Murray Naylor - Englands Cathedrals by Train

Tombstone in Ely Cathedral.

First published in Great Britain in 2013 by
Remember When
an imprint of
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
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Barnsley
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Copyright Murray Naylor 2013

HARDBACK ISBN: 978 1 78303 028 6
PDF ISBN: 978 1 47383 119 3
EPUB ISBN: 978 1 47382 696 0
PRC ISBN: 978 1 47382 652 6

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Contents

by John Ormond

Foreword

by the Rt Revd and Rt Hon The Lord Hope of Thornes KCVO

I t was in the course of my sermon during my enthronement as Archbishop of York in 1995 that I remarked that in my younger days I would no doubt have been more interested in Mallard in the Railway Museum than Walter de Grey in the minster. No such dilemma for Murray Naylor, who in this remarkable book manages to weave together both railways and cathedrals in a fascinating and captivating way.

Reading through the book brought back some happy memories of trainspotting on Doncaster Station in my younger days with those Ian Allan books and photographs by the railway bishop, Eric Treacy, one of my predecessors in the See of Wakefield a diocese itself established mainly because it was on the main line to London. It was perhaps ironic that Treacy should have collapsed and died on Appleby Station on the approach of a steam train on the Settle-Carlisle line, with now a plaque to mark the spot. And now, myself retired and living almost alongside the Settle-Carlisle Railway, its an enormous thrill still to see the steam-hauled excursion trains as they pass by within a few yards of my home.

The journeys Murray Naylor describes take the reader the length and breadth of the country with descriptions of the respective cathedrals as erudite as they are accessible, though it has to be said the week-long journey outlined in order to make visits to all the cathedrals mentioned left me feeling somewhat breathless.

In addition to the wise guidance for the visitor to the cathedrals, highlighting as the author does the main features of the building, he also includes some of the people and stories associated with them and not least the visionary impetus of some of the bishops.

Yet here is no museum-type guide. For certainly the historic and architectural features are full of fascination and interest, and generally Naylor gives the reader as much as is necessary. He also recognizes that they are places of life and vigour still (cathedrals are as well maintained as they ever have been, and at considerable cost to the church in spite of substantial grant aid; they are also enjoying something of a renaissance given the rising number of worshippers attending), as day by day and week by week they have kept alive the very reason for which they were built in the first place the worship of God, reflecting as they do the grandeur and splendour of the kingdom of heaven. The words of the Puritan poet John Milton spring to mind:

But let my due feet never fail

To walk the studious cloisters pale,

And love the high embowered roof,

With antique pillars massy proof,

And storied windows richly dight,

Casting a dim religious light.

There let the pealing organ blow,

To the full voiced choir below

As may with sweetness through mine ear,

Dissolve me into ecstasies,

And bring all heaven before mine eyes.

Extract from Il Penseroso, 1631

The railway notes too are equally instructive and full of interest, telling as they do the sometimes extraordinary lengths to which the Victorians went to build up so comprehensive a network of lines, many of them coming at considerable cost to the workforce again one of the most notorious of the projects being the construction of the Settle-Carlisle line over Blea Moor, still as bleak and unyielding on a stormy day today as it was then. It is clear that Naylors enthusiasm for the cathedrals is well matched by his enthusiasm for the railways and his detailed knowledge too of some of the more technical aspects of rail engineering and operating add greatly to the readers interest, as does the commentary on the development and demise of particular lines and routes.

In all, here is a book that is as instructive as it is accessible, containing as it does both learning and personal story, which combine to celebrate two of the greatest achievements of these islands cathedrals and railways all of which makes for a compelling read. Journeys are at the heart of both the railways and the Christian faith and life, as is well exemplified by The Spiritual Railway, which forms the frontispiece of this book. Hopefully the reader will discover the pleasure and the reward of the journey that this book so readily offers.

David, Lord Hope of Thornes KCVO

List of Illustrations

The Author has taken all possible steps to check the architectural and chronological details given in the book. He accepts responsibility for any inaccuracies that remain.

South East

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

South West

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Midlands

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

North West

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

North

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

East Anglia

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

A Grand Tour

Unless otherwise stated, all illustrations have been provided by the author.

Authors Note

I n seeking to combine under a single title a study of cathedrals and how to reach them using Britains railway system, I should perhaps explain why I have not included descriptions of all forty-three Anglican cathedrals. Some cathedrals were built to be cathedrals from the beginning, examples of these being the magnificent medieval buildings at York, Salisbury and Lincoln. Others started life as medieval churches or monastic settlements, which later became cathedrals as populations grew and more dioceses were required to minister to the needs of parishes and their congregations. Examples include the present-day cathedrals at Newcastle and Chelmsford. In recording my observations of the cathedrals selected, I have confined my descriptions to aspects of a building that attracted my attention and that I believe will interest a visitor who may have limited time at his or her disposal. If as a result I have omitted details others might feel to be important, then I can but apologize.