Whilst on the topic of Cathedrals, Gloucestershire Church was one of our memorable visits of the recent past. On a fine weekend(actually quite cold and windy), we decided to head over to Cotswolds and happened to discover this Church in the vicinity. From the outside, I was convinced there was something special in there, especially after hearing that scenes from Harry Potter borrowed the architecture of this Cathedral. Once inside, there was no wonder why it was so special. It piled on our collection of favourite Gothic buildings.
Architecture
The Gothic style architecture is one that lurks around every corner of the UK. It’s especially popular in Cathedrals. This one is no exception. Its intricate carvings and architectural design are wonderful and you’ll be awe-struck by it.
The building is designed to resemble the shape of a Cross(like St Paul’s Cathedral) and is neatly split into multiple sections:
Entrance
Upon entrance through the South Porch(glass door entrance), you are welcomed into the Nave. The Nave is a massive space to accommodate all of the visitors who stop upon their entrance to look at the beautiful ceiling. This area is majorly covered with chairs for visitors who want to listen to the Choir. On our visit, we had the opportunity to listen to a range of voices from the Choir from gents between 10 – 50 years. It was quite nice but we immediately moved on to the next section…
Cloisters
Next to the Nave is a different section enclosed by large wooden doors which is the Cloisters(a massive walkway). The Cloisters here form a square-shaped walkway and hidden inside the square is an open garden called the Garth. This section isn’t part of the Cross shape but it’s also a beautiful piece of architecture.
Famous here is the Fan Vaulting(arched ceiling) which is breath-taking. The labyrinthine patterns confluence to form a symmetrical arch and they leave no gap for a flat section. Like this, there are 4 Cloisters, all resembling each other to represent the perfection of the design.
On the inside walls, stained-glass windows allow considerable light creating a beautiful gold-colour theme in the Cloisters.
Interestingly, in the past, the Cloisters provided room for monks who would live work and meditate in that space. Now, tourists and Cathedral staff fill them most of the time. It really is beautiful and well-maintained.
The Garth
Tucked away inside the 4 walls of the Cloisters is the Garth which is a garden with a water fountain in the middle.You can enter this area through the tiny exit doors in the Cloisters. There isn’t much to see out here except getting a fresh breather and admire the greenery. There’s a variety of flower pots placed around the area with the lush green garden itself and the central water fountain. After a breather, we went back in to see the Great East Window.
The Great East Window
Can you believe that there’s a window the size of a tennis court here? I can’t… Even after visiting it! At a size of 22m(height) by 12m(width) the window was the largest in the world at the time of installation(the 1350s). Through the colour, it reflects Mary and Jesus at the centre with the apostles and other saints and bishops all around in a hierarchical fashion. Its purpose is to represent the Divine Order. For the monks, this window “was in practice a massive reredos(ornamental screen covering the wall at the back of an altar) above the high altar”.
It was constructed following the burial of King Edward II and it has gone through 6 centuries including its dismantling during WW II and it’s conservation work in 2000. Now it sits beautifully above the High Altar and is quite a surprise to see(especially due to its presence after its long history).
There are many more sections with great detail about them however, as most of them are historical statues/ monuments and to keep this blog concise, I’ve covered the main ones above.
Harry Potter
One of the factors that attracts huge fans is the fact that some of the scenes from the Harry Potter movies were shot here. A few of the films borrowed the iconic Cloisters including Philosopher’s Stone’s scene where the troll smashes the lavatory trapping Hermione. As you walk around, you would come across more and more scenes which used this Cathedral’s architecture.
If you’re interested, there’s a small section at the entrance of the Cloister which has interactive screens to give you more information about the scenes and Harry Potter in general.
Our visit was a swift but fascinating one. It lasted only 2 hours but we were able to cover all sections(open to the public) of the Cathedral. While you can spend much longer than 2 hours to have a detailed look at the architecture, I think it gives enough time to appreciate this erection. It’s a very intricate piece of architecture and the more you’re exposed to, the more you get awestruck by just how much there is. With many statues and historical monuments, information all along, fascinating pieces of Gothic style architecture and the stunning design of the Cathedral, it becomes a no brainer to visit in a tourist’s perspective. Even for religious people, this is a very pleasant and admirable site to visit.
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