Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Gloucester Part 13

"At the north end of the hall is another two-storey building. The lower floor is of stone, and now contains various domestic offices.

But originally it formed part of a building of considerable architectural importance, as may be seen from the jamb of an elaborate Early English window at the north-west corner. From its position, this Early English building, which seems to have extended westward as far as the inner gate, was most likely the abbot's hall, and here doubtless took place the famous historical dialogue between Edward II. and Abbot Thoky.[1] Some time before the end of the fifteenth century this hall was cut down, and an upper storey of wood built upon it, of which the east end still remains. At one time it evidently extended further west. Internally it has been gutted, and now contains nothing of interest to show its use."

"The court of the Abbot's house was probably enclosed by covered alleys on the north and west sides to enable the Abbot to pa.s.s into the cloister under cover. In the recent alterations to the Deanery, a block of additional rooms has been built on the west side of the court against the hall." (Hope.)

There is a timber-framed room on the north-west where Richard II. is reputed to have held his parliament. It had a narrow escape some years ago of being destroyed by a fire caused by an overheated flue.

The new lodging for the Abbot (1316-1329, _temp_. Wygmore) was built near the infirmary garden, on the site now occupied by the Bishop's Palace. Drawings of the plans of the old buildings (made in 1856) are in the custody of the Bishop, and reduced reproductions of them are to be found in the "Records of Gloucester Cathedral," 1897, in the article by Mr Hope. Part of the buildings remain on the south side of Pitt Street, and serve to screen the palace from the road.

The #Bishop's Palace# is a modern building, erected in 1857-1862 by Christian on the site of the abbot's lodging.

The so-called #Grove#, laid out by a distinguished head-master of the King's School, Maurice Wheeler, 1684-1712, on the north side of the church, was used as a school playground till 1855, presumably to the detriment of the windows in the Lady Chapel. It was in that year thrown into the gardens surrounding the east end of the cathedral. These gardens had been originally the monks' cemetery, and adjoining them had been the lay-folks' cemetery, extending along the greater part of the south side.

When all the acc.u.mulation of soil was removed, and the ground lowered, the foundations of the old walls were discovered.

The #Cathedral#, or #King's School#, is of Henry VIII. foundation. For many years it was held in the old monastic library. A drawing of it is given in Bonnor's "Perspective Itinerary," 1796. The present buildings date back to 1850.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SOUTH AISLE OF NAVE.

_Photochrom Co. Ltd., Photo._ ]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] See Hart, i. 44.

CHAPTER V

ABBOTS AND BISHOPS OF GLOUCESTER

Pa.s.sing over the regimes of the Abbesses[1] and the secular canons, we find that the first Abbot of the Benedictine rule at Gloucester was #Edric# (1022-1028), who in his long rule maintained a very low standard of discipline. His monks seem to have been as much addicted to "ill lyvynge" as the secular canons. He was succeeded by #Wulstan# (1058-1072), a monk of Worcester appointed by Bishop Aldred. In his time Aldred rebuilt the monastery on new foundations. Wulstan died abroad on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1072.

#Serlo# (1072-1103), the next Abbot, had been the Conqueror's chaplain, and was a man of great strength of character, and of quite a different stamp. He was buried in the abbey church, which he had raised "from meanness and insignificance to a glorious pitch."

#Peter#, who had been Prior, was Abbot from 1104-1113.

#William G.o.demon#, #G.o.deman#, or #G.o.demore#, was Abbot from 1113-1130, when he retired.

#Walter de Lacy# was appointed by G.o.deman and was consecrated in 1131.

In his time, Robert, Duke of Normandy, surnamed Curthose, died at Cardiff after twenty-five years' imprisonment, and was buried in the choir. Walter de Lacy died in 1139, and was succeeded by

#Gilbert Foliot# (1139-1148), a Cluniac monk, who, owing his position to his relative Milo, Earl of Hereford, was consecrated in 1139. He was made Bishop of Hereford in 1148, and was translated thence to London.

Though he owed much to Becket, his patron and tutor, he is said to have taken the king's side in the quarrels with Becket, and to have been instrumental in the latter's a.s.sa.s.sination.

#Hameline# or #Hammeline# (1148-1179).

#Thomas Carbonel# (1179-1205).

#Henry Blond# (or #Blunt#) (1205-1224). Henry III. was crowned in the Abbey in 1216.

#Thomas de Bredon# (or #Bredone#) (1224-1228).

#Henry Foliot# (or #Foleth#) was Abbot from 1228-1243.

#Walter de St. John# died before his installation.

#John de Felda# (1243-1263).

#Reginald de Hamme# (or #Homme#) (1263-1283).

#John de Gamages# (1284-1306).

#John Thokey# (or #Toky#) (1306-1329).

#John Wygmore# (or #Wygemore#) (1329-1337).

#Adam de Staunton# (1337-1351).

#Thomas Horton# (1357-1377).

#John Boyfield# (1377-1381).

#Walter Froucester# (1381-1412).

The succession of Abbots, and the dates of various works executed since Serlo's time, are taken entirely from the particulars in the Chronicles "attributed" to Abbot Froucester (1381-1412), who wrote of the Abbey and of twenty Abbots after the Conquest. These Chronicles are the sole foundation up to that date on which all the histories have been made.

There are three copies of them, one in the British Museum, one in Queen's College, Oxford, and one in the Chapter Library, which latter was lost for many years, and ultimately heard of again in 1878 as being in the possession of a book-seller at Berlin, from whom it was rescued on a payment of 150 by the Dean and Chapter.

#Hugh Moreton# (1412-1420).

#John Morwent# (or #Marewent#) (1421-1437).

#Reginald Boulers# (#Boulars# or #Butler#) (#Boteler#) (1437-1450). He became Bishop of Hereford and was translated to Lichfield in 1453.

#Thomas Seabroke# (1450-1457).

#Richard Hanley# (1457-1472). He began to build the Lady Chapel, which was finished by

#William Farley# (1472-1498).

#John Malvern# or #Mulverne# was Abbot for one year (1498-1499), and was succeeded by a monk named

#Thomas Braunche# (1500-1510), who in turn was succeeded by

#John Newton# or #Browne, D.D.# (1510-1514).

#William Malverne# or #Parker# (1514-1539).