Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Chichester (1901): A Short History & Description of Its Fabric with an Account of the Diocese and SeeCorlette, Hubert C. (Hubert Christian)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Chichester (1901): A Short History & Description of Its Fabric with an Account of the Diocese and See
Corlette, Hubert C. (Hubert Christian)
Chichester Cathedral
The south side of the #Lady-Chapel# beyond the chapel just
described has four bays. In each of these is a large three-light
window. The western and smallest one was probably first inserted. Then
the two eastern ones were put in when the two east bays were added to
the older lady-chapel. The other window appears the latest of the
four; or else may it not be that before deciding to lengthen the
lady-chapel, the builders first began only with the idea of inserting
some new windows in the older walls? But before this scheme had been
executed they concluded that they would add bodily to the chapel; and
in order to allow the chapel to continue in use while this was being
done, they built the extension first outside, then built up the
connection with the original walls, and inserted their latest window.
Two of the buttresses on this wall are flat. In this they are like
those of the twelfth century; but their upper parts were rebuilt when
the parapet was made. The others are later, and have more projection.
On the north and south of the lady-chapel the wall is finished by a
parapet. It is the same in detail and design as that on the south wall
of the presbytery. So it is probable that Bishop Gilbert de S.
Leophardo, when he lengthened the lady-chapel, caused other work to be
done at the same time.
[Illustration: WINDOWS OF THE LADY-CHAPEL, SOUTH SIDE. _S.B. Bolas &
Co., photo_.]
The lady-chapel has been much restored in many ways, but the old
parapet remains in part on the north side. The tracery of the windows
is interesting, as it shows early examples of cusped forms. The east
end of the lady-chapel has a five-light window, which has been much
repaired. It has been in a measure imitated from the others in the
chapel.
The description of the south side of the chapel applies generally to
the north side. But the windows in two cases have been much more
restored. The chapel north of the lady-chapel has an angle turret like
that on the south. Its east and north windows are fifteenth-century
insertions. And it has a little rose window in the gable not yet
restored, though soon, by decay, it will have disappeared. The smaller
window above it is blocked up. On its north side there is neither a
gutter nor a parapet; but perhaps this is better than the foolish
cornice, with rosettes in it, which has been placed on the wall of the
south chapel to carry a gutter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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