Belated Birthday Bash: Part 1 – The Black Prince and an Archbishop
Canterbury Cathedral (c) Jane Risdon 2015
Last weekend I had a couple of wonderful surprise birthday treats.
I’ll share my experiences with you and I hope you enjoy the photos and snippets to go with them.
My youngest brother organised this one – the other treats will follow next time.
The first of which was a fab day out at Canterbury Cathedral where one of our ancestors was once Archbishop of Canterbury and the last pre-reformation Archbishop.
William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury (c) Jane Risdon 2015
His name was William Warham (1503-1532)
Last Pre-reformation Archbishop William Warham 1503-1532 (c) Jane Risdon 2015
We spent a number of hours looking around the Cathedral which is a World Heritage Site.
in AD 597 missionaries from Rome converted the King of Kent to Christianity.
Augustine, leader of the mission, was consecrated as Archbishop and his cathedra (official seat) was established at Canterbury.
The Cathedral has been the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury ever since.
Archbishop William Warham (c) Jane Risdon 2015
In 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral and, when soon afterwards miracles were said to take place it became one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage centres.
Thomas Becket was slain here in 1170 (c) Jane Risdon 2015
King Henry 11 is said to have exclaimed ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest’ following a long-lasting dispute.
Four knights set off for Canterbury and murdered Thomas – the place is now called the Martyrdom.
Thomas Becket’s Pavement in Trinity Chapel since 1220 (c) Jane Risdon 2015
The original tomb of Thomas Becket was housed in the Eastern Crypt from 1170-1220 when it was moved to Trinity Chapel, which was destroyed on the orders of Henry III in 1538 (Becket’s cult was one that questioned the King’s supremacy in Church matters). The Pavement above was prepared for repositioning of the shrine in 1220 – a candle burns on the spot of the original tomb.
The spot where Thomas Becket was murdered. (c) Jane Risdon 2015
The Trinity Chapel houses the tombs of King Henry IV and Edward, Prince of Wales known as ‘The Black Prince.’
The Black Prince died 1376. the gilded effigy shows him in full armour and gauntlets including spurs which he won at the Battle of Crecy, his dog and helmet.
The Black Prince (c) Jane Risdon 2015
The Black Prince – copies of his funeral ‘achievements’ – (c) Jane Risdon 2015
The shields on the tomb for the first time show the three ostrich feathers of peace which are still referred to as ‘The Prince of Wales Feathers.’
There is a Huguenot Chapel originally The Black Prince’s Chantry, here he expected to be buried, but his tomb is in a place of honour in the Trinity Chapel. Queen Elizabeth 1 gave this chapel to the refugee French Protestant Huguenots, who first fled to Britain over 400 years ago, and again in the late 17th century when persecuted by Louis I. Services are still held every Sunday and we noticed quite a few French visitors going into the chapel whilst we were looking around.
Facing the Warriors’ Chapel of St Michael is the ship’s bell of HMS Canterbury, it rings out at 11am on weekdays signalling prayers commemorating the dead of both World Wars and other recent conflicts – we heard it and we stood to listen to the 5 minute service.
In the Warriors’ Chapel many of the old colours of the Buffs (Royal East Kent) Regiment, now called The Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment. (c) Jane Risdon 2015
The tomb of Lady Margaret Holland with her two husbands, John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset (on the left) and Prince Thomas Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, on the right. The chapel was rebuilt by Lady Margaret just before she died in 1439.
The tomb of Lady Margaret Holland with her two husbands and is housed in the Chapel of St Margaret (The Warriors’ Chapel) (c) Jane Risdon 2015
The Cathedral houses some of the earliest examples of stained glass in the Britain.
Stained glass windows. (c) Jane Risdon 2015
We spent a wonderful day wandering around the Cathedral, we arrived early so we wee lucky to avoid the crowds of tourists who gradually filled the Cathedral and the town a little later. My brother has been before so he knew where to visit first. Unfortunately in the Crypt photographs were not allowed.
Which is such a shame as some of the most interesting tombs and architecture was down there.
The Crypt (c) Jane Risdon 2015
More photos taken during our visit.
