On 2 October 2017, it was World Architecture Day – a date designed to celebrate innovations the world over.
For some English cathedrals, though, it was the start of a clash of the cloisters.
After initially tweeting supportively about English cathedrals, St Paul’s Cathedral decided to follow this up by pointing out to rivals Winchester, Durham, Exeter, Derby, Ely, Lincoln, and St Albans that it was “Britain’s favourite building”.
St Paul’s famously survived the Blitz, with images of its dome among the flames becoming some of the most distinctive of the war.
Just going to leave this here.
*Casually walks away* pic.twitter.com/kEVJKMDaxw— St Paul’s Cathedral (@StPaulsLondon) October 5, 2017
However, Winchester hit back at London dominance with a picture of the new £10 note, featuring its exterior: “We reckon we’re the most widely circulated Cathedral in the country! #justsaying”.
We reckon we’re the most widely circulated Cathedral in the country! #justsaying #newtenpoundnote #JaneAusten200 @engcathedrals pic.twitter.com/qUYoObh7QX
— Winchester Cathedral (@WinCathedral) October 5, 2017
It also claimed it had “age and beauty”.
Some people say you can’t have it all, but we’ve got age AND beauty. Here’s @WinCathedral and the outline of the Anglo-Saxon Old Minster! pic.twitter.com/fhk1jOS27l
— Winchester Cathedral (@WinCathedral) October 3, 2017
Durham showed off its Lego.
We do @durhamcathedral #DurhamCathedralinLego #WorldArchitectureDay pic.twitter.com/bbUez5m2IU
— Durham Cathedral (@durhamcathedral) October 3, 2017
Ely boasted it was “one of the wonders of the medieval world”
Our Octagon Tower is one of the wonders of the medieval world, suspended high over the centre of the Cathedral! #WorldArchitectureDay pic.twitter.com/wvEAzfjAdK
— Ely Cathedral (@Ely_Cathedral) October 2, 2017
Exeter, Norwich and Coventry competed over who had better moons.
Just the one moon though. We’ve got quite a few (and don’t start @Nrw_Cathedral on dinosaurs…) pic.twitter.com/EV84qd4Yac
— Exeter Cathedral (@ExeterCathedral) October 3, 2017
Yeh – about that. pic.twitter.com/KvSR1haOz1
— Norwich Cathedral (@Nrw_Cathedral) October 3, 2017
And everyone forgot about York Minster.
Where’s our tag, fam? pic.twitter.com/1ADJQHu48V
— York Minster (@York_Minster) October 2, 2017