👍 It's great to have you in the UK, we're loving your videos, you've got the perfect combination >> (expert cameraman + charming tour guide = great videos) ! You both should be employed by the British Tourist Board 😉 It's great to see all the remove places that you go to as well as the main cities, look forward to many more. 🙂 If you want history then York's a good place to go, maybe you've already been ?
You are too kind! Thanks so much for your comment. I'm NOT an expert cameraman, but I'm working on getting better. I DO love telling stories and sharing our discoveries. Like you said, we adore both the big cities and the most remote little villages. It is so fun to share our excitement as we visit each of them! I'm now sitting here with a mountain of content to edit in the coming months... sharing all those gems in little videos. It will be fun in the rainy grey winter to re-live our sunny adventures in Britain. We have visited York, but not since I became a RU-vidr, and we DEFINITELY need to stay longer next time. I look forward to going back and visiting the Minster, the Viking Museum, the Shambles and more!
@@MagentaOtterTravels If your based in Cheltenham I would recommend the following as nearby old towns worth visiting: Tewkesbury, Evesham, Chipping Camden, Great Malvern, Stow on the Wold and Cirencester. Slightly further afield but really worth seeing are Ludlow and Bradford on Avon.
I sometimes think that we English take our history and architecture for granted because we see it every day, it's nice to see it from the perspective of someone who doesn't
Thanks very much for your comment. I have come to appreciate both of those things as I've gotten older. To be honest, when I first visited Gloucester Cathedral nearly 20 years ago I didn't fall in love with it like I did this summer. I think wisdom and maturity helped me have a better perspective. I'm hoping that my videos can inspire Britons as well as Anglophiles in other countries to explore and appreciate the incredible history and architecture of Britain!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I've always loved our history, in particular the mediaeval period, and was heavily involved in reenactment and living history in my youth, but even from my personal perspective I found that it is quite easy to become blaze about that which you see everyday, I think you might be successful in your objectives of engendering a renewed interest in our own history, at least in my case.
I've managed to get MYSELF more interested in history, so that's good! I fit in better with the rest of my family who are definitely more history buffs
This is amazing!!! Gloucester Cathedral, wow!!! Thank you for sharing & I love "Lady Chapel" I would love to visit there. I can't wait to see where "Harry Potter" 'filmed. Thank you!!!
Yes that’s when we stopped taking our sons to Britain…old enough to be independent and too young to appreciate cathedrals! Embarrassing story: they actually got kicked out of Durham Cathedral for playing on their GameBoys inside the cathedral!!! 😫
I have been watching Brit Girls go Stateside now I am here. watching Stateside goes Brit. Cool Cathedral. Both of you do a real great job showing everything of. Makes me want to travel to Great Britain. 3 Cheers
Hi Imane! So good to hear from you! You have a great eye for design, style and architecture, so this is a place you would enjoy visiting. I hope you are well. Thanks for watching, friend! ❤
I have a knack!! Even on our failed puffin trip, when we were standing on that rainy windy coastline in Wales... I found a few magenta flowers, haha Thanks for watching my visit to my new favourite cathedral!
What a lovely little film - both in terms of the beauty of the cathedral and the excellent film making. Very nicely put together. Very informative with history, architecture, Harry Potter facts, local wild life and even some magenta flowers. Thank you, Otters. You have out done yourselves. xxx
You are too kind! The video was a bear to edit, but as you say, it was packed with a lot of info and different elements! A labour of love.... for my new favourite cathedral! I'm glad you noticed those magenta flowers... it's my goal to sneak them into every video I can! Thank you for your comment!
Great video. The seagulls are a nuisance. I've been attacked a couple of times, they can be quite aggressive. Agree with you about the chippy. It used to be really nice , but it's not as good as it was.
Yes, they are a nuisance! Ian was attacked in St Ives.... here's the story of the drama: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-R4NXFTyjFqA.html Thankfully we found an awesome chippy on the outskirts of Cheltenham, so we are chuffed about that! Thanks for your comment!
