Welcome
We hope you would like to come and experience Salisbury Cathedral. This beautiful place exists for the love of God, and there is so much to see and do here. We very much look forward to welcoming you!
We are committed to breaking down the barriers to participation by ensuring that regardless of background and circumstances, people are welcomed as visitors and will have access to our regular programme of services, art, music, and events.

Level access
There is level access from the main entrance to:
The Cathedral Nave The Choir Stalls The North Choir Aisle The Morning Chapel The Trinity Chapel The Donations Desk Public Toilets off the Cathedral Cloisters The Refectory The Cathedral Shop The Chapter House The Cathedral CloseAccess with steps
Hearing
Visual
General
Getting here
Travel by public transport
The two main rail routes intersect at Salisbury so getting here by train from London, Bath and the West Country is easy. The Cathedral is less than a 10-minute level walk from the station.
South West Trains operate direct from London Waterloo to Salisbury (journey time 90 minutes).
First Great Western run routes from Cardiff, Bristol, Bath, Portsmouth and Southampton.
For train timetables visit the National Rail website.
Travel by taxi
Parking
THE CATHEDRAL CLOSE
The whole of the Cathedral Close is level ground and has paved walkways leading around and through it.
There are numerous quiet seating areas within the Cathedral Close, with benches situated on the lawns around the Cathedral.

Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
MAIN ENTRANCE AND WELCOME DESK
Both the West Cloister entrance (the usual main entrance) and the North Porch are accessible by visitors using wheelchairs. The West Cloister entrance has a fairly steep stone slope down into the cloisters themselves, which are then flat and paved. The slope is 1950mm long and drops 1 in 6. Alternative access can be arranged via the North Porch if requested in advance.
All doors inside the Cathedral, cloisters and refectory are automatically operated using a push button system.
Getting around inside
Ticket/ information desk
The Donations Desk
Volunteer Cathedral guides will welcome you into the Cathedral and there is an information leaflet available in large print.
During services and some concerts, a hearing loop system is available.
There is a “touch and feel” model of the Cathedral available for those who are partially sighted or blind which will enable you to feel a floor plan of the Cathedral as well as a model of the building itself. In addition, our Cathedral guides can talk you through each area of the Cathedral if you join a tour.
If you would like a tour of the Cathedral and have a particular need, please inform the guides and they will endeavour to assist.
Dogs are welcome in the main part of the Cathedral and drinking water is available for them outside the Refectory Café.
We welcome all types of mobility scooters and wheelchairs and we have three manual wheelchairs available for visitors to use. Please ask at the Front Desk if you wish to borrow one of our wheelchairs.
There are two disabled access toilets which are for the sole use of people with disabilities, visible or hidden. These are located by the main toilets and accessed off the East Cloister.
The Cathedral is a dementia friendly environment with several of our staff and volunteers trained as Dementia Friends.
We aim to be a welcoming environment for those living with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and work hard to ensure a positive visitor experience.
For those living with an ASC we can arrange bespoke tours of the Cathedral at a quieter time. Please contact visitors@salcath.co.uk or phone 01722 555120 if you would like to arrange this.
The Cathedral has very good acoustics and consequently you may find that even low level noise can sound quite distorted. The interior of the building is vast and there is a lot to take in. If you need some time to adjust to this or need to sit quietly, please feel free to do so. Staff and volunteers are always on hand to help.
During the day the Cathedral tends to be busy with visitors although the volume of noise is low. On occasions there will be organ tuning taking place in the morning and this can be noisy. If we know that organ tuning is taking place, there will be a sign informing visitors as they enter the Cathedral. If you need to check this in advance, please phone the Vestry on 01722 555150. In addition, we have some ear defenders available for you to use during your visit. Please ask one of our tour guides if you would like to borrow a set.
The Cathedral often hosts concerts and services which will mean that there will be music and singing. You can check to see if there is a concert or event taking place via the events page on the website. www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/events-and-services
Things to See and Do
The Cathedral Nave
Once inside, the majority of the Cathedral floor, the Chapter House, Refectory and shop are wheelchair accessible.
The Cathedral floor is made up of different kinds of stone varying in colour, some of which is uneven. There is level access to the nave and via small ramps to the central Quire and to the Trinity Chapel. Access to the side chapels can be arranged via the Information Desk and the St Michael Chapel is always available for private prayer. The only area of the Cathedral floor that is currently not accessible to wheelchair users is the Audley Chapel.
Tower, Library & Graffiti Tours
We recommend that you book online to guarantee a space on one of our Tower Tours, see www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/visit/tower-tours for more information on how to do this.
Regrettably Tower Tours and Library Tours may not be suitable for people with mobility issues. Some of the stone spiral staircases date back to the 13th century and have no handrails. There are 332 steps to the base of the Spire. Tours to our Library involve accessing a stone spiral staircase with 37 steps. We can however share material with you about the Library or the Tower and Spire’s history, its construction and interior. Please enquire at the Information Desk inside the Cathedral.
People who feel anxious in enclosed spaces or who have a fear of heights may also find the tour difficult.
We regret that dogs including guide dogs are not permitted on tower tours.
If you have a specific need and would like to book an individual tower, library or graffiti tour, then please phone 01722 555120 to discuss how we might be able to assist you.
In addition there are tours of the stonemason's yard and children's trails.
Magna Carta exhibition is located in The Chapter House.
You can also attend one of our daily services, details can be found www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/events-and-services.
Events & Concerts
The Cathedral often host a range of events and activities from concerts to talks, lectures and workshops.
Wheelchair users will be directed to suitable locations for each concert and for Salisbury Cathedral concerts a carer's ticket will be offered free of charge.
If you are looking to book onto a particular event via the Cathedral’s website, there is a facility on there to notify us of any particular need you may have. Alternatively, you can contact visitors@salcath.co.uk or 01722 555120 and we will endeavour to meet your request.
The Choir Stalls
SERVICES
Large print Orders of Service are available for all services. With prior notice we can provide a transcript and on occasions we will provide a BSL interpreter.
There is clear access for Holy Communion or if you prefer to receive communion in your seat, please do let a Verger know. We offer gluten free Communion wafers. Please let a Verger know if you require this.
For our large services, all wheelchair users will be situated in the South Transept.
Our Vergers and Stewards are always on hand if you require assistance during any of our services.
The North Choir Aisle
Due to the sunlight coming through the stained-glass windows, light levels can vary inside the Cathedral especially in some of the chapels and in the North and South Quire Aisles where there is less light.
If you need a quiet place to sit for a while you are very welcome to do so, and we recommend the St Thomas and St Edmund’s Chapel in the North Transept. The chapels can be accessed via a removable ramp.
Signage to the toilets, shop and Refectory is clear, but if you need any assistance please do ask one of the Cathedral guides or staff who will be very happy to help.
The Morning Chapel
The Trinity Chapel
The Library
There are 37 stone spiral steps up into the library.
The Tower Tour
The tower tour is suitable for people with good mobility.

