building made with hands, ever bear in mind the great and solemn
purpose for which it was erected--the worship of Almighty God--and let
their aspirations of prayer and praise ascend to Him in thankfulness
for the privilege afforded to them of freely and openly worshipping
Him, who as freely invites all to become partakers of a home made
without hands, eternal in the heavens.
+The South-west Transept+
was, until a few years ago, separated from the Tower by a wall of stud
and plaster, and used as a receptacle for materials required for the
repair of the fabric, but is now thrown open in all its beauty; it has
been repaired and restored at considerable expense.
The architecture of this portion of the Cathedral is worthy of special
notice; the various forms of the arches, and the beautiful mouldings
and ornaments on some of them, cannot but attract attention. The
panelled ceiling has been painted by T. Gambier Parry, Esq., of
Highnam Court, Gloucester; the floor has been re-laid with encaustic
tiles and marble; a new font[28] in the transitional style, has been
placed here, at the cost of the late Canon Selwyn, and this Transept
will in future be used as the Baptistry of the Cathedral. Several
windows, which had for many years been blocked up with stone and
rubbish, have been re-opened, and those of the lower tier at the south
end filled with stained glass by Mr. Wailes:
The west window contains--the Meeting of Jacob and Rachel;
the Choice of Esther; and the Crowning of Esther; and was
the gift of Dean Peacock.
The east window comprises--the Meeting of Isaac and Rebecca;
of Boaz and Ruth; and the Marriage at Cana: given by
Hamilton Cooke, Esq., of Carr House, Doncaster.
[Footnote 28: A font, the gift of Dean Spencer, in 1693, formerly
stood under the third arch on the south side of the Nave, but having
no accordance in style with the architecture of the building, it has
been removed, and placed in a newly erected church at Prickwillow,
near Ely.]
Adjoining this Transept on the east is the apsidal +Chapel of St.
Catharine+, for many years in ruins, but rebuilt in 1848, and the
floor laid in a combination of marble and encaustic tiles, with
borders of incised Portland stone, the incisions being filled with
coloured cement; the windows have been filled with stained glass by
Mr. Wilmshurst:
The east window, representing the Baptism of our Lord, by
John, after a picture by Bassans; given by the Rev. W.G.
Townley, of Upwell, Norfolk, as a memorial of his brother,
R.G. Townley, Esq., of Fulbourn, for several years one of
the representatives of the county in Parliament.
The subject of the other window is from the words of our
Lord, "Suffer little children to come unto me;" from a
picture by Overbeck: the gift of Canon Selwyn.
We now proceed on our course, and enter
+The Nave,+
which is of ample dimensions, being 203 feet in length; it has a
lighter appearance than many churches of Norman architecture, and may
be considered a late specimen of that style, having been finished
about 1174. The length originally comprised thirteen bays, one of
which has been included in the plan of the Octagon; there are no
single cylindrical columns as in many churches, but the pillars are
clustered and alternate in size and pattern; the arches appear to be
somewhat higher than semicircular, being stilted, or some little way
rectilinear before they take the circular bend. Those of the second
tier comprehend in each two smaller ones, supported by a much lighter
column; each compartment in the upper tier is divided into three small
arches, the middle one being larger and higher than that on either
side of it. Over the whole aisle on each side runs a broad gallery
usually called the "triforium," lighted by Perpendicular windows in
the outer wall; and above is the "clerestory," or "clear-story,"
affording a narrow passage in the thickness of the main wall, lighted
by the original Norman windows; thus the height is divided into three
parts--ground-story, triforium, and clerestory; and the breadth into
the same number--nave, north aisle, and south aisle; probably designed
as a type of the Trinity, as it is thought by many that these
symbolical considerations were used in the building of churches in
early ages.
A new floor has been laid in the Nave[29] in a design which introduces
several kinds of stone and marble, each bay in a pattern differing
from the adjoining one; the large slab of marble which laid in the
second bay from the east, and from which the memorial brass has long
disappeared, remains _in situ_, it is not known to whose memory it was
originally placed, but evidently to some dignified ecclesiastic.
Towards the west the floor has been lowered so as to shew the bases of
the columns which had for many years been hidden. A semicircular
roof-shaft runs from the floor to the top of the wall between the
bays, but the roof, until lately, was open to view from the floor to
the rafters; a new painted ceiling has been executed,[30] which adds
much to the grandeur of the building.
[Footnote 29: Bishop Turton by his will left the sum of £500 towards
this object, and Bishop Harold Browne gave a like sum towards the
completion of the paving of the Nave and aisles.]
