Quiet Time
When I used to live close to and work in Romsey I frequently would visit Romsey Abbey in the early morning and sit out of the way near the small chapels behind the High Altar and allow the quiet old stone to give me some measure of calm. Those who know me well will know that I am quite adamant in my opinion that any organised religions are not for me and may be surprised at my habit of visiting and spending time in old churches quite frequently.
I had a couple of hours to kill last Friday whilst waiting for my friend to get into Guildford for a shoppin' & gossip session so I thought I'd visit Guildford Cathedral seeing as I've been living in the area for six years now and have not got around to visiting! I didn't expect to like it as the outside facade does not look graceful and welcoming at all:
I'm used to seeing this huge, brick building up on the hill above Guildford though, so it didn't put me off too much. It was nice to see the building open at seven in the morning. I'm getting too used to finding such buildings locked and closed at the times that I want to visit them.
The history and materials used to build the cathedral I won't go into as the details are on the linked website. I was rocked back on my heels when I entered the building. I don't know quite what I was expecting, but it was certainly not what I saw! It is really very lovely inside. The warm tones of the stone used seem to bounce the light around to create a very comforting and calming atmosphere.
The architecture is pure traditional. I found myself impressed that these types of building skills have survived into this age of pre-fab. The stone work is beautiful. Admittedly, the whole thing has a very "new" look - there obviously is not the carved initials and dates, deep grooves and worn corners that I am used to seeing in much older stone buildings. It does not have a raw feel though, not at all. I sat and mused and let my mind wander for some time. Very nice.
I thought I'd also take a wander outside to see the view from the hill - Stag Hill apparently. It would be very impressive on a day with nicer weather. It was very blowy up on the hill and very refreshing. Not being able to walk far away from the building on the same level makes it difficult to judge it's size from the outside though.
If you're in the area and you get a chance, well worth a visit. A very interesting place.
I had a couple of hours to kill last Friday whilst waiting for my friend to get into Guildford for a shoppin' & gossip session so I thought I'd visit Guildford Cathedral seeing as I've been living in the area for six years now and have not got around to visiting! I didn't expect to like it as the outside facade does not look graceful and welcoming at all:
I'm used to seeing this huge, brick building up on the hill above Guildford though, so it didn't put me off too much. It was nice to see the building open at seven in the morning. I'm getting too used to finding such buildings locked and closed at the times that I want to visit them.
The history and materials used to build the cathedral I won't go into as the details are on the linked website. I was rocked back on my heels when I entered the building. I don't know quite what I was expecting, but it was certainly not what I saw! It is really very lovely inside. The warm tones of the stone used seem to bounce the light around to create a very comforting and calming atmosphere.
The architecture is pure traditional. I found myself impressed that these types of building skills have survived into this age of pre-fab. The stone work is beautiful. Admittedly, the whole thing has a very "new" look - there obviously is not the carved initials and dates, deep grooves and worn corners that I am used to seeing in much older stone buildings. It does not have a raw feel though, not at all. I sat and mused and let my mind wander for some time. Very nice.
I thought I'd also take a wander outside to see the view from the hill - Stag Hill apparently. It would be very impressive on a day with nicer weather. It was very blowy up on the hill and very refreshing. Not being able to walk far away from the building on the same level makes it difficult to judge it's size from the outside though.
If you're in the area and you get a chance, well worth a visit. A very interesting place.
posted by Catherine at 22:05
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