Sunday, December 03, 2006

A Detour Into Wiltshire


I just love ancient cathedrals and churches. Whenever I’m abroad, it thrills me immensely to be able to step into one of these majestic monuments to faith, and to learn more about the history and the art and the architecture behind each structure. England is home to many great cathedrals, and apart from those in London, I had the good fortune on earlier visits to check out those in York, Canterbury, Ely, and then most recently, Winchester. Most of them were built during the medieval era, in a Norman or Gothic style, over an extended period of time. This past weekend in the countryside gave me the perfect opportunity to visit the nearby Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire.

What’s so striking about it? Architecturally, it is well known for having the tallest spire of any church in England. It does present a pretty striking and dramatic picture. Those who are familiar with the landscapes of John Constable may also find it recognizable, as he painted the cathedral several times over a few years. Check out examples here, here and here.

The interior of the cathedral was impressive, as expected. The main structure was erected within 38 years – a blink of an eye in medieval cathedral building terms – and as such, one single architectural style dominates – Early English Gothic. I entered just in time to join a guided tour session, and was able amazed to learn how shallow the foundations of the cathedral were – a mere four feet. Pretty amazing.

A little other nugget about Salisbury Cathedral; housed inside the elegant Chapter House, which sits next to the cloisters, is one of only four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta. Yes, this was the seminal document from 1215 which forms the basis for the later Anglo-American conceptions of limited government and individual rights. Composed in Latin, it served as an agreement between King John and a group of barons who had opposed various aspects of his rule.


Later the day, we swung northwards toward Stonehenge. The approach towards this prehistoric attraction was very impressive. I had been to Stonehenge twice before, but it was exciting once again to see in front of oneself the huge circle of boulders – silhouetted against the setting sun. We stood there, pondering the central questions – Who built Stonehenge? And how they did erect it? Was it built, in fact, by seven foot tall aliens with two heads who preferred human flesh over roast lamb? Such are the mysteries of the past.

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