has been considerably improved by the removal of a floor which had
been inserted just above the lower arches, thus opening it to the
great lantern, bringing into view a series of beautiful colonnades
and arches, for many years hidden, except to those who explored the
upper portions, besides relieving it of the weight of a large quantity
of stone and materials.[27] The tops of the four fine arches which
originally supported the Tower can now be partially seen; they were
spacious openings, but are contracted by interior arches in a
different style, which were inserted in the early part of the
fifteenth century, for the purpose of strengthening the building. The
beautiful painted ceiling of the Tower was designed, and all its
essential parts executed, with a rare union of artistic skill and
archaeological knowledge, by H.S. le Strange, Esq., of Hunstanton Hall,
Norfolk, at the expense of H.R. Evans, Esq., then Registrar to the
Dean and Chapter; the centre contains a figure of the Saviour in an
aureole: He is represented as holding a globe in His left hand, and is
surrounded by the sun, moon, and stars; on either side are Cherubim
and Seraphim bearing scrolls containing the words "Holy! Holy! Lord
God of Sabaoth." The eastern centre contains a shield on which is the
_dextra Domini_, the "right hand of the Lord," as an emblem of the
Creator; the corners are enriched with foliage, and the whole is
surrounded by a border containing the words "Thou art worthy, O Lord,
to receive glory, and honour, and power; for Thou hast created all
things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." This was
finished in 1855. The floor, of which the pattern forms a labyrinth,
was completed in 1870.
[Footnote 27: At the time these works were in progress (Oct., 1845),
Mr. Bassevi, the eminent architect of the Fitzwilliam Museum, at
Cambridge, visited the Tower, and unfortunately fell from one floor to
another, and was killed. He was buried in the north aisle of the
Choir, and an elegant monumental brass, by Messrs. Waller has been
laid over his remains.]
The window over the entrance from the Galilee, was inserted A.D. 1800,
and improved in 1807 at the expense of Bishop Yorke, who filled two
portions of the upper part with stained glass, the other two being
filled at the cost of Dr. Waddington, then a Prebendary of the
Cathedral; the remainder has lately been completed by Mr.
Clutterbuck; the subjects are taken from the history of our Lord.
This, with the wall decoration below, has been done at the expense of
J.T. Waddington, Esq., and of his widow. Beneath the window are four
shields of arms; the upper one on the south side shows the arms of
Bishop Yorke impaled with the arms of the see; on the north side are
those of Bishop Yorke with those of Dr. Waddington; the lower ones
contain on the south, the arms of J.T. Waddington, Esq., and on the
north side, the same impaled with those of the family of Cocksedge, of
which Mrs. Waddington was a member.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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