The heritage timeline is a series of granite stones stretching over 42 meters on the Market Square from St. Nicholas Church to the equestrian statue of the Marquess of Londonderry. It shows a stylised river and tree flowing through the 1,000 years of time and history, 40 stones have bronze reliefs, others engravings, and most of them an explaining text. The dedication stone was unveiled on 1 July 2011 by 10 year old Stefan Szablewski, who had suggested a Time Line to be included in the designs for the Market Place in a letter to the Durham Times in December 2009 .

Most of the images that make up the timeline can be viewed on this link.

Etheldreda (Æthelthryth, Ediltrudis, Audrey) (d.679), queen, foundress and abbess of Ely. She was the daughter of Anna, king of East Anglia, and was born, probably, at Exning, near Newmarket in Suffolk. At an early age she was married (c.652) to Tondberht, ealdorman of the South Gyrwas, but she remained a virgin. On his death, c.655, she retired to the Isle of Ely, her dowry. In 660, for political reasons, she was married to Egfrith, the young king of Northumbria who was then only 15 years old, and several years younger than her. He agreed that she should remain a virgin, as in her previous marriage, but 12 years later he wished their marital relationship to be normal. Etheldreda, advised and aided by Wilfred, bishop of Northumbria, refused. Egfrith offered bribes in vain. Etheldreda left him and became a nun at Coldingham under her aunt Ebbe (672) and founded a double monastery at Ely in 673. (from FARMER, David: The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, 3rd ed. OUP, 1992.)

Etheldreda restored an old church at Ely, reputedly destroyed by Penda, pagan king of the Mercians, and built her monastery on the site of what is now Ely Cathedral. After its restoration in 970 by Ethelwold it became the richest abbey in England except for Glastonbury.

Etheldreda’s monastery flourished for 200 years until it was destroyed by the Danes. It was refounded as a Benedictine community in 970.

Etheldreda died c.680 from a tumour on the neck, reputedly as a divine punishment for her vanity in wearing necklaces in her younger days; in reality it was the result of the plague which also killed several of her nuns, many of whom were her sisters or nieces. At St Audrey’s Fair necklaces of silk and lace were sold, often of very inferior quality, hence the derivation of the word tawdry from St Audrey.

17 years after her death her body was found to be incorrupt: Wilfred and her physician Cynefrid were among the witnesses. The tumour on her neck, cut by her doctor, was found to be healed. The linen cloths in which her body was wrapped were as fresh as the day she had been buried. Her body was placed in a stone sarcophagus of Roman origin, found at Grantchester and reburied.

For centuries, Etheldreda’s shrine was the focus for vast numbers of medieval pilgrims. It was destroyed in 1541, but a slate in the Cathedral marks the spot where it stood.

Work on the present Cathedral began in the 11th century under the leadership of Abbot Simeon, and the monastic church became a cathedral in 1109 with the Diocese of Ely being carved out of the Diocese of Lincoln. The monastery at Ely was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539. Ely suffered less than many other monasteries, but even so, statues were destroyed together with carvings and stained glass.

When I visited Stonehenge I was tempted and bought this book from the shop.

Synopsis:

More than 30 years ago on the remote plains of southern Alberta, Canada, scientist Gordon Freeman discovered a Sun Temple. His study of the site led him to find incredible similarities to Stonehenge. Canada’s Stonehenge not only predates England’s Stonehenge by about 800 years, but also predates Egypt’s pyramids. Freeman discovers that 5000 years ago Britons and Plains Indians made precise astronomical observations at these two sites halfway around the world from each other at nearly the same latitude.

In his 30-year quest to understand these two sites, Gordon Freeman has measured, photographed and made many recordings of Sun rises and sets through the Stonehenge structure. He discovered a complete solar calendar, the same calendar as the 5200-year-old one in Canada. The observer does not stand within Stonehenge Circle, watching the Sun rise and set through the relatively large gaps between the Stones. He stands outside the Circle, observing the dates on which the first and last flashes of the rising and setting Sun cross lines marked by narrow slits that cross the entire stone structure. Freeman finds the artistry of the calendrical construction astonishing.

Review:

I found the book fascinating. The author reveals unexpected astronomical alignments between the stones and the manmade features in the wider landscape, including alignments with the mysterious cursus which allowed me to view that feature in a new light. As mentioned in the title the author’s journey started at a North American site, familiar to him. His journey took him to Stonehenge and other sites including Newgrange and the Preseli Mountains where the bluestones of Stonehenge originated. His findings at the various sites make interesting reading.

The book is beautifully illustrated with photographs and maps illustrating his findings.

This is a very ornate cast iron urinal, dating from around the turn of the 19th/20th century. It was removed from the Woodhall Junction Station and brought to the Museum of Lincolnshire Life in 1972.

The very thin flat casting of iron is an example of the great skill of engineers of the time. Today it would not be possible to make such thin and flat designs, as the additives used in the casting process are now considered too damaging too the environment.*

*Information taken from a signboard at The Museum of Lincolnshire Life.

