Gloucester Cathedral

Added: 2026-05-13

[00:00:00]Hello there. This is the 13th century skitsoid man with another video. And no, I'm not in tweed. Right, up at Glossera Cathedral. Let's get stuck in.

[00:00:12][music] [music] Right. You've often heard me refer to the secular and the regular clergy, the priests and the monks. Now, this is a cathedral currently, but it spent more years as a monastery being converted to a cathedral. So, this used to be the abbey of St. Peter and uh it would have been for the monks. This was regular clergy.

[00:00:50]Yes. And just look at it.

[00:00:53]As for the state of my hair, boy was it windy outside, a god clearly had eaten a vindaloo the previous night. I almost lost my hat twice.

[00:01:09]I will further add that I will be using some older footage from a previous visit which may be of slightly lower quality.

[00:01:20]A reason being that some areas were under repair as cathedrals like this are ancient and often need renovation. So it looks like I might be in tweed after all.

[00:01:38]Now unlike York Minster I'm not going to start with the Romans as Glouester Cathedral's origins very much lay in the early medieval period. in this case the 7th century and common for the period the church that existed back then would have been a wooden affair remade out of stone centuries later. The Saxon king Ostrich of Witcher is credited with the construction of that old wooden church that stood nearby and during the 7th century there is certainly a flourishing Christian community centered around that building. Yet we know little about the presence of any actual bishops or clergy.

[00:02:25]We do have the name of an abbis kingburgger. So we know nuns were present, but it is not really until the 11th century where things start picking up.

[00:02:37]And here we see one of several connections to the city of York.

[00:02:43]As in the early 11th century, the secular priests were given the boot and by 10:22, the archbishop of York, a man called II decides to introduce the regular sancti benedicti, thus converting the church of Glouester to a monastery. It is dedicated to St. Peter.

[00:03:07]And now we see the first abbot ID.

[00:03:12]And it will remain so until a certain bloke called Harry comes along and dissolves all the monasteries. H [music] at some point during the 1050s that old church [laughter] abbey is [music] rebuilt by another York connection none other than Illred the Archbishop of York. And Ildrid has big plans for Glouester as he is going to get his brother Volan elected as the abbot there. [music] It's not what you know, it's who you know. And Abbott Volulan will keep that position all the way through the war of the three kings in 1066.

[00:03:56]Even when William the Conqueror is crowned William the 1st of England, Volan is still Abbott of St. Peter's Abbey in Glouester.

[00:04:10]In 1072, when Woland dies on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, a new abbot was required, and the conqueror decided that uh a fellow Norman should get the job. Typical Willie.

[00:04:24]Enter Sirlo. He's from the continent, Norman, born and bred. and Serow will have his work cut out for him as when he arrives on the scene in Gloucester. He finds St. Peter's Abbey in a dilapitated [music] state. Only 10 monks resided here, and out of them, only two of them were fully ordained. It was a shambles.

[00:04:50][music] But this new Norman Abbott hasn't come to just pick up from where Volstan left off. Oh, he's come to completely redesign the abbey. And now we get to the building we see today. Well, sort [music] of. He lays the foundations and it will take decades. God, it will take years to build. And what we see is the end result of centuries of redesigning.

[00:05:19]As far as Surlo is concerned, he's bringing this old Saxon affair, kicking and screaming into the emerging high middle ages as we're entering a new era now. And William the Conqueror was certainly impressed.

[00:05:37]Big Suro is the first Norman Albert of Glaster. He's the one that built the place. Well, not so big. He had capturing it, but you know what I'm talking about. And there he is. Obviously, it's not a tomb. It's a memorial, but it's unwise it'd be rather thin, but hey, it's uh there we go. And he is also holding a model of the cathedral on his uh imagery. So anyway, [laughter] have a have a VA. Take a V.

[00:06:13]It is the bishop of Ssbury, Osmont, a fellow Norman, who suggests [music] Solo get the job as something the conqueror would not live to regret.

