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 _Aisles_ are similar in style to the nave, and are very narrow.
The wall arcading is very fine Early Decorated work. The windows have
three lights, with three foliated circles in their heads. In the north
aisle are tablets to the memory of Gilbert Walmesley, the friend of
Dr. Johnson and David Garrick; to Lady Mary Montagu, the introducer of
the inoculation for small-pox; to Ann Seward, the "Swan of Lichfield"
(1809), a window; brass to the memory of officers of the Staffordshire
regiment, and its colours. In the _South Aisle_ are two curious
semi-effigies of ancient date--the heads and the feet are carved, the
rest of the body is left a blank in the stone; a good brass of the
Earl of Lichfield (d. 1854); and the monument of Dean Addison (1703),
the father of a more famous son--the essayist.
We now pass to the _South Transept_, which is earlier than the north,
and was begun about 1220. The north transept and chapter-house were
built twenty years later. Doubtless for the building of the transepts
Henry III. in 1235 and 1238 granted licence to the dean and chapter to
take stone from the Royal Forest of Hopwas, south of Lichfield.[14]
Both transepts have east aisles. All is Early English work, except the
windows. The large south window is Perpendicular, probably inserted by
Bishop Blyth (1503-1533). The stone vault is also Perpendicular,
erected in place of a wooden one, which served as a model of that at
St. George's Chapel, Windsor, according to the order of Henry III.
There is some Flemish glass in the south window of the aisle, similar
to that in the Lady Chapel. It was brought from Herckenrode. We notice
the memorial of one of Nelson's men--Admiral Sir W. Parker. The south
window is fitted with good modern glass. In the _North Transept_ we
see that the style has advanced since the construction of the south
transept, twenty years earlier. The arcading here has trefoiled
arches. The windows have Perpendicular tracery, and a large north
window was inserted in Perpendicular times, but it has recently been
removed and the Early English window restored. The curious monument is
of Dean Heywood, representing his skeleton. The organ occupies the
aisle.
Standing beneath the _Tower_, at the entrance of the choir, we notice
the conjunction of styles--the large piers with banded shafts of the
Early English of the choir blended with later work of the transept and
the Early Decorated of the nave. A modern metal screen of graceful
design separates the transept from the choir, and was designed by Sir
G. Scott. Above are bronze angels playing instruments of music.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account