Thomas Beckett

Today's pilgrimage was to Canterbury to visit the cathedral. We attempted this several years ago but it was closed to the public for graduation ceremony so we thought we'd try again.

Yes, it was open; so open, that throngs of parties of all ages were vying for space to see everything. But we found this to our advantage, listening in to the various guides, so learned more than we otherwise might have done.

For example, the main photo is of the place where Thomas Beckett was murdered - but at that time the building was quite different and in fact he had descended a flight of stairs and was holding onto a pillar, neither of which remain.

There is far too much to take in and my photos poor but for an extra I give you a C10 pocket sundial. Apparently, the two faces show months of the year, either as summer or winter and the gnomon is placed the the appropriate hole above the row in which the current month appears, the time read where the shadow falls. I have added this to the Tiny Tuesday challenge.

We returned later for Sung Evensong, with pieces by Herbert Howells, John Rutter and Thomas Tallis. Then it was time to head back for the excellent Park and Ride and potter home - the car thermometer reading 24C at 7pm.