Taking a break from the summer backlog of photos to post from my recent spur-of-the-moment trip to the west of England. I booked my five-day tour on the Friday, and left on the Monday, hitting Worcester, Gloucester, Bristol, Wells, Exeter, Penzance, and St. Ives. Cathedrals and Cornwall, to cure me of the last of my Posttraumatic Dissertation Disorder.
{Click on the map below to see my route.}
First up, a quick stop in Worcester, for the cathedral.
Northern approach.
Worcester Cathedral is unique in that it represents every style
of English architecture from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic.
Plus requisite alterations by our interventive friends
The Victorians.
First view down the nave.
Through the aisle...
To the cloisters.
Looking through the quarries.
In the cloisters you will find this interesting collection of medieval
bells, formerly used in the cathedral bell-tower and central tower.
They date from 1220 to the sixteenth century.
Medieval font and crowned capitals <3.
A tour, starting in the north aisle.
Some nineteenth-century ladies.
Plus a medieval dude.
Threadbare flags in a chapel.
Just chillin' in Worcester Cathedral.
That effigy is actually gazing at this, the east
window of the cathedral. If you couldn't already tell
by those garish colo[u]rs, this is Victorian glass.
Because it was too tall to get a proper photo, these
badly pieced-together photos show the chantry chapel
of Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales (1486-1502).
An ugly Victorian window nearby commemorates him.
A real portrait. You may remember him
as the elder brother of Henry VIII, and
first husband of Katharine of Aragon.
And another portrait from the Royal Collection.
Arthur died at Ludlow Castle in the Welsh Marches, aged 15.
Shortly after their marriage he and Katharine
both fell ill; she survived, he did not. She went
on to claim {probably falsely} that the marriage
was never consummated, freeing her to marry
Arthur's younger brother Henry.
The chantry is covered in elaborate heraldic decor.
The Beaufort portcullis, roses en soleil, fleurs-de-lys, and the
single ostrich feather emblem of the Prince of Wales.
These were intended to be vibrantly painted and gilded,
but the tomb remained unfinished by the time Henry VIII
took the throne, when associations with Arthur were swept
under the rug, due to the controversy of his relationship
with Katharine.
A falcon in an open fetterlock from Arthur's York ancestors;
the bunch of arrows representative of Isabella of Spain,
mother of Katharine of Aragon.
Elaborate pleurants, or mourners, adorn the tomb.
Arthur's body was carried in an elaborate funeral
procession from Wales to Worcester. Neither of
his parents, nor his wife, attended the funeral.
The prince's basic tomb (no effigy) is in the upper level of the chantry.
Screen of saints in the chantry.
This leads us into the quire and another royal burial,
that of King John (1166-1216).
Now King John is before my time period of interest
so I Do Not Really Care About Him; however, you
may remember him from things like Robin Hood
and the Magna Carta, etc.
He died in nearby Nottinghamshire, and may or
Northern approach.
Worcester Cathedral is unique in that it represents every style
of English architecture from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic.
Plus requisite alterations by our interventive friends
The Victorians.
First view down the nave.
Through the aisle...
To the cloisters.
Looking through the quarries.
In the cloisters you will find this interesting collection of medieval
bells, formerly used in the cathedral bell-tower and central tower.
They date from 1220 to the sixteenth century.
Medieval font and crowned capitals <3.
A tour, starting in the north aisle.
Some nineteenth-century ladies.
Plus a medieval dude.
Threadbare flags in a chapel.
Just chillin' in Worcester Cathedral.
That effigy is actually gazing at this, the east
window of the cathedral. If you couldn't already tell
by those garish colo[u]rs, this is Victorian glass.
Because it was too tall to get a proper photo, these
badly pieced-together photos show the chantry chapel
of Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales (1486-1502).
An ugly Victorian window nearby commemorates him.
as the elder brother of Henry VIII, and
first husband of Katharine of Aragon.
And another portrait from the Royal Collection.
Arthur died at Ludlow Castle in the Welsh Marches, aged 15.
Shortly after their marriage he and Katharine
both fell ill; she survived, he did not. She went
on to claim {probably falsely} that the marriage
was never consummated, freeing her to marry
Arthur's younger brother Henry.
