Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lichfield: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espicopal See — John Shaqi
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lichfield: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espicopal SeeClifton, A. B.
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lichfield: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espicopal See
Clifton, A. B.
Lichfield Cathedral
The Lady Chapel was probably erected beyond the eastern end of the
church as it then stood; and while this was being done, the Early English
presbytery was taken down and rebuilt in the Decorated style to match the
new Lady Chapel, and the old clerestory of the choir was also rebuilt
in the same style. The main idea was to obtain uniformity; but as it
apparently was not proposed to take down the sacristy on the south,
nor the chapter-house on the north, it was not considered necessary to
pull down the choir--_i.e._ the last three western bays--any lower than
the triforium; for the lower parts would be hidden by these buildings
from the outside, and inside various shifts were resorted to to obtain
uniformity. The work almost certainly grew from east to west gradually,
as the clerestory of the choir end is lighter than that of the eastern
or presbytery end; so that no doubt the pulling down of the old choir
clerestory was only done after the building of the eastern end made it
seem better to alter the rest into uniformity. With regard to the inside
effect, Professor Willis says: "The front half of their pier arches
(those belonging to the three western bays), however was removed and
mouldings given them corresponding to those of the new presbytery. Their
piers also were slightly altered, although partially concealed by the
choir stalls. By these arrangements the aspect of the whole interior
of the choir and presbytery was made uniform." How far this theory is
sound will be seen when the alterations early in the present century
are considered in their place.
Bishop Langton also erected the shrine of St. Chad at an expense of
£2000. This shrine stood behind the high altar in the most eastern
bay of the retro-choir, and, as was usual, had on its western side an
altar dedicated to the saint. A similar arrangement can still be seen
in Westminster Abbey, where the shrine of Edward the Confessor stands
behind the reredos. The space behind the reredos, with the corresponding
bays of the aisles, were in the past called the lady choir. This portion
was separated from the rest of the choir by the reredos in the centre,
and by screens in a line with the reredos in the aisles; there was a
chapel in the lady choir at the end of each aisle, but to whom they were
dedicated is doubtful. Stukeley, writing in 1715, says: "In St. Peter's
Chapel, which is now a place to lay scaffolding and ladders, etc.,
was painted upon the wall St. Peter crucified with his head downwards,
and two other apostles, etc. And in this place is the noted St. Chad's
tomb, though defaced, removed from the lady choir to be put here since
the Restoration." The same writer also tells us that: "Over across the
middle of the said choir was a rood loft, finely carved and gilded,
and St. Chad's shrine, but destroyed in time of war."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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