About Cultural Tours

Sample Itinerary - Cathedrals & Abbeys of Southern England

DAY 1 - London

Westminster Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor in Norman style and only with the rebuilding of it in the 13th century did it acquire its Gothic appearance so familiar today. With its heavenward vaulting, soaring windows between slender walls and its long chancel and Chapel, Westminster Abbey is now known as the resting-place of Britain ’s monarchs and as the setting for coronations and other great pageants.

In sharp contrast to the Abbey stands Westminster Cathedral. This Roman Catholic Cathedral was built in the early parts of the 20^th century and is one of London ’s rare Byzantine buildings. Its 87 meter high, red-brick tower with horizontal stripes of white stone stands out against the skyline of Westminster . The rich interior decoration with marble of varying colours makes its 3 domes above (the widest in England , but left bare because of funding problems) seem incongruous.

DAY 2 - London

St Martin’s in the Field rises on the corner of Trafalgar square. This is England ’s most loved, most photographed and most imitated church. Across the British Empire and much of North America , James Gibbs eccentric 18th century church has been reproduced over and over again, although it was originally thought the design “too frivolous” for Protestant worship.

St Mary-le-Strand is often considered THE finest church in London , and proves a match for the best in Rome . Spared by the Blitz it was than neglected for years, but has now been restored to its former glory.

The churches in the City of London today were mostly built in the 17th century, after the Great Fire of 1666. Some medieval relics survive, like the Templ e Church . Left intact were its walls, which enabled the city to restore its only work in Early Gothic Style. The Knights Templar were an order of soldier monks founded in Jerusalem after the First Crusade to protect the pilgrims in the Holy Land . They established their London head quarters and the church was opened in 1185. In the Nave of the remains are still some beautiful 13th century effigies to be seen. The City’s masterpiece is of course St. Paul's Cathedral, the largest cathedral in England , built by Sir Christopher Wren. With this building Wren brought a repertoire of new forms (the dome, for example) and architectural combinations into English architecture.

DAY 3 – Waltham, Cambridge and Ely

Waltham Abbey, which was once one of England ’s greatest monasteries, was built on a shrine to the Holy Cross by King Harold in 1060. It was here that his battered body returned for burial. The abbey was later tripled in size and its splendour rivaled that of Canterbury . But when it was denied cathedral status, its fall was great. Nowadays only the old Norman Nave of the monastic church still stands, but what is left is magnificent.

Cambridge conjures instant images to mind; the breathtaking view of King’s College Chapel from across the river, carpets of daffodils along the backs of the colleges in springtime, thousands of students cycling frantically to lectures, lazy summer punting on the River Cam.

The first college of what is now Cambridge University was founded in the 13th century. Most famous of its colleges is King’s College, which was founded in 1441. The crowning glory of English architecture must surely be the soaring splendour of King’s College Chapel where Rubens’ Adoration of the Magi can be seen. Ely, 16 miles NW of Cambridge, was an island of upland until the 17th century. It is a particularly attractive small old market town with a wealth of historical buildings. The magnificent Ely Cathedral, completed in 1189, dominates the town and the surrounding fenlands, and was built by the Norman invaders celebrating their victory, complementing the abbey that had stood here since 673.

DAY 4 – Peterborough, Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon

The historic market town of Peterborough was a Roman stronghold and the base for one of Roman Britain’s largest pottery industries some 2,000 years ago.

Work began on the first abbey (later Cathedral) in 655 but all the early buildings were destroyed by fire in 1116. It took 11 abbots and 120 years to rebuild the current Cathedral with the huge arches of its great West front unique in Christendom. It was also a temporary resting place for Mary Queen of Scots, beheaded at nearby Fotheringhay. Warwick is probably best known for its magnificent castle, but here we visit the beautiful church of St Mary . This church rises over the roofs of the old town, higher even than the castle and is a mausoleum to the local family, the Beauchamps, who lived at Warwick Castle .

Famous as the birthplace of William Shakespeare in 1564, Stratford-upon-Avon is alive with history and culture. A guided tour will show you all the highlights of this beautiful town, including a visit to Holy Trinity Church on the Banks of River Avon, which has been described as one of the most beautiful parish churches in England . The Holy Trinity Church is a pleasant stroll along the river and here you will find the graves of Shakespeare and other members of his family.

Just outside Stratford lies Warwickshire's oldest church, St Peter’s in Wootton Wawen, a storybook in stone. It's tower saw in the last Millennium and the drama of English history has swept through it ever since. 

