Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
4.5
Architectural BuildingsChurches & Cathedrals
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:30 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Step inside Exeter Cathedral and discover one thousand years of wonder. Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring beauty of one of Europe’s most magnificent cathedrals and find endless opportunities to explore its amazing architecture, clandestine corners and hidden histories. Choose one of our entertaining guided tours, wander peacefully at your own pace, or join one of our family-friendly activities. You’ll find a vibrant calendar of world-class events, performances, exhibitions and inclusive services to suit all tastes. If you need to relax and recharge, we serve artisan refreshments too. But, for a truly unique experience, why not make a special appointment to see some of the rare and ancient treasures held in our Library & Archive?
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Suzy T
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent Tour!
    Our one-hour tour through Exeter Cathedral was definitely one of the best moments of our trip to England! Mike R. was our thoughtful, insightful and knowledgeable guide, who tailored the whole tour to our interests and questions. He even went above and beyond to show us areas that most do not get to visit. We were delighted by the visit and would highly recommend to others!
    Thank you for your lovely review. We're so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the guided tour with one of the Cathedral's knowledgeable Tour Guides. We hope to welcome you again soon.
    Written 28 March 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 March 2023
  • karen d
    25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning!
    We went to the Renaissance event at the cathedral and to be honest I was lost for words. It was so beautiful and moving. The images and music fitted together perfectly and the cathedral was the perfect setting. It was really well organised and we were able to spend as long as we wanted there. We’re already looking forward to another Lux Muralis event. Thank you to everyone at Exeter cathedral for such a wonderful experience.
    Thank you for your review. We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed seeing Luxmuralis' Renaissance sound and light show at Exeter Cathedral. We will look forward to welcoming you again.
    Written 28 March 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 March 2023
  • GlobetrottingViking
    Thatcham, United Kingdom2,735 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful building
    Exeter Cathedral is a wonderful place to visit. At entry we were given a map of the building which points out the 18 most interesting features of the cathedral, and serves as a good guide, if the timing of one of the guided tours does not fit. One feature I really liked was the carved animal figures by the seats in the Choir Stalls. Compared with other major cathedrals, the £6.00 cost of entry is reasonable and good value.
    Thank you for your review. We're so pleased to hear that you enjoyed seeing the 19th century animal carvings in the choir stalls during your visit to Exeter Cathedral. We hope to welcome you again soon.
    Written 31 March 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2023
    Written 30 March 2023
  • Matt
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Onwards and Upwards Cathedral Tour
    We were lucky enough to be ‘Guinea Pigs’ on the very first Onwards and Upwards tour of Exeter Cathedral. The tour took in all of the key highlights of the interior of the cathedral with brilliant insights provided by Graham who was an excellent guide. The final half of the tour took us above the cathedral into the roof space for a really unique look at the inner workings of the architecture. The views from the roof of the Norman Tower were truly breathtaking and a perfect end to the tour. We can highly recommend this tour as an excellent way to spend a few hours and can only hope you are lucky enough to be escorted through the ages by Graham as your guide.
    Thank you for your lovely review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed our new Onwards and Upwards Tour of the Cathedral and seeing the wonderful views from the Norman tower. We hope to welcome you again soon.
    Written 11 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 April 2023
  • Carol F
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stones and Bones Tour Exeter cathedral
    I went on a bones and stones tour of the cathedral close at Exeter cathedral. A very informative and interesting tour. I came away wanting to find out more. Thanks to Mike who was an excellent guide. I’m looking forward to booking up the other tours that take place in and around the Cathedral
    Thank you for sharing your review. We're so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the Stones and Bones Tour with one of the Cathedral's knowledgable tour guides. We will look forward to welcoming you again for another tour.
    Written 13 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 11 April 2023
  • Banffcityboy
    Banff, Canada76 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Concert and tour
    Wow, what a place. We were so fortunate to see a concert here one night, a feast of Bach, solo violinist playing partitas and sonatas and a choir singing motets. Beautiful! Next day we arrived in time for an 11 am guided tour with Elizabeth, a very knowledgeable guide. Great experience!
    Thank you for your review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Bach mini-festival at Exeter Cathedral and a fascinating guided tour. We hope to welcome you again soon.
    Written 4 May 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 29 April 2023
  • Rambler
    Devon, United Kingdom293 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great visit
    We did the Cathedral Roof tour today and it was fantastic. I have done a couple of cathedral roof tours before, but they just took you up onto the roof. This tour takes you into the roof void high above the Nave, into the South Tower, the Lead Room and the Ringing Chamber and then through the spaces in the North Tower. We then went to the North Tower to enjoy views of Exeter. You need to be able to walk up a lot of steps on a narrow spiral staircase and be quite nimble to step over a few obstacles. Also at least one door was very narrow, so larger people may not fit through it. Obviously not for those with heart or breathing conditions or vertigo.
    Visited June 2023
    Written 27 June 2023
  • Ruth...
    Wiltshire, United Kingdom584 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit.
    Beautiful Cathedral. Undergoing some building work to put in underground heating, you can actually view the work, think it's been carefully dug up. We were lucky to hear a Choir practice which was lovely. Cathedral so beautiful. The Stained Glass windows are beautiful.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 June 2023
  • Peter R
    Maroochydore, Australia2,419 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to soak up history
    This cathedral was amazing as it had no spires. The roof was just an amazing part of the building. We got a really good history by one of the Cathedral volunteer ladies. The history was really interesting to hear about as well. There is a lot of work going on due to water problems, but you can see a lot of fabulous stain glass windows. Worth a visit
    Visited June 2023
    Written 8 July 2023
  • Paul Behan
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Exceptional tales across history - all in one inspiring cathedral
    Mike gave us a chilled, personal tour of the cathedral. Being secular, the history and life of the buidling is entwined with Exter and the broader social history of England. Where else would you hear about the Bishop of Owl-dham, dog whippers, gruesome murders on a pulpit, Owls form Lviv coming to the rescue during the Blitz in WW2, Thomas a Beckett, misericords, the origins of hickory dickory Dock the mouse ran up the clock, and how to kill an elephant with steak and fine wine. Highly recommended.
    Hi Paul, thank you for your review. We're pleased you enjoyed your tour and hearing about some of the historic tales of the Cathedral and the city. We hope to welcome you again soon.
    Written 27 July 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 July 2023
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles3,075 reviews
Excellent
2,048
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777
Average
168
Poor
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Terrible
40

