Manchester Cathedral has a historic past as a Collegiate Church dating back to 1215. Plans are now being put in place to celebrate our roots and also play a more significant part in the future development of the city and diocese, and especially in the ongoing plans for regeneration of the Medieval Quarter of the city.

The Cathedral's ‘Vision 2012' includes significant plans to redevelop the precinct around the Cathedral as part of our desire to preserve and develop the heritage and history of the Cathedral and the surrounding area.

Implicit in this plan is the proposed new Manchester Medieval Experience, to be a project of the Cathedral and Chetham's School, most probably to be housed in the Vallins Building at the school. We need to consider how Fennel Street could be developed to provide the appropriate links between the Cathedral and the School.

We are committed to a process of collaboration with Chetham's School of Music to develop a Medieval Experience on the school site. This new project will also be linked with the medieval Hanging Bridge which is situated in our Visitors Centre (on the south side of the Cathedral) and the Cathedral, itself a medieval building.

It is important to note that the medieval buildings on the Chetham's site once belonged to the Collegiate Church and housed the Dean (then Warden) of the Collegiate Church and his College of Priests who provided for the pastoral needs of the people (Parish) of Manchester.

It is good that both the Cathedral and Chetham's are committed to this process of collaboration in developing this proposed Medieval Experience, which is also linked to the building of the new School on Walkers Croft. The Chapter was recently addressed by Michael Ogelsby from Chetham's and a commitment to work together was agreed.

I believe that the partnership between the Cathedral, Chetham's School and the City and others is crucial if this Medieval Experience is to materialise. It would enhance the City's tourist trade since this is the only medieval centre in the city. It would also be in the interests of the Cathedral and the School to attract additional visitors for the obvious religious, cultural, historical and educational purposes.