The Cathedral Church of Canterbury [2nd ed.]: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Archiepiscopal SeeWithers, Hartley
History
The Cathedral Church of Canterbury [2nd ed.]: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Archiepiscopal See
Withers, Hartley
Canterbury Cathedral
Paul has been placed in the cathedral
library. The altar of SS. Peter and Paul stood at the east end, and behind
it was the tomb of the celebrated Archbishop Anselm, by whose name the
chapel is now commonly called. A very interesting feature of this tower
is a large and elaborate five-light window of the Decorated period. It
replaced the original south window of the chapel, and was inserted by
Prior d'Estria in 1336; it is remarkable as being one of the few instances
of Decorated architecture in the cathedral, and also because of the
detailed account that has been preserved of its erection and cost. The
passage in the archives runs as follows:--"Memorandum, that in the year
1336, there was made a new window in Christ Church, Canterbury, that is to
say, in the chapel of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, upon which
there were expended the following sums:
_L s. d._
"Imprimis, for the workmanship, or labour of the
masons 21 17 9
Item, for the breaking down of the wall, where the
window now is 0 16 9
----for lime and gravel 1 0 0
----for 20 cwt. of iron bought for said window 4 4 0
----for the labour of the smiths 3 5 4
----for Caen stone bought for same 5 0 0
----for glass and the labour of the glaziers 6 13 4
-----------
Total 42 17 2."
On the heads of the lights of this window were pendent bosses, like those
of the door in the choir-screen, which, as has been said, was also the
work of Prior de Estria. These bosses and the stones from which they were
suspended, have altogether disappeared, otherwise the internal tracery of
the window is in good preservation. "The outside, however, is in a very
bad condition for the purpose of the antiquarian; for, apparently on
account of the decayed state of its surface, the tracery has undergone the
process of splitting, namely, the whole of the outer part has been faced
down to the glass, and fresh worked in Portland stone; Portland stone
mullions, or _monials_ as they are more properly called, have also been
supplied. And as this repair was executed at a period when this class of
architecture was ill understood, the mouldings were very badly wrought,
which, with the unfortunate colour and surface of the Portland stone, has
given the window a most ungenuine air. However, the interior is as good as
ever it was, and it is on account of its date, as well as for its beauty,
a most valuable example" (Willis).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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