The day after our weekend trip to Devon, it was back to work for Jeantine and back to a railway station for Barb and I
AMT Coffee, Platform 13, St Pancras Int'l, 10:41am. We were taking a day trip to meet up with Sarah Long, daughter of Alan Mankelow, who I had met on our brief stop over in London in 2008.
Sarah at the time was not available and I was lucky in having John & Deanna Skelton take me down to Tonbridge while Barb stayed with Sue Derbyshire's sister. I had Alan's name from cousin Chrissie Mankelow who had met up our English relatives (going back a few generations) while on an earlier trip Chrissie had made researching our ancestors and their lives.
12:25 Off the train and Barb walking with Sarah giving us the benefit of their local knowledge. Sarah and Bob Long had met us at the Canterbury West Railway Station and it was close enough to town to walk to the Cathedral. Photo details say this is on Saint Peters Street.
Walking toward the Cathedral and having historical and interesting features pointed out to us. This outside 32 High Street says the iPhone GPS.
The Cathedral as seen at the junction of Mercery Lane and High Street.
Entrance fee paid and through the gates
First view inside Canterbury Cathedral. Barb looking at the guide phamplet.
Looking further up ahead.
So many nooks and crannies to explore. Is that our host Bob Long?
New window as of 1954. This we know from talking to a Cathedral volunteer who enjoyed telling us little snippets about the construction and features. As Sarah Long said on Facebook ... "Such a lovely day . We thoroughly enjoyed 'finally ' meeting you both and also the wealth of infomation we all learnt about the cathedral from such a lovely gentleman who seemed to adopt us as we walked around such an historic building." I did record the guy on the iPhone Voice memos app and have since worked on boosting the sound in my audio editing software and posted to SoundCloud. as I pick him up on talking about the stained glass windows.
My photo below of the two windows referred doesn't show enough detail to follow the narration, so click this link for a photo of the window and explanation. This page even links you to the other window.
1:29pm. Windows blown out during the Second World War. On the left window, down the bottom is a prison cell - as explained by our kindly volunteer in the link above. The window on the right added in 1958. From Wikipedia ...
The earliest coloured glass windows in the cathedral date from the late 12th century, whilst others are as new as the four Ervin Bossányi windows in the south east transept (1957).
The Cathedral volunteer who was giving us little snippets of information then pointed out this area and asked if we could see image of a person. Doing a Google search months after our visit, I searched images and was wondering if anyone had published images and details of this area of the cathedral. To my relief I finally found this area in this link
I think at the time, I thought I could see the suggested image but, with the passage of time it is not so evident.
"Altar - A new alter was installed In 2005 after it was kindly donated to the cathedral by the people of the Region of the Valley of Aosta, Italy, to commemorate the close links between Aosta, the birthplace of St Anselm, and Canterbury. This altar was created by the English sculptor, Stephen Cox, out of a block of dark green Aosta marble with a white grain. The names of “Anselm”, “Runcie” and “Coggan” are carved on the floor in front of the altar to commemorate their times as Archbishop. It was consecrated by Archbishop Rowan Williams on the 21st April 2006, the feast day of St Anselm." (from the link above under canterbury-cathedral.org)
Yet another detail 'our guide' pointed out for our delight and also another recorded moment of when we came across the same gentleman, who engaged with us again, explaining the story of Thomas Becket. The only thing is we struggle to hear when the Cathedral organ is played for short bursts as you can hear in this link.
Detailed craftmanship through the ages
Now that grassed area looks inviting.
However we were told by a cathedral volunteer (I guess) that we should not be out on the grassed area. I can't recall the reason given. Photos by Sarah Long, who went onto the grass to get these shots.
Sarah Long photo - inside the vaulted walkways
Sarah Long photo - Outside again, at the rear of the Cathedral
Sarah Long photo - the intrepid duo
1:55pm By the scaffolding I imagine there is constant maintainence
3:30pm This must have been after lunch - Butchery Lane
6A Parade - young people lounging
Saint Peters Street where it crosses a canal (Great Stour?)
End of Saint Peters St, where it meets the Westgate Towers
Westgate Gardens
Westgate Punts
After Westgate Gardens it was time to walk back to the Railway Station, say goodbye and thank you to Sarah and Bob and head back to London
Saturday evening after our Cod and Chips meal and evening walk around Torquay, we found our way back to the Airbnb street and found a place to park. Not being used to modern cars it took a while to work out that the lights would stay on for short while, even after we had locked the car. Then inside for a 'summary of the day conversation' with the host. Then retire to our bedrooms for some wifi photo uploading before slipping into sleep mode.
Next morning we headed down to Thrifty Rentals looking for a nearby petrol station to fuel up so the vehicle was returned with a full tank. The faded eftpos receipt at 09:32am from Alphington S/Stn on Alphington Road shows £18.11 (that can't be right can it) Somehow we were charged £2.17 for fuel by Thrifty Rentals, total bill £190.97. To save Barb having to walk back up to the closest Railway Station, Exeter Central, we left her with the bags and so once we had signed the vehicle back in, Jeantine and I hiked back up the hill to Station.
11:30 AM—11:54 AM TrainSouth West Trains 11:30 AM from Exeter Central on time every 60 min
Not having allowed time for a genuine 'Devonshire Tea' Jeantine googled a Devon town on the South West Trains line that we could call in have a 'Devonshire morning tea' and thus got off the train at Honiton and walked to The Boston Tea Party at 53 High Street. I thought it interesting that in looking for Devonshire Teas we found a place named after the dispute with England where the Americans threw a ship load of tea into Boston Harbor.
The Cafe / Tea Shop looked standard fare for a Cafe come bakery but outside in the back garden was more genteel, and less hustle and bustle than inside around the counter and tables.
11:17 Devonshire Tea served. Two reciepts; £15.70 must've been for the tea for three. And £5.20 must've been for a snack to have on the train.
12:35pm, walking back to the train station. In the distance is the rail bridge through the town. I think it was in this town we walked into the grand old local church and not a soul in sight. We browsed a few community notices to fill in time until the next train was due and then hurried back to the station hoping to avoid getting wet from threatening clouds.
12:38pm and walking back up to platform level after walking under the rail bridge.
Honiton to Clapham Junction, London; 2hrs 48min by train, 3hr 5mins by car and 158 miles
