Part 18

Descending and passing to the corner of the north-east transept we come to =Bishop Stanbery’s Chantry=, a rich example of late Perpendicular, with two windows on the north side. The ceiling is richly groined. The capitals at the corners of the chapel are very grotesque. Opposite the chantry, on the north side of the choir, is the alabaster effigy of Bishop Stanbery (died 1474).

In the wall of the aisle above is a =Decorated window=. The glass is in memory of =Dr. Musgrave=, Archbishop of York, previously Bishop of Hereford. The subject is St. Paul, the story of whose life is continued in the windows of the chantry.

Immediately beyond, the =north-east-transept= opens. It is Early Decorated, retaining some Norman characteristics. In the centre rises an octagonal pier which helps to carry the quadripartite vaulting, which has good bosses of leafage. This pier gives a peculiar character to this transept. The windows are Early Decorated.

The =South transept= retains much that is Norman, although it was altered during the Perpendicular period, when two huge windows were cut into the walls. Perpendicular panelling surrounds that in the south wall. The lierne vaulting is also of the same date. The east wall has five series of Norman arcades. Two Norman windows in the clerestory contribute light.

The =Denton tomb=, with its effigies in alabaster showing traces of colour, dates from 1576.

The =organ=, in the first archway on the south side of the choir, was the gift of Charles II. It has been twice enlarged.

Effigies of bishops fill the four Decorated arched recesses on the south wall of the =south-choir-aisle= and on the north wall, under an arch opening to the choir, is the tomb of =Bishop De Lorraine=, or =Losinga= (died 1095). Here is also the monument and tomb to =Bishop Mayhew=, of Magdalen College (1504-1516); some old windows restored by Warrington; and the famous =Map of the World=, one of the most valuable relics of mediæval geography in existence. It was designed about 1314 by Richard of Haldingham, a Lincolnshire monk. It was discovered more than a hundred years ago under the floor of Bishop Audley’s Chapel.

The =South-east-transept=, between the retro-choir and the chapter-house, opens into the latter. The style is in the main Decorated, though the window tracery is later quite Flamboyant. One single octagonal pillar separates it from its eastern aisle. From this transept a lovely view of the Lady-Chapel can be enjoyed.

The peculiar darkness of the =Choir= is due to the arrangement of the transepts, which prevents the admission of light except from the clerestory.

“The main arches of the choir are of three orders, and spring from massive composite piers, with broad, square bases. The capitals of the semi-detached shafts are enriched with leafage and grotesque heads. The _triforium_ in each bay consists of one wide Norman arch circumscribing two smaller, divided by a central shaft, and springing on either side from two massive semicircular piers, with small capitals. Both outer and inner arches spring from these piers. The capitals of the central shafts have square abaci, and are enriched. The tympana of the outer arches are covered with scallop, leaf and billet ornament. At the base of the triforium runs a square string-course, enriched with minute carving. The lozenge ornament prevails round the main arches of the choir, as does the zigzag round those of the nave.

“Broad square pilasters, with semi-detached shafts at their angels, fill the spaces between the piers. They terminate at the spring of the triforium arches in double triangular headings, with crocketed sides and finials of leafage. These headings are Early English, of the same date as the clerestory and vaulting; and between each pair rises a group of so-called vaulting-shafts, with capitals of leafage, terminating at the base of the clerestory; and connected (under the actual base of the clerestory) by a band of open flowers. The clerestory consists of one lofty pointed arch in each bay, divided by a central; on either side is a smaller trefoiled arch. The windows, of two lights, with a quatrefoil in the heading, are placed at the back of the wall-passage, and form in effect a double plane with the large inner arches. They are filled on each side with indifferent stained glass. The choir vaulting is plain quadripartite, with bosses of leafage at the intersections.”--(R. J. K.)

The =Choir-stalls= are Decorated. Some of the =Misereres= are quaint. The =Bishop’s Throne= dates from the Fourteenth Century. The Cathedral also possesses an ancient episcopal chair, which, it is said, King Stephen sat in when he visited Hereford.

