I must confess that I misread the headline as CATHETERPHILIA and into my head popped an old London Transport slogan: ''It's Quicker By Tube''
On the subject of cathedrals,however, I would not call myself a Cathedrophiliac but when the occasion has arisen I have visited some of these cathedrals and been suitably impressed. Being a Londoner I have been often to St Paul's and Westminster Abbey and Southwark which was close to the company I worked for. I have also been into that curious Victorian pile that is the RC Westminster cathedral. I have also visited St Albans and Salisbury with its magnificent spire.
My most memorable visit to a cathedral was to the newly rebuilt Coventry cathedral. It happened that the company I worked for in London had a branch in Coventry and one of my colleagues had the bright idea that we would benefit from a visit to our sister company. A ruse of course, a cover for a visit to the cathedral. The company fell for it and laid on a coach and off we went to spend the morning on a quick tour and then a midday meal in the works canteen.
Off then to spend the afternoon at the new cathedral which is an impressive building, well worth a visit. For most of us though the main point was the emotional pull of the phoenix that had arisen from the ashes of WW2. It is difficult to understand the feelings of that time,a mere 15 years after the end of that war with every city in the land still pockmarked with bomb sites. Every one of us on that trip,indeed probably just about everybody in the country, would have known somebody who had suffered in that war. For most of us I think on that trip the most moving moment was the preserved part of the bombed out old cathedral with the remains of the burnt cross as its centerpiece.
The mention of Fitzrovia brought back happy memories of a gloriously well spent youth and early adulthood there and in Soho. It is many decades since I have been in the area but I remember my first visit to the Fitzroy Tavern. Seeing the many pictures on the walls by artists of the day and the one that sticks in my mind the mural of the tube train carriage complete with passengers.
Those are lovely memories, thank you sir. Especially nice the use of a 'complete' for a full train carriage. I will remember that, and draw from it much-needed serenity next time I find myself commuting seatless.
I'm biased but Wells is hands down England's best cathedral - though not sure I can trust your opinion now because WHY is St Pauls last, over Southwark as well, the country's most boring place of worship
Freya, St Paul's is a loser that allowed itself to get bullied into irrelevance by the 'Walkie Talkie' and the 'Cheese Grater', which are both themselves losers.
Interesting you dislike Southwark, Lesley below just came in to bat for it! Great to see passion raging!
In fact if memory serves me right the mural was painted in such a way that you could sit on the bench seat that ran along the wall beneath it so one could actually sit in the carriage. Those seats being only available to those with the price of a pint (about 1s 2d a pint at that time) and not to hoi poilloi using London Transport.
Batsford & Fry exclude, Jenkins includes. The problem with admitting RC ones is that you get a couple that are impressive but lots and lots that aren't much more than local churches. That's not the only controversial criterium quibble though, Lesley -- what the hell am I meant to do about Westminster Abbey?!
What we need is a list of judging criteria with how many marks for each thing. For example, in your case, 'Impressive site' is important, I suggest marks out of 5. In my case, Warnings about traumatic experiences are important, 3 marks. Interest of monuments, about 6 marks do you think? Westminster Abbey is good for this, but may score very low on spiritual atmosphere, just because it's very crowded. Unfair to score for size I think. Coherence of design maybe. I would give extra marks for gargoyles and pagan symbols. What do you think?
Loving this scholarship! I think you're giving me more credit than I deserve if you think I can be so rigorous, though I will say you are in for a treat of 'coherence of design' on the only one I have stored up. It's uniquely coherent if that's a good clue, at least in one way. I'll prob have to run that this Sunday as suddenly buried today in vertiginous commissions.
As for 'Does size matter?', I'm staying out of it!
Some cathedrals have things to see. I think at Hereford there's a Mappa Mumdi. I think there's a very monkish library but I could have muddled it up with another one. Also you can go up the tower and see the view. You can do that at Durham too but the steps are very frightening and I couldn't get down, bad marks for Durham as I still remember the trauma. Also those Norman columns are clunky. Lincoln is good and Lichfield is lovely. My nearest is Guildford, which is on a hill outside the town and the most modern I think, calming and lovely. It has a colour scheme! Ely has that amazing fan vaulting. I liked Winchester very much. Lovely screen thing. The Victorians did a lot of restoration and in some cases, like Lichfield you can wear yourself out trying to decide if it's original Gothic or Victorian.
Thank you Lesley for enriching my tour in advance. Guildford is in the 'modern' category, which I am not sure if I think a good or bad thing, so interesting to hear that. Sorry you had a bad time at Durham, lol!