My reminder didn't remind me..grrrr! Watching now. Stunning- how well you captured that cathedral. Awesome. You can be justifiably proud. 👍 💖 🙏 🇳🇿 🙋♀️ 🇳🇱
Hi Dara, I discovered your channel 2 weeks ago, while searching for Devon videos. And OMG I'm so in love with your channel. There are travels and culture and history. It's so beautiful the way you see the things and talk about them on your videos. I'm a Brazilian living in England. Have a lovely week 🥰
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to comment. I know when you are doing travel research, it's easy to just click on a lot of videos and run, but it means a lot to me that you took the time to leave this nice compliment! I work very hard on my videos, especially the travel ones, so it is wonderful to hear when someone enjoys them! I have a deep love of Devon and hope you have a wonderful visit! We had such a nice time visiting both North and South Devon. Many wonderful memories! Please let m know how your trip goes.
EVERYONE has seagull trouble... they are pests! I was at least glad that I caught that one mocking me on video, LOL I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. I was excited to share one of my new favourite places!
Ever thought of being an official guide at Gloucester Cathedral...!? What a superb tour of this historic place of worship - and so good to have commentary from both of you! Great filming and soundtrack, and such an interesting commentary. Thank you.
Thanks so much! I'm more suited to RU-vid tour guide than live tour guide ;-) Though I expect that MANY family members and friends will come visit me in Cheltenham and get a personal tour of Gloucester cathedral from me! With free admission and a 15 minute drive away, I expect to be a frequent visitor!
I recently visited Norwich Cathedral, which is also magnificent. Lucy's Dad went to school there! There are beautiful school buildings in the grounds, and they had regular services in the Cathedral itself!
Hi there 👋🏻😎😃👍🏻. Just gave you like #100. I gotta love the Harry Potter movies and that Castle 🏰 I learned about this year. It's on my travel 🧳 bucket or basket🧺 list 📜 now guys since I couldn't find a bucket emoji 🤣😂.
Very good Vlog Dara & Ian. I used to pass Gloucester every year on our annual holiday to my Mum’s twin sister in Hampshire. This was before the motorways and the Severn Bridge. In 1970 my younger brother was doing his A Levels in Art & Woodwork. As part of the syllabus he had to study the architecture of the UK cathedrals. He picked Gloucester Cathedral so my dad let me borrow the car so I & my girlfriend took him there. The year I retired from work the local railway company offered an “Over 50’s” cheap return (£7.50 I think). Gloucester (and Cheltenham!) were on a direct line from my local station. I had a day out visiting the Cathedral and another great place to visit is the “Waterways Museum” in the docks area. A great history of the canals and rivers and their part in the industrial revolution prior to the railways.
Wow, so many memories! I didn't realise when we were settling in Cheltenham that we would be so close to Gloucester, and I'm really glad. In addition to being less than an hour from so many fabulous places! I'm glad you know the area and understand ;-) Thanks for your comment, Peter!
Good point. After dropping off my rental car in Gloucester, just before we left, I explored the docks area and was very impressed. I saw the National Waterways Museum in the Llanthony Warehouse (a Welsh link to Gloucester) and would definitely like to visit it at some point.
Yes indeed! So glad that this lovely place has survived and that we can visit it now. Thanks so much for your comment. It was a bear to edit, but I'm pleased that it turned out ok!
That's a beautiful cathedral, I have to admit that I learned all my knowledge about styles of architecture and the history of architecture from visiting cathedrals, churches, basilicas and a few duomo(s) over the years. Even tiny little country churches, often they are wonderful to visit as you can see their importance to the local community.
I could not agree more! One of our very favourite things is to visit small churches we encounter in tiny villages! I hope to be sharing lots of those in the coming months as I edit my huge backlog of video content LOL! As for architectural knowledge, I am still learning and researching. Ian is an architecture nut, so he’s always sharing his thoughts with me. Honestly I didn’t used to be that interested, and have only in recent years become more fascinated with cathedrals and churches.
I've visited Winchester Cathedral a couple of times but not Gloucester, I want to go now. I read all of the Harry Potter books, but I didn't bother with the films. I prefer to use my imagination rather than see book adaptations on the movie screen.
You have a point... so often the films disappoint when compared with your imagination! There are so many wonderful cathedrals!! I look forward to visiting and re-visiting many of them now that I have a RU-vid channel! Thanks for watching, Mark! I hope you are well.
@@MagentaOtterTravels I am well thanks, I hope you are both recovering from the jet lag. I haven't had it myself, but a friend travels to Seattle for work occasionally and says it can be horrible.
Yes, traveling all the way to Seattle is a brutal amount of Jetlag! It actually is worse when we fly to England then when we fly back to the US. However, I managed to get a cold when we got home. So, I’ve been laying around feeling lousy for several days. Doing this video was definitely the highlight of my week!
