Hereford Cathedral will be throwing open the doors to the Mappa Mundi free of charge to National Lottery players during the week of 11 – 15 December 2017.
The cathedral is one of 350 participating National Lottery funded visitor attractions across the UK that are saying ‘thanks’ to people who have raised money for good causes by buying a lottery ticket.
The idea of #ThanksToYou week is simple: any visitor who presents a National Lottery ticket or scratchcard from 11 to 15 December gets free entry to Hereford Cathedral’s Mappa Mundi and Chained Library Exhibition in return. This will include access to the current temporary exhibition on Hereford’s 1217 Magna Carta. There will also be a series of special free cathedral tours, highlighting projects that the Heritage Lottery Fund has supported.
Hereford Cathedral has received over £5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund over the last 15 years. The money has paid for the Mappa Mundi exhibition, restoration work to the Willis organ, and the renovation of St John’s Walk and the Cathedral Close.
The Very Reverend Michael Tavinor, Dean of Hereford, said: ‘Thanks to National Lottery players we’ve been able to display and interpret our unique Mappa Mundi (a medieval map of the world); ensure that our marvellous Willis organ is in tip-top condition for services and for the Three Choirs Festival which we host in 2018; breathe new life into our historic St John’s Walk; and create a tranquil, welcoming space for all in our Cathedral Close. We are immensely grateful to all who have bought lottery tickets for this support, and it will give us great pleasure to offer some of them the treat of free access to the exhibition and these special tours in National Lottery #ThanksToYou week.’
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said:
‘December is a wonderful time to experience the UK’s rich, diverse and exciting heritage, which has been transformed by more than £7bn National Lottery funding since 1994. This is a small gesture of thanks and a way of giving something back to the people who buy tickets.’
More information about the free tickets to our exhibition and special free tour.