[Footnote 30: A portion of the expense of this work was defrayed by a
bequest by the Rev. G. Millers, a Minor Canon, augmented by the
liberality of his Executors to £400.]
This ceiling was commenced in 1858, by Henry Styleman le Strange,
Esq., of Hunstanton Hall, and the six western bays were designed and
the chief parts executed by him, and finished in 1861; his lamented
decease in the following year gave rise to some fears as to its
completion, but his friend T. Gambier Parry, Esq., undertook to finish
the work so ably begun, as a token of affection to his memory, and it
now presents a beautiful series of pictures in compartments, forming,
as it were, a carefully studied epitome of the sacred history of man
as recorded in Holy Scripture; and exhibiting specimens of skill and
taste executed by two gentlemen of independent fortune that may be
almost considered marvellous.
It may be mentioned that the ceiling is upwards of 200 feet long, and
is 86 feet from the floor, and the general size of the principal
figures in the painting is nine feet.
The central subjects are arranged in chronological order from the
west, each being surrounded by a border varying in form, and
containing a legend; in the ten western bays the subjects are
supported by figures which are for the most part representations of
Patriarchs and Prophets, carrying scrolls[31] upon which are written
words of their own, bearing more or less forcibly upon the coming of
the Messiah. The eleventh subject has, properly speaking, no
supporters, but the Shepherds and the Magi are so arranged as to carry
on the artistic effect of a central group with conspicuous lateral
figures. In the twelfth and last subject, the picture extends entirely
across the ceiling; in the centre is the Lord Jesus in His glorified
humanity, seated on a throne, round about which is a "rainbow like
unto an emerald." Above His head is the choir of Seraphim, painted in
prismatic colours, and reflected in the "sea of glass before the
throne." On the right and left are the figures of the twelve apostles
seated; beyond them, on the dexter side, are two archangels, St.
Gabriel, "the angel of redemption," holding the standard of the cross,
and St. Raphael, holding a sword with its point downwards, expressive
of victory and peace; at their feet rise three figures, typical of the
blessed received into glory. On the sinister side are also two
archangels, St. Uriel holding his sword downwards, and St. Michael
spearing the dragon, expressive of the condemnation of, and victory
over, sin. The figure of our Lord is connected with the tree of Jesse
by its last branches, which break into scrolls and golden fruit at His
feet.
[Footnote 31: In the key to the ceiling as represented in the two
following pages, we have placed the words of the legends under the
principal subjects, and the contents of the scrolls under the names of
the persons represented.]
The arch which separates the Nave from the Octagon has also been
decorated, as well as the wall which connects the arch with the
ceiling; the design contains the evangelistic symbols of St. Matthew
and St. John, and the text "Blessed be the Name of His Majesty for
ever, and all the earth shall be filled with His Majesty. Amen and
Amen."
[Transcriber's Note: In the original book, the following text in
brackets is placed sideways along the right and left sides of a box
around the rest of the text. The top and bottom of the box are
represented here by a line of asterisks.]
[The heads forming the border represent the human ancestors of our
Lord, according to the genealogy in St. Luke's Gospel; they commence
at the Eastern end, and terminate at the Western, thus linking
together the Glorified Manhood, as exhibited in the last of the
pictorial representations, with the Creation of Man in the first.]
* * * * *
"Non nobis, Domini, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam."
12.
THE LORD IN GLORY.
'I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright
and morning star.'
11.
THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS AND OF THE MAGI.
'Unto us a child is born: Gentiles shall come to thy light,
and Kings to the brightness of thy rising.'
| 10. |
ST. MATTHEW. | THE NATIVITY. | ST. LUKE.
| 'The Word was made flesh, |
ST. MARK. | and dwelt among us: full of | ST. JOHN.
| grace and truth.' |
| |
| |
MALACHI. | 9. | ZEPHANIAH.
'The Sun of | THE ANNUNCIATION. | 'The Lord their God
Righteousness shall | 'A Virgin shall conceive and | shall visit them.'
arise.' | bear a Son, and shall call |
| his name Immanuel.' |
| |
ZECHARIAH. | | NAHUM.
'I will bring forth my | 8. | 'Him that bringeth
servant the Branch.' | DAVID. | glad tidings.'
| 'Of the fruit of thy body |
JEREMIAH. | shall I set upon thy | EZEKIEL.
'Unto David a | throne.' | 'My servant David
righteous Branch.' | | shall be a Prince.'
| 7. |
| JESSE. |
DANIEL. | 'There shall come forth a | HAGGAI.
'He shall confirm the | rod out of Jesse, and a | 'The desire of all
covenant.' | branch shall grow out of | nations shall come.'
| roots.' |
| |
| 6. |
MICAH. | THE MARRIAGE OF RUTH. | ISAIAH.