Within a great Norman arch of five orders stands the modern =Reredos=, at the back of which rises a great pier from which spring two pointed arches. The spandrel, or Tympanum, is covered with modern sculpture--the Saviour in Majesty and the Evangelists; and below a statue of King Ethelbert, who was said to have been buried in the first Saxon church somewhere about this spot.

From the =Retro-choir= we pass into the =Vestibule= of the Lady-Chapel, the walls of which are broken with transitional Norman window openings,--pointed arches with massive mouldings. The foliage of the capitals is Early English.

Five steps (necessitated by the height of the crypt below) lead up to the =Lady-Chapel=, very rich Early English, dating from the first half of the Thirteenth Century. It is 24 × 45 feet and of three bays. On the north side each bay contains two large windows; on the south side, the third bay is filled by the Audley Chapel.

“The very rich clustered shafts and arches of the side windows should be especially noticed. The capitals of the shafts are Early English leafage; and there are small heads at the intersections and crowns of the arches. A circle enclosing a quatrefoil pierces the wall above these windows. The vaulting is plain quadripartite, and springs from shafts which descend upon a base raised slightly above the pavement. The modern pavement of the Lady-chapel is laid with red and green tiles in large square panels. The whole design is broad and good in outline; and is somewhat richer at the altar end, which is raised on one step.”

Ferguson has remarked that

“Nowhere on the Continent are such combinations to be found as the Five Sisters at York, the east end of Ely, or such a group as that which terminates the east end of Hereford.”

Many of its features were hidden until the restorations and repairs were undertaken in 1841.

“The glorious EAST-WINDOW consists of five narrow lancets recessed within arches supported by clustered shafts, the wall above being perforated with five quatrefoil openings, of which the outside ones are circular and the centre three are oval. It was as a memorial to Dean Merewether, to whom the cathedral owes so much, that the stained glass designed by Cottingham was placed in the east windows in the narrow lancets that he loved so dearly. It represents scenes in the early life of the Virgin and the life of Christ, the last being the supper in the house of Mary and Martha. In the side windows the visitor should especially notice the rich clustered shafts and arches, the Early English capitals and the ornamentation of the arches. The double PISCINA and AUMBRY south of the altar are restorations necessitated by the dilapidated state of the originals.”--(A. H. F.)

In the central bay on the north side lies the effigy of =Sir Peter de Grandison= (died 1358) under a canopy of open tabernacle work. The armour is very interesting. Once the effigy was supposed to be Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford. On the same side lies =Joanna de Bohun=, Countess of Hereford (died 1327). Her effigy is a splendid study in costume. She left a large estate to the Cathedral.

A black marble slab, with brass, marks the resting-place of =Dean Merewether= (died 1850). =Dean Berew=, or =Beaurieu=, in the south wall of the vestibule, is one of the best specimens of sculpture in the Cathedral. He died in 1462.

It was not every bishop who could build two chantries; but =Bishop Audley= (1492-1502) built himself a charming Tudor chapel, two stories high, projecting from the south side of the Lady Chapel, a circular staircase giving access to the upper room. He intended it for his tomb; but as he was translated to Salisbury in 1502, he had the trouble of building another one there, in which he was buried.

“The lower chamber is shut off from the Lady-chapel by a screen of painted stone with open-work panelling in two stages. The chapel is pentagonal in plan, and has two windows, while a third opens into the Lady-chapel through the screen. The ceiling is vaulted, and bears evidence of having in former times been elaborately painted.

“There are five windows in the upper chamber and the groined roof is distinctly good. The boss in the centre represents the Virgin crowned in glory. On other parts of the ceiling are the arms of Bishop Audley and those of the Deanery, as well as a shield bearing the letters R. I. The upper part of the chantry, which is divided from the Lady-chapel by the top of the screen which serves as a kind of rail, may have been used as an oratory; but no remains of an altar have been found. On the door opening on the staircase is some good iron-work, and Bishop Audley’s initials may be noticed on the lock. Standing by the door of this chapel, the visitor has a lovely view westward: two pillars rising in the roof and across the top of the reredos; to the right, the Norman arches of the north transept and further on still the nave.”--(A. H. F.)

