Update and more going on at the Cathedral

[Grandad]

It was a very grey morning but I took Mrs G into town and parked on a double yellow in the city centre (good old blue badge) and wandered (or hobbled ) the short distance to the Cathedral. I have still not been able to get a good picture of the restored South Window but this was this mornings effort. If you zoom in you can see more detail of the 12th/13th century stained glass, but you can also see the splendid new stonework of the window produced by the Cathedrals masons.


I posted some pictures of some panels, from an exhibition, in May 2015 and you may like to look for them in the window.


I was greeted by this notice on entering The Nave.


There was a lot of activity erecting a high level scafold platform as detailed in the information notice. If only the original builders had scaffolding like this instead of lashed wooden posts.


This view gives some idea of how high the platform will be to give access to The Nave ceiling. (This is an older picture)


Walking out along the South Aisle I noticed some scratchings on the columns. This was TH leaving his mark in 1667 and RW in 1672

More recently, Nadia left hers in 1977

There must be many more on the columns and walls of the Cathedral. But it passed an hour or so until I met Mrs G again back at the car......

[Kiya]

The cathedral is truly beautiful & the stained glass windows are amazing

Wish I could pass an hour or two in there

I'd be no good with the height

[Ruby Slippers]

Great photos, Grandad. Do they still charge a fee to go into the Cathedral?

[Grandad]

Oh yes RS. I am not sure how much but I think it is about a tenner. I think that is quite a high charge but when entry we free, they relied on people to leave a donation in the large box at the door. I don't think people were very generous so, in line with most similar places, they introduced a charge. But I have a precincts pass.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Lovely photos and the Cathedral is gorgeous.

[Mad Dilys]

It really is a Glorious place, thank you for the photos.

[Horus]

lovely pictures Grandad those wondows are truly amazing. It looks like you are in for a bit more conservation work then, but what a good idea to project an image of the vault onto the platform. It never quite sits right to me that these places charge for admission, they are after all supposed to be the house of god and it is not as if the church is poor. If money is required then it should be raised by donation or grants rather than an imposed charge, I was once very annoyed at York Cathedral when I only had about 20 minutes for a quick visit and wanted a few snaps and to impress a friend with the splendour of the building before we had to be elsewhere, needless to say they did not get the £20 it would have cost to get in, we gave it a miss.

[Grandad]

It really is a Glorious place, thank you for the photos.

I am not religious MD but I will happily sit inside in awe of these buildings. The stone was brought from Caen in France, up the river Stour from Sandwich to Fordwich where it was loaded on to carts for the 2 mile journey to Canterbury. The river is now silted and much shallower but this is Fordwich today where the stone was off loaded.


Horus, I must visit again in a few months when the scaffold platform is in place and the image is on view. Quite a neat use of photo imaging I think.

[Grandad]

I am planning on going to the Cathedral again this morning to see how the scaffold platform construction is progressing. I thought i should first check that the Cathedral is open this morning and whilst on their web pages I found this video that you might like to look at (full screen). I think it shows why, as a non religious person, I am in awe of this building.....

http://www.sphericalimages.com/virtual- ... al#content

You may need to copy and paste into your web browser address bar.

[Horus]

Excellent interactive video Grandad, played no problem

[Kiya]

Yes played with me too.

The cathedral is stunning, how did they do it.

Who are they who are buried there, I spotted four, two on each side with railings around them ?

[Grandad]

Kiya, those regarded as the top 10 people interred in the Cathedral are:

Archbishop Thomas Becket 1118 - 1170
King Henry IV of England 1366 - 1413
Princess Joan of Kent 1328 - 1385
Dean Isaac Bargrave 1586 - 1643
John Beaufort 1st Earl of Somerset 1373 - 1410
Thomas of Lancaster 1st Duke of Clarence 1388 - 1421
Margaret Beaufort Countess of Somerset 1385 - 1439
Edward The Black Prince, Son of King Edward III 1330 - 1376
Joan of Navarre Queen of England 1370 - 1437
Isabella Countess of Gloucester 1173 - 1217

The most impressive tomb is that of The Black Prince.


The regalia above the tomb in the second picture are all replicas but the originals are available to view inside a glass cabinet.

[Kiya]

Thank you for that info Grandad I've read many books about all of them apart from Dean Isaac Bargrave, cant say I've heard of him.

The Black Prince tomb looks amazing & I did spot the regalia up there in the video & wondered why

Thanks again

[Horus]

It is certainly very impressive, is it a painted marble (or similar) or is it metal?

[Grandad]

It is certainly very impressive, is it a painted marble (or similar) or is it metal?

I had to Google to find the answer to your question H.

The gilded copper effigy of the prince in armour is similar in style to Edward III's effigy in Westminster Abbey. It lies on a Purbeck marble tomb chest, probably attributable to Henry Yevele. The wooden tester (canopy) above the effigy is painted on the underside with a Throne of Mercy Trinity, surrounded by the four evangelists.


I marvel at the craftsmanship of those metal workers in the 14th century. How did they make copper sheet and then figure it into the Princes image. And how did they work gold such that it could be applied to the copper? I need a Tardis to go back and find out

[Horus]

True craftsmen Grandad

[LovelyLadyLux]

Very interesting and truly phenomenal

[Grandad]

We took the bus into town yesterday morning. Will have to get used to it so did a dummy run, can't afford a taxi every time we want to go to the supermarket or into town.

While my wife visited a few shops I went to the Cathedral to see what is happening there. At the start of this thread I mentioned a platform that was to be constructed so that restoration work could be done on the vaulted nave ceiling. The platform is now in place. The scaffold and boards weigh around 30 tons and I am not too sure exactly how they have secured it.. They have not yet put in place the print on cloth of how the ceiling looks without the platform so that visitors get some impression. This is what it looks like just now.


There is always sometjhing new to find and this cabinetwas in the south aisle and I have never noticed it before. The text explains all but these candles are quirte beautiful.


We met up again at the bus staion in time for the 12.46 back home

[Horus]

Very nice pictures again Grandad although I would not want to be under that scaffold mind you they have done a brill job of putting it up, I bet that cost a few bob
About the bus travel, I suppose you and Mrs G have got yourselves a free bus pass?

[Grandad]

Yes H, I think that is an example of extreme scaffolding installation. I bet most of the local scaffolders couldn't cope with that. There ia a lot of work going on inside and out with a current budget of £27 million. Costs a lot to maintain these old buyildings.

We DO have bus passes. we get them from age 60 I think (a long time ago). I often use mine to go into tpwn but for my wife it is a new experience, she has always had me to do the taxi job. Yesterday I was showing her the ropes

My neighbour does a regular Tuesday outing with a friend to go somewhere in the south east. I believe that the pass covers all of Kent and beyond so not bad on a nice day.....