Peterborough's Jewel

Peterborough Cathedral was on our list as it is the burial site for Katherine of Aragon, the divorced first wife of King Henry VIII. This was the divorce which triggered the split with the Roman Catholic Church and its eventual demise in Tudor England. Due to Katherine’s connection to the Spanish royal family and powerful countries in Europe she was moved north to a place close to Peterborough, well away from London, to live in solitude until her death. The cathedral was also the place where Mary Queen of Scots, was buried until her body was removed and re-interred in Westminster Abbey by her son King James I.

The Cathedral building itself is very distinctive, in particular the enormous entrance arches and clean lines of the exterior, free of external buttressing used in later designs. The walls of centre aisle demonstrate massive three tiered Norman architecture topped with a wooden roof and an original painted timber ceiling dating from the 13th century. A later extension, now housing the main altar, completed in the 16th century, was one of the first structures to feature fan vaulted stone ceilings which are very sophisticated in design, constructed entirely from very accurately cut and placed interlocking stone components.

A temporary exhibit in the rear of the cathedral, dedicated to its construction, featured detailed information and scale models covering stone quarrying through to final placement.

Peterborough Cathedral is an understated jewel among England’s collection of ancient buildings and unique as it has remained largely intact despite, the Reformation, the Puritans and the mania for 19th century Victorian restoration and additions, common on many church buildings.