Public toilet
Public Toilets off the Cathedral Cloisters
There are two disabled access toilets which are for the sole use of people with disabilities, visible or hidden. These are located by the main toilets and accessed off the East Cloister.
Shop
The Cathedral Shop
The Cathedral has a shop with a superb range of souvenirs, gifts and books. The shop can be accessed directly from the main entrance and from the Refectory. It is level throughout with suitable space for those using a wheelchair. There are tall display racks and low units accessible from a seated position. Shop staff are always available to offer assistance where required.
Place to eat and drink
The Refectory
REFECTORY CAFE
The Cathedral Refectory café has a ramped access with an automatic opening door. You can also access the Refectory via the Cathedral shop. The Refectory is level throughout with good access to the food and drink available.
Tables and chairs can be moved easily if you need to create better access or room for a wheelchair and children’s seating is available.
The food on offer is clearly labelled and we cater for vegetarians, vegans and those who have gluten or nut allergies. Allergen sheets for all the dishes made are available upon request. With prior notice the Refectory can cater for other allergies.


The Chapter House
Entrance to The Chapter House is located off the East Cloister. Access is via an automatic door.
Getting around outside
Customer care support
Emergency evacuation procedures
Customer care support
ACCESS VOLUNTEERS AND GUIDES
We offer assistance for people who experience mobility or sensory impairments or who have disabilities. We have an excellent team of volunteers and guides to assist visitors around the Cathedral. There is no charge for this service.
In order to ensure that there is a volunteer or guide available please book at least two weeks in advance by telephone on 01722 555120
When on site a member of staff is always close at hand to offer you any assistance required.
Access Champion
Roz Mitchell is the Cathedral’s Access Champion and Marketing Manager. If you have any questions or queries about access or, if you are a community group and require a tour to suit a particular need(s) please contact visitors@salcath.co.uk or 01722 555120 (Monday - Friday, office hours only) or contact Roz directly on 01722 555118.
Please contact the Donations Desk at weekends and on bank holidays:
01722 555156