As mentioned on another thread, my program at DePaul University is offering a "Cathedrals of Britain" travel-study course next quarter. I've applied for a scholarship to cover a portion of the travel expenses, and I've been told that I have a pretty good shot at getting it. I've decided that I'll find the money to pay for the remainder of the travel expenses even if it means I have to sell my car, sell a kidney, and/or rob a bank over the next few weeks.
Below is the itinerary I got from the instructor. Aside from the cathedrals and abbeys we'll be visiting on the trip, are there any other architectural wonders in any of these cities I should make a point to visit?
(Unfortunately, I probably won't have much time to do a lot of sightseeing during the two free evenings in London, but I visited London in 2001 and was able to see quite a bit at that time. I look forward to visiting London many more times in the future, if not actually moving there someday.)
Thanks in advance....
Cathedrals of Britain: A Pilgrimage
March 14 - Wednesday
Depart O’Hare Airport on flight TBD; fly overnight.
March 15 - Thursday
Arrive London Heathrow in am; meet driver from Coach Companions company after going through baggage claim and customs. Panoramic bus tour of London enroute to Westminster Abbey for a guided tour. Check-in in for overnight, probably at Waverley House Hotel; early evening open for theater, dinner or touring on your own. But stay up until at least 8:00pm local time to avoid jet lag!
March 16 - Friday
Depart London hotel for Southwark Cathedral for am tour. Passing the former Tabard Inn of Chaucer’s time, take the Old Kent Road to Leeds Castle for lunch and a visit to Rochester Castle and Cathedral (weather and time permitting), then on to The Friar’s Priory in Aylesford, Kent, for the first of two overnight stays; dinner (included) at the Priory Dining Room, followed by a reflective debriefing, supplemented with The Art of Pilgrimage book, and first overnight at the Priory.
March 17 - Saturday
Morning meditation at the Friars, including review of Taylor’s How to Read a Church, followed by a drive to Canterbury for an am guided tour of the Cathedral. Optional lunch at the Canterbury Farmer’s Market restaurant. Visit the Canterbury Tales diorama exhibit (bring student id for concession fee) and walk the city, then back to Friars Priory for dinner (included) at the Priory Dining Room followed by a reflective debriefing, supplemented with The Art of Pilgrimage book, and final overnight at the Priory.
March 18 - Sunday
Morning meditation followed by an optional service at the Friars. Introduction to Golding’s Spires during travel from The Friars to Winchester. Lunch at the Bush pub followed by an informal tour of Winchester Cathedral, then travel on to Salisbury; attend evensong at Salisbury Cathedral, then check in for our overnight stay at The Kings Arms Hotel. Debriefing in King’s Arms lobby or Chapter House Restaurant bar before having the remainder of the evening free for the following optional activities: dinner out, a walking tour of the city, a play at the Salisbury Playhouse, a visit the “haunted” 13th century pub the Haunch and Venison, or some quiet time to catch up on reading, reflection, and journaling. March 19 - Monday
No morning meditation to allow for reflection time in the Cathedral Close before am scheduled guided tour of Salisbury Cathedral and tower followed by a lunch probably at the Cathedral refectory. Early afternoon visit to Stonehenge, including a viewing of Old Sarum, supplemented by the reading from Rutherford’s Sarum. Depart Salisbury area for drive to Glastonbury. Time on coach journey for informal meetings with instructor and to have some quiet time for rest and reflection or to catch up on reading and journaling-- if you can do those things on a moving coach! (NB: the reflection option is highly recommended for any time we are in transit.) Arrive for Overnight at Glastonbury’s Pilgrim’s Inn. Lecture over dinner on Arthurian legend and the myth of Avalon.
March 20 - Tuesday
Early breakfast and checkout from the Pilgrim’s Inn before a morning tour of Glastonbury Abbey and a rousing hike up St. Michael’s Tor. Depart Glastonbury for Gloucester with a lunch stop at Wells, time permitting. Arrive at Gloucester in time for a choral evensong with Gloucester’s famous choir. Dinner on your own; overnight at Gloucester’s Swallow New County Hotel.
March 21 - Wednesday
Early breakfast and check out of the New County hotel. (No am meditation today). Morning coffee with Dean Nick Bury at the Deanery followed by a guided tour of the Cathedral. Depart for York with lunch stop TBD. Arrive at York to check in to the Bar Convent and possibly make Evensong at York Minster, depending on traffic and travel time. Individual final project check- in conferences on the coach en-route. First of two overnights at the Bar Convent.