I must confess that I misread the headline as CATHETERPHILIA and into my head popped an old London Transport slogan: ''It's Quicker By Tube''
On the subject of cathedrals,however, I would not call myself a Cathedrophiliac but when the occasion has arisen I have visited some of these cathedrals and been suitably impressed. Being a Londoner I have been often to St Paul's and Westminster Abbey and Southwark which was close to the company I worked for. I have also been into that curious Victorian pile that is the RC Westminster cathedral. I have also visited St Albans and Salisbury with its magnificent spire.
My most memorable visit to a cathedral was to the newly rebuilt Coventry cathedral. It happened that the company I worked for in London had a branch in Coventry and one of my colleagues had the bright idea that we would benefit from a visit to our sister company. A ruse of course, a cover for a visit to the cathedral. The company fell for it and laid on a coach and off we went to spend the morning on a quick tour and then a midday meal in the works canteen.
Off then to spend the afternoon at the new cathedral which is an impressive building, well worth a visit. For most of us though the main point was the emotional pull of the phoenix that had arisen from the ashes of WW2. It is difficult to understand the feelings of that time,a mere 15 years after the end of that war with every city in the land still pockmarked with bomb sites. Every one of us on that trip,indeed probably just about everybody in the country, would have known somebody who had suffered in that war. For most of us I think on that trip the most moving moment was the preserved part of the bombed out old cathedral with the remains of the burnt cross as its centerpiece.
The mention of Fitzrovia brought back happy memories of a gloriously well spent youth and early adulthood there and in Soho. It is many decades since I have been in the area but I remember my first visit to the Fitzroy Tavern. Seeing the many pictures on the walls by artists of the day and the one that sticks in my mind the mural of the tube train carriage complete with passengers.
Happy days.
Those are lovely memories, thank you sir. Especially nice the use of a 'complete' for a full train carriage. I will remember that, and draw from it much-needed serenity next time I find myself commuting seatless.
Best,
George
If York isn't top few we will need a recount
One of the titans
I'm biased but Wells is hands down England's best cathedral - though not sure I can trust your opinion now because WHY is St Pauls last, over Southwark as well, the country's most boring place of worship
Freya, St Paul's is a loser that allowed itself to get bullied into irrelevance by the 'Walkie Talkie' and the 'Cheese Grater', which are both themselves losers.
Interesting you dislike Southwark, Lesley below just came in to bat for it! Great to see passion raging!
York has got to be up there with that rose window
sooooo into this
I forgot to put in a good word for Southwark.
On seeing the title I first thought this piece would be on a different - and more sedentary - topic...
In fact if memory serves me right the mural was painted in such a way that you could sit on the bench seat that ran along the wall beneath it so one could actually sit in the carriage. Those seats being only available to those with the price of a pint (about 1s 2d a pint at that time) and not to hoi poilloi using London Transport.
What about Catholic cathedrals? I think the Liverpool one is very impressive - with coloured lights inside from the lantern tower.
Batsford & Fry exclude, Jenkins includes. The problem with admitting RC ones is that you get a couple that are impressive but lots and lots that aren't much more than local churches. That's not the only controversial criterium quibble though, Lesley -- what the hell am I meant to do about Westminster Abbey?!
What we need is a list of judging criteria with how many marks for each thing. For example, in your case, 'Impressive site' is important, I suggest marks out of 5. In my case, Warnings about traumatic experiences are important, 3 marks. Interest of monuments, about 6 marks do you think? Westminster Abbey is good for this, but may score very low on spiritual atmosphere, just because it's very crowded. Unfair to score for size I think. Coherence of design maybe. I would give extra marks for gargoyles and pagan symbols. What do you think?
Loving this scholarship! I think you're giving me more credit than I deserve if you think I can be so rigorous, though I will say you are in for a treat of 'coherence of design' on the only one I have stored up. It's uniquely coherent if that's a good clue, at least in one way. I'll prob have to run that this Sunday as suddenly buried today in vertiginous commissions.
As for 'Does size matter?', I'm staying out of it!
Some cathedrals have things to see. I think at Hereford there's a Mappa Mumdi. I think there's a very monkish library but I could have muddled it up with another one. Also you can go up the tower and see the view. You can do that at Durham too but the steps are very frightening and I couldn't get down, bad marks for Durham as I still remember the trauma. Also those Norman columns are clunky. Lincoln is good and Lichfield is lovely. My nearest is Guildford, which is on a hill outside the town and the most modern I think, calming and lovely. It has a colour scheme! Ely has that amazing fan vaulting. I liked Winchester very much. Lovely screen thing. The Victorians did a lot of restoration and in some cases, like Lichfield you can wear yourself out trying to decide if it's original Gothic or Victorian.
Thank you Lesley for enriching my tour in advance. Guildford is in the 'modern' category, which I am not sure if I think a good or bad thing, so interesting to hear that. Sorry you had a bad time at Durham, lol!