About

Tucked away in the heart of a busy city, Bradford Cathedral is a treasure worth discovering: a place of beauty, history, peace and prayer, sitting in a green oasis.

The Cathedral is Bradford’s oldest building and place of worship, for hundreds of years Bradford’s parish church and its cathedral since 1919– one of three cathedrals in the Diocese of Leeds, alongside Ripon and Wakefield – holding weekly services, as well as many other special and civic events. The building tells two kinds of story: the Christian story dating back to Saxon times on this site, and the story of Bradford itself. Throughout many generations it has stood at the heart of this growing city, connecting with the people around it.

This ancient site on the hill has been a place of Christian worship for almost one thousand four hundred years, and fragments from two Saxon crosses can be seen inside the building. The present church, believed to be the third on the site, was completed in the fifteenth century, but includes elements from a previous thirteenth century building and later Victorian additions. In the 1960s it was extended further, based on the designs of Sir Edward Maufe, and is a fine example of his later work.

We were awarded the ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’ in the 2020 Welcome to Yorkshire ‘White Rose Awards’ – and you can come and see why! Bradford Cathedral is a beautiful building, with many wonderful examples of Victorian and later stained glass, including early work by Morris & Co. on display in 4 locations in the building. Designs include those by William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown, Philip Webb, Albert Moore, Peter Paul Marshall and William De Morgan. There are also notable monuments marking many people and events from Bradford’s history including the Battle of the Steeple during the English Civil War, the creation of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, and in memory of the Bradford City Fire. More information can be found in our visitors’ guide.

Bradford Cathedral has a strong tradition of choral and organ music, with four choral services each week and weekly organ recitals. The Cathedral also runs a high-quality events programme of one-off and regular music events, art exhibitions and installations, talks and family activities. We also offer an extensive range of educational visits and tours for schools, colleges and adult groups, and we are a heritage venue with free entry for visitors.

Everyone is welcome at Bradford Cathedral, whether you come to: pray or take part in services; explore the architecture and heritage of the building; wander around our latest art exhibition; attend music concerts or civic events; or simply sit and enjoy the warmth and quiet of the building and grounds.

Our opening hours are Monday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm, as well as for services and events. For any changes to these times, as well as to find out more about us, to book your place at an event or on a guided tour, or to hire the space, please visit our website, come to the Cathedral office, call us on 01274 77 77 20 or e-mail info@bradfordcathedral.org.

You can follow us on social media, including Facebook, X, Bluesky and Instagram, and watch videos and streamed services on our YouTube channel. In 2022 we were shortlisted in the 'Best Use of Digital - UK' in the Museum + Heritage Awards. We were also finalists in the Yorkshire Post Tourism Awards - for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in 2022 and Culture Award in 2023 and winner of the Telegraph & Argus Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Awards - Leisure Venue of the Year 2024. 

Environmental issues are also important to the Cathedral and we hold the Eco Church Silver Award. We were the first cathedral to have solar panels, and work on many environmental initiatives including the Cathedral Woodland Project.

To find out more about visiting us, what to see, planning your visit, accessibility and much more, please visit https://bradfordcathedral.org.uk/visit-us/

Please remember the Cathedral is over 500 years old!
Disabled access is possible to most areas and there are abled and disabled toilet facilities.
Bradford Cathedral is located in the city centre next to the Broadway Bradford, and is only a short walk from Bradford Interchange bus and train station and Bradford Forster Square.

There is a selection of restaurants and cafes available nearby.

View AccessAble’s Access Guide to find out about this venue’s accessibility. The guide contains detailed, accurate information which has been put together following a visit to the venue by one of AccessAble’s trained surveyors (link opens in a new window).