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-west tower contains the monuments of distinguished members
of the Whig party, and has in the window some ancient glass. The
south-west tower was formerly the Baptistery. The architecture of the
aisles has suffered much from the erection of stupendous monuments.
The gallery at the west of the south aisle was erected at the same
time as Henry VII.'s Chapel by Abbot Islip, and is known as the
_Abbot's Pew_. The door at the east end is Late Early English. The
_South Transept_ is known as the _Poets' Corner_, on account of the
memorials of the votaries of the muses which stand here. The
architecture is of very beautiful design in the style of Early
English, when it was merging into Early Decorated. In the south wall
is the entrance to the Chapel of St. Faith, the door of which was once
covered with the skins of Danes. Two tiers of trefoiled arches are
above this, and higher still the triforium, the spandrels of the
arches being enriched with sculpture. There is no west aisle.
Chaucer's tomb will attract most visitors. In the chapel are some
ancient paintings of the Crucifixion, St. Faith, and a kneeling monk.
The _Choir_, which has been the scene of so many solemn and memorable
services, has no ancient woodwork. The stalls were erected about the
middle of the last century. The altar and reredos are modern. There
are some large figures, and a mosaic of the Last Supper. Here the
coronations of our monarchs take place. The pavement is interesting,
as it was brought from Rome by Abbot Ware in 1268, and beneath it he
rests with other abbots of Westminster. The sedilia are
thirteenth-century work, and were decorated with paintings. The
figures of King Siebert, the first founder, and of Henry III., the
munificent re-founder, remain. Above the base of the tomb of Anne of
Cleves, one of Henry VIII.'s many wives, is a remarkable painting of
Richard II., and behind it some ancient tapestry. A record of the
interesting tombs here will be found later. _Edward the Confessor's
Chapel_ is a mausoleum of Royal personages, wherein our monarchs have
been laid to rest, a portion of the building which always possesses a
solemn and pathetic interest. Here is the shrine of the "miracle
worker," the pious but weak last Saxon king, St. Edward. It was
fashioned in 1269 by order of Henry III., the artificer being one
Peter, a Roman citizen. The style of the oldest part, the base of the
shrine, is of a Byzantine character. The upper part was probably made
by Abbot Feckenham in Mary's reign, in imitation of that which was
destroyed in Reformation times. It is difficult to imagine what must
have been the splendour of this wondrous shrine when it was adorned
with gold and gems, ere the greedy commissioners of Henry VIII.
despoiled it of its treasures. Henry III., Eleanor of Castile, in
whose honour her loving husband, Edward I., raised the Eleanor crosses
wherever her body rested on its last journey to the Abbey, Edward
I., and other monarchs rest here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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