The original Norman east end of the Cathedral was built upon a crypt, which remains virtually unchanged. It contains a well, underneath the High Altar, which my pre-date the present Cathedral.*

This superb low-vaulted stone crypt, which floods in rainy months, dates from the 11th century, the earliest phase of building the Cathedral. Here you’ll find Antony Gormley’s mysterious life-size sculpture of a solitary man, Sound II, sometimes standing up to its knees in water.

*from a sign board by the crypt

On my first visit to Winchester Cathedral one of the south transept chapels, The Chapel of St John the Evangelist and the Fisherman Apostles, drew me in. Within this chapel can be found the grave of Izaak Walton, who became famous as the author of ‘The Complete Angler’.

The modern altar by Peter Eugine Ball is carved from an oak tree that was felled in a storm. It depicts scenes of swirling water and several types of fish that are mentioned in Isaak’s book.

Next to the altar is a statue, also by Peter Eugine Ball, entitled Pieta, which depicts the deep grief and faith of the Mother of Jesus. The statues to either side of the altar depict the fisherman’s apostles Peter and Andrew as do the stained glass window which also incorporates Isaak Walton sitting next to Winchester’s River Itchen. The seats made of green oak by Alison Crowther feature gentle ripples and wave-like backs. This completes the theme of sitting by a riverside and being refreshed by the blessings of nature.

I took time to sit quietly and reflect in this tranquil space…

On my more recent visit to the Cathedral last October I was disappointed to find that this part of the Cathedral was blocked off due to ongoing renovation works.

… ‘a Norman cathedral in miniature’
Simon Jenkins, England’s Thousand Best Churches

The fine Norman church is all that remains of the original 12th century Hospital. Building began in 1135 at the east end with the north porch added nearly 200 years later. The walls are over one metre thick and built from stone brought from as far afield as Caen (in Normandy), Dorset and the Isle of Wight, as well as some flint taken from the local chalk pits.

On a column on the north aisle is carved the cross of St Cross. In the window nearest to the eastern side of the north transept, the stone surround is strangely angled. Sunlight from the window falls on the cross only on 3rd May (the day in the church calendar of the Invention of the Cross) and 14th September (Holy Cross Day).

Helen Keller

Hidcote Manor Garden is one of those gardens which can only be found in England! Created by keen horticulturist, Major Lawrence Johnston, on a Cotswold property bought for him by his mother, it is a series of garden rooms with pavilions, clipped hedges, paved paths, topiary and green “doorways” framing one beautiful sight after another.

Divided into small manageable outdoor rooms, each with their individual character and theme, the gardens are filled with established rare shrubs and exotic flowering trees. The herbaceous borders, a typical English country garden feature, are quite magnificent.

Hidcote Manor Garden is somewhere to enjoy in every season. The vibrant primary colours of the spring bulbs give way to azaleas, rhododendrons and magnolias. After the glorious colours of the summer borders have faded, autumn is celebrated in the glorious Red Border.

My previous post on Hidcote can be found here.

This concludes my ‘Winchester Vacation’ travels. I wonder where I will take you next…

GBE KCMG KCVO CB

He commanded the 10th Hussars from 1937 to 1940, and was Colonel of the Regiment from 1949 to 1952. After the Second World War he was head of the United Kingdom Liaison Mission to Japan, and Prime Minister’s personal representative. Between 1951 and 1968 he was Governor of Western Australia and then Tasmania. He died in 1983, aged 85.*

*From information next to the painting

The Daimler “Dingo”, introduced in 1939, was used by both 10th and 11th Hussars. It was one of the best reconnaissance vehicles and remained in service long after the war.

The Dingo had 5 forward gears and 5 reverse gears for a fast withdrawal. It was armed with a .303 Bren light machine gun and had a crew of two. The driver’s seat was turned sideways so he could see over his shoulder when driving backwards.

In the Dessert War the Dingo was the Crew’s home. They kept ammunition inside the vehicle and their kit was carried outside.

The 11th Hussars wore an un-badged brown beret with a crimson band, unique in the British Army. They adopted steel helmets only after D-Day.*

*From an information board next to the Daimler “Dingo”