viz., palaces at Somersham and Downham; Wisbech Castle, and the
Manor-houses at Doddington, Fen Ditton, and other places in
Cambridgeshire; and Hatfield, and Hadham, in Hertfordshire; there were
ten manor-houses and places of residence belonging to the Bishop of
Ely at the time of Bishop Barnet. The London residence of the bishops
of Ely was formerly in Ely Place, Holborn, which was occupied
successively by forty-one bishops, extending over a period of nearly
five hundred years; it is now in Dover Street, Piccadilly, in a house
built by Bishop Keene, on the site of Albemarle House and other
messuages, which were purchased for the see in 1772.
The "Green" in front of the palace was formerly a piece of waste
ground; a few years ago it was laid out and planted with shrubs, and
fenced off with a neat iron railing, at the expense of Bishop Turton,
reserving to the public the right of free admission from eight a.m.,
until an hour after sunset; this improvement has, we regret to say,
through an unfortunate misunderstanding, been done away, and it now
presents an appearance of desolation and neglect much to be
deprecated. We hope something may be done in order to remedy this sad
state, and render it more worthy of its position in front of one of
the noblest Cathedrals in England, and of the residence of the chief
pastor of a large and important diocese.
The house standing in a garden with iron gates, nearly opposite the
bay window in the palace stands upon the site of the residence of the
chaplains of an ancient chantry founded by Bishop Northwold, called
"The Chantry on the Green."
[Illustration]
+St. Mary's Church.+
This church will be found a short distance to the westward of the
Palace, standing in a large grave-yard with a row of lime trees in
front. It is a neat building having a Nave with aisles, a Chancel and
a Tower surmounted by a spire at the west end. The Church is a mixture
of the Transitional and Early English styles, but the Tower and Spire
are in the Decorated style. It was built by Bishop Eustachius in the
early part of the thirteenth century on the site of a former church.
"It contains," says Mr. Millers, "some curious architectural remains,
particularly the north and south[55] door arches, which are pointed
and decorated with different sorts of Norman mouldings; but the
columns have slender detached shafts, united under one capital
wreathed with foliage, as in the Early English style. Of this mixture
there is no other specimen at Ely, and I have not met with an account
of such an one in any other place." "In the Tower of the Cathedral we
have the Norman style with pointed arches; in the Galilee, built a
very few years after, we have the Early English style; but each of
these is perfectly and characteristically distinct: in the interval,
between the erection of one and the other, the public taste had
undergone a change. It seems as if the work before us had been erected
in that interval, and that the architect was disposed to adopt the new
style without quitting the old one."[56] The Galilee of the Cathedral
was erected about 1215, and it is not improbable that this church was
erected shortly before, and as it is stated during the episcopate of
the same bishop.
[Footnote 55: This door was blocked up when the Church was repaired in
1829.]
[Footnote 56: Millers' Description of Ely Cathedral, p. 148, 149.]
The columns of the Nave are simple and cylindrical, the capitals are
Norman, and nearly similar to some of those in what has been called
"The Infirmary," but the high pointed arches which they support are of
a shape usual in the age in which this church was built, and some of
the mouldings are Early English. The windows in the aisles and
clerestory are Perpendicular, probably inserted at a later period,
when the church was repaired. The Chancel is Early English, with an
inserted Perpendicular east window; there is a double sedile under
one trefoil arch, and a double piscina in the south wall.
A chapel on the south side is also Early English; it has a triple
lancet east window, and a west window of two lights with a quatrefoil
in the head; there is here also a double piscina in the south wall. A
portion of this chapel was partitioned off for use as a vestry, but is
now thrown open to the church.
The church was repaired and pewed, and a gallery erected on the south
side in 1829-30, but this gallery, with another at the west end
erected many years before, have lately been removed, the tower arch
opened, and the nave restored, the floor raised, and the passages and
other portions laid with Staffordshire tiles; the nearly flat
plastered ceiling is divided into compartments by moulded ribs of
wood, and the panels painted in distemper, among the patterns of which
may be seen the sacred monogram, the arms of the see and of the Dean
and Chapter. The pews erected in 1829 have been removed and replaced
by open seats of oak, free to all, and a new oaken pulpit resting on a
pillar of stone, the gift of the Bishop, placed against the chancel
arch on the south side. A new font, the gift of one friend, and an
elegant brass lectern the gift of another, have assisted in the
general improvement. A fine-toned organ, built by Bishop and Sons,
removed from Trinity Church, Paddington, has been erected at the east
end of the north aisle, on a site formerly occupied by a large faculty
pew belonging to "Chantry House," alluded to in p. 112.
