Winchester Cathedral is the longest gothic cathedral in Europe and is stunning in itself. But besides the impressive cathedral I was in awe of how the light seemed to dance around the cathedral and onto Bishop Samuel Wilberforce. I am not a religious person but without knowing much about him I like the guy. He was known for his efforts to abolish slaverywhich I find admirable. O the lighter side, he had the nickname “Soapy Sam.” I didn’t know that bishops could have nicknames. Apparently he acquired the name because “I often find myself in hot water but always come out with clean hands.” These are the kinds of stories that bring beautiful buildings to life.
This photo has been submitted as part of Travel Photo Thursday, a weekly travel photography showcase organized by Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox where you can see more travel photos from around the world.
This photo has also be submitted as part of Photo Friday on Delicious Baby where you can see even more travel photos.
For more info and where to stay and eat in Winchester see:
Winchester Cathedral
Visit Winchester
Mercure Winchester Wessex Hotel
Old Vine
and follow King Alf on Twitter for all the latest on what’s happening in Winchester
Please note that I received a complimentary audio tour of Winchester Cathedral, but all opinions expressed are my own.
I'm Laurel, a former Program Director from Canada now living in Munich, Germany. I love traveling, diving, and hiking. I'm also an animal enthusiast with a special affinity for monkeys, cats and sharks.
The nickname and the story are priceless! I love that.
Love the nickname Soapy Sam! Sounds like a very interesting bishop!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..Where in the world am I And the winner is…
@Zhu @ Jeremy – I know, what a cool nickname right? Especially for a bishop!
You are so correct about characters bringing building alive! Winchester is beautiful and Soapy Sam makes it even more interesting. Think about all the stories those walls could tell
Debbie Beardsley recently posted..Mystery Picture Take 2!
Cathedrals are always interesting to visit! haven’t been to winchester myself but i look really good!
Jozef @ Where Now recently posted..Rangiteiki- Raftabout
Great shot Laurel, and I love the story.
Thanks for posting to Travel Photo Thursday.
Nancie recently posted..Travel Photo Thursday- June 2- 2011 — Taiwan Mist
Interesting post ..i wonder how they made it !!!
Sheril Benedict recently posted..501 Must Visit Cities
I love gothic architecture!
The Travel Chica recently posted..Take Off Your Shirt and Don’t Mind the Suction Cups
Looks very beautiful with amazing lighting. I am also not religious but I find most cathedrals stunning.
Going kraut recently posted..Photo Essay- Monschau- Germany
Gothic is so glam! Winchester Cathedral looks breathtaking.
pinaytraveljunkie recently posted..California Dreamin
Bishop Soapy Sam! Sounds like an interesting life to follow up upon. The architecture and sculpture are stunningly beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your comments everyone. I agree that you can enjoy the beauty of cathedrals and the architecture even if you’re not religious.
Interesting,a Gothic Castle is something I have never stepped foot in. Would love to and I know in Europe, there’s a lot of them around.
David @ MalaysiaAsia recently posted..Visiting Kota Bharu in Kelantan
Awesome shot and the story is very interesting, definitely makes the building come alive!
Arti recently posted..Badrinath – An Introduction Where to Stay- Eat
I want to try attending a mass on that Cathedral. I wonder how it feels to be there during a mass. Thanks for the post!
Kathy Grin recently posted..Antique Fire Extinguisher
I’d love to go into a cathedral like this–their stories and history would be amazing!
Sorry to burst your bubble, but “Soapy Sam” didn’t come up with the nickname for himself nor was it meant to be flattering. That is probably the case with any nickname for a bishop. People tend to mock those who have a great deal of power, and those in power tend to deserve it to some degree.
Bishop Wilberforce may have tried to make the best of having been called “Soapy Sam” by saying, “I often find myself in hot water but always come out with clean hands.” It’s a pretty good comeback but I don’t know if he actually said it or not. I do know that he was seen as a slick character by many people.
From the site of the Natural History Museum (London):
“Wilberforce lived during a period of turmoil within the Anglican Church. An important issue regarded the conflicting influences of Protestantism and Roman Catholicism on Christianity in England. Wilberforce steered a careful course between the two opposing camps. His legendary slipperiness in arguments inspired his critics to nickname him ‘soapy Sam.’ ”
Wikipedia says that he got the nickname from what Disraeli (who was the Prime Minister in those days) said:
“The nickname derives from a comment by Benjamin Disraeli that the Bishop’s manner was “unctuous, oleaginous, saponaceous” (slippery, evasive and soapy). He is probably best remembered today for his opposition to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution — most notably at a famous debate in 1860 during which he is said to have asked Thomas Henry Huxley whether it was through his grandfather or his grandmother that he claimed his descent from a monkey.”
Also from the Wikipedia article:
“…the versatile facility and persuasive expediency that marked the successful public career of the bishop, and perhaps earned him the sobriquet of “Soapy Sam”, though this may have been a reference to his characteristic hand-washing gesture, so clearly captured in the Vanity Fair cartoon by ‘Ape’ (illustration, right).”
Besides the cartoon, there is also a photo of the bishop at the Wikipedia article, a photo of a painting of him on the Natural History Museum page, which is at http://tinyurl.com/3hngc37
By the way, it was Bishop Wilberforce’s father, William Wilberforce, who was a Member of Parliament and a leader in the antislavery movement. The bishop was antislavery but best known for his opposition to Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Today, he’d be an advocate of “Creation Science”
Nice photo from Winchester! Be sure to see Wells Cathedral, the oldest Gothic cathedral in England.
@David – It’s definitely worth a visit, it’s one of the most beautiful cathedrals I’ve ever seen.
@Arti – Thanks, I love stories like these which give you a glimpse into the history.
@Kathy – I’m sure attending mass here would be a moving experience.
@Chris – The audio tour did an excellent job of telling these types of stories about the cathedral.
@Kathryn – Thanks for your comment and research. From the audio tour I got the impression that it wasn’t the most flattering of names, but he appeared to take it in good humor (whether he did or not who knows – but the voice in the audio recording sounded like it was in good humor). I liked the fact that he took it in good humor (if he actually did), even if he was a slick guy. It’s interesting to think that bishops may not always have the best of intentions despite their positions.