Ely Cathedral Part 11

+The Choir,+

which, previous to 1322 was under the central Tower, and extended, including the rood-loft, from the second column at the eastern end of the Nave, as it now is, (it then extended one bay further eastward,) to about the same distance, or rather more, on the opposite side; and after the erection of the Octagon was again placed there; in 1770 it was removed to the six eastern arches of the Cathedral, the s.p.a.ce under the Octagon and the two bays eastward of it being used as a sermon-place.[38] It was again removed in 1852, and now commences at the eastern side of the Octagon, extending to the length of seven bays, (the stalled portion occupying three of them,) leaving the two eastern bays as a retro-choir.

[Footnote 38: Previous to the last removal, the custom was that only one sermon was preached in the morning to the congregations severally from the Choir, St. Mary's Church, and Holy Trinity Church, who a.s.sembled together, and occupied generally seats provided by themselves, in the Octagon and the two bays east of it, the third being taken up by the screen dividing it from the Choir with the organ loft over. The sermons were usually preached by the Canon in residence at the time.]

This will be better understood by reference to the accompanying plans, (for the use of which we are indebted to the kindness of the Editor of the "Architectural Quarterly Review,") one shewing the position of the Choir previous to the year 1770, and the other the arrangement made at the last alteration.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GENERAL PLAN:

A Octagon, with the arrangement of Choir previous to 1770.

B Presbytery.

C The Nave.

D North Transept.

E South Transept.

F Part of Cloisters (ruined.) G Western Tower.

H West Porch or Galilee.

I St. Catharine's Chapel.

K The Lady Chapel.

L The Font.

M Rood Screen.

N Foundations of Norman apse.

O Foundations of N.W. Transept.

P South-western Transept.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHOIR AND TRANSEPT, SHEWING NEW ARRANGEMENTS.

_The black tint represents the Norman work of Abbots Simeon and Richard, 1083-1106._

_The lined tint represents Bishop Northwold's work, 1229-1254._

_The dotted tint represents the work of Bishops Hotham, Montacute, and L'Isle, 1316-1361._

A The Octagon.

B Choir, as now carried out.

C Nave.

D North arm of Transept.

E South arm of Transept.

F Lady Chapel.

a Altar.

b Bishop Alc.o.c.k's Chapel.

c Bishop West's Chapel.

d Organ and Staircase.

e Part of Cloisters (ruined).

f Monuments.]

The new oaken screen at the entrance of the Choir will attract the attention of the visitor, both by its elegant design and its skilful execution; it is of open work, comprising a centre opening with bra.s.s gates, through which is the pa.s.sage into the Choir, under a pointed arch, over this is rich tracery within a high pointed gable, having an elegant foliated cross on the apex: on either side are three smaller openings, each divided into two parts by a bar or transom, and finished at the top with a gable; the openings below the transoms are filled with elaborate grilles of bra.s.s foliage; a beautiful cresting runs over the whole, with a high pinnacle of tabernacle work at each end; several statuettes have been placed under canopies in each face, which add considerably to the general effect. The screen was designed by Sir G.G. Scott, and executed by Mr. Rattee; the statuettes by M.

Abeloos, and the bra.s.s gates with the foliage in the lower panels by Mr. Hardman: the whole testifies highly to the taste of the designer as well as to the skill of those who executed the several parts.

In making a particular survey of the Choir, it would perhaps be better to examine carefully the architecture of the six eastern bays first, and then the three western bays, which were built subsequently to the others, before examining the reredos, monuments, &c.; this is simply a suggestion, we leave the visitor to follow his own inclination, and continue our description in the order of our course from west to east.

