Exeter Cathedral

Name: Exeter Cathedral
Address: 1 The Cloisters, Exeter, Exeter, GB
Telephone: 01392255573

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About

Exeter Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral on Cathedral Green in central Exeter, Devon, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter.

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What's on here

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Why go

The world’s longest uninterrupted medieval vault stretches about 100 metres.
Unique among English cathedrals, the Minstrel’s Gallery has twelve carved and painted angels playing medieval instruments.
Fifty medieval misericords form the UK’s earliest complete set and include its earliest known wooden depiction of an elephant.

Opening hours

Today09:15 – 17:00Show all

Monday09:15 – 17:00

Tuesday09:15 – 17:00

Wednesday09:15 – 17:00

Thursday09:15 – 17:00

Friday09:15 – 17:00

Saturday09:15 – 17:00

Sunday11:30 – 15:00

Don't miss

Great East WindowLook for the surviving 14th-century glass at the cathedral’s east end.East end of the cathedral14th century
Bishop’s throneAn 18-metre throne made from Devon oak.Choir1312–1316
West façade sculpturesThree bands of angels, kings, apostles and prophets.West façade; construction began in 1327 and finished in 13471327–1347
Treasures ExhibitionSee the world’s oldest book of English literature and other historic artefacts.Above the Cathedral Shop
Thomas Becket ceiling bossLook up at the first vault boss from the west portal for a depiction of Thomas Becket’s murder.Above the west portal

Know before you go

Opening hours: Monday–Saturday 09:15–17:00; Sunday 11:30–15:00.

Services and visiting hours

Worship and music: Daily worship, choral services and organ music
Admission includes: Guided floor tour, audio guides and entry to the Treasures Exhibition
Audio and Braille guides: Available at the Welcome desk at no extra charge
Audio guide languages: English, French, German and Italian
Roof tours: Guided roof tours are available
Café: In the Medieval Chapter House, with a painted ceiling and angel carvings
Events: Concerts, seasonal markets, theatrical performances and community art exhibitions

Interesting facts5

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Peter, the North Tower’s 80-hundredweight bourdon bell, is chimed rather than swung.
Exeter Cathedral - Wikipedia
The South Tower’s twelve change-ringing bells form the world’s second-heaviest peal of that size, accompanied by two semitone bells.
Exeter Cathedral - Wikipedia
The organ has one of only three Trompette Militaire stops in the country.
Exeter Cathedral - Wikipedia
An early-17th-century hole in the door beneath the astronomical clock let the bishop’s cat hunt vermin.
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d'Exeter - Wikipedia
The tube web spider Segestria florentina lives in cracks in the cathedral’s outer walls.
Exeter Cathedral - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

Bishop Leofric began assembling the cathedral library in the 11th century. Composer Matthew Locke later trained in the cathedral choir as a boy.

Roman periodRoman buildings and a legionary fortress occupied the site.
1050The cathedral was founded after fears of sea raids prompted the bishop’s seat to move from Crediton to Exeter.
1112Construction began on the Romanesque Anglo-Norman cathedral.
1133The Norman cathedral’s formal foundation took place during William Warelwast’s episcopate.
1224–mid-13th centuryGothic rebuilding began with the Lady Chapel in 1224; from the mid-13th century, the cathedral was rebuilt in the Decorated Gothic style.

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Civil WarThe cloisters were destroyed.
about 1400The present building was complete, except for the chapter house and chantry chapels.
4 May 1942An air raid destroyed St James’s Chapel and damaged parts of the cathedral. The medieval wooden screen opposite the chapel was smashed, then reconstructed and restored.

How to get there

TrainExeter Central station is a few minutes’ walk away.
ParkingPay-and-display spaces are behind the cathedral, accessed from Palace Gate.

Accessibility

Step-free entry Step-free access is available at ground level throughout most of the cathedral.
Lift The Friends’ Cloister Gallery and Treasures Exhibition are reached by stairs or lift.

Sources: Exeter Cathedral - Wikipedia · Exeter - Wikivoyage (see) · Home | Exeter Cathedral · Safeguarding | Exeter Cathedral · Plan Your Visit | What's On at Exeter Cathedral… · Kathedrale von Exeter - Wikipedia · Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d'Exeter - Wikipedia · checked 7 Oct 2026

Where

1 The Cloisters, Exeter

Website: exeter-cathedral.org.uk/
Phone: 01392255573

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

What can children do at Exeter Cathedral?

Children can follow the Cathedral Cat Trail, use Explorer Backpacks and build a cathedral model in the Friends’ Cloister Gallery.

Who is Exeter Cathedral dedicated to?

It is dedicated to St Peter the apostle.

Who is buried in Exeter Cathedral?

Exeter’s first bishop, Leofric, and the medieval jurist Henry de Bracton are buried there.

What historic manuscripts does Exeter Cathedral’s library hold?

Its holdings include about 36 Anglo-Saxon charters from the 10th and 11th centuries and an elaborately decorated early-13th-century psalter.

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