This cathedral is magnificent. I have been there before but I was very young, maybe 10 or 11. Also we were there in the winter so it was cold & raining. It's definitely a place I will return to with my family hopefully in the summertime. We either didn't see that golfer or I have forgotten about it. The cathedral is really overwhelming so it's important to take your time but I would not recommend skipping it. It has to be the best example of fan vaulting anywhere in the world.
I think most people who visit the cathedral don't know about the golf window or the "Warner Bros" tombs. Those are a few secrets ;-) I was excited to share those tidbits, as well as the overall beauty of the place! I hope you get to visit with your family on a nice summer day! LMK and we will meet you there! Thanks for watching!
Dara, this was such a gorgeous tour! You made me laugh out loud with the seagull taunting you pop up and I feel like I learned so much! I had no idea what those pillars were, now I know they’re Norman. And I had no idea this was where some of Harry Potter was filmed!!! I’m a huge fan.
Thanks so much! Yes, wildlife rarely cooperates with my filming, so I’m glad I captured that seagull taunting me!!!🤣 I loved that this place had so much ancient history as well as pop culture connections! Really interesting 💖
Lovely Gloucester Cathedral. I love its massive columns. If you've not already done so, I can highly recommend attending a choir service or musical event in the Cathedral, the acoustics are marvellous. We listened to a Welsh male voice choir, and Thomas Tallis's 'Miserere Nostri' - it raised the hairs on the neck, just so transcendently beautiful in such a beautiful place.
Get to visit this whenever I visit some family I have who live in Gloucestershire, only been there once so far, but was fascinated at the very old graffiti carved into some surfaces. To think we've been getting up to mischief for so long haha. And the incredible tombs
It truly is one of my favourite places! I hope you are able to return and notice a few obscure things you didn't see the first time, after watching my informative video ;-) Yes, I think we humans have been mischievous for a LONG time! LOL Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it! Cheers XX Dara
While I'm not into the religious side of things, its certainly very impressive how they designed and built such buildings in medieval times. With the technology they had at the time to cut and lift the stone into place, much less knowledge of structural forces and structural analysis to determine and build a safe structure. Although quite a few did fall down and had to be re-built.
I’ve visited Gloucester Cathedral but didn’t notice half the things you’ve pointed out. The sheer age of things in this part of the world is quite a contrast with the New World. Even in the secular age of today, the cathedrals have something special to offer everyone.
I agree. Even though I'm not Anglican or Catholic, I love visiting cathedrals! They have so much to enjoy in their history and architecture. And any time you can sit in a quiet beautiful place and get some peace & calm in this crazy world is a good thing, right? First time I visited Gloucester Cathedral I didn't notice much either, but that is when a guide pointed out the Warner Bros tombs, which I mentioned... that is kind of an "insider's secret"! All the other stuff I discovered doing a lot of research before my visit this time. Thanks for watching and commenting, Aidan. Ian is always complimenting your channel to me ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels Exactly how I feel about cathedrals. Glad to have the positive feedback from Ian. There are parallels between what you are doing and what I am doing though the focus and style are different. :) By the way I’m thinking of organising a Zoom meetup for people who view my channel, just to chat and get to know one another. Maybe you could drop by!
I did not know that John Stafford was the composer for the star spangled banner, I do know that it was written by Francis Scott Key, I am loving this beautiful building, I love that you did this one, very amazing
How strange? It can be referred to as both the Union Flag or the Union Jack. Charles II ruled that it could only be used by Royal ships (as in HMS), but that has long been superseded, but still feeds the belief that it’s only properly referred to as the Union Jack when flying from a Jack staff (small flag pole) aboard one of His / Her Majesty’s Ships.
Fun! I didn't know about the Doctor Who appearance! Yes, it is going to be a place I visit regularly I believe. I would say that I need a "lifetime pass" for admission, but since admission is free... it's all good!
@@dragonmac1234 oh no, Mark! I know you said don’t get you started… but is it the latest few seasons with Chris Chibnall as showrunner or even before that? I was really disappointed with his first season, but I enjoyed a lot of this last one. And Gloucester Cathedral does not disappoint!!!
@@britainonabudget I'm a 50 year fan who doesn't like Chris Chibnall changing The Doctor's almost 60 year old origin story. I also don't think Jodie Whittaker was the right choice for The Doctor, and the preachy, finger wagging scripts really annoy me. Peter Capaldi was (in my opinion) the last good Doctor. Some people like Jodie as The Doctor, my answer is they can keep her and I'll watch episodes of classic Who.
