This is a shot that Lucy took last Friday. She had a couple of days in Exeter at the weekend with one of her friends from her university days, and this is her first look at the cathedral in the evening soon after she arrived there.
Exeter is an old settlement, with a Roman fort located there, built between 50 and 70AD. The original cathedral was founded in 1050AD, and the current building was completed around 1400AD.
Like most English cathedrals, Exeter suffered during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, but not as much as it would have done had it been a monastic foundation. Further damage was done during the Civil War, when the cloisters were destroyed.
During the Victorian era, some refurbishment was carried out by George Gilbert Scott.
During the Second World War, Exeter was one of the targets of a German air offensive against British cities of cultural and historical importance, which became known as the "Baedeker Blitz".
On 4 May 1942 an early-morning air raid took place over Exeter. The cathedral sustained a direct hit by a large high-explosive bomb on the chapel of St James, completely demolishing it. The muniment room above, three bays of the aisle and two flying buttresses were also destroyed in the blast. The medieval wooden screen opposite the chapel was smashed into many pieces by the blast, but it has been reconstructed and restored.
Many of the cathedral's most important artefacts, such as the ancient glass (including the great east window), the misericords, the bishop's throne, the Exeter Book, the ancient charters (of King Athelstan and Edward the Confessor) and other precious documents from the library had been removed in anticipation of such an attack. The precious effigy of Walter Branscombe had been protected by sand bags.
Following the Second World War, a major restoration was needed to return the cathedral to its former glory.
Beautiful capture. Thank yu for the very interesting information. And it seems that the restoration people made a super great job to bring it to its original magnificence.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated. Lucy will love to see all your positive responses.
Lucy's photos have reminded me what an interesting place Exeter is. I have visited, but probably about 40 years ago, so I don't remember too much about it, except for the cathedral. When I restart my slide scanning project over next winter, I will have to find my Exeter slides and find out what else I saw while I was there!
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated. Lucy will love to see all your positive responses.
Lucy's photos have reminded me what an interesting place Exeter is. I have visited, but probably about 40 years ago, so I don't remember too much about it, except for the cathedral. When I restart my slide scanning project over next winter, I will have to find my Exeter slides and find out what else I saw while I was there!
Ian
Thank you both, I loved the evening light in this shot from Lucy!
Ian