Firstly, some of you may have noticed I have not done any running posts for a few days. After completing a full week of running last Friday I managed to hurt my back. It happened when shifting a big sack of flour and I must have twisted in just the wrong way. It has been pretty uncomfortable, and so I am not attempting any running until it is recovered.
I did try a little walk yesterday and that was not great. Despite this the family decided on an afternoon trip to Peterborough, which is an easy train ride from Arlesey. It was quite a cool day and so I was wearing a jacket for the first time in ages. I worked in Peterborough for a while a few years back, but never visited the cathedral.
This impressive frontage was completed nearly eight hundred years ago and still makes an impact. Imagine if you came from a small village in the fens when this would have been the biggest thing you had ever seen. The craftsmen back then knew what they were doing. The building had a bigger tower originally, but it was taken down when it was in danger of falling down.
Churches were designed to inspire awe in visitors. Part of that was through amazingly high ceilings. This one is wooden and is painted. It has been touched up a couple of times, but the design is original.
Behind the altar is a fan-vaulted ceiling that is very intricately carved. I am not a religious person, but I can appreciate the work that went into this, whilst wondering what the people could have achieved if not just working for the church.
There are lots of memorials and graves in the cathedral. The most significant is that of Catherine of Aragon, former wife of Henry VIII. Her symbol was a pomegranate and people still leave some of the fruit there to remember her, but I wonder why they feel so attached to someone who died so long ago. Mary, Queen of Scots was also buried there for a while, but her body was moved to Westminster Abbey.
This clock is though to date back to 1450, with later modifications. It used to chime to let the monks know when it was time to pray, but did not have a clock face. It was still in use 500 years later.
There is a great sense of history in a place like this. There was a list of organists going back hundreds of years and the abbots go back a lot further, before this cathedral was built.
Some impressive wood carving on the stalls in the nave. The eagle lecturn that is used to hold the bible is five hundred years old.
There are lots of information boards around the place with interesting facts. Unfortunately there was not one for this fascinating carving that seems to show an angel of death.
Even as an unbeliever I find churches interesting. They give you a glimpse back in time. We made a voluntary contribution for our visit. I expect it costs a fortune to maintain the building. In 2001 they had a fire that caused a lot of damage.
Whilst we were there we noticed a shifty-looking guy who was wandering around stroking various statues. Unlike most people he was not wearing a mask. I think one of the staff had to have words with him and he may have been asked to leave in the end. I know churches try to be welcoming, but he may have been taking advantage of that and they have to protect their treasures.
We ended our visit to the town with a late pizza lunch and I had a beer. My back did not give me too much trouble even though I clocked up about 9000 steps. I may feel the effects later.
It was raining as we caught the train back and we got a little wet walking home, but it was generally a pleasant outing.
Stay well!
