal for the festival in the cathedral and the grounds.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 1 February 2024
  • Elizabeth Charming
    Cotswolds, United Kingdom25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Crypt Tour at the Gloucester Cathedral
    I recently had the opportunity to go on a crypt tour and it was an incredibly unique and fascinating experience. The tour took me under the cathedral, which unless you are with a guide, is closed off to the general public. The tour guide was also extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, making the experience even more engaging and informative. They shared interesting facts and stories about the people buried in the crypts, as well as the significance of certain symbols carved into the stone and traditions held at the time. It was great value and I can't wait to try out more tours at the cathedral.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 11 February 2024
  • amac55
    Bromley, United Kingdom27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great tour of a wonderful historic building
    We booked the Highlights Tour - easy to do at the reception desk. Our excellent guide Rod gave us a very full and enjoyable history tour of this fascinating and beautiful cathedral, and we were so glad we took the tour as interesting details are sometimes missed if just wandering around. I’d thoroughly recommend this visit !
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5 of 5 bubbles3,718 reviews
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Pippa S
Wye Valley of Monmouthshire, UK44 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I am a long-time visitor to Gloucester Cathedral since I was a small child. It has always been a special place for me.

On visiting today for the first time in a year, I was shocked to enter via a narrow roped-off walkway to a 'welcome desk' where I was asked for my voluntary £5 donation! Throughout the Cathedral, we were constantly passing signs and donation boxes asking for money and people who wanted to help us enjoy our 'visitor experience'. We did feel that if they had spent less money on 'visitor information hubs' every few feet, or if they sold some of the enormous quantity of silverware on display in the treasury, they might not need to be so pushy in their demands for donations! I have always given what I could when visiting in the past, but have never before been made to feel I have no right to be there unless I part with a set amount of money.

That is the reason I found it very hard to pick a rating for this review. If you are looking for a reasonably priced tourist attraction, full of beautiful things and centuries of history, then it probably deserves 5 stars - £5 is a reasonable amount to pay for this kind of 'visitor attraction'.

If you are wanting to enter a place of worship, or simply find a quiet place to sit peacefully and think, then it only gets 1 star. We were made to feel so uncomfortable by the continual bombardment that we left quickly and won't be returning.
Written 28 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We suggest a £5 donation upon entry to the Cathedral, but there is no obligation for visitors to donate, it is entirely voluntary. We ask for donations because it costs over £6,000 each day keep the building open. We don't receive any government or regular central church funding so rely on the generosity of our visitors. Donations help us to fund: - Our onsite Stone Masons and the conservation of the building - Our Education and Outreach programme - Our world class choral music - Our Breakfast Club and work with those experiencing homeless in Gloucester The information hubs you mention were part of Project Pilgrim, a programme of capital development, regeneration and community engagement. These improvements were generously funded by bodies including the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the money received was ring fenced specifically for funding ways to involve people in bringing the Cathedral’s history and religious purpose to life so everyone benefits. The vast majority of the items in the treasury don’t belong to the Cathedral - we look after them for parishes in and around Gloucestershire. At special times of year, such as advent and easter, the parishes take the items back to use them in services. I’m sorry to hear your felt uncomfortable during your visit - that is never our intention. There are volunteers throughout the Cathedral to help visitors enjoy their experience - they can tell you more about the building, or help you find your way around. I hope the above has given you an insight into the life of the Cathedral. If you would like to discuss any of this further, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Kind regards, Frances
Written 7 April 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

