Highways and Byways in LincolnshireRawnsley, W. F. (Willingham Franklin)
History
Highways and Byways in Lincolnshire
Rawnsley, W. F. (Willingham Franklin)
Lincolnshire (England) -- Description and travel
The whole cost of the consecration ceremony was borne by Thomas Bek, son
of Baron d’Eresby, who was on the same day himself consecrated Bishop of
St. David’s, his brother Antony being Bishop of Durham, and Patriarch
of Jerusalem. Bishop Sutton, in 1295, built the cloisters and began the
charming little “Vicar’s court.” He died in 1300, his successor was
_Bishop John of Dalderby_, the same who had a miracle-working shrine of
pure silver in the south transept, and whom the people chose to call
_St._ John of Dalderby, just as they did in the case of Bishop Grosteste,
though the Pope had refused canonisation in each case. He finished the
great tower, which, with its beautiful arcaded tower stage, its splendid
double lights and canopies above, and its delicate lace-like parapet,
seems to me to be quite the most satisfying piece of architecture that
this or any other county has to show. It is finished with tall pinnacles
of wood covered with lead. The exquisite stone rood-screen and the
beautiful arches in the aisles were put in at the same time, the work on
the screen being, as Sir C. Anderson remarks, very like the work on the
Eleanor’s Cross at Geddington. He died in 1320, and the lovely tracery of
the circular window in the south transept, called “The Bishop’s eye,” was
inserted about 1350 above his tomb.
_John de Welbourn_, the munificent treasurer, who died in 1380, gave the
eleven statues of kings beneath the window at the west end, which begin
with William the Conqueror and end with Edward III., in whose reign they
were set up. Among other benefactions Welbourn gave the beautifully
carved choir stalls, and he also vaulted the towers. These were all, at
one time, finished by leaded spires. Those of the western tower being 100
feet high, and that on the great central or rood tower soaring up to a
height of 525 feet. This was blown down in 1547, and the western spires
were removed in 1807-08, a mob of excited citizens having prevented their
removal in 1727, but eighty years later the matter made no great stir,
and though their removal may by some be regretted, I think it is a matter
of pure congratulation that the splendid central tower, whose pinnacles
attain an altitude of 265 feet, should have remained as it is. The
delicate lace-like parapet was added in 1775. It is not very likely that
anyone should propose to raise those spires again, but dreadful things do
happen; and quite lately one of our most eminent architects prepared a
design for putting a spire on the central tower at Peterborough. Think of
that! and ask yourself, is there any stability in things human?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account