Exeter Cathedral...

That afternoon we were able to enter Exeter Cathedral for free as it was open for a Christmas Bazaar.

Dating back to 1400, its ceiling was especially magnificent.

It’s not so surprising that I was impressed, as I have now learned that it has the longest uninterrupted medieval stone vaulted ceiling in the world at 315 feet (96 meters) long.

The Big Lego Build is a 300,000 piece model of the cathedral being built as a fundraiser. 

Exeter was one of Germany’s targets during WWII in an effort to harm British cities of cultural and historical importance. The chapel of St James in the cathedral was demolished by a direct hit by a large high-explosive bomb, of which this piece is on display as a reminder. Luckily the stained glass windows and other artifacts had been removed in anticipation of such an attack.

This memorial was unveiled in the rebuilt St James Chapel in November 2017 commemorating Polish airmen who defended Exeter during the war, of which 21 died.

These tombs for Bishops of Exeter date back to the 15th century and were protected by sand bags during WWII. 

That evening I was happy to get to meet Brett, whom Veronica had been dating for about six weeks. He joined us for dinner at her place before we all went to a movie about climate change. It was a nice ending to a great visit! The following morning, I made the long journey home via four trains and two subways. Little did I know then that I wouldn’t be able to visit her again in the spring...