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Monday, June 15, 2015

Rocks of Ages

The Heel Stone
We boarded a train to Salisbury, ditched our bags at the accommodating Cat Tavern, and jumped onto a bus for Stonehenge. This is definitely one of the most anticipated items on our itinerary. The visitor center is about 2km from the actual site. Shuttle buses ferry visitors to the monument. It seems pointless to describe Stonehenge as everyone has seem hundreds of images of it.

A “henge” in archaeological parlance is a circular banked earthwork with an internal ditch. Stonehenge is not a true henge because its ditch is on the outside of the earthen ridge. Within the circle there is the outer ring of stones arranged in the familiar post and lintel structure. These are called trilithons. The stones used in the construction of the site are bluestone and sarsen. Theories differ on exactly how the stones were moved and from exactly how far away, but one things is sure, it was no mean feat to get them to where they are now and build the incredible structure we see today. The site has undergone extensive reconstruction throughout the ages – Neolithic peoples of the area changed the layout and arrangement of the stones in three major building periods.
There are numerous theories about the purpose of Stonehenge and with many of its pieces missing there is necessarily a great deal of conjecture. Suggestions incorporate everything from Medicine, to Music, to Merlin, to magic, but the only absolutely obvious role is that of celestial observatory. It is aligned with the solstices, summer and winter, so it was likely a calendar. Outside the ring there is a large standing stone known as the Heel Stone. Unlike the other stones, it has not been worked into a particular shape. It is about 10 feet tall and leans in towards the henge. The Heel Stone marked the end of a long avenue that lead to Stonehenge that is aligned with the sunrise on the summer solstice in the north east. Opposite this point on the other side of the henge there is a point where on the solstice one would see a narrow shaft of sunlight rising over the tip of the Heel Stone across Stonehenge and through to the other side.

The site also obviously had some sort of religious/ spiritual purpose. It is at the heart of the largest concentration of Neolithic and Bronze Age burials in Britain and there is evidence that it was used for funerary practices. There are hundreds of these burial mounds in the area in a variety styles. Some are round or oval and contain the remains of many people, Others are quite long and contain only one person who is obviously of great importance.
Stonehenge family portrait

Whatever its function may have been, it is a truly astonishing sight. No photograph you have seen can do it justice, you need to be there to appreciate it.

From Stonehenge we traveled to Old Sarum. This is a hill outside the present town of Salisbury which has been in use since Neolithic times. It has a series of concentric embankments and ditches on its sides so that at a distance it resembles a wedding cake. The Saxons used it as a stronghold against the Vikings. On the summit are the remains of a castle built by William the Conqueror. Key events in the life of Old Sarum: The Domesday Book was given to William I at here in 1086, this was the same year he convened the first national council of clergy, nobility, sheriffs, and knights of all his dominions here to swear fealty. National councils were held here also during the reign of William Rufus in 1096, and another by Henry I in 1116. .Not much is left as it was never particularly well cared for after the 12th century. A great deal of Salisbury was built up using material from this site. Edward II ordered the castle's demolition in 1322 and the locals looked on it as a convenient quarry with pre-cut stone.   Nonetheless, it was clearly an impressive structure that would have been visible from miles around like a medieval “Big Brother is watching you”.

404 feet from top to bottom
On one of the lower levels of the Old Sarum cake are the remains of the first cathedral in the area. Nothing remains of it except a few low walls. They have added concrete paths to complete the outline so the full footprint is visible. In 1218, owing to a dispute between civil and religious authorities, it was decided to move the cathedral to its present site in the town of Salisbury which was built up around it.

After collecting our luggage from the tavern and relocating it to the hostel, it was time, that’s right, for tea. We indulged in a generous helping of tea and scones with clotted cream and jam. Then we were ready for the cathedral.

The first thing to say about Salisbury Cathedral is that it is huge. It possesses the tallest spire in the UK at 404 feet. This makes it really difficult to photograph. The façade has more than 130 shallow niches, only 73 of these contains a statue. There are five levels of niches which have: angels and archangels, Old Testament patriarchs, apostles and evangelists, martyrs, doctors and philosophers and, on the lower level, royalty, priests and note-worthy people involved with the cathedral. Only 7 of the statues are 14th century; Most are from the mid-19th century, although a few have been installed within the last decade. It is a beautiful building and the interior is just as amazing.

The baptismal font resembles a table whose surface is liquid. Its four convex sides meet to create four spouts from which water pours into holes is the floor with a gentle splashing sound. The basin is about 8 feet across and made of a dark green stone. It reflects the stained glass windows and intricate vaulted ceiling beautifully. There are graves of people of importance including Henry IV’s treasurer who later fought with Henry V at Agincourt. The windows are glorious, particularly vibrant and detailed. The quire is carved from dark wood with the names of the various nobles painted behind each seat. Outside side there is a cloister from where the spire can be viewed.

The greatest treasure at Salisbury Cathedral is not a religious artifact, but a political one. Their chapter house contains the best preserved of the 4 remaining original copies of Magna Carta. This copy came to Salisbury because Elias of Dereham was at Runnymede in 1215. He                  was responsible for distributing the original copies. Elias was a canon of Salisbury and supervised the construction of the cathedral. It is housed in a beautiful room with a vaulted ceiling help up by a central pillar. The ceiling is painted with floral motifs around the joints. The windows and floor tiles are amazing and have clearly been restored with great care.

Another notable feature of the cathedral is the clock. It dates from about AD 1386 is supposedly the oldest working modern clock in the world.        
Salisbury Cathedral's amazing ceiling

We went in for evensong only to find out as the service was beginning that we were at a special Eucharist service. It was the feast day of St. Barnabas and so the usual evensong was replaced. It was a nice service, though the Cathedral Choir was in performance elsewhere, so the chamber choir was singing. They were wonderful, but a much smaller group and the order of service didn’t call for much singing from them. Perhaps most alien for us Methodists was the use of actual wine at communion rather than grape juice. Also we always have either






intinction or individual cups for our Welch’s. The Anglicans share the chalice.       


We returned to the hostel to shower and sleep and prepare for the very early morning that was to come.
The Chapter House roof under which lives Magna Carta



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