Cathedral lights up to celebrate its history in immersive experience

Rochester Cathedral will light up with legends, dragons and biblical scenes in an immersive show inspired by its history dating back more than 1,400 years.

Visitors to the country’s second oldest cathedral will see projections on the walls of illuminated Anglo-Saxon manuscripts, art and architecture, revealing the “rich artistry” of the Dark Ages.

Scriptorium: The Illuminated Histories will be on display from October 1 to 5, showcasing for the first time images of Rochester Cathedral’s manuscript collection alongside materials from the British Library.

The show has been created by the award-winning artistic collaboration of sculptor Peter Walker and composer David Harper (Gareth Fuller/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Gareth Fuller

The cathedral hosts the earliest recorded English laws dating back to the 7th century, the Textus Roffensis, written by monks at the priory of St Andrew in Rochester in the 1120s.

It was added to the Unesco Memory of the World UK Register in 2022.

Dean of Rochester the Very Rev Philip Hesketh said: “We’re thrilled to host the world premiere of Scriptorium.

“This innovative light show not only celebrates our cathedral’s 1,400-year history but also brings to life the vibrant culture of the Anglo-Saxon era in a truly spectacular way.”

The light and sound display was created by artistic collaboration Luxmuralis.