September 2008
Don't touch the water!
With water from the stream Galadriel filled the basin to the brim, and breathed on it, and when the water was still again she spoke.
'Here is the mirror of Galadriel,' she said. 'I have brought you here so that you may look in it, if you will' [...]
'Remember that the Mirror shows many things, and not all have yet come to pass. Some never come to be, unless those that behold the visions turn aside from their path to prevent them. The Mirror is a dangerous guide of deeds.' [...]
'Do you advise me to look?' asked Frodo.
'No', she said. 'I do not counsel you one way or the other. I am not a counsellor. You may learn something, and whether what you see be fair or evil, that may be profitable, and yet it may not. Seeing is both good and perilous.'
The Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien
Most people stop at Salisbury Cathedral as part of a trip to visit Stonehenge. I, however, was on a visit just to see the cathedral because I came to love the cathedral towns that were a day trip from London. Salisbury was high on the list and on one trip to the UK, Adrian FVdr, Brian, and I all went there. It had stuck in my mind that my cousin-sister EHJ related that the chapterhouse of that cathedral held one of the original copies of the Magna Carta. That was worth a visit alone!
Salisbury Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England. The cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Salisbury and is the seat of the Bishop of Salisbury. The building is regarded as one of the leading examples of Early English Gothic architecture. Its main body was completed in 38 years, from 1220 to 1258. The spire, built in 1320, at 404 feet, has been the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom since 1561. Visitors can take the "Tower Tour", in which the interior of the hollow spire, with its ancient wooden scaffolding, can be viewed. The cathedral has the largest cloister and the largest cathedral close in Britain at 80 acres. It contains a clock which is among the oldest working examples in the world, and has one of the four surviving original copies of Magna Carta. In 2008, the cathedral celebrated the 750th anniversary of its consecration.
(Wikipedia)
Upon arrival, we found the church exceedingly touristic, which is often a downer, but then we came across this raised basin of water in the center of the nave which was absolutely breathtaking in its reflection. It literally looked like something out of Lord of the Rings. I don't think I have ever seen anything like it since. What the point of the water vessel? It didn't look like a baptismal font, the placement was wrong. Was it purely for decoration?
Another unusual feature of the nave is an unconventional modern font, installed in September 2008. Designed by the water sculptor William Pye, it is the largest working font in any British cathedral, and replaced an earlier portable neo-Gothic Victorian font. The font is cruciform in shape, and has a 10-foot-wide vessel filled to its brim with water, designed so that the water overflows in filaments through each corner into bronze gratings embedded in the cathedral's stone floor.
(Wikipedia)
As with most changes, it appears the new font at first had its detractors. I am certain by now it has become part of the cathedral and even its staunchest critics would object to its removal. It truly was gorgeous and quite mysterious.
We wandered into the Chapter House and there found the cathedral's copy of the Magna Carta. It was in a simple display case with only a thin piece of glass between me and the document. EHJ had not oversold the experience - wow! Here was one of the most important historical documents that shaped much of the world I lived in, right under my nose. I was incredibly impressed, especially after Adrian said that he had seen another copy at a distance in the British Library long ago. It is thrilling to be that close to something that literally changed the course of history.
A train ride from London, a great old cathedral, a LOTR random prop, and a piece of history - it made for a great outing, even though both Brian and Adrian did a lot of eye-rolling at my choice. At least they indulged me, for which I am grateful.
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