The chancel has been partially rebuilt and thoroughly restored, and
fitted with appropriate seats in oak, at the cost of the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
The church is warmed by hot water, and lighted by gas. A fine peal of
eight bells hang in the Tower. There are no ancient monuments, but a
few modern tablets on the walls record the deaths of some former
residents of the parish; and a new and elegant memorial brass has been
put up in the chancel to the Rev. Solomon Smith, M.A., Minor Canon of
the Cathedral, and for forty years incumbent of the parish.
The restoration of the church, the purchase of the organ, the
fittings, &c., has been effected by subscriptions at a cost of nearly
£2500, but a further sum is still required to repair and restore the
tower and spire, improve the church-yard, &c.
The living is a vicarage, in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter;
the present incumbent is the Rev. John Franey, M.A. Minor Canon of the
Cathedral.
+The Grange.+
The premises adjoining the church-yard on the west stand on part of
the ground formerly occupied by "The Grange" of the monastery, and the
house is stated to have been at one time the residence of the
Protector, Cromwell. The "Sextry Barn," one of the largest in the
county, perhaps in the kingdom, stood here, and is stated to have been
291 ft. 6 in. long, and 39 ft. 5 in. wide, inside; it was built about
the middle of the thirteenth century, and taken down in 1842, and the
space once occupied by the monastic "farm-yard" is now covered by
modern buildings, part of which at least, are used for as good
purposes; on one part excellent and commodious National Schools for
both boys and girls have been erected, and on another a series of
substantial and comfortable Almshouses for aged men and women,
inhabitants of Ely.
+St. John's Hospital.+
The site of this hospital is a few hundred yards further west; the
remains of it are very scanty, but sufficient to show that the
buildings were of an early age, although not enough to enable us to
give an opinion as to their form or extent; what is left has been
converted into use as farm buildings, one portion near the dwelling
house, and another a short distance from it. There were formerly two
hospitals in Ely, this dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and another
to St. Mary Magdelene, the site of which is now unknown. According to
Mr. Bentham, the revenues of the two were united, and the communities
associated by Bishop Northwold about A.D. 1240, by whose ordinance the
united hospital was to consist of thirteen chaplains and brethren, who
were to have a common refectory and dormitory, and to wear an uniform
habit, and be under the immediate government of the Sacrist of Ely. It
seems that this was not, like other hospitals of the kind, dissolved
by Henry VIII., for it was held under the mastership of Edward Leedes,
the second prebendary of the eighth stall, who was also chancellor of
the diocese under Bishop Goodrich, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth; he
was at the same time chaplain to Archbishop Parker, and Master of
Clare Hall, Cambridge; he afterwards obtained from the queen a grant
of the hospital, and with the consent of Bishop Cox, he surrendered
the whole site and possession to his college; his grant to the college
was confirmed by the Dean and Chapter in 1562, and the property is now
in the hands of the Master, Fellows, and Scholars of Clare College,
Cambridge.
APPENDIX I.
THE CATHEDRAL ORGAN.
The following brief account of this fine instrument, furnished by the
Rev. the Precentor, may be interesting to many:--
At a very early period the Cathedral or Conventual Church contained an
organ or organs: this clearly appears from records preserved among the
muniments of the Chapter; and at the dissolution of the Abbey we read
that there were "two pair of organs in the Quire, and one pair in the
Lady Chapel." It is highly probable, from indications in the
stone-work, that one, at least, of these Pre-Reformation organs was
placed in the triforium of the present nave, on the north side. It is
well known that the Quire at that period extended westward across the
Octagon: the organ therefore was situated near the gates, and above
the stalls of the ancient Quire, nearly as it is now in the modern
Quire. The Great Rebellion swept away organs from Ely, as from all
other English Cathedrals; and during this dreary period the Choral
Service was suppressed and prohibited. After the Restoration, viz.,
about the year 1685, a new organ was erected by the celebrated Harris;
and it is remarkable that this organ remained in daily use up to the
year 1831, without material alteration, not even a swell having been
added to the original great and choir. It is worthy of mention, that
during the extensive repairs of the Cathedral, conducted by the able
architect, Essex, about the middle of the last century, a proposition
to place the organ at the eastern end of the Quire was seriously urged
by him on the consideration of the Dean and Chapter. He alleged that
the instrument would "conceal much cold unornamented wall!" The
condition of Harris' organ had become dangerously crazy when Messrs.
