Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Cathedral Comes Up With Unusual Way To Give Visitors A Closer Look Its Ornate Roof

Cathedral Comes Up With Unusual Way To Give Visitors A Closer Look Its Ornate Roof
Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

A cathedral has installed a 55ft-tall helter skelter in its nave in order to grant visitors a better view of its ornate roof, a clergyman said.


Reverend Canon Andy Bryant, of Norwich Cathedral, said the idea came to him when he was visiting the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

“I had the slightly risky thought of 'I know this is amazing, but actually the ceiling at Norwich Cathedral is every bit as wonderful,'" he said.

“We have one of the greatest collections of medieval roof bosses anywhere in northern Europe.

“The trouble is they are so high up that most people never get a chance to really appreciate them.

“And so was born the idea, could we get people up higher to these roof bosses and so appreciate that they are exquisite art as they are the most beautiful pieces of stone carving but also the story that's captured within them which is the story of the Bible."

The amusement park ride has a viewing platform at 40ft, allowing riders a closer look at the cathedral's 69ft-high roof.

A 40ft helter skelter installed inside Norwich Cathedral (Joe Giddens/PA)

Roof bosses are seen at points where the ribs of the cathedral roof join.

They date back to the mid-15th century when a new roof was built following a fire.

Rev. Bryant said there was a “serious intent" behind the project, called Seeing It Differently, and he hoped it would attract more visitors.

“We all are always looking to broaden the appeal of our cathedrals because some people can feel that cathedrals are slightly exclusive, they're for a particular type of person," said Rev Bryant.

Helter skelterCathedral choristers slide down the helter skelter (Joe Giddens/PA)

“We want everybody to feel that they can come in and enjoy it."

It comes after Rochester Cathedral in Kent installed a crazy golf course in its nave.

Rev. Bryant said he understood that traditionalists may question the decision to install a helter skelter, but he believed people would accept it when it was explained.

“I also want to affirm the fact that this cathedral is about the whole of life," he said.

“We celebrate very solemn things here, we have some very heartbreaking things that happen here, isn't it also appropriate to celebrate another aspect of life which is our fun and our enjoyment."

He described cathedrals as the “great success story of the Church of England."

“Our numbers at worship are growing, our visitor numbers are growing, but we have this unique role where we engage with the community in ways maybe that parish churches can't," he said.

“This is actually the sign of a very confident cathedral.

“We can take risks like this as we know who we are, we know what we're rooted in, we know about our faith.

“Very far from being desperate this is a sign of our confidence and we know exactly what a cathedral is for.

“By bringing lots of people in we know we get an opportunity to share our story, share our faith."

The Dean of Norwich, the Very Rev. Jane Hedges, said: “I think amongst our own congregation there were people who asked questions about it, but once Andy had explained the rationale I think people were completely converted to the idea."

I.T. sales worker Ray Stevens, 58, from Peterborough, came to visit the cathedral.

He said: “I was surprised but I think it's a great thing.

“Anything that brings the community together, gets children into the church, not just for the religious aspects, to see the beauty of the cathedral, to see the stained glass and understand the importance and the history of it, it's a good thing.

“It's a novel idea, good on them for having the courage."

But Greetja Boedeltja, 58, from the Netherlands, said it was a “shame" the helter skelter was in front of a large stained glass window that she wanted to see.

Helter skelterDean of Norwich, The Very Reverend Jane Hedges, has a go on the 40ft helter skelter (Joe Giddens/PA)

“No, it's not appropriate, not for me," she said. “This is fun – you do it outside in the churchyard, not in the church.

“It's not respectful.

“I don't mind children shouting, I don't mind people singing, this is something that should be on a fairground, on Cromer pier."

The helter skelter will be at the cathedral until August 18.

It costs £2 per ride, with funds covering the cost of hire from an amusement park company and any surplus going into cathedral initiatives.

More from Trending

Lynda Carter; Screenshot of Donald Trump
Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images; Newsmax

Lynda Carter Hilariously Channels Wonder Woman In Response To Trump's Claim About 'Undetectable' Planes

After President Donald Trump touted the U.S. military's "stealth" planes that he described as "undetectable," Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter responded to his claim with a funny quip sure to delight fans of her iconic character.

Earlier, Trump boasted about the military's capabilities in remarks to reporters in the Oval Office amid heightened concerns about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict that is sending shockwaves throughout the Middle East and around the world:

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz; Tucker Carlson
The Tucker Carlson Show

Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Get Into Shouting Match Over Iran In Bonkers Interview Clip

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz—a harsh Donald Trump critic-turned-MAGA minion—sat down with fired Fox News personality Tucker Carlson for the conservative influencer's self-produced online content,The Tucker Carlson Show, for the Tucker Carlson Network.

On Tuesday, Carlson shared a 1.5-minute clip revealing that things got contentious when the pair touched on the Trump administration's escalating tensions with Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Barack Obama
Suzanne Plunkett-Pool/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images

Resurfaced Trump Tweet Criticizing Obama Over Iran Comes Back To Bite Him

Amid tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump was criticized for hypocrisy after social media users resurfaced a 2013 tweet in which he accused former President Barack Obama of planning an attack on Iran because of his "inability to negotiate properly."

Trump has declined to clarify whether the U.S. is edging closer to launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a warning from Iran’s supreme leader against any attack and a rejection of Trump’s demand for surrender.

Keep ReadingShow less
​​Elon Musk
Allison Robbert/AFP via Getty Images

Anti-Elon Banner at Stanford

Stanford University graduates were given creative advice from above as an airplane flew over the graduation ceremony with a banner reading, “CONGRATS! DON’T WORK FOR ELON.”

The moment was captured last Sunday during the university’s 134th Commencement ceremony, where the Class of 2025 received their degrees at Stanford Stadium.

Keep ReadingShow less