Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Hereford Part 7

The Rev. F. Havergal says:-"The late William Cooke acquired an immense amount of information relating to the college and the vicars in olden time. His biographical notices of them are most curious and amusing, giving a complete insight into the manners, traditions, and customs of the place." He goes on to quote from the _Lansdowne Ma.n.u.script_ in the British Museum, 213, p. 333.

"Relation of a survey of twenty-six counties in 1634, by a captain, a lieutenant, and an ancient, all three of the military company in Norwich.

"Next came wee into a brave and ancient priviledg'd Place, through the Lady Arbour Cloyster, close by the Chapter-house, called the Vicars Chorall or Colledge Cloyster, where twelve of the singing men, all in orders, most of them Masters in Arts, of a Gentile garbe, have their convenient several dwellings, and a fayre Hall, with richly painted windows, colledge like, wherein they constantly dyet together, and have their cooke, butler, and other officers, with a fayre library to themselves, consisting all of English books, wherein (after we had freely tasted of their chorall cordiall liquor) we spent our time till the Bell toll'd us away to Cathedral prayers. There we heard a most sweet Organ, and voyces of all parts, Tenor, Counter-Tenor, Treble, and Base; and amongst that orderly shewy crew of Queristers our landlord guide did act his part in a deep and sweet Diapason."

*The North-East Transept.*-This transept shows ample evidence of the original Norman plan, although its present character is Early Decorated.

Of the triple apse in which the Norman Cathedral probably terminated-an arrangement similar to the eastern apses of Gloucester and Norwich Cathedrals-portions remain in the walls of the vestibule to the Lady Chapel, and in this, the north-east transept, still remain parts of the apses which opened from the choir aisles. These are somewhat later than the nave and belong to the Transition period.

After the completion of the great north transept for the reception of the shrine of St. Thomas Cantilupe, the terminal apses of the choir aisles were almost entirely removed, and the present north-east transept erected.

In the centre of this transept rises an octagonal pier which helps to carry the quadripart.i.te vaulting. Some Norman arches in the west wall doubtless formed part of the original apse. The windows belong to the Early Decorated period. Sir G. G. Scott was responsible for the restoration of the transept.

*Monuments in the North-East Transept.*-Under the north-west window is the canopied tomb of Bishop Swinfield. The effigy of the bishop has been lost, and in its place, which is now shown, is an unknown figure which was found buried in the cloisters. In the mouldings of the arched canopy the ball-flower ornament is again in evidence, and behind the tomb a carving of the crucifixion is still visible, though nearly obliterated by the chisel of the Puritans. The beautiful vine leaf carving at the sides has, however, been happily spared; it is similar to the leaf.a.ge on the Cantilupe shrine.

The altar-tomb of Dean Dawes, 1867, one of the most active of the modern restorers, is very beautiful. It is by Sir G. G. Scott, with effigy by n.o.ble.

Under the north-east window is an altar-tomb of an unknown bishop. It has been a.s.signed to Bishop G.o.dwen, 1633, but is probably much earlier.

There is also an old stained gla.s.s window, restored by Warrington, with figures of SS. Catherine, Gregory, Michael, Thomas, and a modern one, by Heaton, to the Rev. J. Goss.

In the north choir aisle, which is entered through the original Norman arch, is an exquisite little chapel known as Bishop Stanbury's Chantry. In style it is late Perpendicular (1470). The roof is a good specimen of fan-vaulting, and the walls are panelled with heraldic bearings. Its dimensions are 8 feet by 16 feet, and it is lighted by two windows on the north side, the entrance being on the south.

At the east end are shields with emblems over the place of the altar, and the west is covered with shields in panels and tracery.

The capitals of the shafts at the angles are formed by grotesques, and over the arch on the south side are shields with emblems of St. Matthias, St. Thomas, and St. Bartholomew. The Lancaster rose is prominent in the decoration, and there is much under-cutting in the carving.

The stained windows, which form an interesting collection of arms and legends, are in memory of Archbishop Musgrave, once Bishop of Hereford, to whom there is also another window by Warrington in the wall of the aisle above the chantry, which is only 11 feet in height. The subjects are taken from the life of St. Paul.

Monument to Bishop Raynaldus, 1115, one of the chief of the Norman builders of Hereford.

In a Perpendicular recess on the left of the door opening to the turret staircase which leads to the archive room and chapter library is an effigy said to be of Bishop Hugh de Mapenore, 1219. Above is a stained gla.s.s window by Clayton and Bell, placed here as a memorial of John Hunt, organist, who died 1842, and his nephew. There is also a small bra.s.s plate at the side of the window, from which we learn that the nephew James died "of grief three days after his uncle."

[Ill.u.s.tration: VIEW BEHIND THE ALTAR, LOOKING NORTH. AFTER A DRAWING BY W.

H. BARTLETT, 1830.]

VIEW BEHIND THE ALTAR, LOOKING NORTH. AFTER A DRAWING BY W. H. BARTLETT, 1830.

In the middle bay on the north side of the choir is the monument of Bishop Bennett (1617), who was buried here. He wears a close black cap, and the rochet and his feet are resting on a lion. Across his tomb one gets a fine view of the Norman double arches of the triforium stage on the other side of the choir.

In the north wall of the north choir aisle in the first of the series of arched recesses, of Decorated character, with floral ornament in the mouldings, is an effigy a.s.signed to Bishop Geoffrey de Cliva (died 1120), and in the same bay of the choir as Bishop Bennett's tomb is the effigy of a bishop, fully vested, holding the model of a tower. It is a.s.signed to Bishop Giles De Braose (died 1215), who was erroneously thought to have been the builder of the western tower (which fell in 1786). This effigy belongs to the Perpendicular period, when a number of memorials were erected to earlier bishops.

