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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Rooftoop Tours Cathedrals
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
Has anyone done one of these? What was it like? So far as I know we do not have them here in the US.
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Its some years since I was in the Cathedral at Tours, and that was mainly to do with the organ which is a rare example of a 17th century instrument. Not sure about a roof-top tour but I seem to recall going up to the Triforium.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
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Posted
Do you mean rooftop tours of various cathedrals, or the rooftop of Tours Cathedral?
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
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Gee D
Shipmate
# 13815
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Posted
If you mean "rooftop tours of various cathedrals", my recollection is that you can do one at St Stefan's Vienna - you can certainly climb the tower.
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Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican
Posts: 7028 | From: Warrawee NSW Australia | Registered: Jun 2008
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Jante
Shipmate
# 9163
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Posted
I remember climbing up inside the dome of St peter's in Rome and coming out very near the top- the view over the city was spectacular- and it took us about half an hour to walk round and round to get to the top!
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My blog http://vicarfactorycalling.blogspot.com/
Posts: 535 | From: deepest derbyshire | Registered: Mar 2005
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daisydaisy
Shipmate
# 12167
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Posted
The rooftop tours of Winchester and Salisbury Cathedrals are lovely - great views inside from above, plus views over the cities.
Posts: 3184 | From: southern uk | Registered: Dec 2006
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Sandemaniac
Shipmate
# 12829
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Posted
Isn't it Salisbury that still has the medieval crane in the spire?
The only one I've done is St Magnus in Kirkwall which, I'm sure piglet will confirm, is pretty vertiginous - especially at the crossing, where apparently the maintenance man used to just bung a ladder across and climb out to change lightbulbs!
AG
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"It becomes soon pleasantly apparent that change-ringing is by no means merely an excuse for beer" Charles Dickens gets it wrong, 1869
Posts: 3574 | From: The wardrobe of my soul | Registered: Jul 2007
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
Went up the tower at Ely recently, which was fantastic on a sunny day, with wonderful views, and structurally very interesting.
Went into and then onto the roof of the chapel at Eton years ago. Mostly striking views there too- the College laid out beneath you, Windsor Castle, the Thames, planes coming and going at Heathrow- and then a huge dark grey smudge. That was Slough.
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My beard is a testament to my masculinity and virility, and demonstrates that I am a real man. Trouble is, bits of quiche sometimes get caught in it.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
I wish when I had been in Britain I had had the time to do all this! Clearly cathedral tours are an entirely separate obsession.
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sandemaniac:
Isn't it Salisbury that still has the medieval crane in the spire?
Well for those into such things, the crane from Chesterfield Parish Church* is in the local museum and art gallery.
Jengie
*that of the crooked spire fame.
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
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BroJames
Shipmate
# 9636
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Posted
I can remember as a boy going up (certainly) York, Durham and Salisbury. IIRC once you started to go up the spire, Salisbury has a series of ladders leading from one stage to the next. As you go higher, the view from near the top of each ladder is of an increasingly long drop below. Google finds lots of images.
As an adult I clearly remember being led, in Durham cathedral, between the roof and the stone ceiling of the nave to a wall with a low door. The door opened towards me revealing a narrow walkway around the inside of the tower above the crossing, with a below knee-height protective wall ![[Eek!]](eek.gif) Opposite was another similar low door leading into the ceiling void above the choir and sanctuary. You can see it here if you look above the curve of the arch inside the tower.
Posts: 3374 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2005
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
Not a cathedral, but I've stood on the ridge-pole of the chapel at King's College, Cambridge; when the Cathedral Organists' Association had a conference there, the wives were taken up to the roof while the chaps had their meeting. Scary, but worth it for the view.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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churchgeek
Have candles, will pray
# 5557
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Posted
Apparently it was unofficially done at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, if you knew the right person...but that's been stopped for safety and liability reasons. They do have behind-the-scenes tours that IIRC take people (who can climb all the flights of stairs) up to the bell tower and a little bit through the catwalks. Just not out around the roof.
That was over a year ago, so I don't know if they're still doing it. Since you did have to pay for it, I doubt they would've stopped it, though.
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I reserve the right to change my mind.
My article on the Virgin of Vladimir
Posts: 7773 | From: Detroit | Registered: Feb 2004
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Macrina
Shipmate
# 8807
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Posted
I've done one at Lincoln and a long time ago at Durham when I was a student there.
Both were absolutely amazing. It's quite nerve wracking to walk along the narrow wooden walkway above the nave and know that below you is stone, plaster and a good clear drop.
Posts: 535 | From: Christchurch, New Zealand | Registered: Nov 2004
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Sandemaniac
Shipmate
# 12829
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Posted
It certainly gives you huge respect for the builders. Now there were blokes with cast-iron sphincters!
AG
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"It becomes soon pleasantly apparent that change-ringing is by no means merely an excuse for beer" Charles Dickens gets it wrong, 1869
Posts: 3574 | From: The wardrobe of my soul | Registered: Jul 2007
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MrsBeaky
Shipmate
# 17663
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Posted
I've done Chichester Cathedral and I found it fascinating and also strangely moving- the love as well as the craftsmanship were almost tangible.
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"It is better to be kind than right."
http://davidandlizacooke.wordpress.com
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