Road Trip: Cornwall to the Cotswolds Part 3

Salisbury Cathedral, subject of the renowned painting by John Constable, is really something to behold, both inside and out. It was built in the Early English Gothic style of which it is an outstanding example. Building commenced in 1230 and was mostly completed by 1258. The cloisters were added in 1240 and the chapter house in 1263. The spire was built in 1320 and and became the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom after St Paul's Cathedral in London burned down in 1561. 

Salisbury Cathedral by John Constable 1826

The nave of the cathedral is narrow in relation to the height of the vaulted ceiling, but it is light and bright with pale grey stone and polished marble columns.

Nave of Salisbury Cathedral 13th century

Cloisters at Salisbury Cathedral AD 1240

There is a fascinating medieval clock in the side aisle which dates from around 1386 and is thought to be the oldest working modern clock in the world. It's not a clock as we know it, it just has bells which ring the quarter hour.

Medieval Clock at Salisbury Cathedral

A number of tombs can be seen around the cathedral. The first to be buried there was William Longespée, Earl of Salisbury, who died in 1226. He was a half-brother to King John and his name appears in the 1215 Magna Carta as an adviser to the king.

William Longespée's tomb, the first burial in Salisbury Cathedral, 1226

The most treasured item at the cathedral is an original copy of Magna Carta, one of only four that survive. It is housed in the octagonal chapter house in its own little tent where it is protected in a glass case. Visitors are allowed in in ones or twos and photography is not allowed. The light is kept low to protect the ancient sheepskin parchment on which it was written.

Waiting in line to view an original copy of Magna Carta

Not far from Salisbury is one of the UK's most well-known attractions: Stonehenge. When I visited in 2010, it was a day of wild weather, wind and pouring rain. Today is overcast and none too warm, but dry. My impression thirteen years ago was that of awe and wonder at these monoliths which had a luminosity of their own in the torrential rain of that day. We arrive at the car park and nothing is as it was in 2010. We find that a new 'state-of-the-art' visitor centre opened in 2013, the old one swept away and the road which passed the stones, the A344, has been grassed over. 

The new visitor centre (all the usual cafe, gift shop, audio visual stuff) is one-and-a-half miles away from the stones, so you need to get on a shuttle bus to reach them (or walk the mile and a half).

Is all that the reason the stones no longer overwhelm me as they did on that day in 2010 when I emerged from the bunker of the old visitor and turned to see the stones in all their glory? It is only me who is under-whelmed, Jo says she had expected them to appear bigger (maybe because she remembers me raving about them in my book!). I feel that now you approach from a greater distance, the impact is lost and the approach I think is from a different section of the circle, not its most outstanding angle. Anyway, whatever the reason, in my opinion Stonehenge has not benefitted from thousands more tourists and their needs.

Stonehenge from its best angle

In the afternoon we have a long drive to a farm near Evesham (Evesham is where Agatha Raisin gets her hair done, if you read the books or watch the TV show) in the Cotswolds where we have two nights to enjoy the peace of the countryside. Stay tuned for tomorrow's tour of the Cotswolds' prettiest villages.