Ethelred the Rested (not the Unready)

In the early days Wimborne Minster was a centre of mission, a home for a group of clergy who went out into the surrounding countryside to preach the Gospel. As a Parish Church today it has a central place in the lives of its members and in the life of the town.

The twin towers of the Minster Church of St.Cuthburga, founded in AD 705, dominate the town. The oldest part of the Minster is the massive 12th century central tower, which was once crowned with a spire which fell during a Service in 1600, miraculously without loss of life or injury. The rest of the building dates from the 13th and 14th centuries.

In 871 Alfred the Great buried his brother Ethelred (not the Unready) in the Minster. Ethelred was mortally wounded in a battle at Martin, near Cranborne.

The west tower is where you can see the famous Quarter Jack - Originally the figure was of a monk, but in Napoleonic times it was changed to depict a brightly uniformed grenadier, who still strikes the quarter hours.

The inside of the Minster is undergoing decoration with flowers, perhaps for Wimborne in Bloom. Here endeth the lesson - I didn't have time to find out as it was time to head back to the shoppers. This was an unplanned visit.

Yes its another HDR shot (handheld). I hope you like it.