The finished Carpet - Arundel Cathedral

When I arrived at work this morning I thought I would try my luck and find the one parking space that a million of us would be seeking up the hill but as it was all coned off to let the coaches all through with better access the attempt was pretty hopeless so I went and parked right down the bottom along the castle moat.

This actually proved to be a good thing because I met a friend who was walking his dog and he proceeded to point out lots of natural history along the moat and banks and castle grounds including a peregrine that was heading over the castle, baby water voles in the river banks, the baby ducklings, a water vole swimming across the moat and this one sitting in the grass.

It was pouring with rain but we didn't get wet under the trees that line Mill Road and I arrived at the shop to begin a day selling books (mainly paperbacks for the read on the coaches) to the endless tourists who had come from all over to visit the Carpet of Flowers!

On my lunch break I went up to the Cathedral to collect some bookmarks from Cathedral House and then thought I would attempt to squeeze through the masses to see the finished carpet before the Bishop walks over it tomorrow. On my way up I could hear this mad organ music and saw this charity organ outside the Priory.

The Cathedral was packed and had such a lovely atmosphere. The Carpet was finished and I managed to grab some photographs but thought I had better move quickly because of getting back down to the shop and there were about ten million people.

The ends of the benches are roped off but you can get through to see the carpet from the sides or either end of the Cathedral.

There were lovely displays all along the sides of the Cathedral. The Poor Clares from up the top of the hill at Crossbush had a table for all their handmade cards, icons of Saint Clare and Saint Francis and Rosaries. I was delighted to see all the reliquaries that were on the main altar around the huge empty Monstrance. In between each candlestick is a reliquary with bones of Saints inside - we LOVE relics.

There were flower displays everywhere including around the Sanctuary Lamp beside the tomb of Saint Philip Howard and the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes.




The Carpet of Flowers was open until 9pm tonight and after work I went back with my work colleague and we stood enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and listening to the organ music.

Mass starts at 5.30pm tomorrow, followed by a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the top of the town into the Castle grounds, Benediction, procession back up to the Cathedral and final Blessing.

There are refreshments throughout the day in St. Mary's Hall half a minute up the road from the Cathedral.