Sunday, October 25, 2009
A Tale of Two Cathedral Cities.
Exam questions would often require you to "compare and contrast" things up for discussion.
Today I have been comparing and contrasting 2 cathedral cities - Canterbury and Chichester.
We had a somewhat unsatisfactory visit to Canterbury during our Kent holiday and today we have been in Chichester.
Today the weather has been lovely and we looked forward to bargain hunting and enjoying our surroundings.
The first car boot sale of the day was at Fontwell......and we found nothing!
I don't mean that nothing was there, but amongst the very busy stalls we found nothing but tat. Shame! That is always so deflating.
We drove into Bognor - without great optimism about the little car boot sale there. We left that one also with absolutely nothing!
We decided to drive straight into Chichester and get the car parked in the market place well before the car boot sale started.
We had breakfast at The Dolphin - a Wetherspoons place. When Wetherspoons get things right they are very good. I had a normal (quite large) breakfast for £2.69. Bill had the huge breakfast for only £1.20 more than that.
Then we walked around the cathedral - not in, because at that time on a Sunday morning a service is on; but we could hear music from within.
Now, walking freely around the cathedral at Canterbury was not an option.
The Chichester car boot sale was excessively crowded and my first time round the stalls with my shopping trolley was difficult.
But at least we found just a little - not much it is true.
I found a Glyn Colledge bowl. He was a potter for Denby and his work is much admired and collected - and the quality stands out. I saw it across the aisle and realised that it was the only bit of quality I was likely to see today.
Now back to the cathedrals?
What was wrong with Canterbury you may wonder.
We just felt that Canterbury has become a bit of a theme park. Pay your money and grab the Canterbury history experience.
We had been there before and, in the past, were able to walk around the cathedral and walls without restriction.
Now, the hordes of visitors had just one access through to the cathedral precinct and to pass through, money had to be handed over.
Now I am not against cathedrals collecting money for their upkeep - for it requires a great deal to keep these beautiful historical buildings in good condition.
But it does not sit well with what a cathedral is actually for - and to have to pay to walk around part of the town does seem wrong.
Maybe we are too tight-fisted - but £15 for a couple to visit the cathedral precinct and building did seem to be over the top.
We didn't pay it and felt happy to get away from the whole experience.
Look! A glimpse of the cathedral over a wall.
Such glimpses were rare indeed - unless you paid your money.
This is the gateway all the paying tourists go through.
Here is a postcard of the cathedral - and yes, it is special.
Statue of St Richard in the cloisters.
Buildings in the precinct.
Archway from the cloisters out into the street.
The market cross - from outside the cathedral.
Cottage door and window.
Cottages with the cathedral beyond.
Postcard of the cathedral.
It is a beautiful building in a lovely city with a true heart.
Today I have been comparing and contrasting 2 cathedral cities - Canterbury and Chichester.
We had a somewhat unsatisfactory visit to Canterbury during our Kent holiday and today we have been in Chichester.
Today the weather has been lovely and we looked forward to bargain hunting and enjoying our surroundings.
The first car boot sale of the day was at Fontwell......and we found nothing!
I don't mean that nothing was there, but amongst the very busy stalls we found nothing but tat. Shame! That is always so deflating.
We drove into Bognor - without great optimism about the little car boot sale there. We left that one also with absolutely nothing!
We decided to drive straight into Chichester and get the car parked in the market place well before the car boot sale started.
We had breakfast at The Dolphin - a Wetherspoons place. When Wetherspoons get things right they are very good. I had a normal (quite large) breakfast for £2.69. Bill had the huge breakfast for only £1.20 more than that.
Then we walked around the cathedral - not in, because at that time on a Sunday morning a service is on; but we could hear music from within.
Now, walking freely around the cathedral at Canterbury was not an option.
The Chichester car boot sale was excessively crowded and my first time round the stalls with my shopping trolley was difficult.
But at least we found just a little - not much it is true.
I found a Glyn Colledge bowl. He was a potter for Denby and his work is much admired and collected - and the quality stands out. I saw it across the aisle and realised that it was the only bit of quality I was likely to see today.
Now back to the cathedrals?
What was wrong with Canterbury you may wonder.
We just felt that Canterbury has become a bit of a theme park. Pay your money and grab the Canterbury history experience.
We had been there before and, in the past, were able to walk around the cathedral and walls without restriction.
Now, the hordes of visitors had just one access through to the cathedral precinct and to pass through, money had to be handed over.
Now I am not against cathedrals collecting money for their upkeep - for it requires a great deal to keep these beautiful historical buildings in good condition.
But it does not sit well with what a cathedral is actually for - and to have to pay to walk around part of the town does seem wrong.
Maybe we are too tight-fisted - but £15 for a couple to visit the cathedral precinct and building did seem to be over the top.
We didn't pay it and felt happy to get away from the whole experience.
Look! A glimpse of the cathedral over a wall.
Such glimpses were rare indeed - unless you paid your money.
This is the gateway all the paying tourists go through.
Here is a postcard of the cathedral - and yes, it is special.
A quirky building we passed on our way into the centre.
Chichester is just so different.
The cathedral is central to the life of the town.
Everybody is free to walk into the precinct, all around the cathedral and through the cloisters.
It is free to enter the cathedral itself - but of course we didn't today, for we wouldn't want to intrude on what a cathedral is really for.
I would happily leave a small donation towards the upkeep of the Sussex spiritual centre.
We have at other times walked on the city walls and explore the Bishop's Palace Garden.
Statue of St Richard in the cloisters.
Buildings in the precinct.
Archway from the cloisters out into the street.
The market cross - from outside the cathedral.
Cottage door and window.
Cottages with the cathedral beyond.
Postcard of the cathedral.
It is a beautiful building in a lovely city with a true heart.
