26. Salisbury Cathedral

Where: Salisbury, England

When: February 18, 2012

With: Dave, Tim and Kelly

This had been my third trip to Salisbury. Each time, I had walked the town, eaten at the old pubs, and walked the grounds of cathedral. Yet this was the first time I actually got to go INSIDE the cathedral, and thus, cross it off my list. Finally. 

It's always impressive how massive this cathedral is and how long ago it was built. It must have been so imposing back in the 1200s, especially with how tall the steeple is (which remains the tallest church spire in all of England to this day). Legend has it that the site for this cathedral was chosen by a bishop who shot an arrow into the air and said he would build the church wherever the arrow landed. However, the arrow hit a deer, which ran until it died on this spot. 

Apparently, the cloisters on the inside of the church are the largest in all of Britain. 

 

Upon (finally) entering the cathedral, my first thought was that this was definitely one of the emptiest. Yet you still can't believe how overwhelming these places are. The whole place was built in only 38 years, and as a result, it has a consistent architectural style (instead of the mishmash you get when you build over 100s of years). 

One really random thing that separates this cathedral from normal tombs and spires: it has the world's oldest working clock. There's no face on it, but it rings bells every hour. 

Think one of these flags was carried during the Revolutionary War, but from the other side. We're just going to tiptoe away from this area with our American accents. 

I think my favorite item in the church was also completely out of place. Right in the middle of the giant, empty nave was a random fountain, standing on its own in the middle of the church, water spilling out its sides onto grates on the floor. 

As per usual, lots of random tombs are scattered about containing some very old bones. And of course, the pets serving as the foot rest to their deceased owners. 

The west transcept and the clerestory...after all these cathedrals, we are soo getting the lingo down. 

View of the nave from the back. Our cab driver told us there were 365 windows, one for each day of the year, 12 doors, one for each month, and 24 pillars, one for each hour in the day. Sadly, my research is turning up that this is not true. But I still want to believe and support my little old English cab driver. 

Some good stained glass. These are for Dave - stained glass remains his favorite part of these cathedrals. 

In addition to the multitudes of pretty ceilings and intricate tombs, Salisbury is also home to the best preserved copy of the original Magna Carta, one of four remaining. You can't take pictures of it, but I promise you, it is so well preserved that you can still read the perfectly written English as though it was drawn up yesterday. The writing is so perfect. 

Very glad I finally got to cross this one off my list and add it to my list of cathedrals.