church of the monastery of Augustinian canons, founded in 1142 by
Robert Fitzhardinge, afterwards Lord of Berkeley, on the site of
Augustine's oak (so tradition says), where Augustine met the British
bishops in conference and offended them by his haughty demeanour. The
consecration of probably the chancel took place six years later. In
1155 Fitzhardinge received from the king the forfeited estates of
Roger de Berkeley, and was thus enabled to extend his building
operations, which were continued until the time of his death in 1170.
The church consisted of a nave with north and south aisles, a central
tower with north and south transepts, a presbytery with north and
south aisles, and a processional path. The choir had a square ending,
and consisted of three bays, the altar being at the east of the second
bay, the last bay forming a _via processionum_. The chapter-house and
vestibule are also Norman. The Early English builders erected the
Elder Lady Chapel, Bristol Cathedral being rich in Lady Chapels, and
possessing two. Abbot John (1196-1215) or his successor, David, was
doubtless the builder. Later Early English work is evident in portions
of the north and south transepts and in the Berkeley Chapel, but much
of the work of this period has been destroyed. Serious complaints
were made at this time concerning the conduct of the monks, and sundry
visitations were made and orders issued for the reform of the
monastery. During the Early Decorated period the roof and east window
of the Elder Lady Chapel were added, and a little later (1306-1332)
Abbot Knowle reconstructed the choir and choir aisles. With his work
came the beginning of Perpendicular aspiration, and it is an earnest
of the course of the later English Gothic which first manifested
itself in the choir of Gloucester. Bristol nearly had the lucrative
honour of receiving the body of the murdered King Edward II., slain at
Berkeley Castle. But for fear of offending his patrons Abbot Knowle
declined to have the burial here; hence the corpse was taken to
Gloucester, where it caused a great concourse of pilgrims, and brought
many offerings. Knowle's successor, Abbot Snow (1332-1341), was made a
mitred abbot, and had a seat in Parliament. He continued the work of
his predecessor, erected a chantry, and built the Newton Chapel. Soon
after his death terrible misfortunes happened to the city and
monastery. The Black Death invaded the land, and so great were its
ravages that in Bristol the living were hardly able to bury the dead,
and few monks survived the awful malady. The effects were disastrous.
For over a hundred years no building was attempted, and the monastery
was in a deplorable condition. In the time of Abbot Newbury
(1428-1473) the great tower was begun, and finished by his successor,
Hunt (1473-1481), who re-roofed the church. Abbot Newland (1481-1515)
rebuilt the upper part of the abbey gateway in Perpendicular style,
and began to rebuild the ruinous nave. As the power of the town
increased the citizens often had disputes with the monks over rights
of fairs and markets and other matters, and the burghers of Bristol
were not more submissive than those of other places. Hence the usual
quarrels arose and disturbed the peace of the city. Some of the
succeeding abbots wrought some minor improvements, but in 1543 a most
drastic remedy was applied to the ruinous nave. It was entirely pulled
down, and not rebuilt until recent times. The monastery was dissolved
like other similar institutions, and Paul Bush became the first bishop
of the new see founded by Henry VIII. For a brief space during Mary's
reign the old worship was restored, and Her Majesty and Philip
bestowed costly gifts of copes and altar frontals and vestments. But
in Elizabeth's reign all "relics of Popery" were ordered to be
destroyed, such as the rood-lofts, tabernacles for images, and
scripture texts and the table of the commandments to be painted in
large characters on the wall. Beyond purloining the lead from the roof
neither the besiegers nor the besieged did much damage to the church
during the Civil War.
On the site of the destroyed nave some houses were erected, but after
the great riots these were taken down. The building seems to have been
kept in fairly good order. Edward Colston, the benefactor of Bristol,
repaired the pavement. Sundry restorations were taken in hand during
the last century, and finally in 1865 it was decided to undertake the
stupendous task of rebuilding the nave. The work was begun in 1868 and
finished in 1888. Since then the Elder Lady Chapel and the tower have
been restored, and the church is now complete. It contains much of
unusual value and interest, and the completion of the nave is a
triumph of nineteenth-century achievement.
THE EXTERIOR
As we have said, the whole nave is new work, and therefore need not be
examined very closely. The _West Front_ is flanked by two towers,
which bear the honoured names of Bishop Butler and Edward Colston. The
style is an imitation of fourteenth-century work. There is a crocketed
gable above the door, a rose window of good design, and some
delicately-carved work surmounted by a cross. The face of the towers
has three storeys; on the first a large window; on the second some
lancets; and above two windows with louvres, the heads of which have
crockets and finials. There are pinnacles at the four corners.
