While on a weekend break, we visited Gloucester Cathedral. While fairly impressive from the outside, it is almost TARDIS-like, opening up into an array of grand, intricate spaces within.
The site began its long life as a seventh-century Saxon minster before evolving into the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter in 1022.
Its fortunes shifted dramatically following the murder of King Edward II in 1327; his tomb transformed the abbey into a major pilgrimage site, drawing crowds and vital donations that funded subsequent architectural triumphs.
Spared from destruction during Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries largely because it held royal blood, the ancient abbey was swiftly re-established as a cathedral in 1541.
In more recent decades, the cathedral has gained global fame for doubling as Hogwarts on screen in several of the Harry Potter films, with its cloisters instantly recognizable to fans.
Visiting is supported by a suggested donation of £5 per person, which helps offset the hefty £7,600 daily maintenance cost required to preserve the ancient stone. The on-site shop offers a great selection of mementos, including detailed history books and smaller Harry Potter merchandise.
The sheer scale, age, and craftsmanship of the stonework is unbelievable, they certainly do not build anything like this anymore that lasts.
Leave a Reply