The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and Architecture — John Shaqi
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
_Henry V.'s Chantry_ is a splendid
piece of ornate Perpendicular work, with elaborate sculptured figures
representing St. George, St. Denys, and the story of the hero's life,
his fights, his coronation, his court. The effigy has been much
mutilated. Above the tomb is the monarch's achievement, his shield,
saddle and helmet, which were borne in his funeral procession. The
coronation chairs have especial interest at this time, especially the
famous throne of Edward I., which has under the seat the coronation
stone of Scone, brought by him from Scotland. Legends tell us that
this stone was the veritable stone used by Jacob as a pillow when he
dreamt that wondrous dream at Bethel. There is also the throne of
William and Mary, and Edward III.'s sword and shield.
[Illustration Poets' Corner Westminster Abbey]
In the _South Ambulatory_ are three chapels, dedicated to SS.
Benedict, Edmund and Nicholas, all of which have interesting monuments
which will be noticed later. We now enter _Henry VII.'s Chapel_, the
most perfect example of the Perpendicular style at its best in the
country. At the entrance are beautiful bronze doors covered with
designs symbolical of the titles of the Royal founder. It is
impossible to describe in words the richness and beauty of the
interior of this noble chapel. Washington Irving wrote: "The very
walls are wrought into universal ornament, encrusted with tracery and
scooped into niches, crowded with statues of saints and martyrs. Stone
seems, by the cunning labour of the chisel, to have been robbed of its
weight and density, suspended aloft as if by magic, and the fretted
roof achieved with the wonderful minuteness and airy security of a
cobweb." The vault is very beautiful with fan-tracery. The banners of
the Knights of the Order of the Bath hang over their stalls. The
misereres are wonderfully carved, and are worthy of close examination.
The black marble tomb of the founder is considered to be the best
example of the Renaissance style in England. It was fashioned by
Torregiano. Very numerous monuments are found here, which will be
described later. The tombs of Mary Queen of Scots and of Queen
Elizabeth have especial interest. Oliver Cromwell's body once lay in
the most eastern chapel, but the Royalists at the Restoration wrought
vengeance on his corpse, and on that of other regicides, and did not
suffer them to remain in these hallowed precincts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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