Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lincoln: A History and Description of its Fabric and a List of the BishopsKendrick, A. F. (Albert Frank)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lincoln: A History and Description of its Fabric and a List of the Bishops
Kendrick, A. F. (Albert Frank)
Lincoln Cathedral
The inside measurement of the cloisters is 120 feet from east to west,
and 90 feet from north to south. In the middle of the south walk there is
a doorway in the wall. A good view of the north side of St. Hugh's choir,
the side walls of the transepts, and the central tower, can be had from
the doorway. An old cast lead cistern in the corner is worth noticing. It
is cylindrical, with bands of vine-stems in relief. In the wall to the
left of the door are the fragments of the monumental slab of Richard of
Gainsborough (d. 1300). He is probably the same man as Richard of Stow
(a village not far from Gainsborough), who was engaged on the carved
work of the angel choir, and was also employed on the crosses in memory
of Queen Eleanor. On the other side of the door is a restoration of the
slab in plaster, and another restoration is in the pavement. The mason,
with a carpenter's square by his side, is represented beneath a Gothic
canopy; around is the inscription "Hic jacet Ricardus de Gaynisburgh
olym cementarius istius ecclesie qui obiit duodecim kalendarum junii
Anno domini MCCC."
In the north walk beneath the library is the original Swineherd of Stow,
which for many centuries crowned the northern turret of the west front. A
modern copy has now taken its place. At the east end of the walk, near the
library staircase, are several fragments of ancient carving, chiefly of the
Norman period. A stone coffin, carved with interlacing circles, probably
goes back to Saxon times. From this point may be had the best view of
the north end of the great transept, with its fine round window. Some
interesting relics of Roman Lincoln are placed on the floor at the foot
of the library staircase; they have been described by Precentor Venables.
Along the east walk of the cloisters is a row of wall-arcading, with
Purbeck shafts and tooth ornament.
[Illustration: THE CHAPTER-HOUSE.
_Photochrom Co. Ltd., Photo._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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