How to Visit the English CathedralsSingleton, Esther
History
How to Visit the English Cathedrals
Singleton, Esther
Cathedrals -- England
In the eastern part of the Crypt there is ancient masonry undoubtedly
belonging to the time of St. Ethelwold; then we find above it the
massive Norman work of Bishop Walkelyn; then, to the east, the graceful
Early English of Bishop Lucy; along the nave, the Perpendicular columns
of Bishop Edington and William of Wykeham, on which rests the exquisite
groined roof. Above this roof the great rough-hewn beams cut from the
King’s forest by Walkelyn more than eight hundred years ago can still be
seen and in a perfect state of soundness.
“In this great church many stirring scenes of English history have
been enacted. The early kings made Winchester their home and the
Cathedral their chapel. Here it was that Egbert, after being
crowned _in regem totius Britanniæ_, with assent of all parties,
issued an edict in 828, ordering that the island should thereafter
be always styled England and its people Englishmen. Here King
Alfred was crowned and lived and died. Here, in 1035, Cnut’s body
lay in state before the high altar, over which was hung henceforth
for many a year, a most precious relic, the great Norseman’s crown.
Here William the Conqueror often came, and wore his crown at the
Easter Gemôt; here, too, clustered many of the national legends:
St. Swithun here did his mighty works, and here were the forty
dismal days of rain; hard by is the scene of the great fight
between Colbrand the Dane and Guy of Warwick; in the nave of the
church Queen Emma trod triumphant on the red-hot plough-shares as
on a bed of roses; hither came Earl Godwin’s body after his
marvellous and terrible death, one of the well-known group of
malignant Norman tales. It was in Winchester Cathedral that Henry
Beauclerk took to wife his queen, Matilda, to the great joy of all
English-speaking folk. Here Stephen of Blois was crowned King; and
here, on the other hand, the Empress Maud was welcomed by city and
people with high rejoicings; here, too, was drawn up and issued the
final compact, in 1153, which closed the civil war of that weary
reign and secured the crown to the young Prince Henry. He in his
turn often sojourned in Winchester, and befriended in his strong
way the growing city. The Cathedral witnessed another compact in
the dark days of King John: the King was here reconciled to the
English Church in the person of Stephen Langton; Henry III. and
his Queen Eleanor, were here in 1242; and on May-day of that year
‘came the Queen into the Chapter-house to receive society.’ In 1275
Edward I., with his Queen, was welcomed with great honour by the
prior and brethren of St. Swithun, and attended service in the
church. The christening of Arthur, Prince of Wales, elder brother
of Henry VIII., was here; and here Henry VIII. met his astute
rival, the Emperor Charles V. It was in Winchester Cathedral that
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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