South Transept, Gloucester Cathedral (NBY 440055)

Gloucester Cathedral originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter. Gloucester Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship continuously for over 1,300 years, since Osric, an Anglo-Saxon prince, founded a religious house here. At the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, the monastery was not thriving. In 1072 King William I appointed Serlo, a monk from Mont St Michel in Normandy to be its Abbot. An energetic, charismatic, and devout man, Serlo built up the wealth of the monastery to the point wherein 1089 he was able to start building the magnificent abbey church which so impresses the visitor today. In 1216, Henry III, who had succeeded to the throne at the age of only nine, was crowned here. Major building works in the 13th century included a first Lady Chapel and new Tower and refectory. In 1327, King Edward II who had died in Berkeley Castle (in suspicious and, traditionally, gruesome circumstances) was buried here. A shrine-like monument was erected over the tomb of the dead king. After Henry VIII ordered the monasteries to be dissolved, the abbey buildings became Gloucester Cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of Gloucester in 1541. Under Oliver Cromwell, there was a move to demolish the cathedral building altogether (it was saved by the intervention of the mayor and burgesses of the City of Gloucester). The cathedral consists of a Norman nave (Walter de Lacy is buried there), with additions in every style of Gothic architecture. It is 420 feet (130 m) long, and 144 feet (44 m) wide, with a fine central tower of the 15th century rising to the height of 225 ft (69 m) and topped by four delicate pinnacles, a famous landmark. Throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries they have carried out repairs and conservation work rather than rebuilding or remodeling the building. The Star-Spangled banner, music for the United States national anthem, was probably composed in the Cathedral, which predates the United States. The music was originally composed as a drinking humor song within Gloucester city.