@@dragonmac1234 Yes, I love going back to watch my favorite episodes, and there are just so many to choose from! I’m also a huge fan of the Big Finish audio dramas. I’m still trying to catch up on Paul McGann’s 8th Doctor but they keep releasing new ones!!! 😩😁
I haven't been to the cathedral for years. This video has made me want to go back. I must make an effort to visit next time I pop into Gloucester to do some shopping.
Stunning!😍 A place I would definitely want to visit. I love cathedrals!!❤️🙏🏼 Since I’ve never watched or read any Harry Potter, that part is lost in me. 😉
You can LOVE the cloisters for their beauty without appreciating the Harry Potter connection ;-) If you come visit me, I'll definitely take you there... only 15 minutes from our flat!
Hiya. This will be lost on you, but how can you NOT have read or seen Harry Potter, whilst having or using the surname RIDDLE?! 😲😀 That's spooky! Stay safe. All the best to you.
The display of metal butterflies in the Cathedral garden was an art work to support the local hospice. Over £15,000 was raised by people who bought a butterfly (£25 each) in remembrance of a loved one. Last month, each butterfly was returned to its donor, to keep as a lasting tribute.The butterfly is a symbol of the resurrection.
I really really love stained glass. Haven't been able to get photos or video to really capture how beautiful it is in person, though. The most I've seen in one place was Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, about a block from Notre Dame. It is AMAZING! And the Lady Chapel here kind of reminded me of it. Thanks for watching!
Oh what a great view! Thanks so much for watching and commenting. I really appreciate it. I hope you subscribe and stick around, we have lots more exploration of Gloucestershire ahead! Including a video of a lovely little Cotswold village coming up in a few hours❤️ Cheers XX Dara
You did a great job with this video! I had to do a terms work with our village school about Gloucester Cathedral and I could have done with that video of the changes in the building over the years! Did you like the really modern windows? I've come to love them over the years although I didn't "get" them to start off with. If you like the Art and Craft style, there are a series of windows at the church at Selsley near Stroud, designed by a team of Pre Raphaelites, under the wing of William Morris. The church itself is of the Gothic Revival style of the Victorian era and was designed by a young architect who had studied under Sir George Gilbert Scott who designed hundreds of wonderful Victorian buildings as well as the red telephone box. William Morris's house at Kelmscott is worth a visit. I always think Gloucester has not made enough of its history. The is a pub there, the New Inn, which has a balconied inner courtyard and was where Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed queen for a brief, very brief, period. The building has really been neglected with much gloss paint King Henry the Third was crowned in Gloucester Cathedral as a nine year old boy.
Wow, thank you SO MUCH for all that wonderful information! I agree that Gloucester is underrated and underappreciated! I loved the modern windows because the colours were so vivid. We need to visit the Selsley church and Kelmscott. Thanks for the recommendations! Cheers XX Dara
Wow, how many videos have you made now? Followed the link from Canterbury to this video. I remember being very impressed by this cathedral a couple of years ago when passing through the area, i was expecting good but i got amazing
Thanks so much for telling me that you followed the link from my Canterbury video! I always wonder if anyone clicks on those! Lol I have made over 300 videos, but the travel videos are my favourite. Unfortunately, I hate editing them because it's torture to me. But I love it when they're done! As for Gloucester Cathedral, it is really a special place! We go there frequently now because pretty much every American visitor wants to go see it ! 😉🩷
Well HELLO! I can't tell from your username who you are... but do I know you from Glendale? I'm currently in Texas, busy editing hundreds of videos for the next several months. You are going to Gloucester Cathedral?! Small world!!
A nice film. You certainly did your homework about Gloucester Cathedral. Did you say that 'The Star Spangled Banner became the US national Anthem in 1931?, that's pretty recent.
Thank you! Yes, I did a ton of research before I filmed that visit, and it certainly helped! I had visited the cathedral over a decade ago and a guide told me about the Warner Bros memorials. I don't think many people know about that, and I've not seen it in any other guides. The golf window is also not widely known... it's not like there's a big sign in the cathedral pointing it out. And a lot of Brits don't care about the Star Spangled Banner fact, haha! But yes, isn't that crazy it only became the national anthem in 1931? That was after both my parents were born! We are a young country, but I thought the anthem was older than that.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Well you took your time, but you picked a good tune. Having said that, England has been united since 927 and we still haven't got our own national anthem, maybe we could have the Jimi Hendrix version of yours?