In the calendar of the ancient missal "_Secundum usum Herefordensem_,"

previously quoted, occurs the following entry:-"_XV. Kal. Decem. Obitus pie memorie Egidii de Breusa Herefordensis Episcopi, qui inter cetera bona decimas omnium molendinorum maneriorium suorum Herefordensi Ecclesie contulit, et per cartam quam a Domino Rege Johanne acquisivit omnes homines sui ab exactionibus vicecomitum liberantur._"

In the easternmost bay on the north of the choir is the effigy of Bishop Stanbury, provost of Eton and builder of the chantry already described. It is a fine alabaster effigy with accompanying figures. The bishop wears alb, stole, and chasuble.

Beyond the entrance to Bishop Stanbury's Chantry is a Perpendicular effigy under an arch which is a.s.signed to Bishop Richard de Capella (died 1127).

On the chancel floor is a very good bra.s.s to Bishop Trilleck (died 1360).

In the north-east transept are the following antiquarian remains:-Two altar-stones, nearly perfect, whereon are placed:-

Six mutilated effigies of unknown lay persons, probably buried in or near the Magdalen Chapels, but dug up on the south side of the Bishop's Cloisters, A.D. 1820, and brought inside the cathedral A.D. 1862.

Two matrices of bra.s.ses; also a small one on the wall.

The wooden pulpit-very late Perpendicular work from which every canon on his appointment formerly had to preach forty sermons on forty different days in succession.

We may also notice two rich pieces of iron-work from Sir A. Denton's tomb: the head of a knight or templar's effigy and several heraldic shields from monuments in the cathedral-especially seven in alabaster now placed against the east wall.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COMPARTMENT OF CHOIR, EXTERIOR, NORTH SIDE.]

COMPARTMENT OF CHOIR, EXTERIOR, NORTH SIDE.

*The Choir*, with its details of architecture and its individual accessories, is very beautiful, notwithstanding an unusual deficiency of light, caused by the position of the transepts, which practically intercept all light except that from the clerestory. It consists of three lofty Norman bays of three stages. The middle of the three stages has some exquisite dwarfed Norman arches with no triforium pa.s.sages; but there is one in the upper stage, with slender and graceful Early English arches and stained gla.s.s at back. The vaulting is also Early English, and dates from about the middle of the thirteenth century.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COMPARTMENT OF CHOIR, INTERIOR, NORTH SIDE.]

COMPARTMENT OF CHOIR, INTERIOR, NORTH SIDE.

The princ.i.p.al arches of the choir are supported by ma.s.sive piers with square bases. The shafts are semi-detached and bear capitals enriched with foliated and grotesque ornament. In each bay on the triforium level a wide Norman arch envelops two smaller arches, supported by semi-circular piers on each side.

A richly carved square-string course runs along the base of the triforium.

The east end of the choir was covered before 1841 by the "Grecian" screen, a wooden erection placed there by Bishop Bisse in 1717, and above it a Decorated window containing a stained gla.s.s representation of the Last Supper after the picture by Benjamin West. The improvement effected by the removal of this screen with its heterogeneous appendages was immense. The great Norman arch was once more exposed to view; and, in place of the Decorated window, we now have three lancets at the back of the clerestory pa.s.sage.

In describing the discoveries led up to by the removal of the old screen, Dean Merewether says: "By cautious examination of the parts walled up it was discovered that the capitals were all perfect, and that this exquisite and grand construction, the mutilation and concealment of which it is utterly impossible to account for, was in fact made up of five arches, the interior and smallest supported by the two semi-columns, and each of the others increasing in span as it approached the front upon square and circular shafts alternately, the faces of each arch being beautifully decorated with the choicest Norman ornaments. Of the four lateral arches, the two first had been not only hid by the oak panelling of the screen, but were also, like the two others, closed up with lath and plaster as the central arch; and when these inc.u.mbrances and desecrations were taken away it is impossible to describe adequately the glorious effect produced, rendered more solemn and impressive by the appearance of the ancient monuments of Bishops Reynelm, Mayew, Stanbury, and Benet, whose ashes rest beneath these ma.s.sive arches, of which, together with the n.o.ble triforium above, before the Conquest, Athelstan had probably been the founder, and the former of those just mentioned, the completer and restorer after that era."

The reredos is in Bath stone and marble, and was designed by Mr.

Cottingham, junior, as a memorial to Mr. Joseph Bailey, 1850, who represented the county for several years in Parliament.

The sculptor was Boulton, and the subject is our Lord's Pa.s.sion, in five deep panels occupying canopied compartments divided by small shafts supporting angels, who carry the instruments of the Pa.s.sion. The subjects in the separate panels are:-1. The Agony in the Garden; 2. Christ Bearing the Cross; 3. The Crucifixion; 4. The Resurrection; and 5. The Three Women at the Sepulchre.

[Ill.u.s.tration: EAST END OF THE CHOIR IN 1841.]

EAST END OF THE CHOIR IN 1841.

Above the reredos a broad spandrel left by two pointed arches springing from a central pier fills the upper part of the Norman arch. The pier itself is old, but the upper part is a restoration of Mr. Cottingham's.

The spandrel is covered with modern sculpture, as may be seen in the ill.u.s.tration. The subject is the Saviour in Majesty, the four evangelists holding scrolls; and below a figure of King Ethelbert.

An older representation of King Ethelbert is the small effigy on a bracket against the easternmost pier south of the choir, close to the head of the tomb of Bishop Mayo, who had desired in his will to be buried by the image of King Ethelbert. It was dug up about the year 1700 at the entrance to the Lady Chapel, where it had doubtless been buried in a mutilated condition when the edict went forth for the destruction of shrines and images.

[Ill.u.s.tration: EARLY ENGLISH WINDOW MOULDING.]