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
Tags: Antony Gormley, Crypt, Sound II, Vacation, Winchester, Winchester Cathedral
… An update on the fitting of our new backdoor
Before the door was fitted we discussed in length our exact requirements with the person who came to measure and assess the fitting; he knew exactly what we wanted. He suggested that a blank panel was fitted so that exact measurement could be taken when the door was in place. When the top glass panel arrived it was not at all what we wanted or asked for,and was something that we could not live with.
The door should have had Georgian bars to match the windows. The new glass panel had huge squares at the bottom with smaller ones at the top. It seems to have been a miscommunication (and a badly drawn diagram by the fitter) between Mr C and the fitter who came to measure the window. Apparently the glassmaker had queried the design when asked to make the unit! The best laid plans… Now we await a new glass panel at additional expenditure!!
The new glass panel is now fitted and looks much better than the first panel they provided us with. Now we need to get them to come back and fix the beading that the workman damaged whilst fitting the new glass pane. Mr C thought it rather odd that the workman rushed off rather quickly after he had finished the work. On closer inspection he realised why!!
The whole installation has been a shambles from start to finish. When the workman came to fit the first pane of glass Mr C had to get them to sort out the plastic panel by the side of the door which had been left in a buckled up state because the piece of plastic was too long!
When the door is eventually sorted to our satisfaction we will re-introduce the blinds in the door panel.
Tags: Cherie's Place, Life
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.
Tags: Vacation, Winchester, Winchester Cathedral
…patio view, pre garden project
Tags: 2014, Cherie's Place, Flowers, Garden, Life, Patio
Love’s mysteries in souls do grow, But yet the body is his book.
John Donne
Tags: Flower, Love, Rose, Soul, The Hospital of St Cross, Weekend away, Winchester
…from my intended update on the latest update about the recent replacement of my backdoor.
I was trying to find a picture of the backdoor as it was when we first moved into the house. I know there is one there somewhere…
Along the way I got distracted by this self portrait sequence, which I couldn’t resist sharing 
I had placed my camera on my tripod inside the house and set it for delayed time whilst ran from the lounge through the kitchen and into the garden for a bit of photo fun 
The photos show the lounge windows but the door is off to the side. The photos also show the garden and ‘My Oak Tree’ as they were in 2007.
An update on the backdoor coming soon, with or without a photo of the original door!
PS: I damaged my tripod, maybe I should fix it to take some more crazy lady photos
Tags: Cherie's Place, Garden, Life, me, Memories, Self Portrait
… in the Warplanes hangar at Cosford Museum
Tags: Cosford, Defence, WW1, WW2, WWI, WWII
