18 Great Cathedrals of England

England’s great cathedrals are among the most extraordinary buildings ever created in Europe. Rising above their cities with soaring vaults, luminous stained glass and centuries of craftsmanship, they were designed not only as places of worship but as powerful expressions of faith, history, and community.

This course explores eighteen of England’s most remarkable cathedrals through the stories embedded within their stones.

Each week we will examine a different cathedral, uncovering the history of its foundation, the development of its architecture, and the artworks that still shape its character today. Alongside this exploration of the buildings themselves, we will also encounter the saints whose cults helped define these places — figures whose lives, legends, and miracles drew pilgrims from across Europe. We will also bring the story of English cathedral building up to the present day with a look at Restoration, Victorian and Modern cathedral buildings in England.

Through this dual perspective, the course reveals how architecture, art, and belief worked together in the Christian imagination. Cathedrals were not simply impressive structures, they were living centres of devotion, storytelling, and identity.

The course is taught jointly by Dr Sarah James, who will explore the saints and their cults, and Dr Michael Paraskos, who will guide participants through the art and architecture of the buildings. Together they offer a richly layered introduction to the religious, artistic, and cultural world that gave rise to England’s great cathedrals.

We will look at:

1. Durham
2. Canterbury
3. Rochester
4. Lincoln
5. Salisbury
6. Wells
7. Gloucester
8. Westminster

[Break for Christmas]

9. Norwich
10. St Alban’s
11. Hereford
12. Lichfield
13. Winchester
14. Poitiers
15. Exeter
16. St Paul’s
17. Truro
18. Liverpool

Over eighteen weeks we will encounter eighteen cathedrals and the fascinating saints associated with them, revealing the powerful relationship between sacred architecture, artistic imagination, and Christian belief.