Heavenward -- Winchester Cathedral Ceiling is a photograph by Stephen Stookey which was uploaded on November 6th, 2013.
Heavenward -- Winchester Cathedral Ceiling
Christian witness in Winchester spans almost 1500 years from the roots of the early Saxon church to the present magnificent Cathedral. Winchester... more
Title
Heavenward -- Winchester Cathedral Ceiling
Artist
Stephen Stookey
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Christian witness in Winchester spans almost 1500 years from the roots of the early Saxon church to the present magnificent Cathedral. Winchester Cathedral's story is intertwined with significant moments in English cultural, religious, and political history.
Christianity arrived at Winchester, the heart of Anglo-Saxon Wessex, in 635 with the baptism of King Cynegils. A little more than a decade later Winchester's first Saxon church was constructed. It served as the spiritual center of Wessex. The political and religious significance of the the church led to its elevation to cathedral status. Kings and nobles were buried in the Saxon Cathedral--Alfred the Great (d. 899) & Cnut (d. 1035).
William the Conqueror's conquest of England brought a new era to England and to the Cathedral. William's hand-picked bishop, Walkelin, initiated the construction of a new Norman Romanesque Cathedral. Consecrated in 1093, Winchester Cathedral remained at the center of English religious, cultural and political life through the medieval era. William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror, was buried in the Cathedral (d. 1100). Bishops in the 14th, 15th & 16th centuries added ornate Gothic features to the Cathedral. Mary Tudor selected Winchester Cathedral as the site for her marriage ceremony with Philip of Spain. England's famed novelist, Jane Austen (d. 1817) is buried in the Cathedral.
The Shrine of St. Swithun, patron saint of the Cathedral, attracted religious pilgrims throughout the medieval history of the Cathedral. Anti-Catholic sentiment during England's Reformation resulted in the destruction of the shrine.
The Cathedral stands today as one of the magnificent centers of Anglican worship. It is an architectural marvel, boasting the longest nave and the greatest overall length of any Gothic Cathedral in Europe.
Image captured with a Canon 50D; Canon EFS 15-85 IS USM
Awards & Features
1st Place
Contest - Art gifts for your local Church halls offices or Pastor or Priest
1/5/2014
2nd Place
FAA Contest - Sacred Places
1/18/2014
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Amateur Photographers Group,
11/06/2013
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11/06/2013
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Uploaded
November 6th, 2013
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Comments (74)
Mr Bennett Kent
Congratulations on the sale, Stephen - I was born in Winchester and the cathedral is magnificent. Superb shot of the roof and walls..............L/F
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