Beautiful Gloucester Cathedral

I was lucky enough to spend last weekend in one of the loveliest cities in the UK. Gloucester boasts a gorgeous dockside area that was once an industrial heartland, but is now home to an exceptional shopping area, Gloucester Quays, as well as some amazing restaurants. The city is full of interesting architecture, particularly surviving Tudor and Georgian buildings, and even has the Tailor of Gloucester’s shop, made famous by the Beatrix Potter tale. And then, of course, it has its cathedral, which is not only a masterpiece of English Gothic Style, but is also the last resting place of a King of England, and has featured in two Harry Potter films – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

On a red hot Summer’s day, there was no cooler and more beautiful place to be than the confines of the cathedral.  The entrance is free, but there is a suggested voluntary donation of  £5 per adult. The foundations for the current cathedral date from the 11th century, with the building dating from that time, although some of the towers being built later, and other parts of the cathedral being rebuilt throughout time. King Edward ll has his tomb here, part of the reason the once Catholic cathedral did not fall into ruins following the reformation, and the stained glass windows are some of the most incredible that you will see, with one, amazingly, having one of the first references to the modern game of golf and a possible image of medieval football! The vaunted ceiling is thing of sheer beauty, awe inspiring in its magnitude.

The Cloisters are one of the most famous parts of the cathedral. As well as featuring in the two Harry Potter movies, they have also featured in numerous other TV and feature films, including Wolf Hall and Mary, Queen of Scots, and are an incredibly beautiful place to enjoy the quiet and drink in the beauty of the surroundings.

Gloucester is a truly beautiful city, and its stunning cathedral is the jewel in the crown. Definitely worth a visit.

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