The wonderful ceiling (c) Jane Risdon 2015
Graffiti from 1668 (c) Jane Risdon 2015
Huge Pillars (c) Jane Risdon 2015
Altar (c) Jane Risdon
Next time I will share some photos of another lovely place we visited: Eastbridge Hospital and also Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club where my brother and his partner took me for a very special event, where I got to hear the songs of one of my all time favourite artists and performers.
I hope you will pop back then.
Meantime thanks so much for taking trip around Canterbury Cathedral with me. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
The grounds are well worth a visit, and so is the town.
As always please be aware these photos and content are (c) Jane Risdon 2015.
Canterbury Cathedral general visiting times:
Summer 9am-5.30pm
Winter 9am-4.30pm
(limited at times of services)
enquiries@cathedral-enterprises.co.uk
http://www.cathedral-enterprises.co.uk
Disability access, guided tours, shopping available.
Cloisters (c) Jane Risdon 2015
Categories: Blog
Jane Risdon 
I notice you are an ancestor of Archbishop Warham my name is Jane Warnham and I see on some web pages he is Archbishop Warnham or Warham in some books too he is referred to as Warnham my ancestors are all from the lambeth London area….I may be totally on the wrong link but these web pages are confusing me. can you help as you have obviously done a family tree.
thanks
Jane
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Jane, my brother and I have been doing family research for a long time. Gone up many garden paths! An uncle found the family link – Wareham – which was also Warham as well. I believe the family were linked to both London and Dorset (Wareham). If you want to discuss more do please let me know. Do you have Facebook? We can message there. Jane
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Jane I cannot link back to you so do please contact me again.
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Reblogged this on Anita & Jaye Dawes.
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Thanks so much for re-blogging this for me. Much appreciated. 🙂
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Thank you for taking me back to one of my favourite haunts, Jane. I’ve not been back to Canterbury Cathedral since I was a child, and really must go again. I enjoyed going with you in the meantime…
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I am so pleased that this took you back to somewhere you enjoyed and loved. It’s the first time I have been. My brother kept saying he’d take me, and boy I am glad we managed to get there. You must go back. I think it would take several visits to see it all properly. He took me to Ely last year and that was amazing, have you been there? I went up on the roof – with my broken shoulder and collar bone it was a very painful climb but well worth it. I have blogged about it (with photos) and about lots of other similar places I have been. Do have a wander around if you want. But do go again to Canterbury, it is wonderful. Let me know. Have a fab day and thanks so much for popping in to see me – I know as a writer of crime stories it is possibly a surprise to see my love of history too. 🙂
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Reblogged this on evelynralph and commented:
Sorry it is wring wy around folks, but th ere is some really interesting historical infirmation. Thank you Jane Risdon.
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Thanks so much Evelyn, and thanks to your friends for taking time to read all about my jaunts. There are many more on my pages if any of you want to explore and see what else I have been up to and where I have visited. Thanks. Have a wonderful week everyone 🙂
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Thank you Jane. Some good pictures and very interesting information. I would never go there now, I am quite old and disabled, so all that information would have berm lost to me. The Black Prince, the Heugenots ( sorry, spelling)and so on. Thank you so much. Gona reboig too.
Evelyn
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Evelyn, I am happy you enjoyed the Black Prince and the photos as well as part two of my birthday bash blog. It is all so interesting. Well, if you can’t go there in person, I hope this gives you pleasure in any case and provides what you might be missing. If you are interested in Ely Cathedral and Rye and various other historic places of interest, lovely gardens and houses etc., then feel free to have a good look round some of my other posts here, there is a lot to see. Last year one of my sisters took me all around Sussex, and there are some fab places I posted about. You may enjoy these also. Have a look and let me know. Thanks so much for re-blogging, I am thrilled. Let’s chat again soon. Have a lovely day. 🙂
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Lovely birthday treat Jane 🙂 I love your photos I’m useless at taking pictures 🙂
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Thanks Linda, I always take photos wherever I go and especially for special occasions. I use photos to help me write as well, like visual notes. This blog is full of photos of where I have been, so it reminds me too. 🙂
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How interesting, Jane. And that one of these tombs is the resting place of your ancestor. Must have given you goosebumps…?