DAY 5 – Cotswolds and Gloucester 

Today’s route will take you through The Cotswolds, the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Britain and the unique combination of beautiful countryside and unspoilt villages of honey-coloured stone represents traditional England at its very best.

St John the Baptist is one of the finest examples of a Cotswold wool church. Here wealthy medieval cloth merchants exchanged bills of trading and poured much of the profit into God’s House. The spire can be seen rising over the little town of Stow . The interior is a maze of low arches, chapels and shrines. The north chapel contains the celebrated Tanfield Monument , erected in 1628 by the wife of a local judge.

A visit to the magnificent Norman Cathedral of Gloucester is a must as it ranks in the top five of England ’s most beautiful cathedrals. The existing building was begun in the 11th century, of which the Norman Nave is witness, with the great cylindrical pillars quite overpowering the rest of the nave. Gloucester became a place of pilgrimage when Edward II's body was moved to the cathedral after his murder at Berkeley Castle .

DAY 6 – Bristol, Wells and Glastonbury

Bristol once ranked with York and Norwich as centres of medieval activity, but the Blitz and post-war demolition took a dreadful toll on the city and its medieval past.  Bristol Cathedral dates back to around AD602 when St. Augustine preached on College Green and as Bristol became a centre of Christianity. Originally the church of an abbey founded in 1148, the Cathedral was built on the traditional site of Augustine’s Oak, where St Augustine is said to have conferred with early British Christians. Now the chief Norman relics are the Chapter House and 2 precinct gateways.

St Mary Redcliffe, once described by Elizabeth I as “the fairest, goodliest, and most famous parish church in England ”. For centuries St Mary’s on its “red cliff” welcomed home Bristol adventurers as they sailed up the river Avon, where some are believed to have reached America before Columbus . As St Mary’s was the start and end of these often-treacherous trips, no expense was spared on its adornment, which makes it a masterpiece of English Gothic.

Wells, England's smallest cathedral city, is home to one of the country's most magnificent cathedrals, preserved in much of its original glory and surrounded by many medieval buildings. Wells Cathedral is one of the smaller English Cathedrals, but certainly one of the most beautiful. The present building was begun about 1176, with the famous front being completed in the early 13th century. The exterior originally had over 400 colourful figures carried in six tiers across the whole façade and the side towers, of which over 300 remain.

Glastonbury is probably most famous for its festival and Arthurian legend at Glastonbury Tor. Glastonbury Abbey was founded in 700 AD and represents the earliest Christian foundation in England , which survived storms of Saxon, Danish and Norman conquests and presents a continuity of religious life elsewhere unparalleled. After the fire the whole Abbey was rebuilt at once and was completed in 1303.

DAY 7 - Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury

In Bath , the only hot mineral springs in Britain have gushed forth a quarter of a million gallons of water at a constant temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit every day for the last 2000 years.  An important landmark in Bath is the Abbey, situated in an attractive piazza in the heart of town. Although there has been a clerical building on this site since about 670, the present building dates from the 16th century. The dissolution of monasteries delayed its completion and as it was not consecrated until 1616, it may be regarded as the last of the great English pre-Reformation churches.

Stonehenge , ancient circle of standing stones on the Salisbury Plain. This mystical and awe-inspiring stone circle is one of the most famous pre-historic monuments in the world. Some scholars believe the circle was part of a sun-worshipping culture, others think it was part of a huge astronomical dial, but truth is, its origins are still a mystery today.

The beautiful medieval City of Salisbury cannot fail to delight the discerning visitor.

Salisbury Cathedral is perhaps Britain 's finest example of medieval architecture. Built between 1220 and 1258, the tallest spire in England was added a generation later and can be seen for miles. The surrounding Close is perfectly preserved and is still locked at night. The Chapter House has a unique medieval frieze and an original 1215 Magna Carta.

DAY 8 - Winchester and Canterbury

Visit the ancient town of Winchester , which was the capital of England under Saxon Kings and joint capital for the Normans .                         The town is dominated by its 13th century cathedral. But of even more interest is a visit to the nearby Norman Almshouse of St Cross. Wander downstream beside the river to the water meadows beneath St Catherine’s Hill and discover England 's oldest and most perfect Almshouse. It was begun in 1136 to house 13 men and feed 100 local people each day. St Cross is a Norman Cathedral in miniature, with lofty vaults, heavy piers and rounded windows. After this visit, continue on to Kent .

Last but not least, to conclude this cathedral tour a visit to one of the most famous cathedrals in the world cannot be forgotten. Today you will visit Canterbury Cathedral, which has dominated the City of Canterbury since Norman times. It still has some of the finest medieval stained glass in the country! After this visit, return home!