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
*Philip Bisse*, A.D. 1712-1721, translated from St. David’s, was a man of
great munificence, and of the best intentions, of whom it may be said he
spent "not wisely but too well." He was entirely devoid of any æsthetic
feeling or of architectural fitness, and in the most religious spirit
committed acts of wholesale sacrilege. He employed, it is said, in the
work of restoration in the palace, the stones of the chapter-house, at
that time much injured, but certainly by no means ruined. He built a
hideous structure intended to support the central tower of the cathedral,
and as a crowning act of magnificent liberality, presented the church with
the most dreadful, ponderous, and unsuitable altar-piece that could well
have been devised. In an elaborate epitaph in the cathedral his virtues
are recorded. It was in the time of Bishop Bisse that the meeting of the
three choirs of Gloucester, Hereford, and Worcester first took place.
*Benjamin Hoadley*, A.D. 1721-1723, translated from Bangor, was again
translated to Salisbury early in 1723. His rule over Hereford was too
short for him to have influenced it for good or evil, and his history
belongs rather to Salisbury and Winchester.
*Hon. Henry Egerton*, A.D. 1723-1746, fifth son of the third Earl of
Bridgewater, was chaplain to George I. He is chiefly to be remembered for
an attempt to destroy the early Norman building adjoining the Bishop’s
Palace, and thought to have been the parish church of St. Mary, each of
its two stories containing a chantry founded by Bishop Hugh Foliot.
*Lord James Beauclerk*, A.D. 1746-1787, grandson of Charles II. and Nell
Gwynn, a native of Hereford, was the next Bishop. It was during the last
year of his episcopate on Easter Monday, April 17, 1786, that occurred the
fall of the western tower of the cathedral, causing much injury. The west
front of the church was destroyed, and also a great part of the nave was
seriously injured. The Bishop died eighteen months after this calamity.
The see was next occupied for six weeks only by the Hon. J. Harley.
*John Butler*, A.D. 1788-1802. By birth a German, was an active political
supporter of the Government of the day.
He contributed largely to the repair of the cathedral.
*Folliott Herbert Cornewall*, A.D. 1802-1808. He was a member of an
ancient family in the county of Hereford. Translated from Bristol to
Hereford, he was again translated in 1808 to Worcester.
*John Luxmoore*, A.D. 1808-1815, was translated to Hereford from Bristol,
and again translated in 1815 to St. Asaph. He helped to establish national
schools in the diocese.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account