Worcester Cathedral

Worcester Cathedral stands beside the River Severn in the heart of Worcester. It is the seat of the bishop and the mother church of the diocese. The present building began in 1084 under Bishop Wulfstan, who rebuilt it in the Romanesque style. The chapter house dates from 1120 and the nave was extended in the 1170s. The east end was rebuilt between 1224 and 1269 in Early English Gothic style. The central tower was completed in 1374 and the nave rebuilt in the 1360s. The cathedral holds the tombs of King John and Arthur, Prince of Wales. It also contains medieval misericords set into Victorian choir stalls. George Gilbert Scott directed a major restoration in the 19th century. The cathedral once housed a monastic library whose manuscripts are now scattered across several libraries. The west front appeared on the reverse of the £20 note featuring Sir Edward Elgar. Visitors find a cathedral with two transepts, a chapter house and a cloister. The north porch was designed to stop draughts when the west doors were open. The tower is in the perpendicular style. The cathedral retains medieval furnishings and funerary monuments. The surroundings include the remains of the 12th- and 13th-century priory.