Elliot and Hill were employed to rebuild it, or rather to insert a new
instrument in the old case. This they did with great ability and
success, and the organ which comprised ten stops in the great, five in
each of choir and swell, and one set of pedal pipes, was a fine
specimen of the art as it was understood and practised about forty
years ago. When the restorations were commenced which have resulted in
the present splendid embellishment of the Cathedral, the organ-screen
was removed; and in 1851 the organ was re-modelled and altered to the
CC compass, enclosed in its costly and exquisite case of carved oak,
and _suspended_ from the triforium of the Choir, above the stalls on
the north, or (at Ely) Decani side. Provision was made for an adequate
pedal organ, lodged in the triforium gallery, where an admirable site
was also secured for the swell-box: the choir organ is _beneath_ the
great, and behind it, in a picturesque stone tribune or loft, the
organist was seated at the manuals. Three stops, viz. a manual Double
of wood and metal, 16 feet tone; a metal Quint of 6 feet; and a
Posaune of 8 feet; were added to the great organ, which then possessed
a tone of great power and beauty.
By the liberality of the Chapter, the completion and great enlargement
of the organ was effected in the year 1867. Messrs. Hill have
introduced a new swell of 13 stops throughout, with a pedal organ of
adequate dimensions. To this pedal organ the principal inhabitants of
the city of Ely contributed the important addition of a Sub-base of 32
feet tone, at a cost of upwards of £80. The whole instrument has 40
sounding stops, and it will be seen from an inspection of the list
that every stop, even to the clarionet, is complete and entire,
extending through the full compass of its manual. The tone of the full
organ, with swell coupled, is very grand. The reeds, like all the
stops of this class manufactured by Messrs. Hill, are positively
models of smoothness, equality, and power. The two 8 feet reeds of the
great, and the 16 feet reed, with the Horn, of the swell, are
specimens of which the builders may well be somewhat proud. All the
compound stops are very brilliant. Equal temperament has been applied
to the tuning.
GREAT ORGAN--CC to F in Alt.
Ft. Pipes.
1. Double Diapason, open
metal to GG, 12 feet
stopt wood below 16 54
2. Open Diapason, metal 8 54
3. Open Diapason, metal 8 54
4. Stopt Diapason, wood 8 54
5. Principal, metal 4 54
6. Harmonic Flute, metal
(vice Quint) 4 54
7. Twelfth, metal 2-2/3 54
8. Fifteenth, metal 2 54
9. Sesquialtera, iii ranks, metal -- 162
10. Mixture, iii ranks, metal -- 162
11. Posaune, metal 8 54
12. Trumpet, metal 8 54
13. Clarion, metal 4 54
---
918
SWELL ORGAN--CC to F in Alt.
Ft. Pipes.
1. Double Diapason, open
metal to Gamut G, 6
feet, stopt wood below. 16 54
2. Open Diapason, metal 8 54
3. Salcional, metal 8 54
4. Stopt Diapason, wood 8 54
5. Principal, metal 4 54
6. Lieblich Flute, metal 4 54
7. Fifteenth, metal 2 54
8. Mixture, iv ranks 2 216
9. Double Trumpet, metal and wood 16 54
10. Horn, metal 8 54
11. Trumpet, metal 8 54
12. Oboe, metal 8 54
13. Clarion, metal 4 54
---
864
CHOIR ORGAN--CC to F in Alt.
Ft. Pipes.
1. Open Diapason, metal to
6 feet, open wood below 8 54
2. Dulciana, metal 8 54
3. Stopt Diapason, wood 8 54
4. Principal, metal 4 54
5. Flute, wood 4 54
6. Gamba, metal 4 54
7. Clarionet, metal 8 54
---
378
PEDAL ORGAN--CCC to E.
1. Sub-bass, wood 32 tone 29
2. Open wood 16 29
3. Open metal 16 29
4. Bourdon, wood 16 tone 29
5. Octave, metal 8 29
6. Mixture, iii ranks, metal 4 87
7. Trombone, wood 16 29
---
261
COUPLERS.
1. Swell to Great.
2. Great to Pedal.
3. Ditto by the foot.
4. Choir to Pedal.
5. Swell to Pedal.
Six composition pedals, three to the Great, acting simultaneously on
Pedal: three to Swell. Total number of Pipes, 2421.
APPENDIX II.
STATEMENT OF RESTORATIONS ACCOMPLISHED AND REQUIRED, AND OF SUMS
EXPENDED THEREON.
