On Thursday, Oct. 29th, we packed up to head back to Uncle Mick and Aunt Marian's in Hyde. On the way we made a few stops. Our first stop was at the Gloucester Cathedral. It's another gorgeous one. The main reason that the kids wanted to see it, is because it's the setting of some scenes of the first two Harry Potter movies. :)

The cloisters in this cathedral are beautiful. The ceilings are 650 years old, the oldest of their kind in Europe. There are small stained glass windows around all 4 inner walls. 

This isn't the best picture of the stained glass windows, but the first 2 windows are of Adam and Eve. In Harry Potter, the set people covered Adam and Eve with colorful clothing and put lightning flashes on their foreheads, so that if these windows happened to appear in the movie, it wouldn't be obvious that they are Adam and Eve and that this is a religious building!

More short doorways.

The door that was used in Harry Potter as the Gryfindor entrance to their common room. From the internet:

In the films it was made to look smaller by means of a plastic mould placed over the

real doorway, with a hinged portrait of the Fat Lady in front of it, and became the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room.

From the internet:

The Lavatorium on the left hand side of the North walk (yes, it’'s really called that –and it wasn’'t the ancient Abbey monks’' loo but the place they washed) is where Harry and Ron hide from a giant troll behind the pillars.

The troll in the film is mainly computer-generated, but huge legs were used in filming to make it look more realistic,– so big that there was some difficulty in getting them in through the cathedral’s massive main doors!

Interesting

We liked this room. It reminded us of Harry Potter classrooms. especially with the lone chair on the stage at the front.

Tomb of King Edward II, king of England from 1307 - 1327

This podium reminded us of Dumbledore's stand in Harry Potter. His had an eagle in the front though.

From the internet:

Robert was the eldest son of William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England, and Matilda of Flanders, and a participant in the First Crusade. His reign as Duke is noted for the discord with his brothers in England, eventually leading to the absorption of Normandy as a possession of England.

We found this sign funny. The one on the ground. And funny that this pub is called "The Comfy Pew", and it's right outside of the cathedral. :)

After our visit to Gloucester, we drove over to Gadfield Elm Chapel, which the first LDS chapel outside of North America. It was here that 599 members of the United Brethren were taught the gospel by Wilford Woodruff and accepted it. They donated their church to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A fighter jet flew over us a couple of times as we got out of the car at Gadfield Elm! Dave caught this picture of it. It's cool how the jet looks like it's at the "point" position of the birds in flight!

Lovely farm land by Gadfield Elm

Gadfield Elm Chapel

Clever way to let members of the church figure out the password to get inside!

Preacher Josh :)

Recreating a typical scene at church for our family. Haha! (With Dave asleep.)

Lastly, we drove over to Hill Farm, which used to be called Benbow Farm and Pond, where the 599 members of the United Brethren were baptized into our church in the 1800s. Funny story: As we drove there, Josh was sick of driving around and didn't want to go there. He was complaining and saying, "No! Let's not go there." We went anyway. Well, as we walked down to the pond, I stepped in dog poop! And then Tyler touched an electric fence and got shocked!!! And the pond is pretty much just a dried up hole now. As we were leaving, Josh said, "See, I told you that we shouldn't have come here!" Haha.

Hill Farm/Benbow Farm

Walking down to the pond

After Tyler got shocked. See those white wires???

The dried up pond is behind them.

As we drove home to the Foster's, the kids played a guessing game, one like charades, on their phones. They laughed and had a great time together. I'm grateful for kids that have a good time together and for fun moments like these!