The chantry is covered in elaborate heraldic decor.
The Beaufort portcullis, roses en soleil, fleurs-de-lys, and the
single ostrich feather emblem of the Prince of Wales.
These were intended to be vibrantly painted and gilded,
but the tomb remained unfinished by the time Henry VIII
took the throne, when associations with Arthur were swept
under the rug, due to the controversy of his relationship
with Katharine.
A falcon in an open fetterlock from Arthur's York ancestors;
the bunch of arrows representative of Isabella of Spain,
mother of Katharine of Aragon.
Elaborate pleurants, or mourners, adorn the tomb.
Arthur's body was carried in an elaborate funeral
procession from Wales to Worcester. Neither of
his parents, nor his wife, attended the funeral.
He was buried in Worcester due to its proximity.
The Henry VII (his dad) Chapel at Westminster
Abbey was not begun until the following year.
The prince's basic tomb (no effigy) is in the upper level of the chantry.
Screen of saints in the chantry.
This leads us into the quire and another royal burial,
that of King John (1166-1216).
Now King John is before my time period of interest
so I Do Not Really Care About Him; however, you
may remember him from things like Robin Hood
and the Magna Carta, etc.
He died in nearby Nottinghamshire, and may or
may not have been poisoned. He specifically
requested to be buried at Worcester Cathedral.
Why do these cathedrals always put Modern Crap in front
of their altars ? Less is more, people.
Isn't this nice, though !
Showing the height of the central tower.
Southern transept.
People contemplating the cathedral.
It's funny, the more I study medieval architecture,
the more I realize how unique each cathedral truly is.
More views of the quire.
Down the nave towards the west window.
From ceiling...
To crypt.
{A Norman crypt, built to house the remains
of St. Wulfstan. Yes there is a St. Wulfstan.}
A group of high school art students were
visiting the cathedral with their sketchbooks.
Seriously, these people have no idea how lucky they are!
How amazing. "Oh by the way kids, we're just going
to make a quick trip to a medieval cathedral tomorrow
to sketch whatever inspires you there."
Heading towards the exit.
But first...
Forget those royal burials because I give this the
Best Tomb Award for Worcester Cathedral.
Yes that is a black swan !
There are in fact two !
This is said to be the tomb of John Beauchamp of Holt (d. 1388)
and his wife Joan. He was accused of high treason and and beheaded
on Tower Hill, London. Lovely.
Love Joan's dress though.
Outside and lol'ing that they have to tell people not to park
underneath medieval buttresses.
Why do these cathedrals always put Modern Crap in front
of their altars ? Less is more, people.
Isn't this nice, though !
Showing the height of the central tower.
Southern transept.
People contemplating the cathedral.
It's funny, the more I study medieval architecture,
the more I realize how unique each cathedral truly is.
More views of the quire.
Down the nave towards the west window.
From ceiling...
To crypt.
{A Norman crypt, built to house the remains
of St. Wulfstan. Yes there is a St. Wulfstan.}
A group of high school art students were
visiting the cathedral with their sketchbooks.
Seriously, these people have no idea how lucky they are!
How amazing. "Oh by the way kids, we're just going
to make a quick trip to a medieval cathedral tomorrow
to sketch whatever inspires you there."
Heading towards the exit.
But first...
Forget those royal burials because I give this the
Best Tomb Award for Worcester Cathedral.
Yes that is a black swan !
There are in fact two !
This is said to be the tomb of John Beauchamp of Holt (d. 1388)
and his wife Joan. He was accused of high treason and and beheaded
on Tower Hill, London. Lovely.
Love Joan's dress though.
Outside and lol'ing that they have to tell people not to park
underneath medieval buttresses.
Beautiful.
Overlooking the Severn River from the cathedral grounds.
Worcester cobblestones & a walk through town.
No. 10.
Bygones of Worcester.
In the window; an amazing cameo vase I could not afford.
Fish Street.
Worcester's lovely guildhall, circa 1721.
Above the doorway, a lovely figure of Queen Anne,
the photograph doesn't do the details of her dress justice.
And on to Gloucester...
xx
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