A day out!

 This time of the year I don't get out much - weather and lack of light, but I did manage a day trip to Gloucester a few weeks ago with a friend and as I had never seen the magnificent cathedral, that was on the list of things to do. Along with a little light retail therapy, lunch and lots of gossip.  

The cathedral was fabulous, as they usually are. Completely amazing how such huge and highly decorated constructions were achieved so many hundreds of years ago and we seem to struggle putting up even small and ugly buildings. They were, of course, sacred places intended for worship, and I'm sure that would have made all the difference. But I digress. 

We patronised the cafe and wandered the cloisters, which really are beautiful. Harry Potter fans would recognise them, as they feature in several places in the films. That was a little research, as cloisters are a bit of a dark academia thing, so I am hoping to get them into the WIP at some point. Although they won't be in Gloucester, but Somewhere Else, courtesy of my imagination. The WIP is still in progress, you will be glad to know. I've put the opening pages into a crit workshop with a group of friends in a few weeks time, so am now chewing my nails about what everyone will think of it. And I'm digressing again.  

We prowled the cathedral proper and visited the tomb of Edward II, who was murdered in a very nasty way, if you listen to Christopher Marlowe. He is said to have died at Berkley Castle, possibly by murder, unspecified. A forced abdication in favour of his son,  Edward III. There is also a theory that he was not murdered at all, and  managed to escape captivity to live on for a number of years. Which begs the question of who is in the rather impressive tomb. It was all a very long time ago. 

It was a lovely day out. and well worth the train ride - although, as you know, I like trains.