Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Ethelbert

The cathedral was founded in the year 676 by Putta, the first bishop of Hereford after he was forced to flee Rochester. The current building was begun in 1079 and continued through until around 1250. Very little of the Norman church remains apart from the choir up to the spring of the clerestory, the south transept and the nave arcade.

During the 13th century the retro choir and Lady Chapel were constructed in the early English Gothic style followed by the clerestory and the vaulting of the choir. In the first half of the 14th century, the central tower was rebuilt. During the middle of the 15th century, a tower was added to the western end of the nave. However, on Easter Monday 1786 this tower collapsed and ruined the whole of the west front and a part of the nave. This was repaired by James Wyatt but he also made alterations which were not universally popular.