Uncover 900 years of London’s history at Southwark Cathedral with our programme of tours, led by experienced guides.
Cathedral Highlights Guided Tour
Southwark Cathedral has had a long and distinguished history. In over 900 years of Christian witness and mission, the church has seen the events of history unfold around it. Your tour with a Cathedral guide will uncover this rich and colourful history in a both informative and entertaining manner.
Discover why Southwark Cathedral is strongly associated with Winchester and why a former Bishop is buried here. Reveal the name of the famous London hospital that was founded by the church. Explore the many characters involved in the theatre of Shakespeare’s time who used the church regularly. All, and more, will be uncovered!
All tours are delivered by our volunteer Cathedral Guides. Our Cathedral Guides undertake extensive training to learn 900 years of Cathedral history and volunteer their time to deliver tour and walks for the cathedral. Many of them also work as City of London Guides and Greenwich Guides and are very knowledgeable on a wide range of subjects that they share with those who attend their tours.
Key Information:
Duration: 60 minutes
Times: 11:00am
Dates: Please check our Eventbrite page for upcoming tour dates
Tickets: Adult: £9 / Concession: £7 / Child under 10: Free / Concession/carer: Free
Meeting point: Welcome Desk, via Millenium Courtyard
The Cathedral has established the practice of having hourly prayers throughout the day from 10.30am to 4.30pm. These are led by our Day Chaplains and last approximately two minutes. During the prayers, all visitors are requested to remain still and are invited to join in saying The Lord's Prayer, in their native language.
Specialist Tours
In addition to our general guided tour of the Cathedral, we run a variety of specialist tour each focusing on different aspects of Southwark’s rich history.
Key information
Duration: 60 minutes
Times: 11:00am
Dates: Please check our Eventbrite page for upcoming tour dates
Tickets: Adult: £9 / Concession: £7 / Child under 10: Free / Concession/carer: Free
Meeting point: Welcome Desk, via Millenium Courtyard
Mission and Ministry: A Spiritual Tour of Southwark Cathedral
A unique opportunity to learn about Southwark Cathedral's past and present as a place of Christian worship from the 12th century until today and its involvement in the wider Christian family. Hear about its place in the history of Bankside and see where and how it has commemorated events of importance to the local community.
Light and Colour: Stained Glass at the Southwark Cathedral
Join us to examine some of London's best examples of 19th and 20th century stained glass. This tour includes the works of artists such as Lawrence Lee, Ninian Comper, John La Farge, Leifur Breidfjord, Alan Younger and Christopher Webb.
Bards, Poets and Playwrights: A Literary Tour of Southwark Cathedral
Discover the many literary figures who are associated with the Southwark Cathedral. Uncover the life of John Gower, an important English court poet and friend of Chaucer. Explore the world of the 17th century theatre from Shakespeare to Massinger. Learn about Dickens' visit here.
Women of Southwark: The Untold Story
Explore the lives of the women connected to the cathedral from the Victorian pioneers such as Octavia Hill and Isabella Gilmore to the benefactors such as Dorothy Appleby and Elizabeth Newcomen who provided funds for poor people in south London. Uncover the impact of Queen Mary I on the life of the cathedral.
Looking to visit the Cathedral as a group? We have a range of tour options suitable for group visits. Please note all group visits to the Cathedral must be booked in advance and must be accompanied by a Cathedral Guide.