We had intended to wander around Coventry Cathedral (Mark 3), and as we approached we found them halfway through an all day festival in celebration of 100 years of the diocese (or something, but clearly not the cathedral itself. There were all sorts of things going on outside in the sunshine as well as inside; the old steps were covered in coloured chalked messages and bon mots.

Inside. they’d moved out all the chairs, and lots of people were just wandering around enjoying the building, so in we went – we may have happened upon a natural break in proceedings. The Archbishop of Canterbury was apparently involved somewhere, but we’re not terribly good at “Spot The Primate”. However, we did notice very high purple shirt and dog collar quotients (the latter including the lady with the microphone and black & white spotted dress in the middle of the next picture).

We were unclear about the exact ecclesiastical function of the small sailing dinghy in front of the choir steps, or for that matter that of the paddling pools below the stained glass.

There’s no doubt though that the huge tapestry is quite remarkable, as is the Charred Cross in the stair well.

And although the roof is perhaps not quite as impressive as those on our accidental Splendid Ceilings cruise two years ago, the new Cathedral is quite definitely a remarkable building and space, and a fine tribute to its predecessors.