'Out of thee, | 'The Lord make the woman | 'There shall come a
Bethlehem, shall He | like Rachel and Leah. Be | rod out of the stem
come forth.' | thou famous in Bethlehem.' | of Jesse.'
| |
| 5. |
AMOS. | JACOB'S DREAM. | HOSEA.
'I will raise up the | 'In thee and in thy seed | 'O Grave I will be
tabernacle of David.' | shall all the families of | thy destruction.'
| the earth be blessed.' |
| |
| 4. |
JONAH. | ISAAC CARRYING THE WOOD. | JOEL.
'Thou hast brought up | 'Behold the fire and the | 'I will pour out my
my life from | wood, but where is the burnt | spirit upon all
corruption.' | offering? | flesh.'
| |
| 3. |
MOSES. | NOAH'S SACRIFICE. | NATHAN.
'The Lord shall raise | 'I do set my bow in the | 'I will stablish
up a prophet like unto | cloud, to be a token of | the throne of His
me.' | covenant between me and the | kingdom.'
| earth.' |
| |
| 2. |
JOB. | THE FALL OF MAN. | BALAAM.
'I know that my | 'Her seed shall bruise thy | 'There shall come a
Redeemer liveth.' | head, and thou shalt bruise | star out of Jacob.'
| his heel.' |
| |
| 1. |
ABRAHAM. | THE CREATION OF MAN. | JACOB.
'My son, God will | 'Which was the son of God.' | 'The sceptre shall
provide himself a | | not depart until
lamb.' | | Shiloh come.'
"Sit splendor Domini Dei nostri super nos, et opera manuum
nostrarum dirige super nos," &c.
* * * * *
Traces of early fresco work may be seen on some of the arches of the
Nave, on both sides, and in all probability other parts were also
decorated.
Before proceeding further eastward we will examine the
+Nave Aisles,+
commencing with that on the south, at the western end. We first
observe a range of small semicircular arches running under the
windows, with a chevron moulding over some of them; in the first bay
from the west there is a row of intersecting arches over them. The
vaulting is supported by semi-columns placed at the back of the
pillars on one side, and on the other by wall-shafts between the
windows, and forms a great contrast to the rich vaulting of the
eastern portions of the Cathedral. Several traces of early fresco work
may be observed in the vault of the tenth bay from the west, and in
other places.
Under the fourth window is a doorway, which is, on the exterior,
richly ornamented, filling all available space, the whole of the
imposts, arch mouldings and capitals being thickly sculptured with
interlaced carving. In the tympanum is a figure of the Saviour in an
aureole (or 'glory' of a pointed oval shape), held up by two angels
sitting, holding an open book surmounted by a cross in His left hand,
His right being elevated in the act of benediction. The mouldings
above, as well as the capitals, jambs, and pilasters, are enriched
with running foliage, and with a series of medallions containing
birds, animals, flowers, &c., some of which are very curious. This was
formerly the Prior's entrance from the cloisters; it now opens into a
private garden belonging to the Deanery.[32]
[Footnote 32: A new door, with scrollwork in iron, has been put in at
the cost of the Bedfordshire Archæological Society.]
Near this doorway stands a curious relic, deserving attention. It is
the lower portion of a stone cross with a square pedestal, found some
years ago at Haddenham, in the Isle of Ely, where it was used as a
horse-block; the inscription on the pedestal is in Roman capitals,
except the E, which is Saxon:
"LUCEM-TUAM-OVINO-DA-DEUS-ET-REQUI[=E].-AMEN."
A translation of it is thus given by Mr. Bentham: "Grant, O God, to
Ovin, thy light and rest. Amen." On reference to the history of St.
Etheldreda, foundress of the monastery at Ely,[33] to which allusion
was made in the introduction to this work, it will be seen that her
steward bore the name of Ovin, and it is not improbable that the cross
was erected either to his honour during his life, or to his memory
soon after his death; probably in the early part of the eighth
century: this would make it earlier by nearly four hundred years than
anything else in the church. The Bissexcentenary, or twelve-hundredth
anniversary of the foundation of the monastery at Ely by St.
Etheldreda was commemorated by a grand Festival in October, 1873.
[Footnote 33: Bentham's History, i. 45, &c.]
The doorway at the east end of the aisle, under the last window,
formerly the entrance for the monks from the cloisters, now the south
entrance to the Cathedral, is also worthy of special observation; the
head is trefoiled, and ornamented with figures holding pastoral
staves; above, two dragons are represented with their necks entwined;
the mouldings are rich and various, and the capitals and jambs are
sculptured with grotesque ornaments. By some persons it has been
thought that these doorways were insertions, as they do not accord
with the lines of the adjoining wall, perhaps brought from some other
building, and re-erected here when the cloisters were built.
On the second pillar from the east end of the Nave in both aisles, may
be observed a niche with a canopy, indicating the position of the
rood-screen at the western extremity of the original Choir, which
extended eastward across and beyond the space now covered by the
Octagon.
The windows of the aisles, as also those of the triforium, were
originally Norman, but were altered at some subsequent period to a
later style; those, however, of this aisle have, with one exception,
been restored to their original form, and all are filled with stained
glass. We will endeavour to describe them in their order, beginning at
the western end of the aisle.
_1st._ The days of Creation; Adam expelled from Eden; the
punishment of Mankind; the Offerings of Cain and
Abel--executed by Messrs. Henri and Alfred Gerente, of
Paris; the contributions of Visitors to the Cathedral.
_2nd._ The Building of the ark; the entry into the ark; the
Flood; and Noah's Sacrifice--by M. Alfred Gerente: the gift
of Mrs. Pleasance Clough, as a memorial of her aunt,
Susannah, wife of John Waddington, Esq.
_3rd._ The Annunciation; the Salutation of Mary and
Elizabeth; the Birth of Christ--by Mr. Warrington: his own
gift.
_4th._ The Tower of Babel and the Confusion of tongues--by
Mr. Howes: the contribution of various tradesmen connected
with the Cathedral.
_5th._ Abraham visited by angels; the expulsion of Hagar;
and the Blessing of Jacob--by Mr. Gibbs, his own gift.
_6th._ The institution of the Passover; the Death of the
firstborn; and the Exodus of the Israelites--by Mr. Howes,
his own gift.
_7th._ The fall of the walls of Jericho; the passage of the
Jordan; and the return of the spies--by Mr. Wailes:
presented by the Rev. G. Millers, as a memorial of his wife.
_8th._ Samson slaying the lion; Samson carrying away the
gates of Gaza; and Samson destroying the
Philistines--executed and presented by M. Alfred Gerente.
_9th._ The history of the Venerable Bede--by Mr. Wailes: his
own gift.
_10th._ David anointed; David playing before Saul; David
chosen king; and David reproved by Nathan--by Mr. Hardman:
presented by the ladies of the (then) Dean and Canons.
_11th._ The Judgment of Solomon; the Building of the
Temple; the Dedication of the Temple; and the Queen of
Sheba's visit--designed and executed by the Rev. A. Moore,
of Walpole St. Peter, Norfolk, at the cost of the Chapter.
We now turn our attention to the north aisle, and observe a range of
arches similar to those in the south aisle, but with the line of
chevron moulding in the eastern bay only; an intermission under one of
the windows marks the place where probably was a doorway for
communication with the church of St. Cross, but closed above two
hundred years ago, when the Lady Chapel was given for the use of the
parish of the Holy Trinity in lieu of that church which had become
ruinous.
The windows in this aisle retain their altered form; and all have been
recently filled with stained glass; in describing them we will
commence at the western end, as the subjects are arranged
chronologically.
_1st._ From the history of our first parents--Adam tilling
the ground; Cain ploughing the earth, and Abel attending
sheep; Adam and Eve discovering the body of Abel--by Mr.
Cottingham: presented by Mr. Bacon, Clerk of the Works to
the Dean and Chapter, as a memorial of his father.
_2nd._ From the history of Lot--Angels visit Lot; Lot
entertaining angels; the multitude struck with blindness;
Sodom destroyed; Lot's departure; Lot entering Zoar--by Mr.
Preedy; as a memorial of the Rev. John Maddy, D.D., Canon of
the Cathedral.
_3rd._ From the History of Abraham--the Death of Sarah:
Abraham purchasing the cave of Machpelah; and the Burial of
Abraham--by Mr. Preedy: designed as a memorial of Mr.
Freeman; given by his family.
_4th._ From the Book of Judges--Gideon and the Angel;
Gideon's present consumed; the Midianites put to flight--by
Mr. Ward: subscribed for by some of Her Majesty's Judges who
were educated at the University of Cambridge.
_5th._ From the history of Samuel--Hannah praying; Samuel
presented to Eli; Eli blesses Elkanah and Hannah; Samuel
praying; Samuel called; Samuel telling his vision to Eli--by
Messrs. Ward and Nixon: as a memorial of H.R. Evans, sen.,
Esq., for many years Chapter Clerk; given by his family.