During the middle ages, jesters had to liven up things. They were often either deformed (e.g. a lump), small of posture, and had a big mouth and ears. Paep Thoon, who lived in Leuven during the 15th century (1430-1487), was such a character. He was an organist at the fraternity of the Holy Sacrament at St. Peter’s church. He was known to blurt out the truth either by means of a joke or a sarcastic remark. He never lost his sense of humor and on his dying bed reportedly asked to be buried in upright position, and beneath a gargoyle – so that he would never be thirsty.

In 1991, a Paep Thoon statue by Peter Vanbekbergen was placed at the Leie where the river Dyle crosses / runs under Brusselsestraat.

From the college website:

William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor (or, as we would now say, Prime Minister) of England, was a self-made man born at Wickham, Hampshire, in about 1323. By his personal talents, by a patron’s gift of an education, and above all by a certain natural toughness, he worked his way to the top of the executive class of his day and amassed a considerable fortune. In an age when literacy, learning and government were the province of the Church, Wykeham wished to see the central government served by a well educated clergy. Placed as he was at the top of the tree, enjoying contacts with the throne and the Holy See, he was ideally situated to see to the meeting of this need. And his personal revenues lay ready to hand.

In 1382 he obtained his charter to found Winchester; the buildings were begun in 1387, and occupied, though incomplete, in March 1394. Meanwhile by 1386 his other and senior foundation at Oxford (New College, or Saint Marie College of Winchester in Oxford) had begun operations.

Thus by the end of the fourteenth century Wykeham’s great scheme for the supply of educated men dedicated to God and the public service, was realised and in working order. His seventy scholars at Winchester were to go on to New College, and thence out into the world, ready and equipped to serve.

From that day to this Wykeham’s seventy Scholars have lived in College. The original community was self-contained in the mediaeval manner. It numbered 115 persons, governed by the Warden and ten Fellows, with two schoolmasters and three chaplains. Sixteen quiristers (choristers) and three lay clerks completed the foundation proper, but Wykeham also allowed the education he provided to be shared at their own expense by ten others, the sons of gentry and particular friends of the College. These were the forerunners, if not the germinal idea, of the present Commoners.

When Henry VI founded Eton College, he took Winchester as his model, visited it on many occasions, borrowed its Statutes and removed its Headmaster and some of the Scholars to start his new school but apart from that interruption Winchester carried out its Founder’s intentions with great distinction until the Reformation.

The ruins of Wolvesey Palace are situated next to the current residence of of the Bishop of Winchester.

The surviving ruins of Wolvesey were largely the creation of one man, Bishop Henry of Blois (1129-71), who built a palace befitting his immense wealth and powerful position.

When Henry of Blois became bishop of Winchester in 1129, the residence consisted of a large hall block (the ‘west hall’), which had been built in about 1110 by the previous bishop, William Giffard (1107 – 29).*

Until his death 42 years later, Henry continually added new buildings. Starting with another hall block (the ‘east hall’), he then added a keep, a defensive tower and two gatehouses.

Although subsequent bishops carried out various repairs and alterations to the buildings, Henry’s palace survived virtually intact for the next 500 years. It is his work that comprises most of the ruins we see today.*

*From an information board with in the ruins

I invite you to read my post about Winchester Cathedral on the Broad Oak Magazine blog.

The stained glass windows were made in 1875-80. The glass features the arms of famous people associated with Hampshire. The portraits show significant kings involved with the history of Hampshire.

The east wall features a nineteenth-century painting showing the names of the members of parliament from 1283 (Edward I) to 1868 (Victoria).

A doorway that originally led to the apartments of Queen Eleanor, wife of Henry III.

A bronze statue of Queen Victoria which is the work of Sir Alfred Gilbert R.A. It was presented to the County by the High Sherrif of Hampshire in 1887 to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.

A bronze sculpture commissioned in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the work of Vivien Mallock.

The Great Hall has been used for holding courts throughout history. This nineteenth century judge’s bench was used in the Assize Courts, then in the Crown Court, which moved to the adjoining building in 1974.

]]> http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2014/11/29/within-the-great-hall/feed/ 9 http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2014/11/26/the-westgate/ http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2014/11/26/the-westgate/#comments Wed, 26 Nov 2014 21:33:00 +0000 CherryPie http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/?p=14414

The Westgate is one of only two surviving medieval gateways that were one an integral part of the city wall. The other gate being Kingsgate and the church of St Swithun which featured in a previous blog post.

Originally built in the 12th century and later remodelled, the west face was added in the 14th century to defend the city against threatened invasion from France. The openings below the parapet on the west face of the gate were for dropping ammunition such as rocks, oil or even boiling lead on potential invaders. The loops below the shields were designed for primitive hand-held cannons, and the slots in the gateway arch held a portcullis. The little room above the arch, originally a guardroom, served as a debtors’ prison from the 16th to the 18th century, and is now a museum.*

The contents of the museum sound interesting but unfortunately it wasn’t open on the day we passed it on our route to the Great Hall.

*From the Pitkin City Guide to Winchester.