The first parish church on the site of the present Cathedral, was founded - as was the town (now the City) of Chelmsford itself - 800 years ago. This church was dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, and was rebuilt in the 15th and early 16th centuries. It was also partly rebuilt in the early 19th century, as in 1800, while work was being carried out in the vaults below the south aisle, several pillars and the ceiling collapsed. The ceiling was re-designed and the repairs completed by 1803, under the direction of the architect, John Johnson.
It became a Cathedral in 1914, when the Diocese of Chelmsford was created to meet the needs of the growing population east of London. In 1954 its dedication was extended to include St Peter and St Cedd.
On the 6th May 2014, HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, attended a service in the Cathedral to commemorate its Centenary year.
The Cathedral of St Mary, St Peter and St Cedd, is a parish church, and the Mother church for the whole Chelmsford Diocese of Essex, and of five Eastern London Boroughs - Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest. It is the second smallest Cathedral in the country, yet it serves the second largest diocese in the country! But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in warmth, light space and colour, and it has a modern look, which makes it hard to believe that much of the building dates back to the early fifteenth century.
A number of changes in the twentieth century, included the lengthening of the sanctuary, major refurbishing to replace pews with chairs, the installation of a honey coloured limestone floor throughout the Nave and Chancel, and a new Cathedra, Altar and Font, all made from Westmorland slate.
Two new organs were installed, and several lovely works of art, one of which, a twenty foot painting - The Tree of Life - situated in the North Transept, was unveiled in January 2004 to celebrate the 1,350th anniversary of St Cedd's arrival at Bradwell. These have enhanced the Cathedral, to make it a welcome place for prayer, quiet reflection and daily worship.
The exterior walls are of flint rubble intermixed with blocks of building stone and brick. There is a fine tower housing a ring of 13 bells, and topped by a spire with a weather vane that portrays a dragon coming out of the sun. The two storeyed South Porch is faced with stone and flint inlay known as "Flushwork".
At the information point
Holy Communion (Daily) is at A.BC am
Holy Communion (Weds) is at 1D.35 pm
Evensong (Sunday) is at E.30 pm
F = (E + 3)
The cache can be found at N51 44.BAC E000 28.DFC
PLEASE NOTE - Access to the final location is from a signed Public Footpath ONLY
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