Coventry Cathedral

A few days away at the end of the holiday meant a micro tour of England. Thursday to a friends in Lincoln, via Luton for lunch with Karen. We stayed overnight in Lincoln. On Friday evening all of us came back down the A46 and continued to a village near Warwick, where others friends now live. Saturday morning was wet, persistent heavy drizzle. We wanted somewhere inside, so decided on Coventry Cathedral. We arrived on the ring road having been told there were 50 yards between junctions. I thought that was an exaggeration - it isn't! We parked somewhere in between a number of flyovers and paid our £1 (good value). We walked through the bus station and up the road. The nondescript high brick building is the cathedral. There is a round 'tower' to be passed before you get to the entrance. It does not look in a good state of repair. Outside the cathedral is a bleak 1960's building. Inside there is too much dark stone and a dark ceiling. Although the entrance is impressive and the gospel is clearly proclaimed, it does not feel like a house of prayer. For me it stands as a stark reminder of the transcendence of God, Holy, remote and awesome. It is supposed to give a message of reconciliation and stand against the effects of hatred. If those qualities are present they are from another time - the 1960's. Our enemies in WWII (Germany and Japan) are now our friends, we are almost the same state as Germany in our membership of the EU. The ruin of the original cathedral is to one side of the current site. Despite the devastation, which you can only just still see as recent, it has retained its feeling as a house of prayer. I was happier in the ruin, than in it replacement. Here are some more pictures.