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
But if the history of the see has its birth with Leofric, the story of
the cathedral begins with the appointment in 1107 of Warelwast as
bishop. This noteworthy man was a nephew of the Conqueror and chaplain
to both William II and Henry I. Inheriting to the full the Norman
passion for building, he pulled down the Saxon edifice and began to
erect a great Norman cathedral in its stead. The transeptal towers
attest the magnificence of his scheme. There is nothing quite like them
anywhere else, though at Barcelona and Chalons-sur-Marne may be seen
something similar. But they suffice to stamp him as an architect of
exceptional genius. He laboured zealously in other matters, founding at
Plympton a wealthy Augustinian priory; he also represented the king at
Rome in his famous quarrel with Anselm. It is said that he became blind
and died, an old man, at his priory of Plympton.
The next important date to notice is 1194, when Henry Marshall, brother
of Walter Earl Marshall, was made bishop. For two years the episcopal
throne had remained empty, the king being absent from England in the
Holy Land. But with the appointment of Marshall a most important stage
is reached. King John gave to the see the tithes of the tin in
Devonshire and Cornwall. This must have largely increased the episcopal
income, for Marshall quickly set about completing the work Warelwast had
begun a hundred years before. To this end he granted the emoluments of
St. Erth's Church, near Hayle, Cornwall, to be used towards defraying
the cost of repairs. He also called upon each householder to show his
interest in the work by subscribing, at Pentecost, an alms of "unum
obolum ad minim." For the sufficient remuneration of the choral vicars
he made over to them the church of St. Swithun in Woodbury, "with all
its appurtenances."
To Marshall we owe extensive additions to the nave, the north porch, and
the cloister doorway. He completed the Norman church begun by Warelwast,
but there is no evidence that he extended to the eastward, as is
sometimes stated. The position of the tomb in the "founder's place" on
the north side of the choir indicates that it terminated only a few
yards farther to the east. Beyond there must have been an open space
between the Norman and the old Saxon cathedrals.
For nearly fifty years there are but scant records of work done to the
building. Though Professor Freeman[1] speaks of its "not long-lived
perfection," it is quite possible that Marshall's work was considered,
by his own and the succeeding generation, to be final. Any interest
there may be in the lives of two of the succeeding bishops, until the
election of Bronscombe in 1257, is for the most part due to their
labours in other matters. For example, under Simon de Apulia, the city
of Exeter was divided into parishes; and by William Bruere the chapter
house and stalls of the old choir were completed. He was one of the
leaders of the English army at Acre in 1228. He also created the deanery
of Exeter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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