Southwell Minster — Attraction in Newark and Sherwood

Meatloaf by Candlelight at Southwell Minster. Great setting. Beautiful architecture and the vaulted ceiling really helped the sound. The performers were A* and such great sound, loved that there were speakers along both sides of the length of the aisle so we at the back still got excellent sound. Two bars, served quickly, decent and expected prices for can of cider. The ambient music was totally appropriate (never thought I’d hear AC/DC in the Minster - pity it wasn’t Highway to Hell though!) Seats comfy enough. Now, some crits - @kindadustyltd - the production company… the stage would have benefitted us all had it been in the middle, directly in front of the side door on the short trajectory, so as to seat audience up and down the aisle. We would all have had a better view, in Section A we were simply too far back to see or benefit from the candles on the rostrum level. Also, the flood light at the entrance stayed on for the whole of the first half and the front of house lights also barely dimmed. Mercifully they were lower second half and the floods were off. Made for a much more enjoyable second half. Hats off to the sound people who enhanced this concert no end, even if we couldn’t see very well we were guaranteed great theatre quality audio that wasn’t too loud. Southwell Minster - please have more of this here, and really get creative with the staging - yes, I’m sure you’re guided by the companies but surely they send someone to have...

This was a very pleasant surprise. We were in the process of visiting the workhouse but decided to give the local church a look and it turned out that this village has a cathedral. A minster no less. I had lots of questions that were answered graciously by one of the clerical staff. The interior is breathtakingly beautiful and has two sections that are approximately 100 years apart. It's noticable that the styles of the two are different. The earlier is Norman whist the style of the latter is Gothic and the contrast is quite stark. Durham Cathedral has the same phenomenon. I had it pointed out to me the classic builders mistake of starting from two ends and working your way in. A careful observation of the roof shows the attempt to obfuscate the error. The stained glass windows are spectacular and contain two styles of origin which is quite novel. The top teir is original and English but the bottom is French and depicts the people of Paris in the time of Marie Antoinette. How it obtained the glass was I'm told a donation from a very unlikely source. If you want to know then visit and all will be revealed. And absolute gem in the middle of nowhere....

Well worth visiting. Lots to see. Plenty of green men and a Mousie Thompson too, so I was happy. The large angel window is stunning and awesome. Look out for the Norman beaky cats and birds on the arch above your head as you enter - in wonderful condition, but most of the intricate masonry detail is. There are lots of creatures and various heads to see, one of the master mason who gained recent notoriety for his resemblance to the Donald. See accompanying photograph. The chapterhouse really is something else and you can't visit Southwell Minster and not include the renowned foliate masonry in all its glorious abundance. There are sculptures on display and also Roman mosaics and a section of painted wall plaster, whose colours and detailing are incredibly well preserved. For me, apart from the magnificent angel window, the best thing was the superb Stations Of the Cross series by sculptor, Jonathan Clarke. Emotive and impactful, loved every one of them. It's one of those buildings that every time you revisit you will spot more and more things to marvel at. The Archbishop's Palce and the ruins are but a step away in the grounds, as are the gardens. Highly...