With churches reopening, here are 3 old churches to visit

To say it has been a difficult six months for houses of worship is an understatement.

Hit harder are congregations with historic edifices, particularly those that rely upon admission charges or goodwill donations to cover the dual expenses of preservation and witness.

While the coronavirus pandemic continues to ebb and flow, many notable old churches and cathedrals are once again open to visitors.

Here are three of this columnist’s favorites.

Gloucester Cathedral

The Cathedral Church of St. Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity — talk about a splendid name! — in Gloucester, England, is overlooked in a country full of spires and crosses.

Yet, visitors may recognize its 14th century cloisters, which feature the earliest example of fan vaulting, from the “Harry Potter” films. Gloucester Cathedral, as it is generally called, is old, but only became a cathedral during the English Reformation, when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and the former abbey became the seat of the first bishop of Gloucester.

In terms of the present building, it dates to the Normans in the late 11th century, although an earlier Anglo-Saxon abbey was here in the 7th century. The architecture, which varies from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic, blends seamlessly. 

Of particular note are several church…