_The following extract from a Memorandum issued by the Dean
in October, 1873, is appended, by permission, to show the
progress of works done, and the amount expended; as well as
of works required to complete the restorations._
The following Memorandum of Works accomplished or required, was issued
by Dean Goodwin, January, 1866:--
"The time seems to be now come, when the completion of the great work
of restoration, commenced under Dean Peacock and guided for many years
by his care and judgment, may be looked upon as being within reach.
The works which have been hitherto accomplished may be enumerated as
follows:--
1. The Choir restored and re-arranged.
2. Central Lantern restored (Peacock Memorial).
3. South-east Transept restored.
4. South-west Transept restored.
5. Roof of North Transept restored and painted. (The
painting at the expense of tradesmen employed upon the
Cathedral.)
6. The Nave ceiled and painted. (The painting by the late
Mr. le Strange and Mr. Gambier Parry.)
7. Nave roof repaired and re-leaded.
8. St. Catherine's Chapel rebuilt.
9. Bishop Alcock's Chapel restored.
10. Galilee Porch re-paved.
11. The Western Tower opened, ceiled, (the ceiling painted
by Mr. le Strange), re-roofed, strengthened, &c., (part of
the expense borne by the late H.R. Evans, Esq., and his son,
the present H.R. Evans, Esq.)
12. About seventy windows filled with painted glass.
The expense of the restoration of the Cathedral cannot be given with
perfect accuracy, but the account which is here subjoined will be near
enough for all practical purposes.
GENERAL RESTORATION.
£ _s._ _d._
Contributed by the public to the "Ely Cathedral
Restoration Fund" 9578 0 0
Expended by the Dean and Chapter (about) 11,000 0 0
PEACOCK MEMORIAL.
Contributed by the friends of Dean Peacock to the
restoration of the Lantern 2407 0 0
Expended by the Dean and Chapter (about) 4200 0 0
It would thus appear that since the commencement of the great works in
1845 to the present time, the sum of £27,185 has been expended, of
which £15,200 has been furnished by the Dean and Chapter. It ought to
be added that the sum contributed by the public includes a donation of
£500 by the Bishop of the Diocese, and about £1000 contributed by
members of the Chapter in their individual capacity.
It must be observed, however, that the sum just mentioned by no means
represents all that has been done for the Cathedral. The following
works and gifts are not included:--
1. The painted windows, which have been supplied partly by
individual donors, partly by a bequest of Bishop Sparke.
Amongst the donors are Her Majesty the Queen and the Prince
Consort. To the bequest of Bishop Sparke the Cathedral is
indebted for the East windows, and those in the clerestory
of the Choir, and the fund is not yet exhausted.
2. The carved panels above the Stalls in the Choir, now
amounting to 37, and supplied almost entirely by individual
donors, at a cost of about £18 each.
3. Bishop Alcock's Chapel, restored by Jesus College,
Cambridge.
4. A pinnacle at the south-east corner of the Choir, built
by A.J.B. Beresford Hope, Esq.
5. The magnificent Reredos, presented by J. Dunn-Gardner,
Esq.
6. The contribution of Canon E.B. Sparke towards the
restoration of the south-west Transept, and that by the two
Messrs. Evans to the works in the western Tower.
7. The Font, presented by Canon Selwyn.
8. The Gates of the Choir Aisles, presented by Alan Lowndes,
Esq. and Dean Peacock.
9. The Brass Eagle Lectern, presented by Canon E.B. Sparke.
10. The Tombs of Bishop Allen and Dr. Mill.
11. A legacy of £100 by the late Mr. Millers, Minor Canon of
the Cathedral, and a contribution of £300 by his residuary
legatees, applied to the ceiling of the Nave.
Neither does the sum mentioned as having been contributed by the
public include a legacy of £500 from the late Miss Allen, daughter of
Bishop Allen, (which has been appropriated to a new pulpit, now in
progress from the designs of G.G. Scott, Esq.,) and a legacy of equal
amount, from Bishop Turton, for the purpose of re-paving the Nave.
It may be safely stated that the expense of the works and the gifts
above specified has not been less than £13,000; the windows alone have
cost nearly £9000. The entire sum already expended upon the Cathedral
will thus be found to exceed £40,000.
In order to bring the Cathedral into such a condition as would appear
satisfactory to those who have taken part in its restoration, the
following works require to be done:--
1. The Nave, Octagon, and Transepts must be paved. Towards
this work Bishop Turton gave by his will (as before stated)
the sum of £500. The whole expense will probably be not less
than £2500.
