Thank you for the picture. Today I had to go to Salisbury Hospital to receive the results of very critical tests. I made sure that my route was along a road that gave me my favourite view of the finest of all English Cathedrals. I, like countless others down the centuries, was able to draw strength and comfort from that wonderful building. It is this Cathedral and the river valley it overlooks that to me is the essence of England and it is this which I and my family will try to safeguard and defend come what may.

That is beautiful, and very restful one the eye and the soul.

I've visited it only once, many years ago, followed by a face-stuffing at the Old Fire Engine House.

Dear D Smith

My husband and I spent a night during our honeymoon in Salisbury - it is very beautiful. Our parish church is floodlit for a few hours every evening and during several spells in hospital a few years ago I would find a window everynight where I could see the tower lit up which was very comforting. I hope the results were good for you. Regards EW  

D. Smith - likewise, glad that the picture gave you comfort, and I hope the tests were OK.

From J R R Tolkien's 'The Homecoming of Beorthtnoth Beorhthelm's son':

'There is complete silence for a while.  Slowly the sound of voices chanting begins to be heard.  Soon the words, though faint, can be distinguished:

'Dirige, Domine, in conspectu tuo viam meam

introibo in domum tuam: adorabo at templum sanctum tuum in timore tuo.'

(A voice in the dark ) - 'Sadly they sing, the monks of Ely Isle.  Row, men, row! Let us listen here a while'. [Tolkien is here alluding to the legend that King Canute heard the monks of Ely singing].

'The chanting becomes loud and clear.

'Dirige domine, in conspectu tuo viam meum

Introibo in domum tuam: adorabo ad templum sanctumtuum in timore tuo.

Domine, deduc me in iustitia tua: propter inimicos meos

dirige in conspectu tuo viam meam.

Gloria Patri et Filio et Spirituo Sancto: sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum.

'Dirige, Domine, in conspectu tuo viam meam'.

Tolkien has changed the words of the traditional rhyme:

the original reads - 

'Merrily sang the monks of Ely

as King Canute was passing by:

'Row to the shore, knights,' said the king:

'And let us hear these churchmen sing'.

The original old English reads:

"Merie sungen the muneches binnen Ely

Tha Cnut Cing reu ther by

Roweth, Cnihtes, noer the land

and here we thes muneches saeng."