From the south side of the Lady-Chapel we enter the =Crypt= by steps leading down from an Early English porch. It is 50 feet long, and consists of a nave and aisles. Because the crypt was used as a charnel-house, it is called _Golgotha_. It is lighted by plain lancets.

There are only a few fragments of old glass in the windows, some of the best (early Fourteenth Century) is in one of the lancets on the south side of the Lady-Chapel. The subjects are Christ surrounded by symbols of the Four Evangelists; Lamb and flag; Angel and Marys at the Sepulchre; Crucifixion; Christ carrying the Cross.

A window in the north-east transept contains Fourteenth Century glass, restored by Warrington in 1864: St. Katherine; St. Michael; St. Gregory; and St. Thomas of Canterbury. In the south-east transept a similar window exhibits St. Mary Magdalene; St. Ethelbert; St. Augustine; and St. George. The many memorial windows do not call

for special attention. One, however, in the north transept, erected to Archdeacon Lane =Freer=, is to be noticed on account of the tracery. It is one of the largest in England of the period of Edward I.

From the south-east transept we enter a narrow passage, the =Vicars’ Cloister=, that leads to the College of Vicars-Choral (1396). It is a picturesque quadrangle with an inner cloister (Perpendicular, about 1474).

The Bishop’s Palace lies south, between the Cathedral and the river Wye.

WORCESTER

DEDICATION: THE BLESSED VIRGIN, ST. PETER AND THE HOLY CONFESSORS, OSWALD AND WULSTAN. FORMERLY THE CHURCH OF A BENEDICTINE MONASTERY.

SPECIAL FEATURES: NAVE; CHOIR-STALLS; TOMB OF KING JOHN; CHANTRY OF PRINCE ARTHUR; ARCADE ACROSS TRANSEPTS AND LADY-CHAPEL; CRYPT.

The Cathedral of Worcester is severe and plain; but its very severity appeals to some critics, as do the general lines of the entire edifice.

“The beautiful proportions of the great tower harmonise so well with the general plan and mass of the rest of the fabric that although it has no pride of place like Durham or Lincoln, it still dominates the whole city and vicinity in a great and unmistakable manner. The flat meadow-land of the Severn valley in this part of the county, unbroken westward up to the very foot of the Malvern hills, gives the Cathedral on this side the importance of the chief feature in many miles of landscape. And as one approaches from the eastward, over the slight eminences on which the battle of Worcester was chiefly fought, a glimpse of the tower is the earliest evidence of the existence of the city.”--(E. F. S.)

The history of Worcester Cathedral begins with Oswald, a Benedictine monk, consecrated Bishop of Worcester by Dunstan in 961. Oswald’s cathedral, finished in 983, was destroyed by the Danes in 1041, and rebuilt in 1084-1089 by Wulstan, a monk of Worcester, who became Bishop in 1062. Wulstan placed his church a little to the south of the first one. His crypt still remains,--the most famous crypt in England. Wulstan’s tomb was miraculously preserved when a fire burned parts of the cathedral in 1113, eight years after his death. Miracles were performed and cures effected. Finally in 1203 Wulstan was canonized.

When King John died in 1216, he was buried before the High Altar between the tombs of Oswald and Wulstan.

The Cathedral was dedicated in 1218 in the presence of King Henry III. and bishops, abbots, priors and nobles from all parts of the kingdom.

The church suffered from fires and storms; and the central tower fell in 1175. Rebuilding was frequently a necessity; and, therefore, many styles are to be found throughout the fabric.

Repairs were undertaken between 1702 and 1712, when the choir was paved and when it is supposed that the spires on the corners of the presbytery, transepts and nave were added.

An important series of repairs and restorations were undertaken by Wilkinson from 1748 to 1756. At this period

“the north end of the nave transept was rebuilt, the stone pulpit removed from the nave to the choir, and the latter re-paved with blue and white stone. The old right-of-way through the cathedral was replaced by a more proper and convenient passage round the west end; and many gravestones were removed from the floors of the side aisles of the choir, and from the nave, which were re-paved with white stone. The Jesus Chapel was opened to the nave and the font therein erected.

“The great flying buttresses at the east end were erected between 1736 and 1789. The great west window was rebuilt in 1789, and that of the east end in 1792. In 1812 a new altar-screen and choir-screen were built, and the tall pinnacles taken down after 1832.

“In 1857 began the great restoration of the cathedral under the auspices of Mr. Perkins, the architect to the dean and chapter, whose work was continued and amplified by Sir Gilbert Scott, who was employed after 1864.

“The results of this restoration, probably the most complete and far-reaching undergone by any British cathedral, include the exterior and interior of the tower, the pavements throughout the building; the decoration of the choir and Lady-chapel; all the windows, and almost the whole of the furniture and fittings, including a new reredos, choir-screen, organ and pulpit. The restored cathedral was reopened, with a magnificent choral service on the 8th of April, 1874. Since that date many additions have been made, splendid evidences of the survival of the old local patriotism; for almost everything is due to the munificence of local donors.”--(E. F. S.)

The chief feature is the central =Tower=, supposed to have been completed in 1374. It has been restored carefully.

“It is of two stages. The first has two lancets on each side, within an arcade of seven bays. Each of the upper stages has two louvred windows surmounted by crocketed canopies, and ornamented by three large sculptured figures in niches, of the whole twelve of which, six are modern. The whole is crowned by an open rail, or parapet, with six spirelets on either side and a crocketed pinnacle at each corner.”--(E. F. S.)

The =West End= contains one large modern window of eight lights with a wheel window above. The gable, with three small lancet windows, is surmounted by a cross and flanked by two buttresses topped by pinnacles. The doorway in the west front is also modern (1857-1873); but parts of the old Norman doorway have been inserted.

On the north side, the =North Porch= (24 feet long and 8 feet broad) consists of two bays. The front was restored. The sculptured figures in the canopied niches are Christ and the Twelve Apostles. Above these is a row of saints and then Perpendicular battlements. An exterior turret and staircase lead to the rooms above it, occupied by the porter. Two bays, each with a window, follow; then comes the Jesus Chapel; then one more bay; and then the north-transept, with its gable, cross and pinnacles; then four more bays; then the choir; then three more bays; and, finally, the Lady-Chapel. The south side is similar, with the exception of the projecting Chapel of St. John.

Pinnacles are a striking feature on all sides of the edifice.

On entering we are struck with the long vista, for the closed choir-screen, found in so many English cathedrals, is conspicuously absent. The proportions of the =Nave= are justly admired. It

“consists of nine bays, of which the two westernmost are of widely different character and date from the remaining seven. Its breadth, including the aisles, is 78 feet, its length 170 feet, and its height 68 feet; which dimensions may be compared with those of Salisbury, 82 feet, 229 feet 6 inches, and 81 feet; and of Wells, 82 feet, 161 feet, and 67 feet, respectively. The two western severies are of great interest. The pier arches are pointed, but rise from Late Norman capitals; the triforium stages have each two three-light round-headed windows, of which the centre one is considerably the highest, surmounted with zigzag ornament and decorated with characteristic lozenges, the whole enclosed within a pointed moulding. The clerestory has, in each bay, a central round-headed light, with Norman ornament above it, flanked by blank pointed windows, considerably smaller.

