[2] The first church on the site was believed to have been built in Anglo-Saxon times and fell into ruin after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Proprietary chapels were founded, on the north side of the chancel by the Leventhorpe family, and on the south by the owners of Bolling Hall.

The visitor numbers were much lower than expected, and the project collapsed, leaving the cathedral in debt, from which it was discharged in 2007.

[10] St Peter's House is now owned by a South Asian arts group, Kala Sangam.

[12] The close provides modern housing for the dean and canons residentiary, the bishop's official residence, Bishopcroft, being in Heaton, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) from the city centre.

In the 19th and 20th centuries the cathedral was partly hidden from the centre by buildings, first by the post office just below it, and subsequently by the 1960s developments of Forster Square and Petergate.

The latter areas were demolished in 2006, leaving the cathedral more visible than for many years prior to the completion of the Broadway Centre in 2015.

New entrants spend a couple of terms as a probationer, receiving basic training in singing and musicianship, before progressing to full membership.

Full choristers have the opportunity to take up individual, free-of-charge tuition in singing, musicianship, theory or piano on a 1:1 basis each week.

The Cathedral Consort, a high standard chamber choir consisting of adult sopranos and lay clerks, completes the Choral Foundation.

[17] A series of organ recitals takes place on many Wednesday lunchtimes throughout the year at 1.00 pm, attracting many well-known players.

[18] An Organ Appeal was launched in February 2013, aiming to raise £250,000 over several years, in order to secure the continued reliability of the instrument, as well as making possible several tonal adjustments.