March 22 - Thursday
Morning on own to explore York’s city center, monuments, and fine museums. Guided tour of York Minster (time TBD) followed by a short debriefing in the Minster. Evening open for the following optional activities: afternoon tea at the famous Betty’s Tea Rooms after the cathedral tour; climb to the Minster tower (start your cardio training now!); dinner out at one of the many York restaurants such as St. William’s College restaurant from the Tudor period (reservations recommended); a ghost walking tour of York (meet at dusk around the Minster if you dare!), a visit to one of York’s pubs (some of which serve evening “pub grub”); or some quiet time to wander and catch up on reading, reflection, journaling, and rest! Debriefing before final overnight at Bar Convent. Note: I'll probably take advantage of the free time in York to take the short train ride to Durham and back to visit the cathedral there.
March 23 - Friday
Travel back to London today with final project proposal consultations taking place on the road. Lunch stop at Lincoln with time to view the Lincoln Magna Carta. Late afternoon arrival in London. Evening at leisure for a walking tour, play, dinner out, etc. Overnight at the Waverley House Hotel.
March 24 - Saturday
Check out of hotel and travel to airport for your flight back to Chicago, O’Hare on flight TBD.
Durham isn't on the official itinerary, but we've got some free time in York (about 40 minutes from Durham via train), so I'm hoping to make a side trip up there on my own.
LiG I'm glad to see that Lincoln Cathedral is on the list. I'm a student at Lincoln University and my current project revolves around the cathedral and its workings. I've spent a lot of time in and around the cathedral over the past few months and I am in awe of its presence over the city and the people of Lincoln. It's visible from miles around and i'm sure close up you'll find it breathtaking. The trip sounds fantastic. I hope you have a great time.
Try to get to see Wells. Lincoln's awesome, as are Canterbury and Salisbury and, sure, Durham and York. I'd say those were the greats of England. I think it was on a ledge behind an arcade high up over the west door of lincoln that Charles Darwin used to sit and think. I've been there.
Next: the cathedrals of the Isle de France. Even better. Seriously. Rouen, Rheims and Chartres are true wonders of the world. Then again, I'm a Scot: auld alliances and all that...
Feb 11, 07 7:09 pm ·
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Cathedrals of Britain: A Pilgrimage
As mentioned on another thread, my program at DePaul University is offering a "Cathedrals of Britain" travel-study course next quarter. I've applied for a scholarship to cover a portion of the travel expenses, and I've been told that I have a pretty good shot at getting it. I've decided that I'll find the money to pay for the remainder of the travel expenses even if it means I have to sell my car, sell a kidney, and/or rob a bank over the next few weeks.
Below is the itinerary I got from the instructor. Aside from the cathedrals and abbeys we'll be visiting on the trip, are there any other architectural wonders in any of these cities I should make a point to visit?
(Unfortunately, I probably won't have much time to do a lot of sightseeing during the two free evenings in London, but I visited London in 2001 and was able to see quite a bit at that time. I look forward to visiting London many more times in the future, if not actually moving there someday.)
Thanks in advance....
Cathedrals of Britain: A Pilgrimage
March 14 - Wednesday
Depart O’Hare Airport on flight TBD; fly overnight.
March 15 - Thursday
Arrive London Heathrow in am; meet driver from Coach Companions company after going through baggage claim and customs. Panoramic bus tour of London enroute to Westminster Abbey for a guided tour. Check-in in for overnight, probably at Waverley House Hotel; early evening open for theater, dinner or touring on your own. But stay up until at least 8:00pm local time to avoid jet lag!
March 16 - Friday
Depart London hotel for Southwark Cathedral for am tour. Passing the former Tabard Inn of Chaucer’s time, take the Old Kent Road to Leeds Castle for lunch and a visit to Rochester Castle and Cathedral (weather and time permitting), then on to The Friar’s Priory in Aylesford, Kent, for the first of two overnight stays; dinner (included) at the Priory Dining Room, followed by a reflective debriefing, supplemented with The Art of Pilgrimage book, and first overnight at the Priory.
March 17 - Saturday
Morning meditation at the Friars, including review of Taylor’s How to Read a Church, followed by a drive to Canterbury for an am guided tour of the Cathedral. Optional lunch at the Canterbury Farmer’s Market restaurant. Visit the Canterbury Tales diorama exhibit (bring student id for concession fee) and walk the city, then back to Friars Priory for dinner (included) at the Priory Dining Room followed by a reflective debriefing, supplemented with The Art of Pilgrimage book, and final overnight at the Priory.
