CityBuddy
Manchester Cathedral
Best time to visit
Visit on a weekday morning around 10am to enjoy the quiet before lunchtime visitors arrive. The low winter sun streaming through the east window creates gorgeous light patterns on the stone floor from November to February.
Budget tips
Entry is free with a suggested donation of 3 GBP. Parking at the nearby NCP Manchester Cathedral car park costs around 12 GBP for 2 hours, or take the Metrolink to Exchange Square for the cheapest access.
Recommended for
History enthusiasts, Architecture lovers, Solo travelers seeking quiet reflection, Photography enthusiasts
Plan your visit
45-60 minutes
About
Quick facts: Medieval workers carved misericord seats under the choir stalls with cheeky scenes of foxes preaching and dragons fighting. The cathedral's 15th-century angel roof survived the 1940 Manchester Blitz while much of the surrounding city burned.
Highlights: Look down at the choir stalls and you will spot the "Manchester Misericords," a set of 30 carved wooden seats from the 1500s with hidden rude and ridiculous scenes underneath. One shows a woman beating her husband with a distaff, another has a fox dressed as a monk preaching to geese, giving you a glimpse of medieval humor that still lands today.
Insider tips
- Wear comfortable shoes and combine your visit with a walk along the nearby River Irwell or through the medieval Shambles Square right outside.
- Skip the gift shop and head straight for the choir stalls to flip up the seats and examine the misericord carvings up close.
- Photography is allowed without flash, and the best shot is from the far end of the nave looking toward the altar with the angel roof overhead.
- Arrive before 10am on weekdays to have the nave nearly to yourself before school groups and tour buses arrive.
Where to Stay in Manchester
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