Rochester Cathedral, North-West view
Rochester Cathedral was founded in 604 AD by Bishop Justus in the reign of King Ethelbert, who donated the land. The cathedral is the second oldest in England after Durham cathedral. A Benedictine monastery was founded in 1082 and in 1083 the construction of the Nave of the cathedral began under Bishop Gundulf of Bec. Consecrated in 1130, the cathedral was then destroyed by a fire and a new one started in 1180. While the works were in progress, William of Perth, a baker, was murdered and the chronicles tell stories of miracles that happened at his shrine located within the cathedral; pilgrims visited the cathedral, giving money to the monks for its reconstruction. The works finally ended about 1490. Rochester cathedral retains many Romanesque and Gothic features, as well as the magnificent Chapter Library Door, one of the oldest doors in England. The picture was drawn by Hablot K. Browne (b. 1815), famous during the nineteenth century for being Dickens’ illustrator, and engraved by Benjamin Winkles.
Size: 5114px × 4107px
Location: Rochester, Kent, England
Photo credit: © Cameni Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: bec, benedictine, bishop, cathedral, chapter, door, england, ethelbert, gothic, gundulf, king, library, monastery, oldest, perth, pilgrim, pilgrimage, rochester, romanesque, shrine, william
