Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Manchester Part 2

"On the bra.s.s plate over the door is grav'd in the same character and old Latin Obsecramus ut adjuvetis nos Jacob.u.m Stanley Eliens Epis Johanne Stanley milite et Margareta uxore ej ac parentes cor oracionibus vris apud Dom Jhesu expm q. hanc Capellam in ej nomine et in honore Sancti Johanis Baptiste Fabricavimus An^o incarnationis illius MCCCCCXIII. Designs from the Originall plates may be seen in the following drawings. The Inscription on the long bra.s.s I take to be this in English.

"We beseech you that you a.s.sist us James Stanley Bishop of Ely John Stanley Knt. and Margaret his wife and their parents with your prayers to y'e Lord Jesus Christ who have built this chapel in his name and in honour of St Jn'o Baptist in the year of his incarnation 1513."

According to an old poem ent.i.tled Flodden Field S'r John Stanley was at that great Battle fought in Sept. 1513 along with other gentlemen of Lancas.h.i.+re and Ches.h.i.+re and in enumerating the Leaders says:

Next with Sir John Stanley there yede The Bishop of Ely's servants bold Sir Lionel Percy eke did lead Some hundred men well tried and told.

(Barrett MS. No. 41458, C. 4. 13.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: INTERIOR OF NORTH DOORWAY.]

These two chapels were the private property of the Earls of Derby, who had to keep them in repair. In the second half of the eighteenth century the roofs needed extensive repair; this was done by the thirteenth Earl of Derby in conjunction with the townspeople of Manchester, and the Earl surrendered his rights to the chapels, handing them over to the paris.h.i.+oners on condition that he and his successors should no longer be held responsible for keeping them in repair. The Derby Chapel is now fitted with an altar at the east end, a font on the north side, and oak benches, so that it can be used for week-day services when desired. The Ely Chapel is not fitted in any way.

[Ill.u.s.tration: VIEW ACROSS THE NAVE, LOOKING NORTH-WEST.]

=St. James' Chapel=, or the Ducie Chantry, and the =Chapel Of the Holy Trinity=, which formerly occupied the east and west ends of what is now the outer north aisle, and were founded, the former in 1507 and the latter by W. Radcliffe of Ordsall in 1498, have no longer any separate existence; the only sign of their having been chapels that remains is a piscina in the pier at the south east corner of St. James' Chapel. The arcade between the outer and inner north aisles originally dated from about 1500.

=The North or Craven Porch= is opposite to the south porch and bears a strong resemblance to it. It consists of two bays, each vaulted in stone in the same manner as the bays of the south or Jardine Porch; a door to the east side of the inner bay leads into the registry office.

It now remains to examine the =Central Nave= and =Choir=. This church differs from most of our cathedral and abbey churches in having no triforium.[2] And the clerestory is not lofty, so that the church is rather low for its width,[3] though the height of the arches of the main arcade prevents this being felt. The roofs of the aisles are all modern, but that of the nave, though extensively repaired, has much of the original work in it, and, with the exception of a few bosses, the choir roof is old. All the roofs are of timber; in the nave the intersections of the main beams are covered by beautiful bosses carved out of the solid wood. On either side, at the points from which the main cross beams spring, is a series of angelic figures splendidly carved in wood: those on the south side playing stringed instruments, those on the north side wind instruments.

The choir roof is more ornate; the panels between the beams are filled with tracery; the bosses here are differently constructed from those in the nave; here each leaf was separately carved and then nailed in its place. At the time of the restoration this roof was skilfully repaired by introducing new beams above the old ones and fastening the old to the new with bolts.

The pillars of the main arcade of the nave are modern work built in imitation of the original ones. They are light and graceful, and like many other pillars of fifteenth century date, are formed of shafts of which only half have separate capitals, the other mouldings running round the arch. The s.p.a.ces between the arches are elaborately carved with heraldic s.h.i.+elds.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CHOIR, LOOKING WEST.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: DESK-ENDS IN THE CHOIR STALLS; NORTH SIDE.]

