In July we went to Wiltshire to see our grandson before he went to live in Australia and to send him off with a leaving party. He has now arrived in Melbourne after a stop-over for a few days in Los Angeles and is settling in well and is very happy. He trained as a chef and then had the opportunity to specialise in baking and making chocolates. In Melbourne he's hoping to do a course in horticulture and beekeeping, which sounds very interesting. Before we drove into the countryside to join family and friends for the party we met up in Salisbury so that we could visit the cathedral and see where he had been working.
An old stone arch and well in the Cathedral Close
The 'new' city of Salisbury was founded in 1220 when the old hill top settlement of Old Sarum was abandoned because of its exposed, windswept and arid location. A new site in meadows where three rivers met was chosen and developed. Local Purbeck marble and Chilmark stone was used in the construction of Salisbury Cathedral over a period of some 38 years. The spire - the tallest in England- was a further addition (1280-1310). The beautiful setting of the cathedral with its landmark spire which can be see for miles around has inspired artists including Turner and Constable and the Close is surrounded by many interesting and elegant old buildings; clergy houses, schools and alms-houses.
Matron's College built in 1682 was a home for widows and unmarried daughters of the clergy.
The Cathedral taken before and after our visit inside. (There was an amazing sky at one point).
There are several contemporary sculptures in the Close. The above sculpture is by Dame Elizabeth Frink.
The West Front of the Cathedral is decorated with many symbolic figures and saints in niches. A Salvation Army band was playing hymns.
The nave looking back to West Door.
The font installed in 2008 is the work of William Pye - the flow of the water represents Christ's Living Water.
The choir stalls looking towards the Trinity Chapel.
There was a grouping of 33 terra cotta figures in the Trinity Chapel representing the Holy Spirit coming upon the apostles at Pentecost as narrated in the Acts of the Apostles. Each figure had a halo of beaten metal with a circular opening through which an oil lamp produced a flame and a light. It was a temporary arrangement and the figures were made by Nicholas Pope.
The East windows of coloured stained glass in the Trinity Chapel (Lady Chapel) are from the Loire Studio, Chartres, and were created by Gabriel Lore in 1980. It is also called the Prisoner of Conscience Window and the chapel is set aside for prayer.
Madonna and Child, Trinity/Lady Chapel
The clock, c. 1386 is the oldest working clock in Europe.
The Mompesson Tomb. The Mompessons
had a town house in the Cathedral Close.
The cloisters
An attractive-looking house on the north walk of the Cathedral Close.
We went back through one of the old gated entrances to the Cathedral Close into Salisbury city centre to visit the chocolate shop.
The area around Salisbury was well known for the wool and cloth trade.
After our tour around Salisbury we enjoyed a lovely family party with delicious chocolate treats made by our grandson and it was a good send off as he prepared for his time living and working in Australia.