2. The stone-work of the Octagon must be completed by the
restoration of the pinnacles and parapet. The external
effect of Alan de Walsingham's Lantern cannot be rightly
estimated until this restoration has been made; the cost
will be about £2500.
3. The Lantern must be internally decorated. This work,
though highly necessary for completing the effect of the
interior, will probably cost not more than £500.
4. The Galilee porch requires extensive repair, partly from
the decay of the Purbeck marble which is largely used in its
construction, and partly from the unskilful treatment to
which it has been submitted in former times. A grand
commencement of this work has been made by Mrs. John Thomas
Waddington, of Twyford Lodge, Winchester, at whose sole
expense the portal which forms the eastern side of the
Galilee is undergoing complete restoration, as a memorial of
her late husband. The restoration of the remainder of the
Galilee would probably cost £2000.
5. The warming of the Cathedral is another work, for which
it would be impossible to set down less than £500; probably
it would cost much more; but this is a work which, if
considered desirable, may fairly be left to the Dean and
Chapter.
6. The proper lighting of the Cathedral is a matter for
consideration; this also might be regarded as a work
devolving upon the capitular body: but when the extremely
artistic character of the standards or coronæ, which such a
building requires, is taken into account, perhaps it may be
fairly added to the list of works in which the friends of
the Cathedral may be asked to co-operate.
From this statement then it would appear that an expenditure of from
£7000 to £8000 would complete the principal necessary works of the
Cathedral, with the exception of the rebuilding of the north-west
Transept, which it will probably be deemed desirable to omit from
consideration, at all events until all the other works specified have
been finished.
Call the sum necessary £7000; this is not much to raise for so good a
purpose; and when it is considered what the effect of the expenditure
of such a sum will be, it seems difficult to believe that the money
will not be forthcoming.
The Dean and Chapter have not shown themselves hitherto insensible to
the primary claim which the Cathedral has upon them, nor are they
likely to do so in the completion of the great work which they have
now had in hand so long. But the Cathedral has claims upon others
beside the Capitular body. It has claims, which it is believed will be
once more acknowledged by the wealthy landowners of the Diocese, by
the Colleges of Cambridge, several of which are intimately connected
with Ely, and finally by lovers of architectural beauty and
ecclesiastical propriety throughout the country.
To all persons, therefore, who take an interest in Ely Cathedral on
Diocesan or any other grounds, an appeal is now made, and they are
respectfully urged to make one final effort for the purpose of
completing a work which has been so well begun, and hitherto so
prosperously carried out.
H. GOODWIN."
"_The Deanery, Ely, January, 1866._"
Since the issue of the foregoing memorandum further progress has been
made in the Restoration of the Cathedral.
1. The Nave and Aisles have been re-paved.
2. The great Western doors have been repaired and
decorated.
3. The Cathedral has been warmed and lighted.
4. Many stained windows have been inserted in the Choir.
5. The fourth large window in the Octagon has been filled
with painted glass.
6. The foundation of the south side of the Choir and the
south-eastern Transept have been underpinned and thoroughly
repaired.
7. The great Western Tower has been braced with iron bands,
and, it is believed, effectually secured.
8. The stone pulpit in the Octagon has been erected.
9. Many figures in wood have been placed on the Choir
screen, the decoration of which is now completed.
10. Nine stone figures have been placed in the ancient
niches in the Octagon; three more are needed to complete the
design.
11. The whole of the carved panels over the stalls in the
Choir have been completed.
* * * * *
Several works still remain to be effected before the restoration can
be considered as complete.
1. The paving of the Octagon and Transepts. The cost of the
paving of the Nave has much exceeded the sum anticipated.
The completion of this work will cost from £1000 to £2000
additional.
2. The re-paving of the aisles of the Choir, a work of no
pressing importance at present, but which will demand great
care and consideration whenever it is undertaken.
3. The decoration of the blank space of wall beneath the
great East Window, on which there remain some traces of
painted figures. If these are found too faint and uncertain
for restoration, the space might perhaps be covered with a
copy of some appropriate painting in mosaic.
4. The restoration of the exterior of the east end of the
Choir. Window shafts to the number of about fifty have
disappeared or are broken. The south-east angle turret has
been crowned with a pinnacle, but the corresponding turret
at the north-east still remains truncated. In the eastern
face of the Choir there are twelve niches, which probably
were once all filled with figures.