The architecture of the three first bays is greatly to be admired as a specimen of the Decorated style, perhaps not surpa.s.sed by any other in the kingdom; they were erected about the same time as the Octagon, and most probably under the superintendence of the same skilful architect, and for which purpose Bishop Hotham left a sum of money at his death; they were built during the episcopate of his successors, Bishops Montacute (1337-1345), and L'Isle (1345-1361). The lower columns are nearly, the capitals entirely, of the same form with those of the Octagon, but the arches are more ornamented, some of them having bosses of foliage attached to their mouldings; and those of the triforium are, as Mr. Bentham observes, "embellished with tracery work of such elegance and delicacy as seems scarcely consistent with strength." Between each of the lower arches is a corbel or elongated bracket profusely adorned with foliage carved in high relief, richly coloured and gilded; from this rises a column between the upper arches, and from the top of this column spring the ribs of the vaulting, which spread in lavish ramifications over it, dividing it into angular compartments, and at the angles are flowers and other ornaments, curiously carved, and originally were coloured. In the spandrils of the lower and triforium arches (with the exception of the first bay on the south side, which contains the arms of the see, those of Bishop Hotham, and another shield), are sunk trefoils, some of which are painted dark blue relieved with small stars in gold, having an elegant appearance. The range of pierced parapet at the bases of the triforium and clerestory has been entirely renewed; and on the south side, the triforium roof (which on both sides is of bare rafters,) has been recently painted and ornamented in a style similar to those of the Transept. The windows in the clerestory are large, filling the whole opening, having in each four lights with rich tracery, and the same kind of trellis-work we noticed in the large windows in the Octagon; these windows, on both sides have been recently filled with stained gla.s.s, executed by Mr. Wailes, the expense defrayed out of the balance of the acc.u.mulated fund for the east window; the subjects are ill.u.s.trative of two verses of the "Te Deum," with figures of angels and the arms of the donor, &c., in the tracery:

NORTH SIDE--"_The n.o.ble army of Martyrs_"--represented in the western window by figures of St. George, St. Agnes, St.

Catharine, and St. Alban; middle window--St. Lawrence, St.

Cecilia, St. Justin, and St. Prisca; eastern window--St.

Ignatius, St. Polycarp, St. Lucian, and St. Stephen.

SOUTH SIDE--"_The Holy Church throughout all the World_,"

the Eastern Church being represented in the western window by figures of St. Chrysostom, St. Basil, St. Athanasius, and St. Gregory n.a.z.ienzen; the Western Church in the middle window, by figures of St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, St.

Augustine, and St. Gregory the great; the British Church in the eastern window, by figures of St. Columba, St. David, the Venerable Bede, and St. Augustine of Canterbury.

The absence of a bishop's throne is peculiar to this Cathedral; the bishop occupies the return stall on the south side, and the dean that on the north; those seats being generally appropriated to the dean and sub dean. When the abbacy was converted into a bishopric (A.D. 1109) the bishop took the seat previously held by the abbot, the prior retaining his own; and, on the re-foundation in 1541, the dean took the seat previously used by the priors, and here occupies traditionally the side opposite to his customary position.

On the right hand of the entrance, therefore, is the seat of the bishop, and on the left hand that of the dean, both surmounted by lofty pinnacles of tabernacle work; and the ancient stalls, formerly used under the Octagon, extend on both sides to the length of the three western bays. These, which we believe form the sole existing specimen of stalls of that date in England, have been cleansed from their coats of paint and restored, and harmonise well with the new work: the canopies are rich and elaborate, and the panels in the upper portions have recently been filled with sculptured groups ill.u.s.trative of Scripture history, those on the north side from the New, and those on the south side from the Old Testament; they are beautifully designed, and contribute greatly to the good effect of the whole.

These sculptures have been executed in oak by M. Abeloos, of Louvain, (with one exception, "the Nativity," by Mr. Philip,) and are the gifts of various benefactors. They are placed in chronological order and, as we proceed from west to east, the subjects may be noticed in the positions described as follows.

NORTH SIDE.

The Annunciation.

The Salutation.

The Nativity.

The Presentation in the Temple.

The Adoration of the Magi.

The Murder of the Innocents.

The Flight into Egypt.

Jesus disputing with the Doctors.

The Baptism.

The Temptation.

The Miracle at Cana in Galilee.

The Transfiguration.

Mary anointing the Lord's feet.

The Betrayal.

Our Lord before Caiaphas.

Jesus mocked.

Pilate washing his hands.

Jesus scourged.

"Behold the Man."

The Crucifixion.

The Entombment.

The Resurrection.

Our Lord at Emmaus.

The incredulity of Thomas.

The Ascension.

SOUTH SIDE.

The Creation of Man.