Free Blackburn Cathedral tours return for Heritage Open Days this September

Blackburn Cathedral is putting on a run of free guided tours this September as part of Heritage Open Days, giving locals the chance to explore one of the town centre’s best-known buildings without paying a penny.

The tours will run across three days — Thursday 17 September, Saturday 19 September and Sunday 20 September — with places capped at 20 people per tour. Booking in advance is required.

Heritage Open Days is described as England’s largest festival of history and culture, with venues across the country opening up free of charge each September.

At Blackburn Cathedral, visitors will be able to hear more about a site where Christian worship has taken place for more than 1,500 years.

The cathedral says the tours will cover the building’s story from its medieval beginnings, through its time as a parish church, to its becoming a cathedral in 1926.

Guides will also point out architectural features and modern religious art inside the building.

Tour times:

Thursday 17 September: 10am, 1pm and 3pm

Saturday 19 September: 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm

Sunday 20 September: 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm

All tours are free, but with numbers strictly limited, anyone wanting to go will need to book a place in advance through Blackburn Cathedral.