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
At the west end there is the _Galilee Chapel_, of Late Norman work,
which covers the west door, over the main entrance. This door, walled
up by Cardinal Langley in the fifteenth century, and re-opened in
1845, was made by Flambard (1099-1128). It has thirteen detached
cartouches, each having an animal or flower within it, and is adorned
with chevron ornament. The window was inserted by Prior Fossor
(1342-1374), and contained coloured glass, represented "the Stem of
Jesse," which was destroyed at the Reformation. In 1867 Dean
Waddington restored the glass, reproducing the old design. The
arch-destroyer, Wyatt, actually proposed to remove the Galilee Chapel,
and make a carriage drive to the west door; but happily his nefarious
design was frustrated.
There are two south doorways; the one opposite the north door, known
as the Monks' Door, was erected by Bishop Pudsey, and has fine
carvings of floral and other designs upon the arches and columns. The
mouldings and sculptures are most profuse, the zigzag and double
chevron and diaper being extensively employed. The leaf pattern is
observed on the arch, and the iron-work of the door is a fine specimen
of Norman workmanship. The other doorway, known as the Prior's Door,
is of the same date, but the carving is much decayed.
We will now examine the _Cloisters_, enclosed on the north by the
walls of the Cathedral, on the south by the refectory, on the east by
the chapter-house, deanery and south transept, and on the west by the
dormitory, now, together with the refectory, used as the library, and
beneath it the so-called crypt, which was the common hall of the
monks. The present buildings were erected by Bishop Skirlaw in the
early years of the fifteenth century, the refectory being restored at
the Restoration. A stone laver or conduit stood in the centre of the
cloister erected in 1432, the basin only remaining.
The _Chapter-House_ was a victim to Wyatt's misdoings, and the greater
part was pulled down by him. It has, however, been recently restored
in memory of Bishop Lightfoot, and is a noble chamber, having an
apsidal termination at the east end, an arcade of interlacing arches
running round the wall, and round-headed windows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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