Salisbury Cathedral gets into festive spirit with 32ft Christmas tree
Staff spent three days getting it all ready and installed
Last updated 3rd Dec 2020
It's hoped Salisbury Cathedral's new Christmas tree will bring some "comfort and joy" this festive period.
The 32ft Norwegian Spruce from Longleat Forest has been put up and decorated by the west doors of the building, below one of the stained windows.
A tree that size is put up every year, but it's quite a complicated operation to get it all ready.
It takes a team of 12 to hoist the beast through the west doors, get it into position and then lift it up.
It can then be decorated with 1000 LED lights, glass baubles and glass droplets by using a cherry picker and ladder.
There was a slight problem this year though, as the cherry picker usually used is currently supporting one of the building's installations.
A call to the firm that originally supplied the first hoist, brothers Robert and Alan Siertsema of Gebuwin in the Netherlands, and another was loaned to them for the occasion.
The tree now proudly stands looking over the Cathedral's font and any worshippers that may visit during the Christmas period.
MORE FESTIVE TREATS
As Salisbury Cathedral reopens today (Thursday 3rd December) for the first time in a month, the towering tree is not the only Christmas decoration.
A large silk picture depicting the nativity is back on display, after first being exhibited last year.
It was created by Jacquiline Creswell, Visual Arts Adviser and curator, and photographer Ash Mills.
This scene is bit special though, as it features many people from the Salisbury Cathedral community.
These include baby Freddie Halliday, son of former England rugby player Simon Halliday and grandson of the choir's counter tenor, Steve Abbott.
Jaquiline told Greatest Hits Radio:
"I think the nativity has so many lovely feelings of joy and hope and we wanted to try and deliver this in a way that will lift the spirits of the people, so we decided to create these voile banners and then Ash and I thought how we could make it special to Salisbury so we thought we would make all the characters in the nativity members of our community, so not only the people we work with at the Cathedral but also the wider community."
You can see the full Christmas listings and their festive services by visiting the Salisbury Cathedral website.