Chester and St Asaph Gathering

Overview

In Spring 2027, our National Gathering will give an opportunity to visit beautiful Chester Cathedral and fascinating St Asaph Cathedral.

Enjoy a delightful evening meet on the Friday at Chester Cathedral when you arrive.

Over the weekend most of Saturday will be spent at St Asaph, said to be the smallest Cathedral in the UK  and one of the oldest in Wales. The present structure dates from the 15th century and houses William Morgan’s first Welsh translation of the bible. The choir sings regularly in the Cathedral and the choristers have appeared on national radio and television, both in live and recorded radio broadcasts, and have featured in two BBC TV Songs of Praise programmes recorded in the Cathedral. Enjoy an organ recital here and a further talk about music.

Following this return to Chester Cathedral for Evensong, a Gathering Dinner and more music at Chester on the Sunday.

Chester Cathedral was founded in 1092 as a Benedictine Abbey and was subsequently rebuilt around 1250, it has the most complete set of monastic buildings in the country, which includes a Georgian square and series of streets, the remains of Roman barracks on the Dean’s field and the largest open green spaces within the walls. Chester Cathedral is fortunate to benefit from two choirs; the Cathedral Choir and the Nave Choir. The Cathedral Choir sing eight choral services a week, which equates to around 384 sung services each year, shared between the boy and girl choristers, lay clerks, and choral scholars.  The Nave Choir was founded by Dean John Saul Howson in 1867 which makes it the country’s longest-running voluntary choir.

Further information about this event to follow soon.