Cathedral doors open for praying visitors

SIR – Henry Maj (Letters, August 22) complains of the cost of entering Canterbury Cathedral, and wonders how Canterbury’s poor cope.

Residents of the city, and those who work there, generally have either a cathedral pass card or a council residents’ card, which give access to the cathedral precincts. Entry to the cathedral for services and prayer is also free.

Some years ago I floated the idea that, if we opened the Archbishop’s Palace, the Deanery and the Archdeacon’s house to tourists, we could raise the money in a more appropriate way, tapping into the vast numbers of National Trust members and like-minded people who would pay to visit these historic buildings. R T Britnell

Canterbury, Kent

SIR – As a resident in one of the greatest cathedral cities in England, I am all in favour of entrance fees. Perhaps there should be a national cathedral membership scheme, allowing entrance throughout the year to all cathedrals.

This would guarantee a substantial income, to be shared among these wonderful buildings and relieve the worry for individual cathedrals.

At Ely there is always a queue of people paying to enter – and, for many, the building is a tourist attraction as much as a place of worship. Judith Borland

Ely, Cambridgeshire

SIR – Whenever I visit York, I go to the Minster to pray in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry chapel.

I explain my intention and am greeted with courtesy, and allowed to pray in the chapel at no charge. Ken Hunter

Richmond, North Yorkshire

SIR – Anyone looking for a free cathedral should visit St Albans – a glorious building with a historic past as the shrine of Britain’s first martyr. Stan Grabecki

St Albans, Hertfordshire