“On the north side, the whole of the walls of the five eastern bays, and the pier arches of the next two towards the west belong to the Decorated period, and may be dated between 1317 and 1327. The remainder of the two latter bays and the whole of the seven eastern bays of the south side are very early Perpendicular. Willis considers that this work was probably begun in the middle of the fourteenth century, and completed by the date of the vaulting of the nave, 1377, which would establish it as one of the earliest specimens of Perpendicular work in the country. The triforium arcade consists of two pointed arches, each subdivided again into two; and the clerestory has a large central light, with a smaller light on either side in each bay. On the north side these are the ordinary pointed arches of the Decorated period; on the south the lateral arches are straight sided, and the central arch only has a small curve on joining the vertical piers. Similar arches, but a century earlier in date, occur in the north transepts of Hereford and of Rochester Cathedrals.”--(E. F. S.)

The vaulting was finished in 1377. The glass of the windows is modern, as is also the handsome =pulpit=, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, Italian in style and made of alabaster and grey and green marble.

The monuments and tombs call for no special description, with the exception of the altar-tomb of =John Beauchamp=, fourth bay from the east. It dates from the early Fifteenth Century and is panelled in five compartments with coloured armorial bearings. The knight lies here in full armour, with pointed basinet, sleeveless jupon and baldric. His lady beside him is in the costume of the period. Her head rests on a swan and a dog lies at her feet.

The =North aisle= (1317-1327) is Decorated. Beyond the north porch, we come to =Jesus Chapel=, enclosed by a stone screen (Perpendicular) and containing a wooden altar with a full-size Madonna and Child.

The =North transept= is a mixture of Norman and Perpendicular. It consists of two bays; and in the north-west corner is the circular stair-turret. The =South transept= is similar to the north, and has, likewise, a stair-turret in the south-west corner.

The west window is of Perpendicular tracery. A fine Norman arch, partly closed by a Perpendicular screen, marks the entrance to the Chapel of St. John. Both transepts are aisleless. The =South aisle= of the nave is Norman and Transitional. The Font is modern.

The =Choir= was begun in 1224. The eastern transepts were added at the same time. A little of the old Norman work betrays itself here and there. No one seems to know why Bishop Godfrey de Giffard (1268-1301) placed gilded brass rings around the columns, unless it was for the sake of adding extra strength.

“The beauty of the pier-arches and those of the triforium, relieved so handsomely by the black shafts of Purbeck marble bearing Bishop Giffard’s brass rings, and by the finely proportioned spandrels of each bay, is by no means to be under-estimated.

“The choir is of five bays, including the eastern crossing, which is of greater width than the others. The pier-arch mouldings are of two patterns, one very similar to those of the choir and presbytery at Salisbury, having one of the ribs flanked by a double range of dog-tooth. The piers themselves, as well as those in the Lady-chapel, are octagonal, and have detached Purbeck shafts, eleven of which are fixed with a narrow course of marble embracing the shaft in the manner of a ring; and the remaining eight with brass rings; the two processes being used symmetrically, so that shafts similarly fixed stand opposite to each other.

“The triforium consists of two large arches in each bay, subdivided again into two. During the restoration the pillars, which had been whitewashed, were restored to their original rich black colour, and the rings which bind them made visible. The sculptures in the spandrels are restorations by Boulton. The inner wall of the triforium walk is decorated with a finely-proportioned arcade, which adds greatly to the general effect. The clerestory has a triplet of pointed lights in each bay, the centre one being considerably higher than those at the side, although they rise from pillars of equal height. The vault of the roof springs, in each severy, from a single shaft terminated with a foliated capital; it is simple in character, and was probably completed before the end of the first half of the thirteenth century. The elaborate pavement of Devonshire marble and encaustic tiles is modern.”--(E. F. S.)

The =Choir-stalls= (restored) date from 1379. The thirty-seven _miserere_ seats represent Biblical, mythological and contemporary figures.

The =Reredos=, behind the High Altar, composed of alabaster, inlaid with coloured marbles, lapis lazuli, agates and malachite, is modern. The =Bishop’s Throne= is also modern; but the richly carved =Pulpit= of white stone dates from about 1630. It bears the arms of England, France, Scotland and Ireland.