mynonnaEly
Ely, UK243 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Having paid to see a much advertised and hyped exhibit with 2 rather eager children who are interested in the planets and stars, we arrived and were so so disappointed. Mars, an oversized balloon that moved about in the wake of running screaming children. I cannot express how disappointing and how small this exhibit was. It didnt have any impact as a planet! Nothing about it was wow!! The audio was poor, if it was actually on. It was poorly placed. Poorly executed. At the very least some music would have been welcome and information other than a poorly printed A5 amateur leaflet with scrappy wording and nothing to inform or educate.
Written 3 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SussexStorm2
45 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
We arrived to find that the Cathedral wasn't opening until 1300hrs via the North Door. No problem, we visited the Guildhall and had lunch.
At 1300 hrs, several of us wandered around trying to work out which was the North Door. Eventually, a young man turned up, so we asked whether we were at the North door. We were, but it wasn't the right North door!! And according to his watch, it wasn't 1300 hrs. It was! We went to the correct North door, and were eventually granted entry. We paid our £6 entrance fee and asked for the tour advertised on the website as included in the entry fee. There may be one at 2pm, oh sorry, no tours today! We asked if the ticket allowed re- entry within a certain period so we could come back to do a tour. It would do, if you had done gift aid, which we didn't tell you about!! We looked round the Cathedral, which isn't that special compared to others, many of which have no entry fee. We don't mind paying if it's worth it, but it wasn't that great, and the lack of the tour was irritating. A lovely volunteer, Danny, spoke to us and really saved the day by giving an impromptu tour, which was excellent.
Danny really saved the day! The young man who let us in and the young man on the pay desk were both totally disorganised. The Cathedral is ok but nothing special to warrant an entrance fee.
The Cathedral needs better tourism and visitor management. At the moment it is ramshackle and not achieving potential.
Written 29 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ann G
Greater London, UK25 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Friends
I strongly recommend a guided tour of Exeter Cathedral. We were hugely fortunate to have Mike Richards as our engagingly knowledgeable guide. Mike presented historical facts and entertaining stories which made the history of the cathedral relatable and memorable.
Mike achieved this despite intermittent loud intrusive noises from the Mars installation. The Mars exhibit seems inappropriate in this setting. It is surprising that volunteers have continued to offer their services whilst this overwhelmingly loud exhibit is making impossible demands when they are carrying out their invaluable guiding duties.
Written 28 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nadine A
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
Marvellous cathedral, we took a free tour with a volunteer and he explained its history with passion and joy. We enjoy it a lot! A must!
Written 21 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your lovely review. We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed a guided tour with one of the Cathedral's knowledgable tour guides. We hope to welcome you again soon.
Written 28 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

bobkat666
Colchester, UK340 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
there is no excuse to charge anyone for going into any church and remind me of a bible passage along the lines of money lenders in the house of god
Written 15 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sarah B
Teignmouth, UK267 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
Exeter is a beautiful cathedral and if you have a checklist of things you'd like to find in a magnificent ecclesiastical space you won't struggle to find them all in here. The current Exeter Cathedral building dates back to 1114 although a cathedral was founded in Exeter by Edward the Confessor in 1050. Additions and improvements were made mainly from the 12th to 14th centuries, including the west front image screen which was added in 1340. Exeter Cathedral is considered one of the finest examples of Decorated Gothic architecture anywhere and has the longest span of medieval vaulting in the world and the tallest medieval Bishop’s Throne Canopy. This is one place not to be missed in the South West of England.
Written 23 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Sarah, thank you for your kind review. We are pleased that you enjoyed your visit to Exeter Cathedral and we hope to welcome you again soon.
Written 25 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Oldjack
Greater Melbourne, Australia27,929 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
The origins of the Cathedral ( St Peter in Exeter) date back to 1050 but the current building was completed around 1400. It is impressive and makes the claim that it has the longest uniterupted medieval stone vaulted ceiling in the world.
Written 20 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mike A
106 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Solo
Normally would not consider visiting as I object to paying to enter a place of worship (have no objection to giving a donation preferably on the way out), however cathedral offered free admission while the Christmas market was on this year so decided to take advantage of this.

It's a beautiful building with some awesome stained glass windows and lovely chapels. My main criticism is it kinda felt a bit like a building site with scaffolding in the middle which is reflected in my rating.

Overall very happy I took the opportunity to look round.
Written 13 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Mike, thank you for your review. We're pleased that you took the opportunity to come and visit and enjoyed it. We hope to welcome you again soon.
Written 14 December 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

leuveen
United Kingdom1,284 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
English gothic architecture at its best - I don't think it's worth the price of the ticket, but definitely worth a look if it's open for free. I've really enjoyed the art installation that was there at the time of my visit.
Written 12 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Janet R
Plymouth, UK78 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Friends
We were busy shopping in Exeter, the market is so close to the cathedral. The staff there were lovely, we went in to decompress, out of the hustle and bustle it was an oasis of quiet. I was able to write a private prayer for my family, and there were some amazing people who would pray with you if you wanted. Beautiful buildings.
Written 3 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Exeter Cathedral

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