The Cathedrals

Ancient and Majestic

Many of Anglo-Saxon times, the UK boasts of cathedrals aged hundreds of years with architectural features worth learning and emulating till this day. Young and budding architects still stay mesmerized at the meticulous designs and people of ancient times are ones with great visions and tenacity!

A friend once told me that a trip to the UK almost always never fails a visit to some of these majestic buildings. If not for religious connotations and learning, much can be derived from the buildings.

So, how can they escape daddy's eyes ? Visit we must.

Wincester was the ancient capital of Wessex in the county town of Hampshire. Today it houses some reputed schools like Westgate and Henry Beaufort which prepare students for tertiary education. The University of Winchester which used to be a teacher training college is a public university much sought after.



Of Anglo-Saxon times, Winchester Cathedral is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the UK where famous personalities worship and are associated with.



How did people of ancient times built such cathedrals? No savvy technology, little machinery, no swift modes of transportation... it must be other virtues. Hardworking, intelligent, determination, no fear of the unknown. These virtues still work today.



The famous King Arthur's Round table where people gathered to make strategies before the onslaught of a war or other critical matters?



As you walk around the grounds of the Cathedral you cannot help but feel the thick history it has with the past. They are also sites where famous people were buried. In fact, we walked around and read the history of these people engraved on the slabs.

Born in 1775, Jane Austen was one of them. Known as tall and slender, her rounded face and clear, brunette complexion complimented her bright, hazel eyes. She always wore a cap and blushed so brightly and readily. Perhaps she 's most famously associated with her writing flair. Home-schooled for a big part of her life, she wrote poems, stories and plays which finally saw the publications of her 'big' books like Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Her books are still used as the official texts for Literature in English for six formers.
Died on 18 July 1817, Jane Austen's body was buried in the grounds of Winchester Cathedral. So when you walk around the church, you take careful steps and ponder over her works.



Outside the Cathedral were more memories of past heroes and personalities. The famous John Keats whose poems are still read and considered till this day apparently worshiped here.

Winchester Cathedral; no entrance fee. Pay a visit.

In London proper, we saw the Westminster Cathedral.

The throng was huge; people of all nationalities were present and can I assume if you have seen Winchester Cathedral, you have seen it all?

While Jane Austen was associated with Winchester, we ultimately have to see Westminster with the Royal family.

Yes, it was a good feeling to see the site of the April 29 2011 wedding of Prince William and his beautiful bride. Many locals including Sandra, my friend said they stayed home to watch it over the national television.

After seeing Westminster, you must also walk another short distance to see the other famous one; St. Paul's Cathedral.

Older than Westminster, it is located right in the heart of London, built between 1675 and 1710. It also has stories thickly related to the kings, rulers , philosophers and was the meeting place for thoughts and actions.

Today it has become more of a tourist centre than anything else. Religious activities ; I am not too sure about the extent.

But definitely the connection is with another royal wedding some 30 years ago; to be exact... July 29 1981.

Two cathedrals in the heart of London, two royal weddings of the century...the cathedrals were worth visiting.

Cathedrals and their roles in the life of the English people.