Day Out in Oxford part two

Hi,

Part two,  This is the Christ Church Cathedral which is built in the college and the Cathedral of Oxford.  This church dates back to the 12th Century is amongst one of the oldest buildings in Oxford and one of the Smallest Anglican Cathedrals in England.  This is the only church in the world that is both Cathedral and College Chapel.

Some of my pictures were not good enough to post so this is just some of the strain glass windows.

 The one above at the top if the Jonah Window,  it shows Jonah and the city of Niveveh in detail.
Next shows the Shrine,  built in 1289, destroyed 1538 and rebuilt in 1889 and 2002  It is the oldest monument in the Cathedral,  once held the relics of St.Frideswide who is the patron saint of Oxford, destroyed during the reformation.  St Frideswide was buried beneath a nearby gravestone.


This is the St Catherine Window,  the central figures face is St Catherine of Alexandria is a portrait of Edith Liddell,  she was the sister of Alice who inspired the book Alice in Wonderland.   The portrait of Alice can be seen in the window of the Great Hall,  sorry my picture did not come out.






This is the Bell Altar,   this was made to mark the millennium and dedicated to the memory of Bishop George Bell,  who courageously opposed the bombing of German cities in World War Two.
The cross picture below was cut from the underside of the Altar.

This is the Chancel Vault designed in 1500
The Vault is made up of intricate star-shaped patterns to crate the image of heaven.
There are 12 beautiful Pendants hanging from it.





A Brief History of Cathedral
c.680 - 727 First church and founder / Patron Saint of Oxford 
c.1150 - 1210 Present Building constructed by Augustinian monks as a Monastery
1524 Augustinian Monastery suppressed
1525 Thomas Wolsey founded Cardinal's College
1546 The church becomes a Cathedral,  the college and Cathedral refounded by King Henry VIII as Christ Church.
1642 - 1646 English Civil War, King Charles I lives and worships at Christ Church.
1720's  John and Charles Wesley both study at the college and both are ordained in the Cathedral
1870 - 1876 Some of the interior is redesigned by Sir George Gilbert Scott.
It is worth a visit when you come to Oxford, as is the Oxford Castle which started as a moat and bailey dating back to c 700.

Now for a walk to the River Thames 

Anyone for a Punt????

 A walk along the  River Thames,  and for those overseas visitors to my blog this is the same River Thames that flows down to London.

The Picture below  is the walk from Christ Church to the River Thames

I hope you enjoyed both Posts,  Oxford is a lovely place to visit and has many colleges which visitors are welcomed to visit.

Until we meet again Take Care

                         Hugs

                      Margaret