[00:06:24]Suro would hold the position as Albert for over 30 years.

[00:06:32][music] And as I said, the conqueror a king William and Queen Matilda of Fllanders were impressed. William liked Glouester and in 1080 he held his Christmas court in the town. He'd remained there until [music] late January the next year. No doubt at times looking up at the construction site that was the new abbey. [music] And in [music] 1085, an aging King William again held his Christmas call to Glouester, though without Matilda, [music] as she had passed away two years prior.

[00:07:19]King William held his curiog here at the chapter house. The Curi Regis being his royal court, his council [music] like a witten.

[00:07:30]And there at the chapter house, they will discuss the early stages of a great [music] survey that will detail every aspect of the king's land. A great survey.

[00:07:42]It was known back then as the Liber de Wintonia, the book of Winchester, the city where it was housed. Yet, it ended up being known by the local Saxons as [music] the Doomsday Book because they were being judged and it reminded them of the last day of [music] reckoning.

[00:08:00]You see, the king wished to know who owned what in the Kingdom of England.

[00:08:07]Clarks will be sent all across the country going from town to town. [music] The document in every cow, every sheep, every mill, every church, every taxpayer.

[00:08:18][music] And I really wish there was some more emphasis here in Gloucester as the chapter house is inaccessible. That's why I didn't film it. And given that usually any link, no matter how weak, would justify this. Huh. Oh well, what can you do?

[00:08:36][music] But either way, in 1085, the Curia Regis [music] would meet here for the deep speech. And here we are.

[00:08:48]>> [music and singing] >> S Ben Benedict, the man who invented the egg.

[00:08:54]As for King William, he would see the completion of the Libra Dewentonia, but would not enjoy it for long. The conqueror would pass away in 1087, [music] a shadow of his former self. He'll fall from his horse during a conflict over on the continent, a passing away in Rome.

[00:09:14]But his eldest son, Robert, would not inherit the crown. [music] [singing] These days, it's always the eldest child of the king or queen who becomes the wife. Wasn't always the case. Meet Robert Normandy. Now, he is William the Conqueror's eldest son. Due to quarrels with the family, he never became king.

[00:09:40]So, do take that in mind.

[00:09:43]Robert of Normandy was already in exile for rebelling against [music] his father. A bitter rebellion over on the continent supported by his mother Matilda.

[00:09:55]And the two father and son had even fought physically at the siege of Jiu.

[00:10:01][music] Robert had bested his father, the legendary conqueror that day in single combat. This was 1079.

[00:10:10]So when his [music] father died in 1087, there was no way Robert was ever going to become king. Instead, [music] his younger brother Rufus inherited the crown, and William II will carry us over into the 12th century.

[00:10:28][music] But Robert will continue to rebel. The next year in [music] 1088, it all kicks off. Brother versus brother.

[00:10:38]This is the year the abbey was [music] hit by a terrible fire, possibly part of the rebellion, causing much ruin. Yet thankfully, aid came from the bishop of Heraford. So Abbert Serow got to rebuild [music] the abbey again pretty much.

[00:10:56]This time it all goes well.

[00:11:01]As for the rebellion, it is put down and Robert along with his supporters retire to Normandy.

[00:11:08]Right.

[00:11:10]In 1100, as the 11th century became [music] the 12th, the abbey was consecrated.

[00:11:18]But more troubles break out when King Rufus William II died in that hunting accident. Yeah, about that. Anyway, [music] now the younger brother takes the throne. King Henry I rebellion continues.

[00:11:32][music] though Surlo won't live to see it. In 11:04 he partes away and a chapter named Peter takes the title of Abbert of Gloucester.

[00:11:48]But as for Robert of Normandy, he will continue to rebel against his brother Henry, but one day he'll be imprisoned.

[00:11:58]As a prisoner, he will pass away in Cardiff Castle in 1134. and he is buried [music] here in Glouester Cathedral.

