Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Ely: A History and Description of the Building with a Short Account of the Monastery and of the SeeSweeting, W. D. (Walter Debenham)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Ely: A History and Description of the Building with a Short Account of the Monastery and of the See
Sweeting, W. D. (Walter Debenham)
Ely Cathedral
It cannot but be regretted that the two large windows east and west of
#The Lady-Chapel# are not portions of the building as it stood at
first. That to the east, of seven lights, is known to have been inserted
by Bishop Barnet, who died in 1373. The authority for this is the
sacrist's roll for that year. The item is given in Dean Stubbs'
"Historical Memorials," p. 147. The bishop's executors paid L20 "for
making a certain window in the lady-chapel near the high altar in the
preceding year." The west window, of eight lights, is of somewhat later
date. Considering that the chapel was finished in 1349, and that there
is no reason to doubt that the east and west ends were adorned with fine
windows of the same character as those in the sides, it seems
extraordinary that within twenty-five years it should have been thought
worth while to alter the eastern end. Was the alteration made in
connection with the insertion of a grander reredos than had been at
first provided? This seems possible, as may be judged from the following
observations of the present Dean: "It is evident from indications
supplied by the masonry of the central light of the east window, the
mullions of which are of unusual solidity, that the Reredos and East
window were originally combined in some structure, of which the chief
object was the large figure of S. Mary, often mentioned in the Rolls
of the Custos Capellae, and which must have occupied a canopied niche,
blocking up the whole of the middle light from sill to transom."[10] The
design of the east window is inelegant, the transom is heavy, and the
tracery in the large circle at the top spoils the effect of the window
as a whole.
[Illustration: THE CHOIR AND LADY-CHAPEL FROM THE NORTH-EAST.]
The west window, except for the central portion at the top and the heavy
mullions, is just like two of the side windows placed side by side. But
here again the vertical lines in the upper part harmonise ill with the
rest. There are some good niches at the west end above the window, but
there are no figures in them; and there are shallow arches on the
surface of the wall, on each side of the window as well as beneath it.
Above most of the niches are shields with heraldic bearings, twelve in
all. Among these are the coats of Edward the Confessor, the See of Ely,
Bishops Hotham, Montacute, Fordham, and perhaps Barnet.[11] One shield
has a cross, and one a lion between three helmets. The arms of the
monastery--three keys (said to have been adopted from Bishop Ethelwold
of Winchester)--occur four times, in three cases with initials beneath.
These initials are: A. W., which may certainly be assigned to Alan de
Walsingham; J. C.; and C. W. S. From the occurrence of Bishop Fordham's
arms we may conclude that this west end was reconstructed, or at least
that its reconstruction was completed, in his time (1388-1425). In some
of the lower niches are memorial tablets.
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