Visit practicalities

We have a separate page with details about booking a visit.
 

We recommend that a representative visits the Cathedral ahead of the booked visit to prepare a Risk Assessment and generally familiarize themselves with the building and facilities. We can send you a copy of our Norwich Cathedral Risk Assessment for Schools. We also suggest that teachers, helpers, and students (if of appropriate age) look at the website before they come.

For guided tours, it may be useful for each student to have a pencil and a clipboard with several A4 sheets of paper for making notes or drawings to use later in the classroom. We provide all materials for the classroom activities in our day programmes. Teachers and/or students may also like to bring a camera.

We ask that visitors dress appropriately. In addition please remember that it can be cool inside the Cathedral even on a warm day. Some of the flagstones are uneven so we advise wearing sensible footwear. We suggest that students do not carry too much with them and that you leave as much as possible in your coach.
 

We welcome students with a range of special needs – physical, learning, emotional, sensory. Please alert us when you book and we will discuss with you how we can make appropriate preparations. We can provide parking within the Close for wheelchair users and we have a range of support we can provide to help accessibility.

Please make a formal booking using our booking form even if you are directing the students yourself. This enables us to warn you of unexpected closures, special services or any other factor that might affect your visit and also ensure that the Cathedral does not become overcrowded. We also arrange special events from time to time and schools and other groups on our database are invited personally.

Please bring sufficient adults to ensure that you can keep students in small, closely supervised groups working around other tours and giving any services a wide berth unless you wish to attend or observe – in which case please ensure that your group behaves appropriately.

No group photography permit is required for school groups that have paid for a tour as the cost is covered by the fee already paid. So encourage everyone to bring cameras!

We suggest you print and bring with you a copy of our practical site plan of the Cathedral and Close as all key areas mentioned in this section are clearly marked on that plan.

If this happens, please let us know as soon as is possible, especially if you have booked a tour. Please either telephone the Education Office (01603 218320) or the Vergers' Office (01603 218324). The Education Guides are very generous and will always try to accommodate for delays. However, if you are delayed for more than fifteen minutes it is at the discretion of the Guide as to what form the tour will take (ie short tour, introductory talk or question and answer session).

There is no parking within the Cathedral Close except for Special Schools which can apply for a parking permit. Coaches are allowed to drop off and pick up groups from Tombland, which is immediately outside the Cathedral. Coaches are also allowed to wait for up to fifteen minutes at the coach parking space in Bishop's Plain, Bishopgate - just a short walk from the Cathedral.

Please enter the Close via the Erpingham Gate, see route marked on the practical site plan. The Close can become busy with traffic so please ensure that appropriate care is taken. All group leaders, including those who are self-guiding their group, are asked to report to the Welcome team in the Hostry Visitor & Education Centre.  If you have booked a tour or activity, a member of the Education Department will meet you.

Please take time to talk to your students before entering the Cathedral about appropriate behaviour. We ask that they respect the building, its contents and those who are also visiting. Norwich Cathedral is a place of worship and even if there are no services going on many people come to the building for private prayer and contemplation.

Teachers and helpers must remain with their group at all times to supervise and, if necessary, discipline their students. Teachers are solely responsible for the behaviour and discipline of their students. Should behaviour be unacceptable the student(s) will be asked to leave and the Guide may choose to end the tour.

If you are self-guiding, please keep the students in small, closely supervised groups. Please also work around other tours and avoid any services unless you wish to attend, in which case please ensure appropriate behaviour.

Our cafe is open every day from 10.00am to 5.00pm for snacks and hot lunches.  Packed lunches may be eaten in the Cloister walkways which are undercover.

They are situated in the new Refectory on the south side of the Cloister. Please ensure that all students are in small groups and are supervised.

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Schools are welcome in the Cathedral during worship, but we would ask that you arrange your visit so as to avoid service areas. If you wish to attend or observe, please ensure that your students are well supervised and behave appropriately.

Guided tours are specifically designed to work around the following service times:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday - Holy Communion - 12.30pm
Tuesday and Thursday - Holy Communion - 11.00am
Monday to Friday - Evensong - 5.15pm

Details of all services and where they are being held are in our weekly service scheme.

During the summer, Chaplains are on duty to welcome visitors on the hour and invite them to join in a moment of prayer. Please ask your students to be quiet at this time. Thank you.