[00:12:07]The moral of the story, if your dad's a king, try not to be a pillar. Anyway, but I think it's time to visit the oldest part of the building as always, the undercraftoft, the crypt.

[00:12:27]Heading down these short flight of stairs, we arrive in the undercraftoft.

[00:12:33]Above our heads is the abbey itself.

[00:12:36]These days, it's a cathedral, but as we know, back in the 12th century, this was most certainly an abbey. You can just imagine what it used to be like down here in the dim candle light. So, let's mess with the brightness, shall we? See what it may have been like. That's much [music] better. And no, that's not a ghost, so there's no need to contact Slapped [music] Ham or Mr. Gray. Anyway, [singing and music] there is a lot to see down here. Much of the old Norman architecture is visible.

[00:13:13]You can see it all around. It is everything you'd expect. It is like something from an Indiana Jones movie.

[00:13:22]But right now, I'll turn our attention to this memorial.

[00:13:28]It's from the Victorian era. It pretty much tells us that it is a skeletal deposit as old bones were found here, scattered around in the open, laying on the ground. But the bones were collected by hand and carefully stored in a purposely built tomb in the year 1850.

[00:13:50]Because yes, once upon a time, this very undercraftoft, this [music] crypt was littered with bones centuries old.

[00:13:59]And crossing a sort of makeshift walkway, we get to that room. And it is quite the site.

[00:14:09]Now, I bet you are wondering why the ceiling is so low. The pillars look awfully short, don't they? Well, this area of the crypt suffers from flooding, serious flooding, which wasn't [music] too much of a problem until fairly recently when some chap decided to throw an art exhibition here in the crypt and didn't want the art damaged.

[00:14:37]So, what to do? Well, the result was raising the floor above the flood level.

[00:14:43]And here we are. It actually looks pretty good and an upgrade from the dark, [music] dank, flooded floor below.

[00:14:53]You can see where the floor used to be.

[00:14:56]So, these ornate pillars are not as short as they look. But talking of pillars, here you have the most Saxon looking face carved into the stone.

[00:15:08]Remember, this is a Norman abbeby at the time. Did they use Saxon stonemasons who decided to leave their mark? Who knows?

[00:15:17]But it would not be surprising.

[00:15:21]And while walking through the crypt, you'll see [music] evidence of human activity from centuries past, like the early English that can be found at that altar, where the monks would wash their communion vessels [music] used in the sacraments.

[00:15:35]Just not this font. It is Victorian. And why it [music] is down here is anyone's guess, though I'm sure those sturdy pillars are the ones that hold up the [music] great east window. And we'll get into that in a bit. Right now, I think we've spent enough time down here pretending to be goblins in a dungeon.

[00:15:56]So, let's [music] venture back to the ground floor, taking the stairs we originally took, and explore the navenisles.

[00:16:06][music] As we know, the nave was hastily built [music] following a fire in the late 11th century, but that was several decades ago. We're now in the 12th century. Back then, even the west window, which we're about to see, looked different, as the one here is Victorian, [music] mid 19th century. Still, it's a marvel to behold. The Victorians absolutely admired the Gothic style [music] and did their best to replicate it for the most part in the Neo Gothic. And this is a memorial to James Henry Monk, the Bishop of Glouester, as one day this abbey [music] would become a cathedral.

[00:16:51]But I'd rather go back to the middle ages, the 12th century, where these colossal romanesque columns were admired by all around as just like the Victorians who emulated them, the Normans were emulating the great buildings from the classical period. And these columns also have evidence of another fire. in 1122 uh during the reign of King Henry I while William Godon served as abbot here. This fire took the roof off uh which subsequently needed to be rebuilt and I will add that a few places in the abbey stroke cathedral appear to show fire damage. So yeah, there we go. Now, the town of Glouester does play a large part in the anarchy which gripped the middle of the 12th century, but the abbey doesn't appear to play a large part in the conflict, even though Empress Matilda set up her court here in Gloucester. And it was her half-brother Robert of Glouester who rallied to her cause. So, I will leave all that aside and concentrate on the [music] abbey itself.

