Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Rochester: A Description of its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal SeePalmer, G. H. (George Henry)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Rochester: A Description of its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See
Palmer, G. H. (George Henry)
Rochester Cathedral (Rochester, Kent, England)
There are three other doorways, the uses of which we must also mention.
One at the north-west corner of the north transept leads to the
staircase in the angle turret there; another, on the other side of the
transept, is the way to the Treasury, to the clerestory gallery, and, by
the gallery, to the Indulgence Chamber. The third is the splendid
chapter-house doorway in the south transept aisle. To this one a special
section will presently be devoted.
We have spoken more than once of the Treasury and the Indulgence
Chamber. The latter is little used now, if at all, possibly because of
the rather adventurous approach to it; but in the former the cathedral
plate is still kept.
[Illustration: CORBEL IN CHOIR (H. P. CLIFFORD DEL.).]
In the #Paving# of the choir there is a considerable variety. Up the choir
proper we see slabs of variously coloured stones arranged in a not very
elaborate pattern, part of the north transept and the whole of its aisle
are also paved with stones of different colours "beautifully disposed,"
and there is a similar but simpler flooring behind the altar. To nearly
all the rest of the eastern arm was given by Sir G. Scott a glittering
floor of encaustic tiles; but much of the pavement of the south transept
and its aisle is still of plain stone. The tiles have mostly old
designs, taken from some mediaeval examples still to be seen in the south
choir transept and under an arch on the east side of the northern. To
the east of the crossing is the matrix of a fine brass, of a bishop in
full robes with mitre and crosier, with two shields of arms on each side
of the figure. Farther on, between the altar and its rails, the tiling
is very elaborate and, in a ring of it there, the signs of the zodiac
appear. At the top of the dark marble altar steps there are tiles again.
Those in front have representations of the seven virtues, and two
others, with angels, are to be seen on each side.
[Illustration: A WINDOW, CHOIR CLERESTORY
(FROM A DRAWING BY H. P. CLIFFORD).]
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