Peterborough Cathedral

Peterborough Cathedral is in the heart of the historic city of Peterborough, England. There has been a place of worship and prayer on this site for 1350 years, the present building approaching it's 900th anniversary. Today it continues to be the focus for a vibrant community. It is the principle church for the Church of England diocese of Peterborough, which serves Northamptonshire, Rutland and the Soke of Peterborough. The origins of the Cathedral can be traced back to King Peada of the Middle Angles who founded the first monastery on the site in 655AD. The monastic settlement was almost entirely destroyed by the Vikings in 870 and rebuilt as a Benedictine Abbey between 960 and 970. The Abbey church then survived Hereward the Wake's attack on the Abbey in 1069, and remained intact until an accidental fire destroyed the second Abbey here in 1116. It was rebuilt in its present form between 1118 and 1238. It became the Cathedral of the new Diocese of Peterborough in 1541 and it is now known as the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew.