Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Norwich Part 5

"Lord, what work was here, what clattering of gla.s.ses, what beating down of Walls, what tearing up of Monuments, what pulling down of Seates, what wresting out of Irons and Bra.s.s from the Windows and Graves. What defacing of Armes, what demolis.h.i.+ng of curious stone work, that had not any representation in the World, but only of the cost of the Founder and skill of the Mason, what toting and piping upon the destroyed Organ pipes, and what a hideous triumph on the Market day before all the Countrey, when, in a kind of Sacrilegious and profane procession, all the Organ pipes, Vestments, both Copes and Surplices, together with the Leaden Crosse which had been newly sawne down from over the Green-Yard Pulpit, and the Service books and singing books that could be had, were carried to the fire in the publick Market place; A leud wretch walking before the Train, in his Cope trailing in the dirt, with a Service book in his hand, imitating in an impious scorne the tune, and usurping the words of the Letany; neer the Publick Crosse, all these monuments of Idolatry must be sacrificed to the fire, not without much Ostentation of a zealous joy."

#Monuments in North Aisle of Nave.#--In the fifth bay of the nave arcade (marked I on plan) is the altar tomb of Sir Thomas Wyndham and his four wives. This was originally in the Lady Chapel, then, for a time, the Jesus Chapel, and about 1869 moved to its present position.

Between the sixth and seventh bay is buried Dean Prideaux (d. 1724). The ninth bay of aisle is lighted by a memorial window to William Smith (d.

1849), Professor of Modern History at Cambridge. In the tenth bay (marked 2 on plan) is the altar tomb, with panelled sides, to Sir John Hobart (d. 1507), Attorney-General to Henry VII.

#Monuments in South Aisle of Nave# from the west.--In the sixth bay is a memorial window by Wailes to members of the Hales family. In the seventh bay (marked 3 on plan) is the tomb of Chancellor Spencer; the rents of the dean and chapter were formerly paid here. The ninth bay (marked 4 on plan) contains the altar tomb of Bishop Parkhurst (1560-74).

[Ill.u.s.tration: The East Walk of the Cloisters.]

#The Cloisters# and destroyed monastic buildings.--The cloisters are on the south side of the cathedral, the interior garth being about 145 feet square.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Cloisters from the Garth.]

The original Norman cloisters, which were probably of a wooden construction, were destroyed by the fire of 1272; and the work of building the present cloisters was commenced by Bishop Walpole (1289-99) about 1297, but they were not completely finished until 1430, in the time of Bishop Alnwyck (1426-36). They present an interesting, and, at the same time, complex study of the development of the styles during the one hundred and thirty-three years which pa.s.sed during their erection; a paper by the Rev. D.J. Stewart (published in vol. 32 of the _Archaeological Journal_) goes minutely into their construction, and the several parts the various bishops of Norwich played in their design.

Those who wish to study this part of the cathedral thoroughly cannot do better than refer to this paper.

It will be noticed that, despite the lengthy period occupied in the construction of the cloisters, the result is in no way inharmonious; it is only in the detail, and especially the open tracery to the bays, that the difference of style is very perceptible.

Counting the angle severies as in each walk, it will be noticed that there are fourteen severies on the east side; and thirteen on the other three. Each is nearly square on plan, and vaulted over with horizontal longitudinal and transverse ribs, between which occur diagonals and _tiercerons_; with carved bosses at the intersections. The piers carrying the vaults consist of groups of separate cylindrical shafts of Purbeck marble.

On the three sides--east, west, and south--there are separate storeys of apartments over the vaults, which were used for various purposes by the monks.

In elevation--and of course this can best be seen from the Garth--each bay is divided by a projecting b.u.t.tress with diagonal one in the angles; the arches are filled with open tracery carried by two mullions; it is this tracery which marks most clearly the various changes of style. The shape of the arch is similar throughout. This was a concession on the part of the later builders which ensured harmony in the whole; but on each side the tracery is varied. On the east side it is geometrical in character, the work being transitional between Early English and Decorated; on the south side the tracery is more flowing and has advanced to Decorated; on the west side again, we get the transitional style between Decorated and Perpendicular, with some _flamboyant_ or flame-like detail; while on the north and latest side it is frankly Perpendicular.

#The East Walk# of cloisters is the earliest; access to which is gained from the south aisle of nave of cathedral, through the #Prior's Door#; of this fine specimen of early Decorated work we give an ill.u.s.tration.

In the sixth bay, from, and counting the angle, may be seen the walled-up entrance to the Slype. In the seventh, eighth, and ninth bays remain the arches which once gave entrance to the chapter-house; these were walled up until about 1850.

According to the itinerary of William of Worcester, the chapter-house, which was built by Bishop Walpole (1289-99), projected eastward about 80 feet, terminating with a polygonal apse, as shown by the dotted lines to our plan.

The prolongation of this east walk southwards beyond the south walk of the cloisters, led formerly to the infirmary; of which now only remain the three piers in the lower close; the greater part having been pulled down in 1804. During some time in the eighteenth century the infirmary was used as a workhouse.

The dormitories in all monasteries were connected with one of the transepts, usually the south, so that the monks could at all hours easily gain access to the cathedral for the performance of the offices of their order; it is probable, therefore, that the rooms over this east walk of the cloisters here at Norwich may have been used as dormitories, with a staircase on the western side of the south transept leading to them. The dormitories are supposed by some antiquarians to have been placed south of the destroyed chapter-house; the door in the twelfth bay of the east wall of the cloisters (marked 5 on plan) probably giving rise to the supposition.

The sculptured vault-bosses in this walk are ill.u.s.trative of incidents in Gospel story and of the legends of the four evangelists.

#The South Walk#, the south wall of which was also the wall of the refectory. A door (marked 6 on plan) at the western end of this walk led to the refectory. To the west were probably the kitchen and offices. The sculptured bosses of the vault over this walk are ill.u.s.trations of scenes from the Book of Revelation.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Prior's Door.]

#The West Walk.#--In the first two bays (marked 7 on plan) are the lavatories of the monks; and in the fourth bay, a door (marked 8 on plan) that formerly led to the guest hall, pulled down by Dean Gardiner, 1573-89. The cellarer whose duty it was to look after the guests probably had apartments above.

A door in the last bay leads to the #Choir School#; this was formerly the #Locutory#, where the monks indulged in their daily gossip. The western wall is in the Early Decorated style; the body of the room dating from Norman times.

The door into the south aisle of the cathedral from this walk, known as the #Monks' Door#, is of an elaborate example of the Perpendicular style.

Returning along the #North Walk#, the latest part of the cloisters, we come again to the prior's door, by entering which the rest of the interior may be inspected.

#The Ante-choir# occupies one compartment of the nave, and is immediately under the organ loft. It was in mediaeval times a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pity. The screens between this ante-choir and the aisles on north and south, were in part formed from the Perpendicular screen which originally divided off the Jesus Chapel from the north aisle of the presbytery. Here in the ante-choir they are certainly preferable, even as "mutilated Perpendicular," to any modern subst.i.tute; though it was lamentable vandalism to remove them from their original positions, where they are shown in Britton's "History."

#The Choir.#--It may be as well here to give a brief sketch of the various re-modellings which have been effected in the arrangement of the choir and presbytery of the cathedral.

Britton shows, in one of his plates published in 1816, the floor of the choir continued at its level until, immediately before the altar, in the apse, it rises by five steps to the level of the sanctuary (the presbytery, after the Reformation, had been cut off from the choir by a wooden screen, in front of which stood the communion table). Across both transepts, in the beginning of the century, there stood c.u.mbrous two-storeyed structures containing pews not unlike boxes at a theatre, as shown in a drawing here reproduced. In 1837, when Salvin re-modelled the choir, these were removed, and on the south side replaced by a stone gallery, and this again has been taken down.

In Dean Goulburn's time the floor of the presbytery was raised by two steps, which occurred one bay past the tower arch eastward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Choir and Presbytery.]

Quite recently, there have been further alterations carried out by Dean Lefroy. The eastern arm of the building was closed for two and a half years, and during this time the whole of the whitewash, etc., covering the stonework was flaked off, with much benefit to the appearance of this part of the interior. The level of the presbytery floor has been brought forward to the tower arch, and at the same time the floors of both transepts and choir were brought to one level, and various obstructions in the way of pews and raised floors removed.

The choir was opened after this work by Archbishop Benson, 2nd May 1894.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Stall in the Choir.]

#The Choir# extends one bay, or the s.p.a.ce of two compartments, into the nave, as was usual in cathedral priories, and was originally occupied during the offices of the Benedictines by the prior, sub-prior, and the sixty monks. The bishop--who was the nominal abbot--with his presbyters, occupied the presbytery.

The stalls, sixty in number, with an additional two for the prior and sub-prior, facing east, are fine specimens of fifteenth-century work, the detail varying though the main lines are preserved in each.

Each of these stalls retains the _subsellium_ or _miserere_, which, hinged at the back, turns up and discloses a small ledge beneath supported by carving, which ledge is supposed to have been used by the aged monks to rest on during the first long office of the Benedictines, which lasted four hours. Did they, however, by any chance allow the seat to fall, they are said to have had to go through the whole of their prayers again as a penance. All these _misereres_ are worth studying, especially as the white and grey paint which had disfigured them has been cleaned off since 1806.

The choir was re-arranged by Salvin in 1833, and the chancellor's stall, shown in early prints, against the north-east tower pier, was removed at this time. The presbytery was filled with stalls, which have been lately removed, and in part refixed in the nave. During the recent alterations the row of fifteenth-century stalls, each with its _miserere_, has been removed from its original position in front of the canopied stalls, and placed across the transepts, and their place taken by others, made up of various fragments of old seating.

Also the older bishop's throne, erected by Dean Lloyd late in the eighteenth century, "in resemblance to ancient Gothic workmans.h.i.+p," was removed from the south-east pier of the tower and placed in the consistory court, and its place taken (1894) by the present erection, designed by Pearson also in the style of ancient Gothic workmans.h.i.+p, and made by Cornish and Gaymer. The new pulpit, taking the place of that put up after the demolition of the chancellor's stall, was designed by J.D.

Seddon, and executed by H. Hems of Exeter.

#The Pelican Lectern#, now in the choir (see ill.u.s.tration, p. 110), was formerly hidden away in the Jesus Chapel; it is late Decorated in character; the three small figures were added in 1845. There is enough metal in this piece of mediaeval work to make a dozen modern replicas.

#The Presbytery# consists of two double severies, or four compartments, terminated by a semi-circular apse of five compartments. The four compartments on either side have, in the lower stages of their design, rich four-centred arches of Perpendicular period, with niches between on the piers; the spandrels are filled in to a horizontal line, above which, at the level of the triforium floor, is an elaborate cusped cresting. The triforium is Norman, lofty in scale. Over this come four light transitional (Decorated to Perpendicular) clerestory windows, with niches canopied forward in the thickness of the wall over the clerestory path; the windows being on the outer face of wall. From the apex of the ogee arches of the niches spring the vaulting ribs of the later vault, without any intermediate shaft. The apse preserves its Norman characteristics in the lower stage as well as at the triforium level.

Here the interest of the student must surely be concentrated; as this eastern arm of the cathedral is the earliest part of the building.

Herbert, the founder, laid the foundation-stone at the extreme east, probably in the original Norman Lady Chapel, and built westwards, and here, in front of the high altar, was he buried.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Choir and Presbytery in 1816.]

The remains of the first bishop's throne, with the westward position, are in the central bay of the apse. Behind it, in the screen wall, can be discerned an arch which looks like a door head; if there be a vault beneath the presbytery, it is probable that this is the walled-up entrance.

On the east side of the tower over the arch can be seen the lines of the original Norman roof. The Norman clerestory was so badly damaged by part of the tower falling in 1362 that the present clerestory was built in its place by Bishop Percy (1355-69), the presbytery, at the same time being covered over with a framed timber roof. In 1463 this (together with the spire) was struck by lightning, and fell burning into the presbytery, where it burned itself away. Here and there in the aisles, and wherever the Norman stonework is visible, traces of an orange discoloration give evidence of the heat generated by the ma.s.s.

The present lierne vault was added by Bishop Goldwell (1472-99), and his rebus, a gold well, can be seen cut on the bosses at the intersections of vaulting ribs. The curious junction of the later vault with the ogee-shaped arches of the clerestory should be noticed.

While the original triforium yet remains, the character of the main arcade was altered by the insertion of the four-centred "Perpendicular"

arches, the work of Bishop Goldwell, whose tomb is under one on the south side. These lower arches were filled with screens, removed in 1875.

The lower apsidal arches, in the beginning of the century, were completely filled with imitation Norman work; this has been cleared away to the original height of the screen wall, with much improvement to the general effect.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Choir Stalls at the beginning of the Nineteenth Century.]

The present altar, designed by Sir A.W. Blomfield, occupies probably the position of the original altar. The question where the high altar stood has provoked much speculation. Professor Willis placed it more to the westward, thinking that a quatrefoiled opening or hagioscope in the screen wall of the last bay on the north side of the Presbytery (marked 9 on plan) was made to afford a view of it from the aisle. Harrod points out that there is a small hole in the vault above, from which probably hung down the light of the sacrament. The position of this hole, and the fact that such a light would necessarily be placed before the altar, and not over or behind it, is evidence that the altar was about where it is now. Blomfield, again, averred that the people stood in the aisle and confessed to the priest standing in the sanctuary, the "voice coming through a hole made in the wall for that purpose," the hole being the hagioscope referred to. But, as Harrod observes, to do this the priest must have a.s.sumed a rec.u.mbent position, which is neither convenient nor usual.

The real use, no doubt, of this bay of the arcade, was for the Easter sepulchre; its usual position is on the north side of the sanctuary. It will be noticed also that in the aisle immediately behind is a raised gallery of Decorated character, access to which was gained from the sanctuary by steps on the left side of the bay of the arcade, in which occurs the hagioscope. This gallery formed the ante-chapel to the #Reliquary Chapel#, which projected northwards from the aisle of the cathedral; the roof line of this chapel can be seen plainly from the outside. From the reliquary chapel on Good Friday the crucifix and pyx were taken out and deposited in the Easter sepulchre below; and from the vault above, through the hole before referred to, was hung the great sepulchre light. More probably the hagioscope was intended to be used by the watcher at the sepulchre.