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It did Cynthia. My brother had no idea. I do the Family History so I was keen to see it. Always wonderful finding links to the pat and the history of our country or others. Anyone like that in your family you now of?
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In completing my book A Good Home, I made some interesting discoveries. No horse thieves, as far as I know, but I learned/confirmed all kinds of wonderful stuff about my ancestors, Jane. That makes the book even more special to relatives who (like your bother) had no idea.
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I started to write the FH some 30 years ago, but lack of interest held me back (family not keen), but then managed to put them in touch with long lost relatives and they’ve come round. It is so interesting, so strange to find people with the same names, faces and interests too. I am still hard at it…what is the most exciting thing you discovered? If at liberty to say that is!
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Learning more about my brilliant grandfather and his family. and that we are related to almost everyone in the village where my grandparents lived, because it was their (quite recent) ancestors who had owned all of the land for miles around!
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Sounds wonderful. It is so good to know where you belong. Owning the land too…very impressive. 🙂
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Nah, never thought it was impressive when I was a child. We were land-rich but cash-poor!
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Tell me about it…similar in this family. 🙂
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Oh I understand now…more than one person replied to. Thanks so much for linking. I am losing the plot, too many Cathedrals visited of late…not enough wine! Thanks for sharing, appreciated. What am I like!! 🙂
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What a great present Jane. Although not religious I love old cathedrals and churches. I went to Gloucester Cathedral in Cirencester in 2002. What a beautiful place.
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I know Laurie, I am not either but I love the buildings, history and the serenity of them. They usually take me round such places and old villages and historical places, which I love. They like Gloucester but I have not been yet. A couple of years they took me to Ely (pics and info on an earlier blog), and St Albans and Lincoln cathedrals; wonderful. I will be blogging about a visit to another historical place and my trip to Ronnie Scott’s later too. Thanks for popping in, glad you liked it. 🙂
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Hi Jane, Hope you are well. I had an aunt who lived in Canterbury, and we always spent a couple of weeks there during the school summer holidays. I have some wonderful memories. Although I was reasonable young, the roof of the gateway to the Cathedral used to enthrall me, but I remember being quite scared at times – creeping into the crypt!! A truly wonderful building. I have just put another blog on my pages – I don’t think it has been noticed so far, probably because I’ve been too busy finishing off my book to spend time on social media. I’ll have to remedy that…
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Phyllis, how strange. I thought of you at the weekend. I realised I hadn’t seen you on FB or here for ages. I am so glad you are around again. Fancy you going to the cathedral too. And so young. I’ve taken so many photos I will never be ale to post them here. We also went to two other fab places and will blog about that soon. I shall pop over to your blog now I know you are back. So happy to hear from you. I do hope the new book is going well. What is it called? When is it out? xxxx Happy Easter.
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What a cool birthday treat! Glad you had such a great time!
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I did thanks and it didn’t end there….I visited another fab place of historical interest and then a world famous venue….will blog about it in a week or so. Stay tuned. Thanks so much. Have a fab weekend. 🙂
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A spooky fascinating and wonderful way to spend a birthday! Happy Birthday!
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Many thanks Marissa, it was early March but whenever I got treated was worth waiting for to see such a fab place. Have you ever been?
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No I have not! Would love to go though!
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I hope you make it some time – well worth it. 🙂
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I’m sure! If only I had the funds!!
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Yep..:)
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Absolutely wonderful ‘photos, Jane! So glad you had such a great time. And honestly, I’d love to visit the Cathedral myself. Looking forward to your bit about the jazz club!
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Margot, Ronnie Scott’s – am sure I went there in the 60’s – memory defeats me. I didn’t know until I was inside and sitting down who I was there to see at the weekend. Such a thrill. My brother and his partner really spoiled me. Glad you liked the photos. As usual I took far too many. 🙂
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Jane, that was really interesting. I have never been to the Cathedral.
The pic of the stained glass windows was beautiful.
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Glad you liked it, it is a gorgeous place. Do try and get there if you have the chance. More to come in the next blog – I had such a wonderful weekend. 🙂
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