Guides

A Cathedral guide is the first point of contact for most visitors once they have been past the reception desk.

For this reason they are an important group of people for the general public, for it is through them that the story of the building and its people may be made known. Guides have different strengths in their knowledge base and may have concentrated on the architecture, a period of history or a particular individual. However, all have the ability to lead a group of visitors unknown to them, and to show them the main aspects of the building and what goes on within it.

Guides come from all walks of life and may have done other work as a volunteer, either in the Cathedral or elsewhere some as Castle or City guides for example. The largest group of guides is the floor guides who are responsible for taking tours two or three times a day depending upon the time of year.

Obviously it is helpful to have a strong feeling for the building and what it stands for and many are active Christians although this is not a pre- requisite, as many visitors are not of that faith. Many are however, and have an expectation that in a building with so many services in a week some of that is incorporated in a tour.

As there are a large number of floor guides (up to almost 100) the pressures are not usually great as only two tours a month are usually booked for an individual guide. In addition, there are other specialist tours that can be arranged by guides, and also school tours, which are very popular and which can lead to pressures as not all guides wish to be involved in them.

One of the qualities needed by guides, apart from basic knowledge to take a tour of about one hour, is an ability to handle people and to relate quickly to the different group dynamics that are a hallmark of each tour. The variation and the meeting with new people from all walks of life is what brings guides to the building and over time they begin to feel the hundreds of years of prayer that leaves its mark on those that choose to follow this path.

Dr. Brian Roberts, Guide Leader.