Enjoying civil liberties...

... as provided to us by the Magna Carta...

Well, I finally got to do something Magna Carta related today! After a very leisurely start and meeting Tracy again to have the windows cleaned, G & I headed for Guildford Cathedral. I'd heard on the radio whilst driving from the airport, that Surrey is calling itself the "Magna Carta County," presumably because Runnymede is located in it.

I then read about Guildford Cathedral having a facsimilie of the original charter, and although I've seen an original of it in Salisbury Cathedral, I wanted to see what else was happening in the Cathedral. The good folk of the City have put together a lovely exhibition and this is the historic part of it. On the opposite side of this display are four Legacy banners which have the portraits of famous people who kept up the fight for human rights. It wasn't quite as colourful as these banners. i hope you are able to take in the detail. There is a little leaflet which explains all the panels which was most interesting. You can find out more here.

I had no idea how bad King John was and it was interesting to read in a book in the Gift Shop that had he not been so bad and so reviled disliked, the world would not have enjoyed the rights and freedom it does now because the Charter would not have happened till centuries later! Good things coming out of bad again...

I am fascinated by history (as you can tell) and am always pondering on how we got to where we are. Magna Carta is so instrumental in so many freedoms that I enjoy, I cannot be thankful enough for this document which started a shift in attitude 800 years ago. Watching the news, it is obvious for many people in the world, there is still a long way to go for them to enjoy the same rights/freedom, but at least we have made a start!

And whilst we were there, I wanted to get a shot of the giant cross outside the building, especially as it was dark and cloudy... a very poignant reminder of the action of one man that set off the course of events that have left us with so many good things we take totally for granted and as our absolute right.