Cumbrian Skies...

....were leaden as I arrived in Carlisle for the day, along with the tail end of ex Hurricane Bertha.

Horizontal rain and cold, gale force winds saw me take shelter in Carlisle Cathedral, founded in 1122, and one of the smallest cathedrals in England. It was a pleasure to sit and enjoy the peace and quiet of the cathedral, and to admire the magnificent ceiling.

"The main timbers of the ceiling date from 1400, which was part of the rebuilding of the choir throughout the fourteenth century after the fire of 1292. The decorative scheme dates from Ewan Christian’s restoration of the Cathedral 1853 – 6. The style we see of the restoration followed the medieval original, but the detailed design and colour of the ceiling with the angles and stars was the work of Owen Jones (1809 – 1874), who was one of the great decorative artists of the day. It was last repainted in 1970." www.carlislecathedral.org.uk

A bowl of steaming soup in the vaulted undercroft of the medieval Fratry, which was originally the monks’ dining hall, fortified me for an afternoon of Christmas shopping! After all, it's never too early to start!!