All group visits must be booked in advance and must be accompanied by a Cathedral Guide.
Please note: we are not taking any further bookings for May 2026.
Groups are welcome at Southwark Cathedral. The Cathedral is a lively and active place of worship, with daily services, school visits and other events. All group bookings are subject to availability, and no matter the size, all group visits must be booked in advance.
Group Tours: Cathedral Highlights Guided Tour
Southwark Cathedral has had a long and distinguished history. In over 900 years of Christian witness and mission, the church has seen the events of history unfold around it. Your tour with a Cathedral guide will uncover this rich and colourful history in a both informative and entertaining manner.
Discover why Southwark Cathedral is strongly associated with Winchester and why a former Bishop is buried here. Reveal the name of the famous London hospital that was founded by the church. Explore the many characters involved in the theatre of Shakespeare’s time who used the church regularly. All, and more, will be uncovered!
Key information:
Dates: Group tours are available from Tuesday – Saturday. (Group tours are not available in December)
Start times:
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 13:30
- 14:00 (not available on Tuesdays)
- 15:00 (not available on Tuesdays)
Duration: 45 minutes, 60 minutes, or 90 minutes
Tickets: Pricing starts from £10 per person
Meeting point: Welcome Desk, via Millenium Courtyard
Group Tours: Specialist Guided Tours
Our specialist tours focus on different aspects of the Cathedral history. We have five specialist tours on offer.
Mission and Ministry: A Spiritual Tour of Southwark Cathedral
A unique opportunity to learn about Southwark Cathedral's past and present as a place of Christian worship from the 12th century until today and its involvement in the wider Christian family. Hear about its place in the history of Bankside and see where and how it has commemorated events of importance to the local community.
Light and Colour: Stained Glass at the Southwark Cathedral
Join us to examine some of London's best examples of 19th and 20th century stained glass. This tour includes the works of artists such as Lawrence Lee, Ninian Comper, John La Farge, Leifur Breidfjord, Alan Younger and Christopher Webb.
Bards, Poets and Playwrights: A Literary Tour of Southwark Cathedral
Discover the many literary figures who are associated with the Southwark Cathedral. Uncover the life of John Gower, an important English court poet and friend of Chaucer. Explore the world of the 17th century theatre from Shakespeare to Massinger. Learn about Dickens' visit here.
Shakespeare and his Theatrical Contemporaries at St Saviours Church
At the heart of William Shakespeare’s theatrical world was the church of St Saviours, now known as Southwark Cathedral. This was the scene of baptisms, burials and marriages for the actors and playwrights who graced the stage of Elizabethan and Stuart theatre. Discover the links between our church and the theatre.
Women of Southwark: The Untold Story
Explore the lives of the women connected to the cathedral from the Victorian pioneers such as Octavia Hill and Isabella Gilmore to the benefactors such as Dorothy Appleby and Elizabeth Newcomen who provided funds for poor people in south London. Uncover the impact of Queen Mary I on the life of the cathedral.
Key information:
Dates: Group tours are available from Tuesday – Saturday. (Group tours are not available in December)
Start times:
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 13:00
- 14:00 (not available on Tuesdays)
- 15:00 (not available on Tuesdays)
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: £12 per person
Meeting point: Welcome Desk, via Millenium Courtyard
How to book
All group visits must be booked and paid for in advance. Please note we do not take booking requests less than two weeks out.
A member of the team will aim to get back to you within 7 working days. For more information, please contact cathedraltours@southwark.anglican.org.
All profits generated by Group Visits are used to help maintain the ministry and fabric of Southwark Cathedral.
Terms and Conditions
If you need to change the number of people in your group, please let us know in writing no less than two weeks in advance of the date of your visit and we will amend your booking accordingly.
We cannot accept cancellations or changes in numbers within two weeks of your visit. We are unable to refund the cost of any absent guest(s) on the day of your visit.
Either party may cancel the visit in the event of a Force Majeure – any circumstances beyond our control. This includes but is not limited to, the breakdown of equipment supplied by Southwark Cathedral or by third parties, failure of or disruption to utility services, acts of God including fire and flood, police restrictions, Royal or State occasions, special religious services, terrorism and public disorder or any other instance which causes the closure of Southwark Cathedral.