Our Vision

Physically at the centre of the city of Wakefield, Yorkshire’s tallest spire lifts up our eyes – to raise aspiration and celebration in communities which often feel forgotten and under-resourced; to see the possibilities which only come from trusting in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. There has been a church at the centre of Wakefield since at least 1086 and the oldest part of the cathedral dates from some time around 1100. All Saints’ Church was substantially rebuilt in the mid-fifteenth century. It became a cathedral in 1888 when, having been first in the Diocese of York and then the Diocese of Ripon, a new Diocese of Wakefield was created. The cathedral was extended creating the peaceful and prayerful St Mark’s Chapel as well as the Chapter House and vestries underneath in 1905. A substantial internal reordering was completed in 2014 which included the replacement of pews with chairs, new lighting, underfloor heating, and the installation of a labyrinth; this has given us a beautiful, clear, and bright space for prayer, worship, and events. With Bradford and Ripon Cathedrals, it is a seat of the Bishop of Leeds and now serves clergy, parishes, and schools across the large, diverse, and lively Diocese of Leeds: a place of welcome, worship, and witness in the city, district, county, and region.  Our vision reminds us that we work on firm foundations: of the generosity and faithfulness of those who worship, work, and volunteer here today; of the generosity and faithfulness of those who built and maintained our building and its mission over many centuries; above all, of the generosity and faithfulness of the God who gives us hope in Jesus Christ.  Come and see what we do, and how you can be part of it.

Strategic Vision - Firm in Hope

At the start of Advent 2020 we launched our Strategic Vision, providing a roadmap for the cathedral for the coming ten years, setting out the challenges and opportunities which face us and the ways in which we intend to meet them.

To download our Strategic Vision document Firm in Hope, please click on the download document below.