March 18 - Sunday
Morning meditation followed by an optional service at the Friars. Introduction to Golding’s Spires during travel from The Friars to Winchester. Lunch at the Bush pub followed by an informal tour of Winchester Cathedral, then travel on to Salisbury; attend evensong at Salisbury Cathedral, then check in for our overnight stay at The Kings Arms Hotel. Debriefing in King’s Arms lobby or Chapter House Restaurant bar before having the remainder of the evening free for the following optional activities: dinner out, a walking tour of the city, a play at the Salisbury Playhouse, a visit the “haunted” 13th century pub the Haunch and Venison, or some quiet time to catch up on reading, reflection, and journaling.
March 19 - Monday
No morning meditation to allow for reflection time in the Cathedral Close before am scheduled guided tour of Salisbury Cathedral and tower followed by a lunch probably at the Cathedral refectory. Early afternoon visit to Stonehenge, including a viewing of Old Sarum, supplemented by the reading from Rutherford’s Sarum. Depart Salisbury area for drive to Glastonbury. Time on coach journey for informal meetings with instructor and to have some quiet time for rest and reflection or to catch up on reading and journaling-- if you can do those things on a moving coach! (NB: the reflection option is highly recommended for any time we are in transit.) Arrive for Overnight at Glastonbury’s Pilgrim’s Inn. Lecture over dinner on Arthurian legend and the myth of Avalon.
March 20 - Tuesday
Early breakfast and checkout from the Pilgrim’s Inn before a morning tour of Glastonbury Abbey and a rousing hike up St. Michael’s Tor. Depart Glastonbury for Gloucester with a lunch stop at Wells, time permitting. Arrive at Gloucester in time for a choral evensong with Gloucester’s famous choir. Dinner on your own; overnight at Gloucester’s Swallow New County Hotel.
March 21 - Wednesday
Early breakfast and check out of the New County hotel. (No am meditation today). Morning coffee with Dean Nick Bury at the Deanery followed by a guided tour of the Cathedral. Depart for York with lunch stop TBD. Arrive at York to check in to the Bar Convent and possibly make Evensong at York Minster, depending on traffic and travel time. Individual final project check- in conferences on the coach en-route. First of two overnights at the Bar Convent.
March 22 - Thursday
Morning on own to explore York’s city center, monuments, and fine museums. Guided tour of York Minster (time TBD) followed by a short debriefing in the Minster. Evening open for the following optional activities: afternoon tea at the famous Betty’s Tea Rooms after the cathedral tour; climb to the Minster tower (start your cardio training now!); dinner out at one of the many York restaurants such as St. William’s College restaurant from the Tudor period (reservations recommended); a ghost walking tour of York (meet at dusk around the Minster if you dare!), a visit to one of York’s pubs (some of which serve evening “pub grub”); or some quiet time to wander and catch up on reading, reflection, journaling, and rest! Debriefing before final overnight at Bar Convent. Note: I'll probably take advantage of the free time in York to take the short train ride to Durham and back to visit the cathedral there.
March 23 - Friday
Travel back to London today with final project proposal consultations taking place on the road. Lunch stop at Lincoln with time to view the Lincoln Magna Carta. Late afternoon arrival in London. Evening at leisure for a walking tour, play, dinner out, etc. Overnight at the Waverley House Hotel.
March 24 - Saturday
Check out of hotel and travel to airport for your flight back to Chicago, O’Hare on flight TBD.
wowsers...sounds brilliant LiG.....can I come with? just for fun.....
sigh.........I do miss my second home - London!
what? no durham cathedral? two kinds of columns come on!
and if it rains loads in hte spring, the old cistercian abbeys will look awesome with their green carpet.
Durham isn't on the official itinerary, but we've got some free time in York (about 40 minutes from Durham via train), so I'm hoping to make a side trip up there on my own.
LiG I'm glad to see that Lincoln Cathedral is on the list. I'm a student at Lincoln University and my current project revolves around the cathedral and its workings. I've spent a lot of time in and around the cathedral over the past few months and I am in awe of its presence over the city and the people of Lincoln. It's visible from miles around and i'm sure close up you'll find it breathtaking. The trip sounds fantastic. I hope you have a great time.
D
Try to get to see Wells. Lincoln's awesome, as are Canterbury and Salisbury and, sure, Durham and York. I'd say those were the greats of England. I think it was on a ledge behind an arcade high up over the west door of lincoln that Charles Darwin used to sit and think. I've been there.
Next: the cathedrals of the Isle de France. Even better. Seriously. Rouen, Rheims and Chartres are true wonders of the world. Then again, I'm a Scot: auld alliances and all that...
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