A visit to Winchester

Hello again

I watched a DVD the other night - first for a long time - called "Becoming Jane", the Jane in question being Jane Austen, author of "Pride and Prejudice". It was mainly the story of Jane and the love of her life, Tom Lefroy. I didn't think the film was terribly good, but it did remind me that Jane Austen died in Winchester and was buried in Winchester Cathedral, where I saw her memorial last year when I was visiting my friend Margaret.

This is Margaret, and her husband Colin, at home. Merlin is the black cat Margaret is stroking. See that fan? Margaret made the lace, and it is beautiful.

So, back to Jane Austen... although I had no picture of the rather uninteresting looking memorial plaque itself, I used other photos to make a layout, not about Jane, but about the cathedral itself.

This building was built in the 11th century, on the orders of William the Conqueror, replacing an even earlier Benedictine monastery - the Old Minster. It was built in the Norman style, and is the longest cathedral in England.

The High Altar standing in front of the fabulous Great Screen is covered with a very new hand-stitched frontal, which Margaret and I were privileged to see at close quarters. As Margaret is involved in doing embroidery for her local church, she asked for permission to cross the barrier to have a close look! It is quite stunning close to, especially the circle with the XP motif. It was recessed, and was beautifully embroidered in stumpwork and goldwork techniques.

Behind the Great Screen is the shrine to St Swithun, who was one of the Benedictine monks who lived in the Old Minster sometime before 1000. There are some beautiful Russian icons adorning the walls and original medieval tiles cover the floor.

The Epiphany Chapel, here with its rich red embroidered altar frontal, and the rest of the North Transept were used as the Vatican in the film of the Davinci Code. I haven't watched that film , though I have read the book. There are so many other interesting things to see in the cathedral but this isn't intended to be a guide book. The one other thing I would like to have seen is the sculpture by Anthony Gormley that stands in the Crypt. It seems the vaulted crypt is generally flooded and pictures show it and the statue reflected in the water. Unfortunately access was impossible that day as the whole of the North Transept was being set up for the recording of a concert. Shame, but never mind - next time!

Well, time to go again. Talk again soon.