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U.K. 2013 

Day 20, Sunday

September 22, 2013

 London to Chichester

Our friends Mike and Val picked us up at 10:00, and we headed south.   Our first stop was Guildford Cathedral.  It was after 11:00 and church was over.

GUILDFORD CATHEDRAL

Building work on the Cathedral started in 1936, to a design by Sir Edward Maufe. But work was stopped by the Second World War. Despite enormous setbacks, regular services were held in the Crypt Chapel.

When building restrictions were lifted and materials were available again, there was a renewed sense of determination in the local community to complete the Cathedral. But there were very limited funds. 

Eventually, through the “Buy-a-Brick” fundraising campaign, work re-started again in 1954. More than 200,000 people became  brick-givers. Their generosity helped ensure the completion of what they thought of as “their Cathedral”. It was an extraordinary act of public support.

With a resilient and make do and mend approach, the inside of the Cathedral was furnished. Again, much of this was done with the assistance of local people. For example the locals hand made 1500 kneelers, which remain in place today.

George Reindorp in the presence of HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, the Archbishop of Canterbury and a packed congregation from all parts of the diocese. 

We found a scaffolding in the choir in front of the high altar because the ceiling had been plastered and contained asbestos which was flaking. In another building, they had a nice tea room, so we had a cup of coffee. 

For part of the trip we were on major highways, and then we switched to country back roads with attractive little towns with half timbered houses. 

CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL

About 1:00 we arrived in Chichester.  We went to a restaurant for lunch.  Kathleen and I had small minute steaks with fries.  We walked up to Chichester Cathedral which was quite lovely. The cathedral was Romanesque with rounded arches. It was surrounded by other buildings, making it impossible to get a long shot photo of the entire Cathedral.

Following the Norman conquest, bishoprics located in out-of-the-way places were transferred to greater centers of population; so in 1075 the bishopric was moved from Selsey to the old Roman city of Chichester. A new cathedral was begun on the site of a Saxon Church. The cathedral was completed and consecrated in Bishop Ralph Luffa in 1108. There was another disastrous fire in 1114 and Bishop Luffa at once set about the task of rebuilding. The present church was largely restored after another fire in1187 which destroyed the wooden roof . Bishop Seffrid II build a stone vaulted roof and introduced the blend of rounded and pointed arches into the clerestory using stone from Caen in Normandy together with Purbeck marble. He replaced the apses with a square east end.

All of the interior arches were rounded Romanesque; however the frame of the external windows were pointed Gothic as was the choir screen. The Victorians, who loved unimpeded vistas, dismantled the choir screen and stored it for a century before becoming re-erected as Memorial to Bishop Bell in 1961.

Unlike anything that we have seen in other cathedrals, the reredos or tapestry behind the older was quite modern. The colors were brilliant and the design was awe inspiring. The subject of the tapestry is the Holy Trinity, in whose honor the cathedral is dedicated. The sun represents the Father, the cross the Son, and the wing-like flames the Holy Spirit. Flanking the central motif are the symbols of the four evangelist and the four elements of creation (earth,air,water, and fire). There were also many beautiful stained glass windows in the cathedral.

After seeing the cathedral, we retraced our steps and stopped in a little town, Midhurst, where there is a famous inn, The Spread Eagle which dates back to the 1620.  Mike and Val have stayed there and have had dinner.   We decided to enjoy high tea at 4:00.  We made reservations and then walk the wonderful little town.  The town had many interesting old buildings.

 Tea was very nice – tea, scones, jelly and clotted cream.   After leaving there, Mike and Val wanted us to stop by their home.  It was fun to see where they lived.  Mike showed us some of his models that he had taken to a show yesterday.  Mike brought us back to our apartment, which is about 15 minutes from their house.

We really had a wonderful time.  We appreciate their entertaining us for two days.    Well, tomorrow is our last day.  We are planning a boat trip to Greenwich.  

 NEXT DAY

PREFACE

Day 1 -Arrival in Edinburgh

Day 2 - Edinburgh

Day 3- Edinburgh to Inchcolm Abbey

Day 4 - Edinburgh to Melrose & Rosslyn

DAY 5 - Edinburgh   

DAY 6 - Edinburgh

DAY 7 - York  

DAY 8 - Durham

DAY 9 -York 

DAY 10 - Lincoln

DAY 11 -Ely  

DAY 12 - Peterborough

DAY 13 - Cambridge 

DAY 14 - Ely to Worchester  

DAY 15 - Tewkesbury and Gloucester

DAY 16 - Hereford         

DAY l7 - London   

DAY 18 - London  

DAY 19 - London   

DAY 20 - London to Guildford, Chichester, Midhurst

DAY 21 - London      OUR LAST DAY

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