[00:18:02]And in case you were wondering, the abbberts are now Walter Dilassie, followed by Gilbert Fio.

[00:18:10]And out of the fires of the Anarchy, we have the reign of King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquatain.

[00:18:21]Oh, say does the star spangled banner yet [music] wave. Just look at these two flags. There you have it. Red, white, blue, raised side by side. A sight to behold.

[00:18:35]I just wish relations between England and France were as solid as this. As the UK and US, we worked out our differences.

[00:18:45]But at the dawn of the 13th [music] century, there is calamity. As during the reign of King John, he loses Normandy to King Phipe II of France. Now the French are looking to take England herself. I'll explain.

[00:19:01][music] During the first baron's war, we invite the dolphin of France, Louisie, over to effectively become king. What happens is he sort of takes London.

[00:19:17]Not quite taken over, but he's he's taken London. Now the um on the death of John we decide the loyal baronss decide that it's his son Henry who should become the king not this patrol so we sort of side with the side with the king here comes a problem the problem is Louisie the Don of France has captured London we can't crown a king in Westminster because he has London so the only logical conclusion would be take the young boy Henry to Glouester the cathedral here and that's exactly what they did.

[00:19:55]William Marshall, the the famous knight, has to get a retina together and collect Henry. His mother Isabelle takes them from Dorset all the way across the countryside to Gloucester and there they meet. Isabella and Henry don't know if they're going to get killed or what's going to happen. And then tears break.

[00:20:14]It's the child burst into tears. He's only 9 years old. He's the future king.

[00:20:20]That breaks the ice. Then head to Gossip Cathedral for the coronation. Imagine [music] [music] [music] it. You're 9 years old. Your father just died. You don't know the face of the kingdom. Everything's in turmoil. And you're led out through these areas [music] just with a handful of people.

[00:20:55]>> [music] >> And here he was crowned now because John had lost the crown in the wash literally not figuratively.

[00:21:08]His mother's tiara had abused just think of that very very small humble boy up there to become the king of England.

[00:21:19][music] As we're already here, [music] let's delve into the choir and the prespitary.

[00:21:28]We've just walked past the root screen and taken the steps that Henry III took all those years back.

[00:21:35]But the designs you see here came later during the reign of King Edward III. We are in a different era now as the high medieval gives way too late.

[00:21:49]England is mostly peaceful now and the walls have moved to Scotland and France.

[00:21:57]I say mostly peaceful as the dispenser war is still in living memory and it saw the death of a king, but we'll get to that in a moment.

[00:22:09]And the romanesque architecture is long a thing in the past. It's been Gothic for nearly a century.

[00:22:19]You are about to see the great east window. There it is. Boy, is it impressive. This perpendicular stained glass window is the size of a tennis court and it hails back to the 14th century. At one point, this was the largest ever built. [music] As during the 1330s, King Edward III decided to pretty much rebuild this part of St. Peter's Happy. Why? In honor of his father, the ill- fated Edward II.

[00:23:01]May I present to you King Edward III.

[00:23:07]If anyone seen Braveheart is that chap, not that chap, the other chap.

[00:23:16][music] Edward II was a tragic king. He is the one who was deposed by his wife Isabella of France and Modima.

[00:23:29]This is the man who supposedly [music] was killed with a red top poker up his anyway, but may not have been how he actually died, but he was certainly imprisoned and certainly perished.

[00:23:44]Horrible times.

[00:23:48][music] I strongly recommend not watching Braveheart. [laughter] What we do know about this controversial king, a controversial only because of his possible homosexuality, was that he was deposed and imprisoned at Barkley Castle in 1327 following a brief conflict. There he died several months later, most likely murdered or treated badly to the point of death.

