I'm nine hundred, you know... (Winchester Cathedral)

Member Name: moistoist

Product:	Winchester Cathedral
Date:	27/06/01 (113 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Too many too list.

Disadvantages: Some disabled access issues, but that's understandable!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...you've heard the pop song from some years ago, it's the same place...

Phew! Glad we got that out of the way...

There are, in any person's life, no matter how short, buildings that become indelibly imprinted on your psyche, the sort of place that you spend so much time in that you could walk around it blindfolded and still appreciate it. At age 8, a building this size is surely the equivalent of Mount Everest for a budding rock climber, in its sense of immense importance. The cathedral in Winchester is such a place for me.

"8?" I hear you say..."uhh?". Let me enlighten you! It's not that I was some precocious Christian child preacher or something - in fact I'm not religious in the slightest (aside worshipping at the temple of work daily!)...but I still spent five years within a hundred yards of one of the oldest and most amazing buildings of any stature in the land. "Why then?" you ask...well, I was a cathedral chorister there...yeah, that's one of those cute kids who sing in the professional choir their all the time, whilst boarding at the school in the Close.

I imagine some people are thinking that that sounds some what Dickensian, but the English choral tradition is very much 21st century, and as strong as it ever has been. Nearly all the cathedrals in this country have a professional choir made up of choral scholars (who make up the men of the choir) - and a group of about 18 boys, who are the choristers. So basically, I spent as much time in the cathedral rehearsing and performing music than I did eating! Around a normal school day at prep school, mind you...that's 8am until 9am rehearsing, a school day - then 4pm to 5pm rehearsing, a service at 5pm to 6pm, supper, prep, then sod off to get some sleep before the same routine the next day. Sounds bad? Not at all, actually it was one of the most awesome and memorable experiences that I could have had at
that age.

Anyway, that's how I know this place inside out, as it was somewhere I worked in as a kid for 5 years. Enough of me anyway, if you are there, you have to visit it. There are guided tours available, but I'll give you a quick one here, which'll include a few things that you'd never see any other way!


The cathedral was founded in 1079, after the Norman conquest. The Normans built vast buildings like this for one reason...to replace what had been before which was still a potent symbol of Saxon ideals that had been well and truly stamped on at Hastings. William the Conqueror had appointed a kinsman of his, Walkelin, to succeed the Saxon bishop Stigand, and the stone was dragged on his plans from April 8th 1079 to April 8th 1094, when the building was consecrated. Most of it appears today as it appeared then, although the stone would have been totally clean, and quite dazzling in the springtime of that year as its white splendour became the dominant force in the city.
The city itself had been capital of England before London, so Winchester was still and important ecomonic and political stronghold, vastly important in the grand scheme of Norman England...and what a fine symbol of the cultural wealth of the country they had conquered could have been erected like the resplendant building, hundreds of metres long (it's the longest nave in Europe...whilst I was a chorister, I sang at David Gower's wedding, who told us in a letter afterwards that he'd wanted a building big enough to play a test match in! This was the kind of bizarre thing that I got to do, which involved meeting the entire British cricket and football teams, playing football with Alex Ferguson and Gary Lineker afterwards in the school yard...)


When you enter, there is a voluntary contribution box. Now whilst you gripe that such a building should be free, all I'll say is that you should think about putting something in on your w
ay out, remembering that it costs several million a year to upkeep the place. You'll understand why, believe me.


Anyway, walk in at the Nave end on the South side. The information desk is to your right (if they haven't moved it since I left!). The virgers (blokes dressed in sort of purple and navy robes and carrying a huge bunch of keys around), will be all to happy to help you out, or show you something if you want to see it, especially Clive, class bloke...say hi if he's there for me would you!? :-) I suggest you stand in the middle at the West end (the far end of the nave, and look down the expanse of Gothic architecture....if you think you hate architecture, think AGAIN!). It'll take your breath away. Other stunning views include the one from the top of the tower roof, on the guided tour...I used to go up there every now and then with the guides after evensong, absolutely sensational on a nice day.

If you can, time your visit for the afternoon, and go to evensong, where you will hear the world-famous choir of which I was a part. Trust me, they are incredible, even though I'm biased! We performed in the premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem, which got loads of gold discs, as well as performing all over the world (Australia (eg to an audience of over seven thousand at Sydney Opera House, USA twice (eg Carnegie Hall packed out), South America, all over Europe...and all over England, including the proms, on telly (Christmas mostly, you probably saw us on TV without knowing it)
... and making 14 CD's, and that's just while I was there!

Best day to go for that is on a Thursday, the music tends to be better (in my opinion)....as Friday, well, how would you like to sing at 5.30 on a Friday afternoon after a full day of school...? Other days are Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday, as the choristers have Mondays and Wednesdays off. Even if you are non-religious, go for the music alone, which is SO beautiful
in the building that it will calm you so much.


Anyway, whilst you are exploring, go into the Quire, beyond the 15th Century Inigo Jones Screen, and look in the choir stalls on the left, on the front row...if you look down, you'll find the carvings of many hundreds of years of choristers who were part of the choir...I carved my name (it's not allowed, but it's tradition though!)...just below the name of someone who carved their name in 1656. Not bad, one day I'll take my grandkids, when I have them...

Other things you might see are the colossal organ (if you are an organist, ring the music office and they might let you play it, but it's VERY VERY loud on full blast...)...and the huge bells which can be heard for miles around, if you like campanology and stuff (can't stand it myself though, the bells used to wake me up at 6.30am every bloody morning... and at 10 years old that's not fun... :-) )
If you can, go down into the crypt...don't worry, no ghosts there, just a well that is very deep that you can drop stones down, and a rather good modern art sculpture that we used to call 'Bob'...
The cathedral also holds a fascinating library, with the Winchester bible preserved within which you can see...it's priceless as it's as old as the cathedral itself, and beautifully engraved and illustrated.
The guidebook will give you a much better detail of the history, as well as a map. It's a big place!
There is a restaurant outside the West front, with an adjoining shop. The prices are rather high though, but there is some very beautiful souvenirs for tourists. Disabled access is generally very good indeed considering the nature of a building that was built a millennium ago, you should have no problems aside the steps up to the retroquire in the South Transept.
Elsewhere in the Cathedral close you will find the Pilgrim's Hall (actually part of the school, but historically it'
s hugely important as it's the one of the oldest buildings of its kind in the world.) Also Cheyney court, which is where the headmaster of the school lives ...which is the second oldest complete and still habitable residence in the world...not bad!

Generally though, it's one of the most peaceful, relaxing places in the country I think, set in a city which has great shopping and restaurants which is just fabulous for a day stop. It will always hold a very special place in my own heart, even though I'm not religious in any way...and I urge you to visit if you are near. It will astonish and amaze you, I promise, no matter what you think about it before you go in.


Beats the Millennium Dome to a pulp, anyway...

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