Visiting during the Three Choirs Festival, 17 July - 2 August

The Three Choirs Festival is a week-long programme of the very best music-making, including choral and orchestral concerts, solo and chamber music recitals, talks, theatre, exhibitions and walks, and it lays claim to being the longest-standing classical music festival in the world. It runs between 22-29 July, and tickets for the festival are on sale now; find out more via the Three Choirs website.

We are delighted that many of the events forming part of the festival will be hosted here in the Cathedral. However, this does mean that between Monday 17 July and Wednesday 2 August, visiting and worship will look a little different and our opening hours will vary, so we strongly recommend checking the information on this page before you travel.

For any additional enquiries, please contact reception@gloucestercathedral.org.uk.

Between Monday 17 July and Wednesday 2 August, information regarding visiting and worship at the Cathedral will change on a daily basis due to set ups, rehearsals and concerts taking place within the building.

Please click on the button below to find out more about what to expect during this period.  

During this period, rehearsals for the Three Choirs Festival may be taking place in the Cathedral whilst the building is open to visitors. This offers a unique opportunity to listen to world-class music as you explore the Cathedral, but please note this does mean it will be noisier than usual.

There may also be additional noise in the Cathedral due to staging for the festival being put up and taken down. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, and thank you for your understanding.

Level access to the Cathedral will be either via the South Porch main entrance, or via the external entrance to The Monk's Kitchen and then via the lift to the Cloister. Please speak to a member of the Cathedral Welcome Team for assistance.

The ‘Festival Village’ will be located in Cathedral Green, immediately outside the main entrance to the Cathedral. This is the social heart of the Three Choirs Festival, and will be open all day and evening; it will be a hive of activity, with various refreshments on offer.

Whilst the Three Choirs action unfolds at ground-level, we’ll be running a number of guided Tower Tours that offer the unique chance to climb up high and see the buzz of the Festival Village from above! These tours will take place on the following dates:

Saturday 22 July, 1.30pm and 2.30pm

Monday 24 July, 1.30pm and 2.30pm

Friday 28 July, 1.30pm

Saturday 29 July, 11.30am

Find out more, and book your ticket in advance, here:

During the Three Choirs Festival, we’re inviting you to explore our hidden medieval library and explore our fascinating collection of music-themed items. These tours will take place on the following dates:

Monday 24 July, 2.30pm

Tuesday 25 July, 4pm

Wednesday 26 July, 2.30pm

Thursday 27 July, 2.30pm

Friday 28 July, 2.30pm

Find out more, and book your ticket in advance, here:

Crypt Tours, which offer the opportunity to explore the subterranean level of the Cathedral and discover the remains of the very earliest parts of the building, will be taking place daily throughout the Three Choirs Festival. These tours can be booked on the day via the team at the Welcome Desk. Tickets cost £4 for adults and £1.50 for children (6-17 years).

During the Three Choirs Festival, the Cathedral chimes will ring out a special series of tunes at 9am, 1pm and 5pm. From Sunday 23 onwards, there will also be a special sequence of tunes at 7pm each evening except Wednesday and  Thursday. 

The tune schedule for Festival week will be as follows

Saturday 22d July     Mr Malchair's tune;  Seek ye first (à 2);  The Ash Grove 

Sunday 23 July       Easter Song;  As the deer pants;  Tomorrow shall be my dancing day

Monday 24 July      Chorus novae Jerusalem (mode iii);  Gloria Patri (Mason);  The Holy Boy (Ireland) 

Tuesday 25 July     Mr Jefferies' tune; Salve Regina;  Picardy

Wednesday 26 July   Dr Hayes' tune; Kingsfold; Loveday's Chime (LeGrove).

NB due to the BBC broadcast of evensong, the chimes will not sound at 5pm. 

Thursday 27 July    Dr Stephens' tune; Aberystwyth; Windswept (Rose). 

Friday 28 July     Christe Redemptor omnium (mode i); Crucifer; The Dark Island   

Saturday 29 July    Mr Malchair's tune; Cwm Rhondda; Rule Britannia (Arne)

 Items in italics were winning entries in the 2016 Three Choirs Festival competition for composing a new tune for the chimes.

The Monk’s Kitchen, the Cathedral’s on-site café, will be open as normal throughout the Three Choirs Festival. Here you’ll find a fantastic selection of home-made, freshly prepared food, including plenty of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options.

To coincide with the Festival, The Monk’s Kitchen will be putting a twist on their normal menu to pay homage to the ‘three choirs’ cathedrals: Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester. Sample a rarebit topped cheese scone (complete with Worcestershire Sauce), served with a slice of Double Gloucester cheese and Herefordshire apple chutney.

Find out more about The Monk’s Kitchen here.

The Cathedral Gift Shop is the perfect place to pick up a souvenir from your visit. The opening hours will vary during the festival; please check the information in the timetable above for further details.