Day 6: Salisbury
Relaxing Morning and a Tour of Arundells
It was a rainy day in Salisbury today, but we enjoyed it anyway. We began the day by sleeping in a little and then enjoying a late breakfast before sitting out on our deck for a while before the rains came. Late in the morning, we walked down to the chapel area and visited Arundells, the home of the late prime minister, Edward Heath. It was packed with artifacts of his life, works of art, and history. The gardens were pretty and reached down to the river.
It was a rainy day in Salisbury today, but we enjoyed it anyway. We began the day by sleeping in a little and then enjoying a late breakfast before sitting out on our deck for a while before the rains came. Late in the morning, we walked down to the chapel area and visited Arundells, the home of the late prime minister, Edward Heath. It was packed with artifacts of his life, works of art, and history. The gardens were pretty and reached down to the river.
Salisbury Cathedral
We met our group at the cathedral for our tour at the prearranged time, and it was really crowded. The tours didn’t open until 2:30 due to student graduation ceremonies (from primary school). The classes were all funneling out as groups with their teachers leading the way. It was interesting to catch that look into local customs. The tour was interesting and lasted about an hour. We were taken through the church and saw the new baptismal fountain that reflected the windows. We saw how they had to reinforce the tower area after the columns started to bow. They added some new cross buttresses to reinforce it and keep it standing. It’s a bit of a marvel in that it’s built on sand and a shallow water table without traditional footings. They have a tile they can remove and dip a stick into it to check the water level. It has actually flooded in the past. Another interesting attraction inside the church was the world’s oldest working clock which dates back to 1386. After our tour of the cathedral, we went to the chapter house where monks would get their assignments for the day and read a “chapter” of the Bible. It holds one of 4 national copies of the Magna Carte, a foundational document detailing the roles of government, church, and people. |
Highlights of the DayThe highlight of the day had to be the incredible Salisbury Cathedral. While awe-inspiring from the outside, it's even more incredible on the inside, especially the mesmerizing reflecting pool that was more recently added to the church. Sometimes these new additions take away from the historic feel, but this one did not. It added to the impact in every respect.
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