The sun and bright blue sky greeted us as we loaded into the rental car this morning. Our first destination was Tintern Abbey, of Wordsworth fame. The journey to the abbey, which is in the middle of nowhere, was quite adventurous. We have a GPS unit in the car and "Betty," as we've called her, lead us down a narrow, curvy road with 12 foot high hedges on each side of us. Most times this was a single-lane road with small turnouts every now and then, just in case another car comes along. Happily, we only had to back up once!
Tintern Abbey is situated on the banks of the River Wye with gently rolling, green hills all around. This was the only time I was in Wales on this trip and I have to say, if the rest of that area is like this...wow! The abbey was founded in 1131 and was abandoned in 1536 because of Henry VIII. I was first struck by the size and how much of the abbey remains. Walking around, it was very easy to picture the Cisterian monks shuffling along chanting. This is clearly a spiritual place and I certainly felt it have some sort of romantic/mystical spell. In its time, the abbey was one of the most decorated and beautiful structures in all of England.
Setting off again, we crossed back into England with our sights set on Cheddar Gorge. It's essentially a pass through the hills, but is very craggy, tall, curvy, and beautiful. Clearly lots of others thought the gorge would be good to see today as it was packed. We jumped out for a few photos, but newly formed rain drove us back into the car.
Our next stop was Wells. We arrived about 4:00 and I was introduced to the hulking Wells Cathedral. It was dedicated in 1239 with work continuing until 1490 (2 years before Columbus, mind you). The west facade has about 300 carved figures looking out over the green. Upon entering the sanctuary, it was interesting to note the differences between other cathedrals I've seen. Wells is much brighter and cream-colored. Before reaching the main tower, you can see scissor arches which were installed in the 14th Century to help firm up the sinking foundation. As we walked down the main aisle, Evensong services were wrapping up for the day and the sounds of choir and organ wafted through the chamber. One of the most interesting features of this cathedral were the steps leading to the Chapter House which date back to the early 1300s. The stone steps have never been replaced and they have been very well worn. The ceilings and stained glass are becoming my favorite things to photograph at cathedrals. Each is unique and different and really set the tone for the rest of the buildings decor.
Our B&B is directly across the green from the cathedral. In fact I can see it in full view out my window as I type. I could even here the bell tower chime at the top of the hour. On our way to dinner this evening, we walked though the central part of town where we found a bar/hotel in which William Penn (Pennsylvania) preached a while back. Additionally several scenes in the movie "Hot Fuzz" we're filmed here.
Tomorrow is a big day as we see Glastonbury Cathedral (ruins), Salisbury Cathedral, Sarum, Old Sarum, and Stonehenge.
I return to the States on Thursday, but we still have lots to see and do. Until tomorrow...cheers!
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