Last year on my winter Camino in Spain my Christmas dinner consisted of bread and cheese, and tea was an omelette sandwich. This year I continued on the bread and cheese theme with added meat, having just the one meal late in the afternoon. I mentioned to the hotel that I was going to help myself to a bread roll to have for lunch, but they offered to do some cold meat and cheese for me. I got a very pleasant surprise when I removed the foil, discovering a huge serve of cold ham, turkey, and cheeses, complete with cranberry sauce and mustard. Very tasty, and I certainly didn't starve!
How did I spend Christmas? I went to Church three times, hearing some wonderful music and one especially good Christmas morning sermon given by the Bishop of Tewkesbury. I even had a chat to him after the service and it was only after someone addressed him as "your grace" that I realised maybe I should have been bowing and scaping, instead of treating him like the bloke next door!. Oh well, you can't take these uncouth Australians anywhere!
Last year I went to midnight mass (Catholic) in a little chapel in the hotel, where I listened to a wheezy (harmonium) organ playing occasionally, and a nun coughing continually in between the sung responses. This year at midnight mass (Anglican) the organ thundered, so loud I could feel it at times. That service had the girls choir, whereas the earlier carol service, and the Christmas day service, had the treble choir. The carol service was "sardine packed", and even though I got there nearly an hour early the only seat I could find was on a stone bench against the wall. The music at all these services was splendid, and I especially enjoyed Rutter's Shepherds Pipe Carol, though I didn't appreciate quite so much the Messiaen organ work.
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The tomb of King Edward II is in Gloucester Cathedral which was to become a pilgrimage site.
Gloucester Cathedral basking in the Christmas Day sunshine.
On Christmas Day the sun shone so brightly through the stained glass windows it threw jewel like light on all it touched, the people, the floor, and the magnificent Norman pillars.
Christmas day was crisp, cold and sunny. I spent several hours wandering around the docks, stopping at the little Mariner's Church on the way. This church was open and empty, as was the little upright piano, and so I spent a lovely half hour playing through the hymn book - the only music there.
Not many people were around, and the only accents I heard were Eastern European. Boxing day though was different, people out for the sales, but also families out testing their presents - children on roller skates, skate boards, and cycles.
Not many people were around, and the only accents I heard were Eastern European. Boxing day though was different, people out for the sales, but also families out testing their presents - children on roller skates, skate boards, and cycles.
The little Mariners Church, Gloucester Dock's.
Gloucester has wonderful docks. Most of the warehouses flanking the docks were once used by grain merchants. After the repeal of the corn laws in the mid 1800,s these docks were a hive of activity, with sailors from many countries arriving on the vessels used for transporting the grain.
The wharehouse buildings at the docks have numerous small windows. Originally they would have been open spaces, allowing for plenty of ventilation. This whole area was once a hive of activity, and has undergone a transformation as a residential area and part of it as an outlet shopping precinct.
This gives a good idea of how close the docks are to the city centre. The cathedral, in the distance, is about a 10 minute walk away.
An ornate half timbered building, now a bar and restaurant.
There are a number of old churches in the centre of Gloucester, this being one of them.
This tower marks "the cross", the centre of Gloucester.
I stayed here while in Gloucester. The New Inn (above & below) is a grade 1 heritage listed building and is the best preserved mediaeval courtyard Inn in Britain. It was from the balcony of this Inn, in 1553, that Lady Jane Grey was declared Queen after the death of Edward VI.
I'm so glad that I made it to Gloucester for Christmas. It is an easy city to get around, with so much history. The biggest treat of all was to hear such wonderful music in the magnificent Cathedral.
Janet that stained glass showing on the pillars is magnificent- what a memory, along with all that Christmas music.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, and very informative, too. It's just amazing how you manage to squeeze time in to share it all with us. Happy New Year, and may you have many more happy wanderings!
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