Worcester Cathedral

I have always loved church buildings. But I have never been in one quite as dramatic as Worcester Cathedral. There has been a cathedral on that site for 14 centuries, and parts of the existing building are about 10 centuries old.

The first thing that strikes you when you suddenly arrive at it on the edge of the village is its sheer size. It's hard to photograph it all from the outside even with a wide angle lens, because of the surrounding trees. I walked around admiring the weathered stonework and the sheer size and grandeur of it. This however, did not prepare me for what I was to see and feel inside.

On entry you are accosted by a staff member, who tells you entry is fee, but that they would really like a donation (the sign says $5 is needed), and that if you want to take photographs you should pay another $3. I knew it would be difficult to take pictures inside. I wasn't going to be so crass as to use a flash, and with all the light coming into the windows would create bright spots in the pictures but not really light up the inside enough. I don't yet know enough about my camera controls to compensate for this. Nevertheless I did want to take some pictures, to help me remember the grandeur, beauty and essence of the place.

It's full of dead bodies, and some alive ones as well. A couple of kings, knights, and bishops are buried around the edges, and of course down in the crypt. There are lots of little alcoves and chapels off the main areas. It's at once sombre and awe-inspiring. Where is God in all of this? It's hard to tell, and I certainly felt very conflicted wondering what God thinks of our magnificent stone monuments.

I suspect I will see bigger, more spectacular cathedrals than this one, but it certainly left an impression on me. I was about to say it is the jewel in Worcester's crown, but perhaps it is just Worcester's jewel.