40 Harrodian pupils taking RS GCSE next summer gained vivid, practical insights into their studies of Buddhism and Christianity when they joined an autumn trip led by Ms Sanders, Ms Carpenter, Ms Gardner and Mr Hardie, that took in the Buddhapadipa temple in Wimbledon and St Paul’s Cathedral.
First stop was the beautiful, four-acre site of the temple in Wimbledon, which became the first Thai Buddhist temple in the UK when it was built in 1976. A resident monk gave a talk to students on Buddhist teachings and the nature of monastic life.
The students then travelled across town to visit St Paul’s, the masterpiece designed by Sir Christopher Wren to replace the cathedral destroyed in the Great Fire of London, which was completed after a 35-year build in 1710.
Here students sat in the magnificent choir stalls to hear a talk on Sacred Spaces which included a history of the building, the symbolism and significance of its neo-classical architecture and its artworks and a description of daily life on site. They were then invited to lie on their backs to enjoy the best possible view of the magnificent decorative ceiling before their ascent to the top of the iconic dome.
