A very interesting cathedral and a visit is certainly worthwhile. There is no entry charge, which is unusual these days, but a donation is suggested and I suggest that you help to keep it going and pay up! You will see cathedral volunteers/guides inside to whom you may direct questions and there are guided tours at set times which last about an hour.

Have a walk around the cathedral close, either before or after going into the cathedral, as it is interesting in its own right. You can get some good views of the cathedral and see some of the interesting structural features.

The cathedral has a self-service refectory built alongside one wall of the cloisters - see the second picure below. We both agree that the food is excellent and the range of offerings is also good. The refectory building, built on two floors, is certainly a splendid modern structure and has won both the overall Gold Award and the Commercial and Public Access Category in the National Wood Awards in 2004. Its design is certainly very modern. The cafeteria itself is on the upper floor, reached by stairs or a lift, with toilets and the kitchens on the ground floor. We can recommend this cafeteria.

Click on a picture for a larger version.

There is also a nice cathedral shop which offers a good range of high quality goods.