424stevem
Nailsea, UK236 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
A must do if visiting Gloucester. There is no fixed admission charge but a voluntary adult £5 contribution is suggested.
Quite honestly there is far too much history to mention but we found this to be extremely interesting and when we revisit we will be returning to learn more of this magnificent cathedral. Recommended.
Written 31 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Steve, I am glad to hear you enjoyed your visit so much. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Kind regards, Frances
Written 7 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jonathan W
Cheltenham, UK4 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Family
We are regular visitors here and often donate on entry and spend more money whilst in the building but the somewhat aggressive demands for a donation on entry are now sadly meaning that we will stay away in future. I see a lot of responses saying that this is voluntary but they need to tell the staff that. This morning a lady stopped taking to her customers to run over and stop us just walking in without being presented with a card machine. I can appreciate that it costs money to run and keep open but if you embarrass regular visitors just because they do not donate to you every single time that they visit then they will just stop visiting.
Written 30 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Jon, Thank you for your email and taking time to share your thoughts with us. I was sorry to hear about the negative experience that you had at the Cathedral on Friday. The team who have been employed to ask visitors for a donation have undergone extensive training in how to encourage giving whilst still being welcoming. I'm sorry to hear that this was not your experience. I will certainly feed this back to the team and we will include your comments in the ongoing training that we are giving to staff. As a regular visitor, we would be very pleased to register you for a free 'Your Cathedral' card which when shown will allow you to enter the Cathedral quickly, without having to be asked for a donation. Next time you come to the Cathedral, please do ask one of the team at the Welcome Desk and they will be happy to provide you with one. I’m grateful for the support that you have given to the Cathedral in the past through donations and spending money whilst you’re here. I hope that you will have the opportunity to visit the Cathedral again soon and that you will find the welcome a warm one. Kind regards, Lorna Giles
Written 19 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Helen G
Birmingham, UK39 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
The Cathedral is breathtakingly beautiful! Paid a small donation £5 each to enter, it’s well worth it.
When entering the corridors, recognised it and realised we’d stepped in Hogwarts. This made the visit even more exciting, especially if you’re a Harry Potter fan.
The stain glass window are stunning, the craftsmanship is second to none. The architecture is outstanding and it’s all so very peaceful!
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

drewedmin999
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK1,463 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Family
The purpose of our visit was to visit the entrance to the Gryffindor common room and to see various other Harry Potter areas of the cathedral and we weren’t disappointed

On entering this huge and very impressive building you have to queue up and speak to people on the desk. The ‘voluntary’ donation doesn’t feel very voluntary at this point but I was happy to pay the £5 each which was ‘suggested’

We picked up a fantastic little Harry Potter guide and also booked a tour of the crypts for no extra charge

Although I’m agnostic, the building is hugely impressive and we had a fantastic hour here as we got what we came for and much more

It almost feels like religion is usurped by history and culture and you don’t often feel like you are in a place of worship

The crypt your was fantastic and it felt a privilege to go underneath and explore the building with lots of interesting stories and facts

The toilets were clean and plentiful. the cafe looked nice, the little shop was more than adequate, and all staff/volunteers were friendly

Overall a really nice atmosphere and well worth the fiver
Written 16 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lyninchelt
Cheltenham, UK92 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
I was really looking forward to this new exhibition at the Cathedral called "Where there is light" an art installation with voices of refugees. It was totally spoilt by the noise of people viewing the installation. Of course the children want to run around in and out of the lights and enjoy themselves and that is the way it should be, but if you think you will be able to sit and think and hear the voices of the refugees you will be disappointed. I tried to sit in a few places to hear the taped recordings but found this was difficult. It would be a good idea if time was set aside (just for a short time (10 mins) every hour) for a quiet time. The whole idea would then come together beautifully. Don't miss the knitted nativity - so much work has gone into it.
Written 18 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GAlsager
Alsager, UK656 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We initially paid a quick visit and walked around the outside and it looked better than I expected with a protected area around the cathedral whch creates a tranquil area to appreciate the cathedral.

We decided to take a quick look inside and then decided to take a proper look around - you aren't charged to visit but asked for a donation, which we were very happy to pay. It's a fascinating place to visit with lots to see - Edward II is buried here, amongst a number of other famous people. The windows are outstanding and there's some sections used in the Harry Potter films. It's mostly very accessible with displays and helpful staff/volunteers.

It really is a fantastic cathedral and I can't think of any better that I've visited.
Written 26 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

michelle n
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Couples
Stunning! I thoroughly recommend downloading the app using the free WiFi inside the cathedral using it as personal guide.
The architecture is amazing and truly awe inspiring. A must see if in the area. There is no charge but they recommend a donation of £5 per adult - you won't be sorry to donate this.
Written 27 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anusha80
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia88 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Solo
Exceptional experience. I would highly recommend a visit to immerse yourself in the historic arts and culture. very impressive structure. Also, do get the map of the various sights of harry potter scenes if you are a fan from the front desk staff. there are also various tours tours that can be booked at the front desk, do check and plan your timing ahead by looking up the website. Entry is by donation and the recommended amount is 5 pounds per adult. Highly recommended.
Written 9 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

essexbornandbred
Chelmsford, UK136 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Entry by donation , we aren’t religious but admire the architecture and features of this beautiful building . Stopped for a soft drink at the cathedral cafe within the cloisters which is also participating in the eat out to help out scheme. A couple of the guides had a good sense of humour which can sometimes be lacking in such places and was greatly appreciated! Easy parking nearby , and a nice outside space to rest a while before your next adventure.
Written 21 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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