Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-10-21
DURHAM CATHEDRAL
AND A NIGHT IN AN OLD ENGLISH INN
-(By the Editor of the Herald)-

tower 218 feet above the building
line. The structure is 500 feet long
| with transepts 172 feet across. 1t Is
supported by flying buttresses, them
selves of utmost grace. And overhead
| the swallows wheel.
Lost in Medieval Streets.
Back through the winding streets
| getting lost twice but each time find
ing ourselves by using the cathedral
| for reckoning) we reach the inn. We
have night cap at the bar. 1t is past
closing hours but the porter inter-
cedes for "the American gentlemen"
The beer is drawn from cask at the
side of the room One or two will
make you sleep well.
Upstairs an hour later you drows-
lily hear the carlton of chimes in
the cathedral bell tower striking the
hour to music. So it has struck for
centuries, you think. You dream away
and almost at once it is morning.
Viewing the Cathedral.
The day is bright and the hour
early. The English consider Ameri-
cans early risers too early We have
an hour for cathedral visiting before
our bus pulls out. So we climb the hill
and enter the building. There verger
takes us through showing the won
ders of the place. At one end is shown
the tomb of the Venerable Bede one
of the best known ecclesiastics in his
tory. He sleeps peacefully.
The verger shows us why the ca
thedral was not extended further at
this end. The reason is that it is a
sheer drop of several hundred feet to
the river.
Who can describe the wonders of
Durham cathedral? Begun in about
1898 A. D., it was century in build
ing. Each succeeding bishop carried
out part of the plan. The plans were
conceived here following study at
Rome They are still contained in
the church archives SO that repairs
may be made from time to time with
utmost accuracy.
| Overhead the roof crosses in a
sweeping curve of Norman stone
groining And at various parts of the
structure you see the evidence of ar
chitectural development into what is
called early English" or "Transi-
ton period" The windows are of
stained glass centuries old. They de-
pict various sacred scenes and histor-
| ical events. We look down "the dim
cathedral aisles" toward the altar.
| Always in the church of England it
is located in the east end of the
building.
Words cannot convey the impressive
| beauty and majesty of this old build
ing Someone has described it as
frozen music" and ga poem in stone. -
So it seems to you.
Choir Chants Through Dim Spaces.
| Before you leave the morning SER
vice starts and the celebrants and the
choir march from their quarters in the
building to the altar and choir loft.
The organ peals forth with queer,
echoing effect in this lofty auditorium.
| The choir voices mingle in the chants
the mellifluous baritone, the deep,
throbbing bass the clear tenor, the
| boyiSh soprano soaring like a lark to
the dome and thence through the fret
ted windows on to heaven. The ma
tin service is said while you stand
quietly reverent. You softly leave the
edif1ce after giving your guide his
gratuity and receiving his thanks.
And just as your bus leaves the city,
after it has climbed a long hill where
Durham city lies far below you, you
turn for last, final look at the ca
thedral and its charm. Your soul
whispers softly saying: Look long
and deep this beautiful morning. Here
is one of the great views of the world.
You will never forget this"
Aloft the age-old building towers,
graceful, beautiful, immutable, in
I spring. 1t too sends message, say
| ing: Look at me we'll and then go
on. You are as feeting as the sands
of time in the hourglass. I was here,
| fair and strong, when the Conqueror
was king. A thousand years from now
1 will still be here" :.