Portsmouth Cathedral

Portsmouth Cathedral is a place of light and beauty. Although there are the usual vaulted ceilings and arches, it has separate spaces which feel intimate and full of peace.

Though the first building was consecrated in 1188, the present Cathedral, after numerous additions and repairs and re-orderings, was consecrated in 1991, with the last conservation and repair carried out the following year.

This shows the nave looking to the west door with its tree of life theme. The font, dated 1991, is an unusual shape with four arms, a Greek design from the 9th century. The inscriptions reads:

When you went down into the water it was like night and you could see nothing. But when you came up again it was like finding yourself in the day. That one moment was your death and your birth. The saving water was both your grave and your mother - St Cyril of Jerusalem.

Sounds like a bit of a sombre afternoon but it wasn't. Afterwards we walked on to Clarence Pier at Southsea. Donuts, tea, sea, funfair - only the sun was missing, quite a shock after the last week.