Winchester Cathedral

"Winchester Cathedral

You're bringing me down
You stood and you watched as
My baby left town"

We drove into Winchester, the Saxons' ancient capital, and where William was first crowned, to see the cathedral and a bit of the town. Somehow, Winchester cathedral gets two Michelin stars. In most any respect--size, history, art, relics, architecture--it is of secondary importance, if that. Yet, it has great appeal, particularly if one is awed by these great monuments, how they are put together, what keeps them together and still up. Winchester was of interest to me for just these reasons. And it will take two or three posts to explain it all, so bear with me.

Winchester Cathedral; 2/3 of it; only St. Pete's at the Vatican

is of greater length

All white (just once I'd like to see one painted,

in bright colors, as they originally were)

Choir, looking back to nave

West window, destroyed in the Civil War;

shards collected and put back together by

townspeople

Screen; similarly destroyed in the Civil War,

rebuilt in the 19th century

Screen through choir from nave

St. Swithun's tomb; hey, you got to have a saint and relics if

you want tourists, I mean, pilgrims...

North aisle, incredible 12th century tile work

on the floor

A green man misericord in the choir

Winchester is so long (the lady hall was an add-on) that the

townspeople would short-cut through it; whereupon, the

clergy erected this 13th century sign: pray, this way; walk,

that way.