Salisbury Cathedral

Visited Salisbury cathedral today with the CathSoc from the University.  Amazed at the whole structure. Still more amazed at the thought of having to build one such thing in the 13th century!  Crazy! 

Some quick facts:

• The cathedral was built in just 38 years beginning in 1220.  
• It contains 60,000 tons of stone (that meant the same number of horse cart rides to transport the stone from the nearby quarry to the site of construction!). 
• 2,800 tons of oak wood from the forests and even from Ireland.  
• 420 tons of lead for the roofing.  
• It has a foundation of not more than 4 feet!  The whole structure sits - or rather floats - on a mix of gravel, sand, and water! That watery depth is about 27 feet!  That makes it the largest floating Cathedral.  None would even dare start a building of that sort. 
• It has the highest Church spire in the whole of Europe. There are about 300+ steps leading up to the foot of the spire!  A spectacular view of the whole city from up above.  
• The pillars supporting the whole structure are not more than 5 feet in diameter!  Built according to the early English Gothic architectural style, the Cathedral was primarily the work of a priest Elias of Dereham.  No monastery or convent existed around the Cathedral ever!  The height of it is really crazy.  If it were to be storied and each storey dedicated for some purpose I understand, but this is just the floor and the ceiling - way, way above!  
• A water font was added to the central part of the Cathedral.  It is beautiful, with water falling off from four corners.  Some great planning is behind it as there are no bubbles arising from the water being pumped from underneath.  The font, bigger than a table tennis board, appears like glass - water being so still and not a single bubble. Got to find out how they did that!  
• The Chapter house adjoining the Cathedral contains one of the four original (of the 40) Magna Carta's existing.  Surprisingly, it is very clear and legible - even though it was written in 1215 on animal hide!  The writing is so precise and beautiful it appears as though printed yesterday!  

  

  The world's oldest working clock!

  
  
  
  
  

  

  The statue 2 feet tall at the entrance to the Chapter house, which contains the Magna Carta

  
  

  

  The statue of Mother Mary and child Jesus.  Today it is used as a 'witness' to the induction of girl choir members - when girls pass their test and are selected for the girls choir, they kneel before this statue and are given three hits with a heavy Bible on their head!