Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Exeter: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal SeeAddleshaw, Percy
Religion
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Exeter: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See
Addleshaw, Percy
Exeter Cathedral
#St. Andrew's Chapel.#--Opposite to, and corresponding with that of St.
James'. It was Marshall's work originally, like its fellow chapel, being
a substitute for one of the old apsidal chapels of the Norman choir.
Stapledon completed the renovations so as to make it a parallel to
Bronscombe's restored chapel of St. James. The detached shafts are
clearly an imitation of the earlier bishop's work. The chapel contains
an upper chamber, formerly used as a muniments room. The chapel
originally contained altars to St. Andrew and St. Catherine. In 1305 is
an order of Bytton's that chantry services should be held here for
Andrew de Kilkenny, late dean, and others. Among the names we find that
of Henry de Kilkenny, who was at the time of Bytton's order still
living, and a canon of the cathedral.
[Illustration: ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL (OR SPEKE'S CHANTRY).
DRAWN BY H.P. CLIFFORD.]
#The Ambulatory.#--Between the high altar and the Lady Chapel is the
ambulatory. It is noticeable that the shafts differ from those in other
parts of the building. The north and south windows are of the time of
Bishop Bruere (thirteenth century). The architecture throughout the
retrochoir is Early Decorated.
Two old oak bible-boxes are attached, one to each pillar: though ugly
and clumsy they are distinctly interesting.
The windows are modern and excellent. Messrs. Clayton and Bell have
seldom done anything better. The colours are quite admirable and well
blended. Two monuments of Jacobean work are well worthy of attention.
Concerning the subject of one, Jacob Railard, there is nothing to be
learnt; but the other, John Bidgood, was "one of the most accomplished
and beneficial physicians of his age," and was born in 1623. He was
deprived of his fellowship at Exeter College in 1648 "for drinking of
healths to the confusion of Reformers." Like many another good man he
had to suffer for his loyalty. He obtained his doctor's degree at Padua
and won a great reputation as a skilful and humane practitioner. With
the Restoration he obtained his Oxford degree but continued to practise
in his native city. He died in his sixty-eighth year.
At the north end of the ambulatory is #Speke's Chantry#, also called St.
George's Chapel. It is of late, and exceedingly rich, Perpendicular
work. Oliver notices that in 1657 the east window and altar were
destroyed to make a passage "into the great church of St.
Peter's-in-the-East, partitioned from West Peter's by a brick wall
erected, plastered, and whitened on both sides by Walter Deeble, at the
expense of L150." The effigy of Sir John Speke rests in the chapel; the
carving behind the figure is very elaborate. His home was at White
Lackington in Somersetshire, and he was the owner of Brampford Speke
near Exeter. To secure the observance of his and his wife's obit, he
endowed the chapel with the "lands, tenements, and hereditaments in
Langford, Frehead, and Ashill, in Somersetshire."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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