[00:24:26]And here at Gloucester, Edward II was laid to rest, and the fallen king's funeral was as lavish as his coronation.

[00:24:39]As you can see, the high altar itself is very much off limits to the public, as you'd expect.

[00:24:47]Now, in World War II, during the Blitz to preserve the Great East window, it was taken apart and put in storage in the crypt. The story goes that they failed to document exactly what it looked like and had to rely on old photographs. So, the Great East Window also became the largest jigsaw puzzle in the world from a certain point of view.

[00:25:15]On a more serious note, the high altar here is amazing. The work is stunning, worth admiration. [music] Okay, let's leave the prespitary via the choir and head into the ambulatoratory.

[00:25:32]I'm currently overlooking the south transcept through to the south aisle. And as you can notice on my second visit, there are extensive works going on around [music] the root screen.

[00:25:44]Let's head down there.

[00:25:52]Now, you probably noticed that L-shaped ledge to the right. This one? Well, it has a story as you see two figures. A young man about to fall and a stonemason looking on in horror. It is assumed to be a memorial to a chap that died during construction works in the 15th century as this was very much a dangerous job.

[00:26:19]We may never know the truth, but here they are in stone.

[00:26:26]And once upon a time there was a statue situated on the top of that ledge which has long been lost. And we don't know what that was either.

[00:26:36][music] But unfortunately, I didn't do much filming in the South Transcept. I pretty much just caught the window and the ledge and only a little bit of the window. But my wife Abby found a lovely little room where some chap in the 1860s called Perry painted these amazing Italian inspired murals.

[00:26:57]Though Paris's son is more famous as sure, William Blake penned Jerusalem, but Paris's son Hibbert put it to music.

[00:27:08]H right, let's head back up to the ambulatoratory and circle around the choir and the prespiratory. After that, we'll visit a couple of lovely chapels, including the ladies. Blades Chapel.

[00:27:25]Sheesh.

[00:27:28]>> [music] >> So, we're back here and this part of the building will form a semicircle around [music] the Presbyterian and choir becoming part of the north and south transcek Robert of Normandy. And opposite that wall through those windows is the effigy of Albert Sirlo who we saw earlier.

[00:27:58]What you are seeing here are two cope chests that were made back in the 14th century of the 1360s during the reign of Edward III. This is where the Abbott's attire would be kept. And in the 1360s the abbbert of St. Peters was Thomas Horton.

[00:28:17]Abbert Horton was the chap who Edward III gave the go-ahad to redevelop this part of the abbey in the 1370s.

[00:28:26]The king won't live to see it, and it is up to his 10-year-old son, Richard II, [music] to oversee the completion, but built it is in this glorious style, which now matches the tomb of Edward II, also situated in the abdatory.

[00:28:42][singing] Right next to King Edward II is the last abbot of St. Peter's Abby and the last person to use those cope chests. Abbert William Malvin. Why was he the last Abbott? Because in 1539, the infamous Henry VIII dissolved all of the monasteries. Many were ruined like Whitby Abbey. But this one at Gloucester survived, transformed into a cathedral.

[00:29:16]But was Albert Malvin buried here? No.

[00:29:20]The king was far too petty. Only his effigy got that honor.

[00:29:28]Oh, and uh in case you're interested, this processional cross was carried at the coronation of the great Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

[00:29:40]Sure, it wasn't made for her coronation, but was used nonetheless, though I don't know much else. I've got all the information from that pluck in the cabinet. Yeah, well, there you go.

[00:29:52]Well, that's the amberatori and instead of heading back down to the crossing, we'll have a look at the chapels.

[00:30:04]Now, this is very modern. It is called the Rapsidine Blue, created in 1992 [music] by the artist Thomas Denny. But he's not the Thomas the chapel is named after.

[00:30:18]No, that is St. Thomas, one of the disciples who saw Jesus risen from the dead. And there is quite a lot going on here in the stained glass.

