The Chapter House – A Space Like No Other

The Cathedral’s Chapter House dates from around 1165 when the great Plantagenet King Henry II was on the throne.

It is a classic example of a Norman Chapter House, beautifully decorated with elaborate patterns. The niches around the walls were crafted to be the seats of Chapter meetings of the Abbey, and it has been a place of conversation and learning for almost 900 years.

The Chapter House has become one of the most treasured parts of the Cathedral for members of the Fitzhardinge Society, and we often hold meetings here, reminding us all how important it is to preserve and protect this precious place of historical significance; and it comes as no surprise that we aren’t the only group to treasure this wonderful space…

As the second oldest room in Bristol, the Chapter House provides a thought-provoking and somewhat magical backdrop for a variety of events, including concerts, drinks after Evensong and formal dinners. When you next visit Bristol Cathedral, be sure to explore the Chapter House, and imagine the thousands upon thousands of conversations that have taken place here over the course of nine long centuries.