Towards the east end of the nave may be seen desks for the choir on either side, a bra.s.s eagle lectern on the south side, and a modern pulpit against the first pillar from the east on the north side (see page 54). The pulpit, the gift of the late Chancellor Christie and his wife, is octagonal, and six of its faces are carved with representations of Christ, the four Evangelists, and St. Paul; of the other two sides one rests against the pier, and the other, on the north, forms the entrance from the pulpit steps. The ancient rood screen (see page 23) is a very beautiful piece of work. It has three wide openings with double doors in each; upon it stands the central part of the large organ; other parts of the organ occupy s.p.a.ces in the north and south aisles behind the stalls. The case was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, and is effective.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHOIR STALLS, NORTH SIDE.]

The present =organ= rebuilt by Wadsworth Brothers at the cost of Sir W. H. Houldsworth, Bart., 1871, has

Four manuals CC to A 58 notes Pedal CCC to F 30 "

The great organ has 13 stops swell 16 "

choir 8 "

solo 5 "

pedal 9 "

accessory 8 "

and combination pedals 8 "

If we pa.s.s on through the screen beneath the organ we find ourselves in the =choir=. This, the choir proper, as distinguished from the presbytery to the east of it, is sometimes called the Radcliffe choir, for many members of this family were buried here, and their bra.s.ses were placed on the floor, but these were removed when the floor was repaved with tiles. On either side of us, and behind us, we see some of the most elaborate tabernacle work to be met with anywhere. Some idea may be formed of the wealth of detail by examining the ill.u.s.tration on the opposite page. There are twelve stalls on either side, and three on each side of the entrance through the rood screen facing east. The stalls are furnished with misereres, which, in common with many others both in England and on the Continent, represent all manner of quaint subjects, monsters, animals, hunting scenes, etc.

The =stalls= date from the early part of the sixteenth century, and bear a strong resemblance to those in Beverley Minster and Ripon Cathedral.

At Beverley, however, the level cornice above the canopies which we see at Manchester is wanting, except at the west end.

The carved elbows of the stalls and the ends of the book desks are also worthy of careful examination, especially the Eagle and Child and general carving of the Dean's Stall, which is a marvel of beautiful workmans.h.i.+p, and said by high authorities to be unequalled.

Between the stalls the floor is one step higher than that of the nave, and at the east end of the stalls there is a further rise of two steps as we pa.s.s into the presbytery. Here, on the south side, we see the bishop's throne--modern work, carved with a view to be in harmony with the stalls, but comparing unfavourably with them in execution. There is a rise of two more steps into the sanctuary, and the altar itself is raised two steps higher; this gives a good effect. Behind the altar is an elaborately carved wooden reredos of modern work, richly painted and gilt. The upper part, as will be seen from the ill.u.s.tration on p. 22, is wider than the lower; it is divided vertically into seven divisions, the two lateral divisions on each side being themselves divided into two tiers. The three central niches contain figures of the three patron saints, St. George on the north, the Blessed Virgin in the centre, and St. Denys on the south side.[4] Above the central figure, St. Mary, is another niche containing a seated figure of Christ, holding in His left hand an orb and cross, His right hand raised in the act of blessing; above this figure is a canopy. On the top of the six uprights that form the vertical divisions of the reredos, angels stand with clasped hands.

The carving on the smaller panels ill.u.s.trates the following verses of the "Preface to the Sanctus" which are inscribed beneath them.

"With angels and archangels and all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Thy glorious name. Amen."

It will be noticed that there are no sedilia in the usual place on the south side of the altar, the arch being open where we might expect to find them, and there is no pulpit in the choir. Most of the services in which a sermon is preached are conducted in the nave.

Most of the windows have in recent times been filled with painted gla.s.s.

Perhaps we may be inclined to think that there are too many thus filled, and that it would have been well if the windows of the clerestory had been left uncoloured. Certain it is that as there is no triforium, there is no place from which the clerestory windows can be examined; and had they been left unpainted, the church would have been much lighter than it is.

A brief description must now be given of the windows. We will begin with the west window in the tower, proceeding eastward along the outer south aisle, crossing the church by the ambulatory, and coming back to the west by the aisle on the north side, and then examining the clerestory windows of nave and choir.

=The Windows.=--The west window of the tower has five lights, and is divided by one transom. It represents the Ascension, and Acts of Mercy.

It was given by J. C. Harter, and is the work of Hardman.