[00:30:30]On the left and right, you have Psalm 148. If you know your Bible, it praises the heavens, the moon, all of God's creatures.

[00:30:40]It is [music] split into two halves. The first part being on the right and the second on the left.

[00:30:47]So do pause the video to see the imagery. And in the center you have St. Thomas himself falling to his knees [music] upon seeing the risen Christ.

[00:30:58]All done in powerful imagery. Sure it's not to everybody's taste but me I love it. [music] Entering through a vestibule, you will arrive in the Lady Chapel, dedicated, as all Lady Chapels are, to St. Mary, mother of Christ.

[00:31:21]It was built during the second half of the 15th century at a time of political upheaval, the War of the Roses. But just look, it's very impressive.

[00:31:34]I was immediately drawn to the Riodos just behind the altar. The artist has truly done justice to this iconic scene as [music] you can see the anguish in Mary's eyes cradling her dead son recently sacrificed on the cross.

[00:31:52][music] Powerful imagery.

[00:31:56]But more powerful is the damage you can visibly see. As during the civil war of the 17th century, the riodos suffered much vandalism. The cathedral was pretty much closed during the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell, [music] though it was eventually restored by Charles II in 1660. [music] It had been a Protestant cathedral for over a 100red years by this point. Long ago were the days of the abbot. Now it was in the hands of bishops, not monks.

[00:32:33]The first bishop being John Wakeakeman in 1541.

[00:32:38]And in 1660 when the sea of Gloucester was restored, William Nicholson becomes the new bishop. An unbroken line until the reign of William III [music] as the Bishop Ricks of Glouester and Bristol were merged in 1836.

[00:32:57]Boy, how time flies. [music] Not long after this, in either the late Victorian or Eduwardian, all this stained glass is replaced. Again, another splendid job. Oh, and the artist was Christopher Wall. [music] The Victorians did have a huge impact on the cathedral as a chap named George Gilbert Scott. An architect was tasked with restoring the old church and he respected the old architecture in the neo gothic style much loved in the last quarter of the 19th century.

[00:33:37]Though whoever restored these particular tiles made a right royal pig's ear of it. Huh. A blind monkey could have done better.

[00:33:47]In case you were wondering, this is still the lady chapel. It just has two side chapels like mini transcepts which have their own use. And here a chap was interred in6004, Bishop Goldsborough, though he spent less time here than the pope. You see, the tuda queen Elizabeth I preferred him to remain at Worcester. and what she said went.

[00:34:17]Actually, while we're here in the Lady Chapel, it would be apt to mention that recently in 2015, when the previous bishop Martin Snow was translated to Leicester, a female bishop got the job as Bishop of Glouester, Rachel Treik, or at least I hope that's how her last name is pronounced. as I've only ever heard her referred to as Bishop Rachel anyway.

[00:34:47]Now, she's not technically the first female bishop, but I'll explain. In the Church of England, which is Anglican, there are two types of bishop. The bishop ordinary and under them you have the Suffragans, a kind of support bishop. The first female support bishop was Libby Lane when she had Chester. But the first female bishop ordinary was Rachel Tuik when she was appointed bishop of Gloucester that year 1215.

[00:35:19]History in the making and 11 years later she still holds that position.

[00:35:26]And being the modern era, you can find some of her religious talks on YouTube.

[00:35:32]Hm.

[00:35:38]I wonder what the Catholic Albert Thomas Horton would have made of all that. Not just a female bishop, but the whole debacle with the church in general, the Catholics, the Protestants, the Civil War, the vandalism.

[00:35:55]Horton is the chap who first used that cope chest we saw earlier during the 14th century. He's the one that oversees the building of the north transcept along with the south transcept and the choir. He'll oversee the building of the cloysters which we will get to shortly.

