Monthly Archives: April 2017
Priories – Surviving the centuries.
In 1115 a group of Augustinian canons founded a community by the River Mersey near its only crossing, known as the Runcorn Gap. They cleared the woodland, drained the land and created a moated enclosure and water courses. The site was chosen for a new priory – Norton. (For those who missed it in a […]
Orders and rules – monastic life #atozchallenge
As I’ve been exploring the theme of abbeys and cathedrals, I can’t hope notice how many difference religious orders existed across the centuries. Their influence on the architecture of abbeys in particular is reflected in their daily life. So here is a run down of the key orders and something about their influence on what […]
Nave – the hub of a cathedral. #atozchallenge
Cathedrals and Abbeys. Today is all about the nave. The cruciform layout of a church is based on the points of the compass. The chancel, where the high altar is situated, points to the East and Jerusalem, which in Medieval times was the centre of the Earth. The north and south transepts were where chapels […]
Manchester Cathedral – the modest rise of the Great Churches
Continuing my theme of Abbeys and Cathedrals… As the population of England grew throughout the industrial age, more and more people flocked into urban areas. The Church of England in response needed more dioceses and bishops and in turn more cathedrals to cater for the rising population. Also to counter the popularity of non-conformist chapels […]
Liverpool’s cathedrals – side by side. #atozchallenge
Not many cities can boast two cathedrals in the UK and when they do, they don’t get more impressive than Liverpool. Liverpool, a relatively young city compared to those with Medieval origins, grew rich on trade and shipping but had no cathedral until the 20th century. Liverpool has a diverse population that includes a large […]
Kilwinning Abbey – saints and bell towers. #atozchallenge
Winning was a successful preacher from Ireland who built a church on the banks of the River Garnock in North Ayrshire after being revealed the site by an angel in a vision. Not entirely convinced this is how it all started, but the subsequent abbey is named after him. A Kil means ‘cell’ of the […]
Jedburgh Abbey – A Border church. #atozchallenge
Continuing my exploration of Abbeys and Cathedrals of Britain, I’m heading north of the Border to Scotland. In 9th Century Jedburgh was part of Northumbria and the town grew up around the first church, which was built there by Bishop Ecgred of Lindisfarne. King David of Scotland founded a priory in 1118 and it housed […]
Iona Abbey – Celtic Christianity #atozchallenge
Early Christians liked remote places and in Britain, they spread Christianity into the least populated areas. While Saxon Christians crept up from the south, or came across the North Sea to Northumbria to Lindisfarne Island, others spread Christianity via the Celtic heartlands of Ireland and Scotland. You can’t get more isolated than Iona. The island […]
Hexham Abbey – Things to see. #atozchallenge
Those considering marriage in a church might have a specific church in mind for their wedding. Perhaps it is one they have attend for years, or maybe their family have, or in some cases, it is the location that is the key attraction, something grand and memorable. Several years ago, I received an invitation to […]
Gloucester Cathedral – The stained glass church. #atozchallenge
The stained glass in the windows of a cathedral isn’t there to let in the light, it’s there to ensure nobody inside can see the outside world and the light coming in is controlled. The most impressive cathedral for stained glass, for me, is Gloucester cathedral. The current cathedral was begun in 1089 and built […]
The Quiet Writer 