Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral

Continuing on from Highclere Castle, our next destination was Stonehenge, one of the most famous landmarks in the world. On the bus while we ate a packed lunch of sandwiches, crips, an apple, and a KitKat.

Fun Fact: In the United Kingdom, KitKats are made by Nestle, not Hershey.

Dr. Forsaith told us some of the history behind the mysterious site. Stonehenge is believed to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. Scholars have only theories as to its purpose and the manner in which it was constructed. The stones used in its construction are native to another part of the country and would have probably been transported up the coast on rafts and then somehow moved several miles across land to the chosen site. Remember, each stone weighs somewhere between 25 and 50 tons.

Some people believe that the stone arrangement serves as a giant calendar to help predict the seasons, a very important function in an agrarian society. Others think that it is a religious site most closely associated with paganism and Druidism.

It was windy and grey clouds were gathering in the sky when we alighted from the coach. According to Dr. Forsaith, it is almost always windy at Stonehenge because the land around it is flat and there are no barriers to break the wind. After waiting in line for our tickets we went through an underground tunnel, emerging on the other side of the road. There were visitors from all over the world around us. I heard people speaking many languages including German, Japanese, and French.

A path was laid out in a rough circle around the stone with number markers spaced periodically, corresponding to information on our handouts that Dr. Forsaith gave us. The handouts were designed for grade school children but they still contained some interesting facts.

The henge itself was not all that engrossing to me, perhaps because I had seen pictures of it so many times in my life that I was unable to feel the excitement of seeing something new. I found the surrounding countryside much more enthralling with its green fields and burial mounds crowned with turbulent grey clouds.

Near the end of the circular pathway there was a person dressed in a dark cloak and robes, carrying a staff. No one in our group are sure it the person was a man or a woman. I did not look at him/her closely enough to know. I simply assumed he/she was a woman because of the long, pale orange hair, but someone else said they though it was a wig. There was a lively discussion on the coach ride to Salisbury about this mystery.

Apparently, there is a pagan group who feel that there must always be someone from their religion at Stonehenge. I am not sure why, maybe to protect it from sacrilegious visitors who might want to damage the stones in some way. Dr. Forsaith noted that he had never seen someone dressed in pagan robes at the site in the numerous times that he has visited.

We spent about an hour at Stonehenge and then boarded the coach for Salisbury, our destination being Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury is a very pretty city with a small river running through the center. This river, surrounded on both sides by buildings, played host to a flock of ducks and swans.

Fun Fact: Under a 1482 law, the majority of the swans in the United Kingdom are owned by the Crown and it is a crime to kill one.

At the Cathedral we went on a tour to learn its history. Fundraising to get money to build the religious worship place began in 2017. Three years later, in 1220, construction began (I know these dates because the tour guide jokingly said there was going to be a quiz at the end and I decided to remember them just to be able to tell him the correct answer if asked). The church is immense with incredibly high vaulted ceilings which are awe-inspiring. The many windows are decorated with amazing stained glass, much of it the original ones from the 13th century. I can not imagine what it would be like for that to be my church I attended each Sunday.

Salisbury Cathedral is unique in that it was completed as one project instead of being added to over the centuries. The only addition to the building occurred in 2008 when a large baptismal fountain was added in commemoration of 750th anniversary of the Cathedral's completion.

Baptismal Fountain

Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the fountain by marking the sign of the cross in oil on the fountain's four sides. The next morning when the cleaning woman arrived for her duties she saw the marks and thought that the church had been vandalized during the night. Using soap and water, she tried to scrub the marks away, but luckily the stone had properties that made it absorb the oil. The symbol of the cross remains on the fountain today.

Our tour lasted a little longer than expected so our group had to rush to see the Magna Carta before it was closed for the day. I was surprised to see that the words on the famous document were printed. I always just imagined that it was handwritten since it was created so long ago. Its text is impossible to decipher because the writers used a lot of abbreviations so as to fit it all onto one page.

When the tour ended we were given a short amount of free time to explore Salisbury before we had to be back at the Cathedral for Evensong. Libby, Caitlin, Amy and I just walked around looking for a Cashpoint (ATM in the USA), and then just resting at a picnic table. I enjoyed watching all of the school children walking by in their uniforms since school had just let out. It seems that light blue, navy, black and burgundy are the most popular colors used for school uniforms.

At about 5:20 we headed back into the main all of the Cathedral to listen to Evensong. There was not enough room in the fancy wooden seats in the center of the church so we sat in wooden chairs farther back. That was the section where the common people would have sat during medieval times.

All of the clergy and the choir singers processed to their places in a very ritualistic and traditional manner. They all wore red and white robes. Several of the choir singers were young girls probably between the ages of 7 and 11. They wore long white dresses with long sleeves, accompanied by a ruffled lace collar reminiscent of those popular during the Elizabethan Era, though on a much smaller scale.

The service consisted mostly of songs, some sung by the choir and some by all attendees. There was a short scripture reading and recitation of the Apostle's Creed. I was impressed how much of the Apostle's Creed I remembered from when I had to memorize it during Confirmation in the 8th grade. Everyone in the group found it foreign when the pastor began praying about the Queen and the government. These topics are rarely mentioned in churches in the United States because of the separation between church and state.

Sarum College

It was without a doubt a beautiful service, performed in a completely astounding venue. It held my attention better than most services at my church at home.

Next, it was time for dinner at Sarum College. We ate the delicious food in a small dining room with a buffet line and small tables. There was steak, fish pie, steamed vegetables, potatoes, and salad. I ate a bunch of vegetables because I was craving so nutrients. The desert was absolutely amazing. There were creme puffs with chocolate sauce and raspberry trifle. I had both and probably negated all benefits of the vegetables I had eaten for dinner.



Fun Fact: Cities in the United Kingdom must have a cathedral, otherwise they are considered to be towns or villages.