Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Hereford: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal SeeFisher, A. Hugh (Alfred Hugh)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Hereford: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See
Fisher, A. Hugh (Alfred Hugh)
Hereford Cathedral
In the fifth bay a quaint door leads from the aisle to the Bishop’s
Cloister. This has a square heading which rises above the sill of the
window over it. There is an interesting series of heads in the hollow
moulding, which are said to be copies of earlier work in the same
position. The iron-work of the door itself is modern by Potter. A lofty
Norman arch leads from this aisle into the south transept.
The north aisle of the nave is similar in style to the south. It contains
six memorial windows to Canon Clutton and his wife, with subjects by
Warrenton from the life of St. John the Baptist.
In the sixth bay from the west of the north wall of the nave is the effigy
and tomb under which is buried Bishop Booth (1535), the builder of the
large projecting porch which bears his name. The recumbent figure of the
Bishop is fully vested with a _mitra pretiosa_ with pendent fillets. He
wears a cassock, amice, alb, stole, fringed tunic and dalmatic, and
chasuble with orfrays in front. On his feet are broad-toed sandals; his
hands are gloved; a crozier (the head of which has been broken) is veiled
on the right. At this side is a feathered angel. The original inscription,
cut into stone and fixed above the effigy, remains uninjured:
"Carolus Booth, episcopus Herefordensis cum 18 annos, 5 menses et
totidem dies Ecclesiæ huic cum laude prefuisset, quinto die Maii
1535 defunctus sub hoc tumulo sepultus jacet."
The iron-work in front of this tomb is the only specimen in the Cathedral
which has not been disturbed, although Mr. Havergal says "most of our
large ancient monuments were protected by iron railings." It is divided
into six square panels, having shields and heraldic ornaments.
The beautiful wrought iron *Screen*, an elaborate example of artistic
metal-work, painted and gilt, executed by Messrs Skidmore of Coventry,
from designs by Sir Gilbert Scott, stands between the eastern piers of the
central tower, a little towards the nave. The first great piece of
metal-work of this kind executed in England in modern times was the choir
screen at Lichfield, designed and carried out by the same artists as the
Hereford screen; though the latter and subsequent production transcends
that of Lichfield, both in craftsmanship and beauty.
It has five main arches, each subdivided into two sub-arches by a slender
shaft. The central arch is larger and higher than the others, is gabled
and surmounted by a richly jewelled cross. This forms the entrance, and on
either side, to a height of 4 feet, the lower part of the arches are
filled with tracery in panels. The spandrels between the heads of the
arches are enriched with elaborate ornament in flowing outline.
[Illustration: THE CHOIR SCREEN.]
THE CHOIR SCREEN.
_Photochrom Co., Ld., Photo._
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