Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Exeter: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See — John Shaqi
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
The north window is to the memory of Archdeacon Bartholomew, and was
placed here in 1865.
[Illustration: THE LADY CHAPEL.
The Photochrom. Co. Photo.]
At the other end of the ambulatory is #Bishop Oldham's Chantry#,
dedicated to our Saviour. It was richly restored by Bishop Oldham, who
also restored the Speke--or St. George--Chantry immediately opposite. It
is to this bishop we owe the "delicate and elegant screening which
imparts distance and veiling to all nine chapels and to Prior Sylke's
chantry in the north transept." The walls and vaulting are richly
decorated, and the panelling and rebus at the north-east corner contain
a rebus on the bishop's name (oul-dom), being decorated with owls. In
accordance with his object in restoring the chapel, his body was buried
there and his effigy lies in a niche of the south wall. Oldham was a
part founder of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, by whose orders the
chapel was restored some years ago. He settled the arms of the
see--gules, a sword erect in pale argent, pommelled and hilted or,
surmounted with two keys in saltire of the last. He was a native of
Manchester, founded the grammar school there, and held the post of
warden. He was a man of very methodical habits, according to Hoker. He
dined regularly at eleven, and supped at five. "To ensure precision he
had a house clock to strike the hours and a servant to look after it.
Should his lordship be prevented by important business from coming to
table at the appointed time, the servant would delay the clock's
striking the hour until he knew that his master was ready. Sometimes, if
asked what was the hour, he would humorously answer, 'As your lordship
pleaseth,' at which the bishop would smile and go away."
#The Lady Chapel.#--It has been suggested that this chapel occupies the
site of the choir in the old cathedral of Leofric. The earliest mention
of it is in a deed of Bishop Bruere's in 1237. It was remodelled by
Bronscombe and Quivil. But the "two pointed arches with solid
piers--totally different from any others in the Cathedral--dividing the
Chapel from the side chapels," though their moulding has been altered
very considerably in order to tally with a later style, show evidence of
much earlier date. The shafts are of Purbeck marble, and the windows,
arranged as in the nave, contain the last importation of glass from
abroad, save that in the transeptal windows, used in the cathedral. The
bosses in the eastern bay, with the evangelists' emblems and head of
Christ, should be noticed. The elaborate fourteenth century reredos is
the work of Grandisson. The central niche contained a figure of the
Virgin, before which a lamp was suspended. The sedilia and double
piscina on the south side are interesting.
The Lady Chapel contains several monumental tombs of interest. Beneath
the arches conducting to the side chapels are the effigies of Bishops
Bronscombe and Stafford.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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