[00:36:14]Though not the arches you see here. No, they may have been situated in the old 13th century lady chapel that was demolished in order to make way for the 15th century one. We can't really be sure. But [music] as for Abbert Horton, it is under him we see the many changes we have been witnessing, building the framework for others to work on. Works of a Gothic style that old Surlo could only have dreamt of. But Norton isn't young either. In 1377, he passes the reigns to John Boyfeld, who will see the completion of these Gothic parts.

[00:37:02]In case you were wondering, I know very little about the North Transcept [music] outside of all this, and I did not head up the stairs to the Tribune Gallery, but it is there and well worth a visit.

[00:37:15]Nor did I head up the tower, though I do plan on it for the future.

[00:37:21]Well, I think it is time to wrap things up. Let's head to the peaceful confines of the cloysters.

[00:37:31][music] The cloysters are my favorite part of any cathedral.

[00:37:39]It is a nice place for reflection whether you're sitting down or walking.

[00:37:45]And they've often got the best architecture.

[00:37:50]Now I mentioned that Abbert [music] Boyfeld would see the completion of the Gothic part. Yes, just not the completion of the closters. That would fall to Abbert Walter Froster in 1412.

[00:38:06]The reign of Henry IV.

[00:38:09]The Hundred Years War is still dragging on. The famous battle of Aenor will happen in just 3 years, but that's far away in France. We're in Gloucester. And the War of the Roses won't kick off for another 40 odd years. We're in good times.

[00:38:31]>> Tell you what, though. Don't the Cloysters look a bit familiar?

[00:38:36]>> You're a heretic, Harry?

[00:38:40]>> Was it this part that was filmed here?

[00:38:41]Cuz I said the Chamber of Secrets has been opened as a joke. I didn't realize that was actually >> the corridor where they wrote it. Yeah.

[00:38:48]Oh, that's pretty cool.

[00:38:49]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:38:50]>> This is fiction.

[00:38:55]>> That is nuts.

[00:38:57]>> For those who might recognize these walls, this is where part of Harry Potter was born. I saw little mention chambers.

[00:39:11]And it's not just Harry Potter, but Doctor Who, Wolf Hall, The Hollow Crown, even that modern Sherlock series. It's pretty famous. Oh, and I personally couldn't care a rodent's rectum about all the political rubbish surrounding the movies. They are good. They are classics. That is all I need to know.

[00:39:34]But I wasn't there for Harry Potter. And I certainly was not there for another Harry who tried to ruin the abbey.

[00:39:41][music] Henry VIII who as we know dissolved all the monasteries. Hence this abbey becomes a cathedral in around 1540.

[00:39:49]Well that's history for you.

[00:39:53]Oh and uh this by the way is the Lavatorium.

[00:39:57]Oh yeah, I bet that got a giggle.

[00:39:59]Lavatorium.

[00:40:05]As we know the many more people weren't primitive and cleavemen they didn't like to wash their hands for me at some rich water. So welcome to the labtorium.

[00:40:17]This is where you would wash your hands.

[00:40:20]This would be flowing with water. So you would be richly prepared. [music] Though these days if he sees someone on the levatorium they're imagining in something else and no you would not do that in the sink. [laughter] This is not where you do your prop.

[00:40:42]So basically a lapatorum is an area where monks would wash their hands before eating or conducting [music] certain rituals.

[00:40:51]As I said the people in the middle ages were [music] not primitive cavemen. This was no age of dirt. The world was round, not flat.

[00:41:02]We've seen just what the people of the Middle Ages were capable of. And being a monk did not confine you to religion either. No. Many joined the universities, studied science, and other academic fields. One even predicted planes, cars, submarines.

[00:41:22][music] But that is another story.

[00:41:27]And even if you're not a person of faith, cathedrals like this are always a good place of reflection and peace.

[00:41:37]So there we have it. Glouester Cathedral.

[00:41:40]Well, looks like it's time to head back.

[00:41:44]Although I saw a pub earlier called The Sword, so I may just pop in for a pint.

[00:41:49]Thank you for watching.

[00:41:53]Heat. [music] Heat.

[00:42:03][music]