Twenty-four hours after beginning this trip to the UK, I'm sitting down to write my first post for this blog!
Important things I learned today: 1. When traveling on trains in the United Kingdom, don't lose your ticket! You need it to exit the train station (Side note: I hate this idea; why do I need my ticket to exit? I just want to leave!). Luckily for me, a nice man guarding the exit took pity on my idiocy. 2. Chester is a madhouse when there is a race going on. I struggled to find a hotel in Chester while planning this trip and had no idea why. Now I do. Stella Artois sponsored a day of horse racing in Chester today and the masses came out. Getting trapped in the train station was made more traumatizing by the fact that I was surrounded by men in suits and women in summer dresses with massive hats. Yet, despite the fact that everyone looked like they were ready to be prim and proper, this evening proved otherwise. Every single restaurant in Chester was packed with the day's spectators, continuing a day of drinking with plenty of happy hour cocktails. If I had more than an hour and a half of sleep under my belt, I might have tried to slip into a bar and people watch for a while...maybe...
So I made it from Boston to London to Chester! Not quite in Wales yet, but stopping in an important Roman settlement before I cross the border. Chester began as a Roman castrum, or army camp, called Deva Victrix. This small settlement grew in size and population, becoming a possible capital for the province. But I'll know more about that tomorrow! I decided that after so much travel and so little sleep, I wouldn't be able to do my best research. Instead, I decided to walk through Chester to get the lay of the land, decide what I wanted to see, and take a little time to visit the cathedral.
Taking a little time at the cathedral turned into an hour and a half long visit.
The earliest parts of the cathedral date from 1092 (or 1093) and many signs and informational pamphlets brag about its 1,000 year history. And it has plenty to brag about! The architecture is beautiful, with a mixture of modern and tradition stained glass windows, mosaics depicting biblical stories, a beautiful coffered ceiling, and more. The cathedral also contains a consistory court, or a court in which the bishop was the judge, and it is the earliest example in the United Kingdom.
The real joy of the cathedral was my accidental timing. As I came in, the choir was preparing for an evensong service so as I walked through the church snippets of sung polyphonic melodies and echoing notes from the organ accompanied me. The organ was so strikingly beautiful. The current Gray & Davison organ was installed in 1844 and has undergone modifications, relocations, and remodels since then. A favorite detail for me was the video screen that sits before the organist so he can watch the choir director conduct, ensuring choir and organ keep time together.
I decided to stay and listen to part of the evensong service. I caught the choir leaving to take a quick break before the service started. The choir was an all male choir, utilizing a boy's choir for the upper voice parts. I was impressed by the discipline that even the youngest singers showed and their musicality and intonation was impressive. Though I didn't stay for the full service, it was truly a magical experience. Even after an exhausting day, sitting in a cathedral and listening to a choir made it such a beautiful day. All around, a success on my first day here!
My plan for the end of each blog post is to share a fun fact I've learned from my research. So here's Fun Fact #1: Chester is home to the only Roman shrine that remains in situ in all of Britain, and possibly all of Western Europe. All other such shrines have been removed from their original location. The shrine is dedicated to Minerva and dates from the 2nd century CE. I'm excited to see it tomorrow!
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