Wonder at the Glorious Cathedrals

The first Archbishop of Canterbury was St Augustine. He arrived on the coast of Kent, as a missionary to England, sometime in 597 A.D. He came from Rome, sent by Pope Gregory the Great. The story goes that Gregory had seen “Angle” slaves for sale in the city market and struck by their beauty, had remarked “not Angles but Angels.” Such a people he was convinced should be converted to Christianity, and ordered Augustine and a group of monks to set out for England.

Salisbury is one of the finest medieval cathedrals in Britain. It is the mother church of the Salisbury Diocese, an area which covers most of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset. Started in 1220, it was completed by 1258, with the Spire, the tallest in England (123m/404ft), added a generation later. Built to reflect the glory of God in stone and glass, it has always been a setting for great occasions for over 775 years, for huge colorful processions, a majestic and awe-inspiring church.

Galway's Catholic Cathedral is one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the city. Built between 1958 and 1965, it stands on the site of the old city jail. The architecture of the Cathedral draws on many influences. The dome and pillars reflect a Renaissance style. Other features, including the rose windows and mosaics, echo the broad tradition of Christian art. The Cathedral dome, at a height of 145 ft, is a prominent landmark on the city skyline.

York Minster was built between the 12th and the 15th Century and is the largest Gothic church in England. The Foundations Museum under the Minster shows how the present building was constructed on the site of a Norman Cathedral, which was itself built on a Roman Fort.