Bell's Cathedrals: The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury: with some Account of the Priory Church of Deerhurst Gloucestershire — John Shaqi
Bell's Cathedrals: The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury: with some Account of the Priory Church of Deerhurst GloucestershireMassé, H. J. L. J. (Henri Jean Louis Joseph)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury: with some Account of the Priory Church of Deerhurst Gloucestershire
The whole of the nave, as in most cathedrals, is open to the
inspection of the visitor free of any charge; but the choir, the
tombs, the chapels and transepts, are reserved, and shown to visitors
on payment of a small fee. This fee is payable at the verger's desk at
the entrance to the north transept. A further fee is payable by those
who wish to photograph in this or in any other part of the building.
=North Transept.=[12]--The whole of this north transept is taken up
with the Grove organ, of which an account is given on p. 98. The
dimensions of the transept are 40 feet by 34 feet, and 58 feet in
height. For the most part this transept consists of original Norman
work, very little altered with the exception of the fourteenth century
stone vaulting and the insertion of windows of the same period.
On the north wall of the transept is a tablet, in painted alabaster,
to John Roberts. It has been neglected, but it is worth deciphering.
It runs: "Here resteth what was mortal of John Roberts of Fiddington,
gent. Careful he was to maintain tillage, the maintenance of mankind.
He feared God, was faithful to his country, friends, good to the poore
and common wealth, just to all men. Who left us Jan. 1631, aged 77."
The text is, "For Christ is to mee both in life and in death
advantage."
The north side has two small pointed windows with geometrical tracery.
Below these are recessed Norman arches. On the floor level the masonry
is new, having been built up inside the Early English arch.
On the south side are the backs of the choir stalls. On the west side,
in the wall is a large Decorated window containing five lights with
flowing tracery. This window was blown into the church in 1819, and
then rebuilt.
The eastern wall contains two Norman arches, one of which is merely
the continuation of the north aisle, through the transept to the north
ambulatory. The other is in the north wall of the transept, and opens
into the choir vestry. Over these two arches were formerly two other
open arches. One of these, viz., that over the choir vestry, has been
walled up, and the other has a circular or rose window. After
undergoing repairs the window was glazed by Hardman, in 1892, as a
memorial to Mary Anne Moore. The subject is "The adoration of the
Lamb." In the central light is the Agnus Dei; while in the other six
encircling quatrefoils are angels censing, and representing Blessing,
Glory, Honour, Power, Wisdom and Strength. The glass has been designed
to give the effect of older glass, and, so far as that is possible, it
may claim to be a success.
[Illustration: (_H.J.L.J.M._)
THE NORTH CHOIR AISLE, LOOKING WEST, SHOWING THE BACK OF THE
DESPENSER MONUMENT.]
This rose window occupies the space which originally was the west end
of the original Norman triforium of the choir, to which access was
given by the staircase in the north-east corner of the transept.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account