The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and ArchitectureDitchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)
History
The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and Architecture
Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)
Cathedrals -- Great Britain; Church architecture -- Great Britain
The _North Transept_ is particularly fine and remarkable, and is Late
Early English or Early Decorated (1282-1287). It was built for the
shrine of Bishop Cantilupe. The arches are sharply-pointed and
unusual. On the west are two windows of two narrow lights under
sharply-pointed arches, the tracery of the heads being in the form of
three circles enclosing trefoils. On the north is a double window of
the same character. On the east is an aisle with clerestory and
triforium. Dog-tooth ornament appears in the mouldings. The arches of
the triforium are very beautiful, and the diaper of leaf-ornament in
the spandrels is effective. The windows above are octofoils.
[Illustration The Cantilupe Shrine]
This aisle contains the remains of the Cantilupe shrine, which was a
source of much revenue to the church, derived from the pilgrims who
flocked hither. The date of the tomb is 1287, and the details are
worthy of study. It is made of Purbeck marble. The lower part has
fifteen figures of Knights Templar, of which order the bishop was
Provincial Grand Master. The details of the armour are very exact.
Curious monsters appear at the feet of the knights. The foliage is
excellent Early Decorated, retaining some of Early English features.
Other monuments are Bishop Westfayling (1602), John Philips, author of
_The Splendid Shilling_ (1708), Bishop Charlton (1329), Bishop Field
(1639), Dean D'Acquablanca (1320), and brasses to Dean Frowcester
(1529) and Richard Delamare and his wife (1435). Near at hand is the
beautiful monument of Bishop D'Acquablanca (1240-1268), the finest in
the Cathedral. (Concerning the unenviable repute of this bishop, _see_
the history of the see). The tomb was originally elaborately coloured.
_The South Transept_ has much Norman work. The east wall is entirely
Norman, and has five ranges of arcades. Perpendicular windows have
been inserted in south and west walls, and the lierne vaulting belongs
to the same period. Bishop Trevenant (1389-1404) is said to have been
responsible for this later work.
The monuments in this transept are:--Sir Alexander Denton and his wife
(1566), an altar tomb with alabaster effigies. The latter died with
her infant, who is represented as a "chrysome" child, i.e., one who
dies within a month of its baptism, and wears its white baptismal
robe. Bishop Trevenant, who was responsible for the Perpendicular
alterations, is buried here; his effigy has been much mutilated.
Masons' marks are observable, and the Norman fireplace is said to be
unique.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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