Great video, and You have done excellent research into the History of the Cathedral. as You say John Stafford Smith composed a tune called "To Anacreon in Heaven" which was the Drinking song of the Anacreontic Society a gentlemen's club of the kind that was popular in London in the late eighteenth century. American Lawyer and Amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 during the War of 1812 and realising the American flag was still flying proudly from the Battlements He was compelled to Write a poem about what He had seen and this poem was later put to music and the tune used was "To Anacreon in Heaven" which in turn Became The "Star Spangled Banner"
Oh, thank you so much for sharing that context! It's great to hear the background to this famous song. I knew part but not all of that story. As for Glos Cathedral... we now go there ALL the time, because almost every American visitor needs to pay a visit. And I find that I discover something new almost every time I go! I filmed this video years ago, but I often spend time reading the monuments... the inscriptions are very touching and often bring a tear to my eye! Thanks for your comment. Dara
Thanks for asking! There are two purposes. One is spiritual, to protect the church or cathedral from evil spirits! 😈 The other is practical, they are drain spouts to keep the rainwater that hits the roof from running down the sides of the building. 🌧
A great potted history there, and what a beautiful building. I was half hoping for some drone footage. Shooting up to the top of the tower. Showing it in close up, as well as the surrounding area. I imagine though it's a no fly zone. Re your lunch, your FnC's looked a bit drab. And boy was their menu overpriced. Bit of a tourist trap by the looks...
You are right on both counts, John! Definitely a "no fly" zone. Trust us... if we can, we do! And yes the F&C was totally overrated and disappointing. But we found an AWESOME chippy on the outskirts of Cheltenham, so that is where we shall be frequently popping by next summer!
So funny you mention that! I posted this video and another subscriber mentioned that. So Ian and I watched that Courtney Cox episode and enjoyed it immensely! Even more relevant to me because I had looked at Berkeley Castle as a possible wedding venue for my son. What an amazing history it has! I feel VERY lucky to live in an area with such interesting places all around (well, in the summer anyway!). Thanks for your comment! Cheers! XX Dara
@@MagentaOtterTravels You are welcome. If you ever come to Liverpool there are 2 Cathedrals. The Anglican one is the biggest church in Europe and is brilliant, the Roman Catholic one is very modern. Both worth visiting.
Excellent question! I’ve totally lost track! At this point, I’m focusing on seeing the most highly rated cathedrals. But as for churches, we have been to countless! And it seems we go to a new one every day, so the list is constantly growing!!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I'm sure you've done at least half the cathedrals...there's 3 in Coventry and 2 in Liverpool...so that just over 10% sorted...lol
@@MagentaOtterTravels Perhaps THAT's the reason for all those circling gulls - just waiting for disgruntled customers to chuck their unwanted chips over the hedge ? Cheeky critters, those seagulls- and smart, too: I've always liked them !
Very good theory! You should check out a couple more videos where we have some gull interactions. One was an ATTACK! The other was just more pestering 😂 Gull attack: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-R4NXFTyjFqA.html Fish & chips in West Country: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cOuMXSw3iD8.html
The one good thing he did was save the abbey and turn it into Gloucester Cathedral instead of tear it down. Only because his ancestor was buried there. I'm sure he had some good qualities, but he sure did a lot of atrocious things in his life!
Why are people, especially Americans., so obsessed with Harry Potter? I read the first one and have not seen any of the films. The UK is a beautiful place to enjoy without having to compare it with fiction
What a rude comment. The HP series was popular everywhere not least the UK. People like different things; just because it isn't your cup of tea doesn't mean other people are obsessed.
I have a lot of American friends who are huge Harry Potter fans, and I want them to understand all the things that are truly magical about Britain. Well beyond fiction. I don’t expect you to like or even care about Harry Potter. You probably were not 10 years old when the books first came out…
@@MagentaOtterTravels I loved the book. Please don't judge the UK by a work of fiction, I think that's what of people do The UK is worth a lot more than that
@@MagentaOtterTravels If I were 10 years old when the books came out, I'd have loved them. My point is that books were not made into films in those days, we had to use what is known as "imagination". Far better than someone imposing their views on you. It also encouraged us to read.
