Climbing the Spire ...

As soon as the Christmas festivities were over,

her man whisked her away for a birthday surprise (she was a Boxing Day baby).

An overnight stay at a small hotel in the city of Salisbury.

They wandered the Market Place and pretty old streets peppered with 

half timbered buildings and old shop fronts.

A fabulous meal at Charter 1227 was an extra treat ... 

and the following day - a fantastic guided tour of the Cathedral roof and spire!

Salisbury Cathedral is an architectural masterpiece,

built on a gravel bed with unusually shallow foundations of just 18 inches!

Building of the cathedral commenced in 1220

and the main building was completed just 38 years later.

The tower and spire (the tallest in the UK) were added 100 years later.

The cathedral contains the best of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta 

and the oldest (reputedly) working modern clock in the world, 

dating from around AD 1386.  

It was in operation until 1884, when it was placed into storage

in the cathedral attic and forgotten about!

Rediscovered in 1929, it was repaired and restored to working order.

They climbed smooth spiral stone steps, 

standing level with the gothic arches and beautiful windows, 

looking out over the church to the nativity in the distance.

Walking into the attic,

above the curved beauty of the ceiling below.

Pegged beams, hewn from ancient oak ...

the bones of this magnificent building.

Beetle eaten timbers.

Buttresses, bracing arches and anchoring irons 

protecting the tower from movement.

Ascending an open wooden staircase,

wending higher into the spire cavity.

Carved memories and craftsmen's graffiti ...

Gazing skywards into a maze of beams and ladders,

out of bounds for all but the bravest of workmen and restorators.

Their guide briefly extinguished the lights and in the blackness

they marvelled at the amazing feat of engineering, constructed by candlelamp light.

From the tower, they looked out over Cathedral Close, 

the Cloisters and the further landscape.

A carpet of pigeon feathers at their feet, the spoils of two resident Hawks!

Highly recommended ... at just £10 each for a tour that lasted nearly two hours.

A perfect two days, and  ... it didn't rain!