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
#St. Andrew's Tower, or Chapel.#--Leaving the Trinity Chapel, and
descending the steps, we find on our right the door of St. Andrew's Chapel
which is now used as a vestry. Formerly, it was the sacristy, a place from
which the pilgrims of humble rank were excluded, but where those of wealth
and high station were allowed to gaze at a great array of silken vestments
and golden candlesticks, and also the Martyr's pearwood pastoral staff with
its black horn crook, and his cloak and bloodstained kerchief. Here also
was a chest "cased with black leather, and opened with the utmost
reverence on bended knees, containing scraps and rags of linen with which
(the story must be told throughout) the saint wiped his forehead and blew
his nose" (Stanley). Erasmus describes this exhibition with a touch of
scorn. "_Fragmenta linteorum lacera plerumque macci vestigium servantia.
His, ut aiebant, vir pius extergebat sudorem e facie_," etc. The walls of
this chapel show many traces of fresco decoration: the pattern seems to
have consisted of a clustering vine tree spread over the roof. In the
north wall is a Norman chamber which originally served as the Treasury;
the door is still secured by three locks, the keys of which were held by
different officials. St. Andrew's Chapel is part of Ernulf's work, and the
peculiar ornamentation which marks his hand may be noticed over the arch
of the apse which terminates it.
#The North-East Transept.#--Passing along the choir aisle, we see the old
Bible desk, holding the Bible which was originally placed there, and was
restored to this position by the late Bishop Parry. Next we enter the
north-east transept, which in its architectural features is practically a
repetition of the south-east transept, with which we have already dealt.
The monument to Archbishop Tait, designed by Boehm, is well worthy of its
surroundings. Above it, in the north wall, about ten feet from the ground,
we may notice three slits in the wall. These are what are called
hagioscopes. On the other side of the wall was a recess connected with the
Prior's Chapel. Through these hagioscopes--or "holy spy-holes"--the prior
could see mass being celebrated at the high altar and at the altars below
in the transept, without entering the cathedral. These transeptal altars
are in the Chapels of St. Martin and St. Stephen which occupy two apses in
the eastern wall. St. Martin is represented in a medallion of ancient
glass preserved in the modern window, as dividing his coat with a beggar.
Scratched on the walls are the names "Lanfrancus" and "Ediva Regina;" the
bodies of Lanfranc and Queen Ediva were removed to this transept after the
fire. Lanfranc originally lay in the old Trinity Chapel, and when this
building was levelled to the ground, he was "carried to the vestiarium in
his leaden covering, and there deposited until the community should decide
what should be done with so great a Father." Apparently the heavy sheet of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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