Yesterday we said our farewells to Norfolk. It took about five hours for the journey to Cheltenham where my cousins Christine and Pene were waiting. Their brother wasn't far behind. Christine, a great cook, had been cooking up a storm and by the evening there were 11 of us partaking of the feast. Much talking, laughing and feasting.
Today we went to Gloucester. We began at the docks. The canal linking Gloucester and Sharpness was opened in 1827, bypassing a narrow, winding section of the Severn. Goods unloaded in Bristol could be transported toGloucester for distribution further inland.
A decade or so ago the ware houses were full of antique shops. Today many of them are apartments or offices.
We paid a visit to the Mariners Church, built as a result of the canal, to service the Mariners.it was completed in 1849. The church serviced seamen of many nations, including Spain, France, Denmark, hollan, Germany and the Americas - conducting services in many languages.
It s still a functioning Anglican Church.
He and his wife Christian were married for 50 years and had 7 sons and 6 daughters, images of whom decorate the tomb. As the sculptor worked the images around the tomb he ran out of room, the children get smaller and progress around the side of the tomb.
The dock area is a popular shopping precinct. There is still an antiques market incorporated.
And paused inside to note the statue of Edward Jenner, a native of Gloucester. 
I really liked the tomb of Thomas Machen, Alderman and Mayor of Gloucester who died in 1614.We were lucky enough to be there for a Gay Pride Parade, complete with Town Crier
and also for the opening of the bridge.
From there we moved to the Cathedral where a wedding was in progress.We entered the Cahedral Grounds through an arched doorway
The vaulting is lovely - in the trancept
the choir,
and the apse.
I loved the way the light played with the geometry of the vaulting, creating an almost abstract, modern design.
There are places where the stonework is constructed in a fine leap across an arch
Or provides a scaffold for wooden tracery.
We finished our day with a delicious dinner in the House in the Tree . Many thanks everyone for the lovely day.
I think a lot of the Gothic architecture feels pretty modern - almost art deco in some lighting. There's a simplicity which allows breathtaking grandeur.
ReplyDeleteTrue. It's when the emphasis moves from architecture to decoration that the simplicity gets lost..
Deletewhat a great and varied day. The shrinking children were quite odd weren't they - but nice to know others get stuck on their projects!
ReplyDeleteYes, I found them odd. I guess it's possible there was some significance to the sizes - but I suspect not.
DeleteSounds like a really lovely day. That transept was spectacular! The variety of architecture so far has been impressive, considering most churches were built in the same basic form.
ReplyDeleteIt's been quite a journey already. How are you holding up? Take care!