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)
On the south side of the chancel, in the easternmost bay, is a plain,
dark-coloured marble coffin, without any inscription or ornament. This
is ascribed to Bishop Gundulf, who died in 1107, but as it is
rectangular and not of the old coffin form, Mr. Bloxam thinks that it
cannot be placed earlier than the fifteenth century. Gundulf's remains
may, however, have been moved when the great eastward extension was
made, and have been subsequently placed here. This would justify the
tradition that the monument has contained his bones.
[Illustration: TOMBS OF BISHOPS GLANVILL AND ST. MARTIN
(FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY J. L. ALLEN).]
In the next bay to the west we have a dark marble monument, very like
that of Bishop Lawrence de St. Martin, and possibly even by the same
artist. Its canopy is, however, simpler. This tomb seems to be correctly
attributed to Bishop Inglethorp, who died in 1291.
Passing the sedilia we come to a peculiar, probably thirteenth century,
coffin, which still contained a skeleton when it was found in the crypt
under the north choir transept during the clearance of some rubbish in
1833. The lid rises in _dos d'ane_ form, and along the ridge run two
leafed rods, in relief, which bend outwards in scrolls, at the centre,
just before they meet (see p. 105).
We now turn, finally, to notice another interesting stone coffin in the
middle of the south choir transept end. This, also probably of the
thirteenth century, has on its lid a cross in relief, the stem of which,
with three pairs of curious drooping leaves, rises from a graduated
base. This is probably one of two coffins, to which the Rev. S. Denne
alludes as having existed in this part of the church. This, or the
other, had been, he says, broken open by the Parliamentarians, and a
chalice and crucifix removed therefrom.
[Illustration: CARVED COFFIN LID.]
#Stained Glass in the Choir.#--The six windows of the east end were given,
in 1873, by ladies and gentlemen of the neighbourhood. They celebrate
the successive dedications of the church to St. Andrew, and to Christ
and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The middle window of the upper range
contains a representation of Our Lord in Glory, that of the lower tier
the scene of his Ascension. On the right hand is a figure of the Blessed
Virgin above a picture of the Nativity, while on the other side a figure
of St. Andrew, and the Call of that Apostle and St. Peter, are to be
seen.
The four upper windows on the south side of the presbytery contain
single figures of the four Evangelists, and commemorate, in order, Dean
Stevens, T. H. Day, Esq., Mrs. Day and Mrs. Thorold. In the
corresponding windows on the other side are pictured four writers of
Epistles, St. Paul, St. James, St. Jude, and St. Peter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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