Cathedral installs a 55ft-tall HELTER SKELTER in its nave

Worshippers slammed a cathedral for being ‘disrespectful’ after it installed a 55ft-tall helter skelter in its nave in order to give visitors a better view of its medieval roof.

The funfair ride has a viewing platform at 40ft, allowing riders closer to Norwich Cathedral’s 69ft-high roof – if they are willing to part with £2-per-slide. 

Reverend Canon Andy Bryant said the idea came to him during a visit to the Sistine Chapel in Rome, adding that he hoped it would incite more visitors to the cathedral.

He said he understood traditionalists may question the decision, after a similar stunt saw Rochester Cathedral slammed by parishioners for installing a crazy golf course. 

But Greetja Boedeltja, 58, from the Netherlands, said it was a ‘shame’ the helter skelter was in front of a large stained glass window that she wanted to see. 

A cathedral has installed a 55ft-tall helter skelter in its nave in order to grant visitors a better view of its ornate roof, a clergyman said

‘No, it’s not appropriate, not for me,’ she said. ‘This is fun – you do it outside in the churchyard, not in the church. It’s not respectful.

‘I don’t mind children shouting, I don’t mind people singing, this is something that should be on a fairground, on Cromer pier.’ 

Rev Bryant said he hoped the move would lead to more visitors coming to see the cathedral.

He said: ‘We have one of the greatest collections of medieval roof bosses anywhere in northern Europe.

‘The trouble is they are so high up that most people never get a chance to really appreciate them.

‘And so was born the idea, could we get people up higher to these roof bosses and so appreciate that they are exquisite art as they are the most beautiful pieces of stone carving but also the story that’s captured within them which is the story of the Bible.’ 

Rev Bryant said there was a ‘serious intent’ behind the project, called Seeing It Differently, and he hoped it would attract more visitors.

‘We all are always looking to broaden the appeal of our cathedrals because some people can feel that cathedrals are slightly exclusive, they’re for a particular type of person,’ said Rev Bryant.

A chorister from Norwich Cathedral choir goes down a 40ft helter skelter installed inside Norwich Cathedral as part of the Seeing It Differently project

A chorister from Norwich Cathedral choir goes down a 40ft helter skelter installed inside Norwich Cathedral as part of the Seeing It Differently project

An image shows the helter skelter under construction within the nave at Norwich Cathedral

An image shows the helter skelter under construction within the nave at Norwich Cathedral

It comes after Rochester Cathedral in Kent installed a crazy golf course in its nave, which caused some controversy among parishioners and clergy

It comes after Rochester Cathedral in Kent installed a crazy golf course in its nave, which caused some controversy among parishioners and clergy

‘We want everybody to feel that they can come in and enjoy it.’

It comes after Rochester Cathedral in Kent installed a crazy golf course in its nave.

But the idea has been met with horror from parishioners and clergy – including some who were ordained there – who say the Church of England is dumbing down and the course is an ’embarrassing shambles’ and ‘sad and painful.’ 

Dubbed ‘Kent’s most unusual golf course’, those running the famous Norman building created the course in partnership with the Rochester Bridge Trust, which maintains bridges in the area.

The medieval nave now has nine holes, each one based on a bridge.

But the idea has been met with horror from parishioners and clergy - including some who were ordained there - who say the Church of England is dumbing down and the course is an 'embarrassing shambles' and 'sad and painful.'

But the idea has been met with horror from parishioners and clergy – including some who were ordained there – who say the Church of England is dumbing down and the course is an ’embarrassing shambles’ and ‘sad and painful.’

Fr David Palmer, Catholic Priest in the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, Tweeted: 'I was 'ordained' as an Anglican in this Cathedral. What an embarrassing shambles'

Fr David Palmer, Catholic Priest in the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, Tweeted: ‘I was ‘ordained’ as an Anglican in this Cathedral. What an embarrassing shambles’

Dubbed 'Kent's most unusual golf course', those running the famous Norman building created the course in partnership with the Rochester Bridge Trust, which maintains bridges in the area. The medieval nave now has nine holes, each one based on a bridge

Dubbed ‘Kent’s most unusual golf course’, those running the famous Norman building created the course in partnership with the Rochester Bridge Trust, which maintains bridges in the area. The medieval nave now has nine holes, each one based on a bridge

It is the latest in a series of Church initiatives at cathedrals, which also include a 40ft helter-skelter in Norwich and a gin and prosecco festival at Peterborough. 

Anglican leaders hope they will appeal to younger people and help congregation numbers, which have plummeted by up to 20 per cent in the past decade. 

The course’s creators say it was built to encourage young people to learn more about the engineering behind bridges and is free of charge.

The Revd. Rachel Phillips, Canon for Mission and Growth at Rochester Cathedral, said: ‘For over 1,400 years, Rochester Cathedral has been a centre of learning for the community.

‘By temporarily installing an educational adventure golf course we aim to continue that mission, giving people the opportunity to learn while they take part in a fun activity, in what for many might be a previously unvisited [sic] building.’

The course is designed and paid for by the Rochester Bridge Trust and constructed by HM Adventure Golf.

Critics on Twitter slammed the golf course. Mark de Vries said: 'Rochester cathedral (Anglican) becomes a minigolf course to 'inspire people to learn about bridges'

Critics on Twitter slammed the golf course. Mark de Vries said: ‘Rochester cathedral (Anglican) becomes a minigolf course to ‘inspire people to learn about bridges’

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