How to Visit the English CathedralsSingleton, Esther
History
How to Visit the English Cathedrals
Singleton, Esther
Cathedrals -- England
The lower story of Tom Tower was built by Cardinal Wolsey. The cupola
was added by Sir Christopher Wren. Three sides of the quadrangle were
built by Wolsey, and the north side by Bishop Fell. As we pass through
Tom Tower we note that a statue of Cardinal Wolsey faces St. Aldgate’s,
and a statue of Queen Anne faces the quadrangle.
=Christ Church= is the largest college in the University of Oxford, and
stands on the site of the ancient priory of St. Frideswide.
In 1524 Cardinal Wolsey obtained authority from Henry VIII. and Clement
VIII. to suppress a number of religious houses in various parts of
England, and to appropriate their revenues to the building and endowing
of a College. After he had made considerable progress in the building of
Christ Church he fell into disgrace with the King, who seized the
property and distributed it among his courtiers. At a later period Henry
VIII. refounded the establishment, and added to it the Abbey of Oseney,
which was then the Cathedral of the See of Oxford. Christ Church (the
present Cathedral) was at that time called the College of Henry VIII.,
and was a Collegiate Church. In 1546, on the suppression of Oseney
Abbey, St. Frideswide became the Cathedral Church of Oxford. Oseney is
depicted in the King window (see page 391).
The foundation was converted into one of secular canons in the Eighth or
Ninth Century; and these were in turn succeeded by the regular canons,
who built their chapter-house, dormitory, refectory and cloisters. In
1158 they began the present Cathedral, which was completed in 1180,
having swept away the Saxon church rebuilt by King Ethelred in 1004,
according to some critics, while other antiquaries think that much of
the present Cathedral is St. Ethelred’s. The church was dedicated to the
Holy Trinity, St. Mary, and St. Frideswide, and was somewhat peculiar
for the Twelfth Century, in being more elegant than was usual at that
time. Cramped for room the south transept was cut off for the sake of
the cloisters; and aisles were given to the north transept. There was no
room for a Lady-Chapel at the east end; and, consequently, an additional
aisle north of the north aisle of the choir was built. The same
arrangement occurs at Ripon; the Elder Lady Chapel at Bristol holds a
similar position.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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