How glorious the last two days have been! Salisbury Cathedral is beyond belief. This magnificent House of God, with its soaring gothic arches held high by clumps of massive columns, their bases surrounded by wreaths of worn roses, boasts some of the most intricate stained glass in the world. The artist’s palate of colored glass takes one’s breath away.
Then, soaring above it all is the spire, the tallest in England and second in the world. While there, two men were scaling the spire and doing repairs. They looked like miniatures, ant-like, as they claimed higher and higher.
Our stay at The Chapter House was a quintessential English experience. The hotel exuded an unmistakable English charm, with its low ceilings, abundant timber and plaster, and the delightful scent of carved oak mingling with the aroma of coffee and frying bacon.
Morgan and Stephan, the attentive staff, catered to our every need. As we made our way to our snug room through a maze of hallways, we were greeted by a staircase. “Is there a lift?” I inquired. Morgan laughed and said, “Afraid not, Sir. Welcome to England.” The food was a delight—the steaks were thick, the chips delectable, and the Bloody Marys truly delicious. Two were enough to make me…well, I digress.
We rode the train to Southampton and took a cab to the Red Funnel Line ferry, which took us to the Isle of Wight. Standing on the deck, the misty rain on my face and the briny smell of the sea engulfing me, I could not help but think of the Titanic as I watched the ferry’s propellers churn up the grey-green water.
Osborn House on the Isle of Wight was the home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Prince designed and decorated it in a high Victorian style. Heavily carved and gilded ceilings, rooms filled with richly carved mahogany furniture covered in plush brocades, and thick Oriental rugs were the style of the day. I wanted to move right in.
Vestiges of their personal lives were everywhere: their clothes, the children’s toys, Victoria and Albert’s personal pens and writing paper, and the sovereign’s bathtubs. In this retreat from the duties of the crown, the Royal Family found rest and relaxation.
We are currently on the train to Oxford; Oxford, one of England’s most fabled towns. A new adventure begins!
Cheerio, my friends. Big hug.
(Originally published September 15, 2022)
Moi on our way to Oxford via this little town. Salisbury Cathedral on the rainy day we arrived. The Catherdra’s front entrance. Moi is posing in front of the Cathedral. Sam posing in front of the Cathedral. The Cloisters at the Cathedral. The men on the steeple. Their minute size gives you an idea of how tall the cathedral’s steeple is. The Cathedral and the lush green lawn that surrounded it.The Cathedral’s baptism pool. A seemingly bottomless pool of shimmering, pitch-black water. The Cathedral’s soaring nave…breathtaking! The Cathedral Organ. The intricate carving above the choir seats.More iridescent stained glass, towering arches, and rich, carved oak. The Cathedral’s nave has Prussian-blue stained glass. Sam is checking his email. Two ladies are enjoying the sights. And I’m shaking my phone, hence the blurry snap. (LOL!) A better snap of the Prussian-blue stained glass. These windows were my favorites of all the Catherdal’s breathtaking stained glass! The richly carved choir seats.Looking toward the main entrance from the choir loft. A wall of stained glass, magnificent to behold. The Catherdral walls were covered in plagues from both WWI and WWII, along with family plagues memorializing the relatives who had passed away. This one was most touching. Our freedoms are born on the backs of those who died to preserve them! There were many tombs with carved figures of the body interned in them. Many had been desecrated with graffiti carved into the marble during the many religious wars that plagued England in its early history. There were also many headless statues of the saints. R. H., whoever that was, left his initials on this poor fellow’s face, along with a crushed nose. After the Queen’s passing, framed pictures like this one were everywhere—cathedrals, bus stops, restaurants, and museums. To me, Queen Elizabeth’s passing marked the end of an era for dear old England. Moi walking past a lovely old house in dear old Salisbury town. This was the view from the Chapter House’s dining room window of a very old house with the Catheral’s steeple watching from behind. The rain-slick courtyard of Salisbury’s Red Lion Hotel is beautifully inviting, even in the drizzling rain.Another view from the dining room is St John’s Gate, which is the entrance to the street leading to the cathedral. The Chapter House dining room with Sam and me, at what became our favorite table at which to eat. You see St. John’s Gate in the background. The Chapter House. The dining room is to the far right. Our cozy little room at the Chapter House. Moi peeking through a little door cut in the huge double doors. I guess it was for short folks like me. Oy Vey! Such a little picture, too. LOL! The Southampton ferry to the Isle of Wight and Osborn House. Moi being silly on the ferry to Osborn House. Abandon ship indeed! LOL! Some of Osborn House’s gardens from an upstairs window. Poor Sam! He rounds a corner, and there he’s hassled by a little bore hassling a giant boar. LOL. A richly decorated drawing room at Osborn House sporting a most unusual chandelier. The Gold Drawing Room with its gorgeous grand piano.
The Gold Drawing Room.
Another view of the Gold Drawing Room. It was magnificent, to say the least.
Another view showing the beautifully painted ceiling. Some of the incredible floor tiles that ran through out the house. The grand staircase. One of the many doors that featured Victoria and Albert’s intertwined initials. The design was that of the Prince himself. Prince Albert’s bathtub. Notice there’s no hot and cold running water. I can’t imagine how many poor servants it took to keep the Prince in hot water. Queen Victoria’s bathtub. More servants needed here, as well. This is the bed in which Queen Victoria died. The room is exactly as it was the day she passed away, except for the large brass memorial placed above it by the Royal Family in the early 1950s. The State Dining Room at Osborn House. The Indian-inspired ceiling was installed once she became the Empress of India. It was something to behold, let me tell you.This massive painting has been hanging at one end of the family’s dining room since 1846. It is a copy of Winterhalter’s original painting, which hangs in the East Gallery at Buckingham Palace. We saw that, too, on our visit to Buckingham Palace.Moi at the fountain at Osborn House.
