Manchester Cathedral

Manchester Cathedral stands near the River Irwell in the old centre of Manchester, a working church and one of the city's oldest buildings. In 1421, Henry V signed the royal charter that established a collegiate church on this site. For over four hundred years it served as a parish and collegiate church; in 1847, when a new diocese of Manchester was created, it became a cathedral.

The building is Grade I listed. Inside, the medieval choir runs beneath high clerestory windows that bring light down onto wooden furnishings that have been here since the late medieval period — the pulpit, the choir stalls, and the roof above, which is held up by carved angels carrying gilded instruments. The detail rewards looking closely: kangaroos are carved into the thrones, bees appear on the roof, and the aisles contain drawn artwork worked into the fabric of the building.

The cathedral also holds ancient archives. Entry is free, and the doors are open every day of the week, so there is no particular moment you need to plan around — you can walk in from the street on any day and spend as long as the building holds your attention.