The west window of the inner aisle on the south side has four lights, and its subject is the parable of the Good Samaritan. It was erected by subscription in memory of Jonas Craven, and was painted by Messrs.

Heaton, Butler & Baynes.

The west window of the outer south aisle, or Baptistery, has six lights, and represents baptism by blood, water, and fire, ill.u.s.trated by the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the baptism of Christ, and the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. It was given by Thomas Chesters in 1892, and is the work of Messrs. Percy Bacon & Bros.

The window in the westernmost bay of the outer south aisle has four lights, and ill.u.s.trates the text "Suffer little children to come unto Me," and was erected as a memorial to W. H. Bowler (son-in-law of Thomas Chesters), who died in 1887. This also was painted by Percy Bacon & Bros.

The window to the east of the porch in the Brown Chapel has four lights, and represents Christ healing all manner of sickness, and was erected in memory of John, William, Maria, and Henry Stevenson, and is by Wailes of Newcastle.

The next window has four lights, and has for its subject various incidents in the life of St. John the Baptist: 1, the announcement of his birth to Zacharias; 2, his birth; 3, his preaching in the wilderness; and 4, his baptism of Christ. This was given by Margaret Clowes in memory of the Rev. T. Clowes, and is by Hardman.

The window in the fifth bay has five lights. It represents Christ in Glory, and was given by Catharine, Countess of Stamford and Warrington, in memory of her husband, the seventh Earl, who died in 1883. It was painted by Messrs. Clayton & Bell.

The next window also has five lights, and ill.u.s.trates the Magnificat. It was erected by public subscription in memory of Dean Oakley, who died in 1890. It is by Burlison & Grylls.

The next window is in the westernmost bay of the Jesus Chapel. It has four lights. Its subject is Simeon receiving Christ in the temple. It was given as a memorial to Frederick Andrews, who died in 1890. It is by Messrs. Heaton, Butler & Baynes.

The next window, in that part of the Jesus Chapel now used as the cathedral library, has four lights, and represents Christ among the doctors; it is a memorial to James Gray, who died in 1871, and is by Messrs. Heaton, Butler & Baynes.

The next window of four lights has for its subject Christ healing all manner of disease, and was inserted in memory of Jonas Craven, who died in 1894. It is by Messrs. Heaton, Butler & Baynes.

There are four windows in the chapter house, all of four lights. The first, with figures of Sts. James, Thomas, Simon, and Jude, was given by Canon Gibson in 1869, and is by Messrs. Ward & Hughes. The next, representing Sts. Peter, Mary, George, and Paul, is by Edmundson & Son, and incorporates some old gla.s.s found in the clerestory windows of the choir. The next, with figures of Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, was given by the children of Canon Wray, in memory of their father, who died in 1866. It is the work of Clayton & Bell. The last, with figures of Sts. James, Andrew, Philip, and Bartholomew, was given by Dean Bowers in 1869, and is by Ward & Hughes.

In the bay between the chapter house and the Fraser Chapel is a four-light window with eight subjects. In the upper row, The Transfiguration, Lazarus, Christ riding on an a.s.s, The inst.i.tution of the Lord's Supper; and in the lower, "This is my beloved Son," Elisha raising the Child, David, The offering of Isaac. This was given in 1859 by a citizen once a chorister. It is by Edmundson & Son.

In the Fraser Chapel are two windows. The first, facing south, has four lights, and contains the gla.s.s which formerly occupied the window of the bay that was opened out when the Fraser Chapel was built. Its four subjects are: Simeon, The Baptism of Christ, The Miracle at Cana, and Christ blessing little Children. An inscription records that it was given in 1858 by a citizen once a chorister; it is by Edmundson & Son.

The window in the east wall of this chapel has three lights. Its subjects are: 1, St. John; 2, "I am He that was dead and am alive again"; 3, St. Paul. It was erected as a memorial to Bishop Fraser by Messrs. Shrigley & Hunt.

The east window of the south choir aisle has five lights, and each of these contains two subjects.

In the upper row we see Christ in the centre, with two of the evangelists on either side of him. In the lower tier are represented: 1, The Agony in the Garden; 2, Christ bearing His Cross; 3, The Crucifixion; 4, The Angels announcing the Resurrection; 5, The Ascension. This was given by G. Pilkington, and is by Wailes of Newcastle.