Photo: Travel: United Kingdom: Winchester

Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire

Winchester was the richest bishopric in England and its bishops, many of whom were fabulously rich, meddled in politics far more often than those of any other cathedral. The site has a long history dating back to the Romans but the ancestry of the present fabric dates back to the Normans who built what was then one of the largest structures on the planet. The cathedral now is still the longest one in Europe even if it is slighly shorter than the Norman structure on account of the replacement of the West front with a "rather mechanical essay in the new Perpendicular style" as Batsford and Fry rightly complain. The exterior is uniformly disappointing for there is little to recommend the fabric aside from its length: the crossing tower is squat and lost, the perpendicular nave contrasts unfavorably with the muscular romanesque of the Norman transepts, and the front is entirely forgettable.

The interior is another story entirely. The unobstructed view down the nave reveals a beautiful English Gothic with a tall arcade and clerestory separated by a parapet and alleyway instead of the usual triforium. The shafts provide a continuous line rising uninterrupted to their capitals from whence the vault ribs spring in a stellar lierne. The west window is a kaleidoscope of medieval glass after the original was shattered in the Civil War. Overall, the stained glass is disappointing with the occasional exception of some designs by Burne Jones. The funeral statuary and brass does have some attractive pieces although Jane Austen's grave is probably the most famous.

The Quire has a nicely done timber stalls with carvings that look like a mason's work rather than a carpenter's but at least there is plenty of intriguing figures to look at, like the usual Green Man among mythic creatures and knights. The Great Screen behind the high altar is filled with Victorian replacements of the original statues depicting kings, bishops, the doctors of the church, and some saints. The retroquire has stunning chantry chapels but the highlight is the Lady Chapel with not very skilled but intriguing frescoes depicting miracles performed by the Virgin. My favorite chapel has to be the Chapel of St John and the Fishermen Apostles with its modern furnishings. The crypt is not to be missed, especially when flooded: the pensive statue by Gormley was designed to be viewed standing in water. Note the measuring tapes over the cracks in the fabric. The Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre has the best 12th century paintings in the country.

Unfortunately, we could not see the Winchester Bible or visit the library and triforium gallery because they were closed until Easter. The modest guidebook includes a CD with some performances of the cahtedral choir.

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