Sunday 9/1/2019 Worcester & Bath

Sunday 9/1 Day 5  Breakfast & Dinner included  Averages High  61°  Low  51° 35 % rain Apex City Of Bath Hotel, James St West, Bath, BA 12DG UK Phone 44 020 7977 9588      

3 nights  Phone says 3.8 miles, 9,212 steps and I climbed 11 floors.

Reviews - Good location on the corner of James St West in the center city.  Walk to sites in Bath.  Great staff.  Pool.  Make tea in your room.  The restaurant has a limited menu.  Great breakfast

Lake District - Worcester - Bath

TOUR INFO  "Today we head south to England’s rural heartland. Stop at Worcester Cathedral for a guided tour of this architectural marvel and final resting place of the legendary King John. Next, take a short drive to the ancient Roman town of Bath, your home for the next three nights."

My Research = Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral overlooking the River Severn. The official name is the Cathedral of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester.  It is the seat of the Bishop of Worcester.  It was built between 1084 and 1504.  Every style of English architecture has been included from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic.  It is noted for its Norman crypt, unique chapter house, unusual Transitional Gothic bays, fine woodwork and central tower.  The tomb of King John is in the chancel.  The cathedral library has 300 medieval manuscripts,  5,500 post-medieval printed books. and a copy of the Magna Carta (1225). The tower has a ring of twelve bells plus three semitone bells and a non-swinging bourdon.  A bourdon is the heaviest of bells with the lowest tone.  These bells are considered to be one of the finest toned rings ever cast.         

Worcester Cathedral Library holds 300 medieval manuscripts, 5500 printed books, and 20,000 archival documents.  There is also a copy of the Magna Carta from 1225.  

Good bye to Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa on Lake Windermere.

Portal Statues

Worcester Cathedral has hosted worship for fourteen centuries.  This building’s construction began in 1084.  The building is massive, this picture is a small portion in the center.  The tower measures 200 ft, the first tower fell and second tower was removed when it was determined to be unsafe.  

Model of Worcester Cathedral

King John’s Tomb. King John (1167-1216), died of dysentery.  King John is flanked aside his head by Saints Oswald and Wulfstan.  Yesterday in Grasmere, I was in Saint Oswald's church.  

This Cathedral was built on the site of two previous churches.  They recycled so the columns do not match.  More supports were needed to prevent the tower from falling.  

Guild Hall was seat of justice/prison.  Queen Anne-style.  I thought the collection at the top of the entry above the windows was interesting.  

Queen Victoria  Portraits of royalty and former mayors are displayed throughout the building.

The First Female Mayor or Worcester, 1931-1932.

Guild Hall (1721) Italianate ceiling, notice the portraits of royalty and mayors around the room.  The room is available for the public to hold events.  

Lady Chapel & east windows

Transept Organ

Thirty-nine Misericords from 1379.  They used for leaning or could be flipped down for seating during long prayers.

Vaulted Ceiling. North side organ, 2008.  4 manuals and pedals with 57 stops, 3500 pipes

Vaulted Ceiling to the Lady Chapel

High Altar

Prince Arthur's Tomb - beautiful stone work. Roses, sheaths or arrows, shields, etc.  All symbolic of his family and his wife's family.

Beautiful stonework

Worcester Cathedral, after the first tower collapsed, the original arches were severely damaged and were too expensive replicate.  In this picture, on the left - the shorter arches and different windows are the replacements.  

Cloister Gardens

Cloister Gardens

I thought this was a pretty picture. Note the rectangular holes in the columns.  They are not sure why they are there.  Perhaps some one stood at the corner and watched down the line to be sure the monks were working or perhaps they handed materials down the line. 

Kate says Bath is a lovely place to wander around.