London Choir Tour 2009


Day Three Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath




An early morning departure had us checking out of the Hotel Ibis and boarding a coach for Salisbury. The drive took us out of the city and into the countryside and we were able to make a stop at Stonehenge, the great monolithic circle of stones that have stood sentinel since before the time of the Roman invasion.



Along the way we saw many barrows (burial mounds) that are an integral part of early British folklore and tradition.

“Construction of Salisbury Cathedral commenced when the bishopric was moved to Salisbury from Old Sarum in 1220. By 1258 the nave, transepts and choir were complete. The magnificent west front was ready by 1265.

The tower and spire were completed in 1320. Salisbury Cathedral's spire is the tallest in England and is 404 feet tall. The spire, while the cathedral's crowning glory, also proved to be its most troublesome feature. Together with the tower, it added 6,500 tons to the weight of the building. But for the addition of buttresses, bracing arches and iron ties over the succeeding centuries, it might well have suffered the fate of spires on other great ecclesiastical buildings and fallen down. To this day the large supporting pillars at the corners of the spire can be seen to bend inwards under the strain.” SacredDestinations.com





The kids had a fantastic time touring the cathedral and exploring the cloisters.



Our next stop would be the picturesque city of Bath!



On arrival, we headed for Bath Abbey to sing in their afternoon recital for visitors. We found this to be our most challenging concert, as the standing area we were asked to use had very difficult visibility between students and director. This was good for the students, teaching them to think through performance challenges and make purposeful decisions to be successful. After the recital, we walked through the city in small groups, looking for a good place to try for dinner and to get in a little shopping time—the first opportunity we’d had to do so.





There were street performers in the plazas and we saw a fiddle playing, bicycle riding, tightrope walker, a flame-juggling unicyclist, and an incredibly talented violinist.





While in Bath we visited the ancient Roman baths that the city was known for. A good portion of the structure has stood the test of time and the springs that fill the bath are still hot. Archeologists have uncovered a vast network of baths, rooms, and what they suspect could have been a small temple. The springs of Bath were said to have healing properties and many people have made pilgrimage to bathe in its waters over the centuries.



We moved on to our next hotel in the Cotswold hills and settled in for the night. The hotel’s picturesque exterior promised a quaint night’s stay, but the interior was a warren of tiny corridors, twisting stairs, and odd-smelling rooms.



What a day! We headed off to devotions and bed thinking of the rich history of this country and of the beauty we’d seen. We had one more full day to go and couldn’t wait to take it in.