Roman and Norman and Gothic, oh my!!!

My first visitor has finally arrived, and mom and I lost no time in getting out and about in south west England to see some of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. First stop was Bath Spa, about 100 miles west of London. Bath is known for its hot mineral spring, which was converted into a bath by the Romans in about 70 AD. While remains of Roman baths can be seen in multiple places in England, the one in Bath Spa is the best preserved and is also unique that is was a sacred area, with the grounds including a temple to Minerva. The hot spring is still present and flowing, however it is no longer open for use...except for the ducks that were enjoying a nice hot-tub experience!

Next stop was Bath Abbey, which has been built, torn down, rebuilt, fallen into ruins, and rebuilt again since the 8th century. The cathedral is notable for the stain glass windows, the beautiful stonework of the ceiling, and for being the spot of the coronation of Edgar, the first English king, in 973.

We took some time to wander away from the tourist area and enjoy some of Bath's quaint shops and cozy pubs. Most buildings in Bath are built using a local, golden-coloured "Bath Stone", and were constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries, giving the area a much different look then that of Reading or London.

The next day we were out again, this time heading into Salisbury to visit what is likely the most widely recognized grouping of earthworks in the world. We caught an early train, and the first bus through the Wiltshire countryside to the site of Stonehenge. The massive stone structures, unique in that they are the only ones to include the lintels (horizontal stones on top of the vertical pillars), rise off the Salisbury plain to give the first breathtaking view. I found the actual viewing of the site almost surreal, with the crowds and the tourist stands detracting from the mystic of the area. But once able to get to the inside of the walkway, then it was possible to tune out the people and commerce, and take in the incredible monuments.

Stonehenge was constructed in three phases, of which only the first phase is believed to have been completed. Phase 1 involved no actual stones, as it was the digging of a large circular ditch and bank. In the middle of the area is where the stones were erected, with the second phase being the henge in the interior of the current site. It is thought that these stones were brought here from Wales, approx 240 miles away, and were constructed in about 2600 BC. The outer circle of stones were the last to be put up, and were thought to come from Marborough Downs, about 20 miles away. This was thought to have been done between 2600 and 2500 BC.

Our trip back into Salisbury, we passed by Old Sarum, which was the original settlement in the area. Old Sarum was once a residence of William the Conqueror, and was a flourishing city with a cathedral, castle, and royal palace. The lack of immediate access to water (along with other politicals) led to the construction of New Sarum at the intersection of 5 rivers, about a mile away. This new city would become Salisbury. We skipped the tour of the ruins of Old Sarum, mostly due to the downpour that hit at the bus stop.

Back in Salisbury, we took time to visit the medieval city, now known as Cathedral Close. The Close was a walled off area that keep the riffraff of New Serum out and the contained the cathedral and residence of the clergy and well-to-do of Salisbury. The cathedral itself is magnificent, and the only cathedral to be built in 100% Gothic style. This is because it took less then 40 years to construct the cathedral! The spire on the cathedral was not part of the original construction, but was added about 70 years later, around 1330. The spire is the tallest in England, at 404 ft, and is now the 4th tallest in the world. You can take a tour of the tower and spire, which we would have done, but due to the Easter holidays, the tours were not being conducted. We did get to see the one of the 4 remaining copies of the Magna Carta, which is housed in the Charter Room in the church.

An interesting side note on the Cathedral. During the bombings of Britain during WWII, the Salisbury Cathedral and surrounding area seemed immune to the devastation. It was later discovered that the Germans were under strict instruction to spare the cathedral, as the spire was used as a landmark and navigation point to the surrounding rivers.