Report by Evelien Hurst – Buist on the outing on Saturday 14 May.
A while ago ANS member Dame Rosemary Spencer alerted us to the fact there would be a magnificent Flower Festival to celebrate the Queens’s Platinum Jubilee inside Salisbury Cathedral in May. The ANS therefore decided that would be an excellent reason to organise an outing there.
On Saturday 14 May, a glorious day with the sun shining from a bright blue sky and Salisbury at its most beautiful, a group of 12 members duly met at Restaurant Allium, where we had a tasty lunch and were met later by our blue-badge guide Lorna, who gave us a great tour of Salisbury. A simple tourist would never have ventured inside the buildings she got us into, or have known about the interesting architectural features or found the ancient hidden lanes. We were even shown the pub where the Skripals were having a drink before returning home to be poisoned, and a very attractive place it was….
Lorna left us in the charming Cathedral Close at the entrance to the catedral, which was glowing in the afternoon light. We were the last entry, which meant the cathedral was not too busy. The 30.000 blooms used to decorate the cathedral disappeared within its great space, and one hour did not seem enough to do both the cathedral and the flowers justice. It was almost unbelievable that the coronation gown of the Queen on display was not the real one, but made from flowers and grasses. There were many moving and interesting other displays as well. We all agreed that Salisbury deserved more than a one-day visit, and vowed to return for another and longer one.
Those of us who did not have to return straight away were offered a very wecome cup of tea afterwards in the beautiful home of Dame Rosemary, situated in the Cathedral Close. We had all been totally charmed by Salisbury, and really enjoyed our day out. So those of you who have not been yet, do visit Salisbury and visit its glorious cathedral, do go on a guided walk, and do visit for more than one day. Stonehenge and Old Sarum are only a bus-ride away…