Winchester Cathedral: A Photo Essay

A Note to the Reader: 

On our trip we were able to see six cathedrals in total. We visited Exeter on the day before the walk. During the walk we visited, in order: Wells, Salisbury, Winchester, Rochester, and Canterbury (we took rest days at Wells, Salisbury, and Canterbury, which encouraged more photographs!). Each cathedral is lovely in its own right and, for all but Rochester, we took many, many pictures—far too many to feature in our regular walking-day posts. So we've decided to include some photo posts dedicated to these magnificent buildings. 

Winchester Cathedral

Dedicated to the Holy Trinity

Founded before 650

Built from ca. 1080 (transepts); substantial rebuilding of nave & choir 14th-16th centuries

Winchester cathedral nave and north transept. We had far less time here to take photographs so I inexpicably do not have a picture of the west front, which is fairly impressive. But the true glory of Winchester lies within...

 The magnificent nave, looking west. The earlier Norman nave was rebuilt in the 14th century in the perpendicular style, with its characteristic emphasis on verticality. In the horizontal dimension, Winchester cathedral is the longest cathedral in England.

 The north transept along with the crypt is probably the oldest part of the cathedral. Note the characteristic Norman rounded arches as opposed to the pointed gothic ones of the nave in the previous picture.

 

 These two windows in the north transept—part of a series—portraying the the Adoration of the Magi and the Nativity are by Edward Colley Burne-Jones and associates.

 The choir, looking west towards the crossing and nave vaults. We very much enjoyed attending the Evensong service, and actually sat in the back row on the right in the picture.

The high altar and 15th century reredos at the east end of the choir.

Winchester has some quite interesting medieval tombs and chantry chapels, the most prominent being that of William of Wykeham, the powerful Bishop of Winchester and founder of Winchester College and New College, Oxford. On the other hand, later burials include Isaac Walton (left) and Jane Austen (right). Interestingly, her tomb makes no mention of her literary achievements.

Sara liked the window dedicated to Isaac Walton, of which this is one of the panes.
(I really like Sara's stained glass window photographs.)
I also think this would be a good motto for an academic library!

Finally, this interesting sculpture, Sound II, by Antony Gormley, is in the Norman crypt—which often floods in rainy months so that he is up to his knees in water, according to the Winchester Cathedral website. (The light was quite dim so unfortunately the picture is a bit out of focus, but we found it quite a striking sculpture and quite peaceful—like the new font at Salisbury an impressive contemporary addition to the cathedral.)