Let our guides show you the hidden gems
Make the most of your visit to Salisbury Cathedral by taking advantage of our fantastic range of tours and demonstrations. With over 800 years of history to discover, these special tours are a great place to start. Whether you’re visiting our Cathedral for the first or 500th time, there’s something to suit everyone.
Cathedral Floor Tours
Daily tours available on request (subject to availability)
We have over 250 knowledgeable volunteer guides who will welcome you and help you get the most from your visit. If there are enough guides available, you might even get your own private tour! Alternatively, you can explore at your own pace using one of our free family-friendly guide maps or our fun Cathedral trail for younger children.
Medieval Clock demonstration: marking the centuries
Mondays – Fridays after prayers at 11:05 in the North Nave Aisle
Saturdays at 10:30 in the North Nave Aisle
Make sure you join us in time to see, and hear, the world’s oldest working mechanical clock in action. Made in 1386 or earlier, it is mounted in an iron frame and has no dial! In the past the clock struck a bell to remind the priests to pray.
Today the clock still measures the day with a steady tick but can now be seen at ground level in the Cathedral rather than in the tower. It is wound up every day and has ticked over 5 billion times. Come and watch while the mechanism is unlocked allowing the clock to strike a bell as it first did over 600 years ago.
Stained Glass Window Tours
Mondays, 12.00, Cathedral entrance in Cloisters, no booking required
Discover the rich history of our beautiful stained glass windows. The tour sheds new light on the Cathedral’s history and its community, from the scandal of the medieval glass abandoned in a ditch during the late 1700s, to windows commemorating wars, suffrage and even a Cathedral cat. Tours last approximately one hour.
Wealth, Power, Passion: Free Guided Tour
Wednesdays, 10:45, meet inside the Cathedral doors, no booking required
Designed by Cathedral Guide Helen Townend and her colleagues, this tour will introduce visitors to three women whose stories are intertwined with the history of the Cathedral and Wiltshire.
Stories of Magna Carta at Salisbury Cathedral
A free 10-15 minute Spotlight Talk
Thursdays, 2.15pm
13 February until 27 March 2025
For over 800 years Salisbury Cathedral has been the home to an original 1215 Magna Carta. In this short talk by one of our volunteer guides you can find out about where Magna Carta was stored in medieval times, a visit by Queen Victoria’s daughter to see the charter in 1938, and where it was sent for safety during World War 2. The talk accompanies a mini display in the Cathedral of related items from the Cathedral Archive.
Meet the Masons
*Please note, there will be no demonstrations now until Spring 2025.
Watch our stonemasons at work. See the experts who maintain and restore our Cathedral using tools and techniques that haven’t changed for hundreds of years. We welcome you to ask questions as they carve the stone before your eyes to find out more about life as a Salisbury Cathedral stonemason.
Vestments Demo
*Please note these demos are currently unavailable
Learn about a thousand years of worship with our free Vestments talks every Thursday.
Follow the journey from Old Sarum to the current site of Salisbury Cathedral, and discover the practices and traditions that have remained. Learn about life in the vestry, where vergers prepare for worship across the centuries and view some of the beautiful vestments and artefacts on display. No booking required.
Tower Tours
The most unique experience in Salisbury! Climb to the base of Salisbury’s famous spire for stunning views of the city from above and learn about its fascinating history along the way.
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