Worcester - Cathedral

The chapterhouse is one of the earliest examples of vaulting borne on a single central pillar. The original circular construction dates from 1150, it gained its decagonal exterior in about 1400. The principal relic of the monastic buildings is the refectory, a large hall with a Norman crypt under it. It is now used as the hall of the King's School, which was founded in 1541.

The crypt of Worcester Cathedral (1084-1092), a relic of the Norman cathedral, has 50 elegant pillars. Here as in the cloister (Perpendicular) the vault has fine bosses. The Tree of Jesse, and angels praying to Mary and her child are portrayed in the cloister.

No other English church can compete with the continuous, 387ft/118m-long, vaulting of the otherwise varied interior of Worcester Cathedral. Bishops' tombs dating from various eras can be found in the side aisles. The choir is in the purest Early English style. As at Salisbury, the slender pillars of Purbeck marble, with their beautifully carved capitals and notable bosses, make an important contribution to the total effect. The choir-stalls (1379) have richly decorated misericords. The central feature of the choir is the tomb of King John ("John Lackland"), who died in Newark in 1216 and who had requested to be buried here. His effigy in Purbeck marble, which dates from about 1240, is believed to be the earliest portrait of an English king, and is the only remaining part of the original tomb. On either side of his head stand sculptures of canonized bishops Oswald and Wulfstan; the lion biting into the tip of the royal sword refers to the loss of power the king had to accept with the signing of the Magna Carta. Prince Arthur, the eldest son of Henry VII, who died in Ludlow in 1502 aged 17, is buried in a richly decorated Perpendicular chapel on the right behind King John's tomb. The Lady Chapel not only contains the tombs of bishops Blois and Cantelupe (13th century), but also a tablet commemorating Isaac Walton's second wife, Anne. Walton (1593-1683) was an important biographer of his time; however, it was not this, but his standard work "The Compleat Angler", still read today, which earned him the highest admiration from disciples of St Peter (i.e. fishermen).

Founded in 1712, the Three Choirs Festival is the oldest European music festival, it runs for one week in late August. The festival takes place in Worcester every third year, and travels to Gloucester and Hereford during the other two.

The three choirs refer to those of the three cities and the highlights of the festival are performances by the three groups together. The joint choir often numbers over 300 and performs a varied repertoire, from classical to contemporary to gospel.

The program also includes orchestral, choral, chamber and organ concerts, recitals and fringe events by other international choirs and orchestras.

There are daily events, all of which take place at the Worcester Cathedral.