_6th._ David and the Minstrels; executed by Mr. Oliphant,
from designs by W.R. Dyce, Esq., R.A.: the gift of Mr.
Thomas Ingram, Professor of Music, formerly a Chorister and
Pupil in the Cathedral.
_7th._ From the history of Elijah--Elijah feeds the prophets
in a cave; Elijah praying for rain; Elijah visited by
angels--by Mr. Wailes: presented by Colonel Allix, as a
memorial of Dr. Peter Allix, a former Dean of Ely.
_8th._ From the history of Elijah--Elijah fed by ravens;
Translation of Elijah; Elijah's burnt offering--by Mr.
Wailes: presented by J.J. Rawlinson, Esq., as a memorial of
the Rev. G. Millers, Minor Canon, and author of a
"Description of Ely Cathedral."
_9th._ From the history of Elisha--Elisha healing the
Shunamite's son--by Mr. Wailes: presented by the Rev. S.
Smith and others, connections and legatees of the Rev. J.
Griffith, B.D., many years Minor Canon of the Cathedral.
_10th._ Events from the history of Hesekiah--by Mr. Wailes;
presented as a memorial of Thomas Archer, Esq., of Ely, by
his family.
_11th._ From the history of Jonah--the People of Ninevah
mourning; Jonah preaching; Repentance of the Ninevites--by
Mr. Edgland; presented by C. Steggall, Esq., Mus. Doc.,
designed as a memorial of his wife.
_12th._ From the history of Daniel--Daniel interpreting
Nebuchadnezzar's dream; Daniel before king Darius; Daniel in
the lion's den--by M. Lusson, of Paris: designed to
commemorate the establishment of a Savings Bank in Ely, in
1839, being the contribution of certain subscribers,
assisted by a special contribution from Canon J.H. Sparke.
A tablet on the wall, near the eastern window of this aisle, bears the
following inscription:--
"1676,
_Roger Clopton,
Rector of Downham,
Gave two hundred pounds,
By which The greatest Part
of the Nave of This
Church Was
paved._"
The Nave and aisles do not now require a gift of this kind, having
been recently paved at considerable expense, but the floor of the
Octagon, South Transept, and Choir aisles will require a large sum to
complete them, and if some kind friends will follow the example of
Roger Clopton it will indeed be a timely benefaction, and now very
much to be desired as an important step towards the completion of the
work of restoration.
Before examining the Octagon we will make some observations on
+The Great Transept.+
This includes both arms, although for distinction it is frequently
spoken of as the north and south Transept. This is the oldest portion
of the Cathedral, having been begun by Abbot Simeon A.D. 1083, of
whose work, however, but little more than the ground story remains.
Before the fall of the Norman Tower in 1322, each arm was longer by
one bay, which is now included in the plan of the Octagon, in the same
manner as the Nave. Both arms have aisles, but those of the south, and
one in the north, are enclosed for various purposes. In each arm there
is a simple cylindrical shaft, of which no other specimen occurs in
any other part of the church. The capitals of the columns and the
arches above the lower tier are similar to those of the Nave. The roof
in both is of bare rafters with rich cornices, painted with flowers
and devices, and angels with wings expanded under the principals;
both arms have recently undergone a thorough repair, the rafters and
cornices have been re-painted and gilded in their original style,
which, with the stained glass lately inserted in the windows, produces
an amount of colour the effect of which is very striking.
We will first refer for details to the north arm; of which the western
aisle is open, and is lighted by three Norman windows, all of which
have been recently filled with stained glass:
The south window--executed by M. Lusson, of Paris; the
subjects taken from the Parables; as a memorial of the Rev.
A. Moore, of Walpole, who designed and executed three
windows in the Cathedral.
The middle window, by the same artist; subject, the Good
Samaritan: given by John Muriel, Esq.
The northern window was executed by the Rev. A. Moore; the
subject taken from the parable of the Prodigal Son.
At the north end of the Transept is a small colonnade, the arches of
which are irregular, those opposite the lower windows being higher
than the others to allow free passage to the light. At the north-east
corner is a doorway communicating with a staircase leading to the
upper parts of the church. In the year 1699 the fall of a portion of
the north-west corner took place, but it was so well rebuilt as not to
be discernable in the interior. The windows in the triforium on the
east side are original; those of the triforium on the west side, and
the upper ones at the north end, are Perpendicular insertions; the
rest are all in their original form, or have been restored to it;
those in the north end have been filled with stained glass:
The two lower, and the western window of the second tier, by
Mr. Wailes, at the cost of the late Canon E.B. Sparke.
The eastern window of the second tier, by the Rev. A. Moore.
The subjects of these four windows are incidents in the
history of St. Paul.