On the _South Side_ we see the remains of the monastic buildings. The
north and east walks of the cloisters alone remain, except a few
traces of the western walk, and the north is a restoration. We will
visit the east walk from the Cathedral. Passing round to the _North
Side_ we notice the _North Porch_ built in 1873. We have often noticed
the figures of the four great doctors of the church--SS. Gregory,
Ambrose, Jerome and Augustine. They appear in the sculptures of many
of our cathedrals. A great storm of indignation arose at Bristol when
it was proposed to place these figures here, and the four Evangelists
were substituted. We can pass over the modern work, which is not
wholly satisfactory, and notice the interesting character of the
eastern portion. The north transept has some remains of Norman work in
the north wall. The north window is modern in memory of Colston, and
replaces an Early English window. The building adjoining is the Elder
Lady Chapel, which is Early English work of the early thirteenth
century. The east window is Decorated and is rather earlier than the
choir built by Abbot Knowle (1306-1332). The battlemented parapet is,
of course, a later addition. The buttresses of the chapel are
Decorated, and there are curious little flying buttresses connecting
the two pinnacles. The Lady Chapel at the east end of the Cathedral is
of the same date as the choir, and has a large, noble and graceful
window. Passing round to the south we see the outside of the Berkeley
Chapel, of Decorated design, and adjoining it the sacristy and
external walls of the Newton Chapel, chapter-house and modern vestry.
Here, too, is the old churchyard. The _Central Tower_ is Perpendicular
and was constructed by Abbot Newland (1481-1515) or his successor,
Abbot Elliot (1515-1526).
THE INTERIOR
Retracing our steps, we enter the Cathedral by the north porch and
view the new _Nave_ from the west end. The slender piers and fine
vaulting are striking, and the work is in many ways very beautiful.
The surface of the walls in the aisles is broken by canopied recesses
for tombs, one only being occupied by a marble figure of Dean Elliot.
The baptistry is in the south-west or Colston Tower, and is decorated
in memory of Bishop Monk. Already there are many memorial windows of
good modern glass.
The _North Transept_ has some original Norman work in the core of the
buttresses and in the wall below the north window. Some alterations
were made during the Decorated period, probably by Abbot Snow
(1332-1341), and the arch leading to north choir aisle is
Perpendicular work constructed by Abbot Newland (1481-1515), called
"the good abbot." Either he or his successor, Elliot, constructed the
groined roof, which has on the bosses sculptured representations of
the instruments of the Passion. The north window is modern, in memory
of Colston. The well-known writer, "Hugh Conway" (F. Fargus), has a
memorial here, and also Jane Porter of literary fame, Sterne's "Maria"
(Mrs. Draper), and the parents of Macready, the actor.
[Illustration Bristol The
Central Tower from S E]
The _South Transept_ has much Norman work in the lower part of the
walls. Part was rebuilt in Early English times. Abbot Snow (1332-1341)
continued the work and constructed the arch leading to the south choir
aisle. The vault is Perpendicular work by Abbot Elliot (1515-1526).
On the south is a staircase now leading to the consistory court, but
which formerly echoed with the tread of the monks as they came here to
their midnight services from the dormitory. In this transept there are
monuments to Lady Hesketh (1807), the friend of Cowper; William
Phillips, the sub-sacrist or verger who prevented the rioters from
profaning the Cathedral in 1831; Chantrey's monument of Mrs. Crawford;
and most famous of all, _Bishop Butler_ (1752), one of the most
honoured of English divines, the author of _The Analogy of Religion_.
The inscription was written by Southey.
It is deplorable that a beautiful stone screen of Tudor architecture,
which separated the choir from the transept, was ruthlessly destroyed
in 1860, and another one erected. This also has been removed, and the
view of the east end, with its Decorated piers and arches and the rich
glass of the windows, is extremely fine. All the work before us was
constructed by Abbot Knowle (1306-1332) and is Decorated. The Norman
choir had two bays with a third for a processional path. Knowle added
two bays to the choir and built the Lady Chapel. The clustered piers
have triple shafts which support the vaulting. The capitals on these
shafts have very graceful foliage. The piers have no capitals, but the
mouldings run round the arches continuously, as is not unusual in
Decorated work. The vaulting is what is known as lierne. Iron screen
work divides the aisles from the choir. The reredos is modern, erected
in 1899, and has some fine carving. The _Stalls_ were originally
Decorated, but "restoration" has destroyed much, and little of the old
work remains. There are some curious _Misereres_: a fox preaching to
geese, a tilting with brooms between a man and a woman, one mounted on
a pig, the other on a turkey-cock, the story of Reynard the Fox. The
pavement is new, and not altogether successful. The organ is a noble
instrument placed on the west side, and has been often reconstructed.
The _Throne_ is modern and has some fine carving. Passing into the
north aisle we notice the peculiar vaulting. It will be seen that the
roof of the choir and aisles is the same height, and in order to
support the weight of the choir-vault transoms are thrown across the
aisles supported on arches, and above a vaulting shaft springs from
the centre of the transom. This ingenious plan produces the same
effect as a flying buttress and is most ingeniously arranged. The
windows have beautiful Decorated tracery and the ball-flower is
extensively used in the string-course beneath them. The east window
has seventeenth-century glass, said to have been given by Nell Gwynne,
more probably by Dean Glemham (1661-1667). It treats of the
Resurrection, with Jonah and Abraham's sacrifice as types of the same,
the Ascension with Elijah as a type. There are monuments here of
Robert Codrington (1618); Harriet Middleton (1826); Paul Bush (1558),
the first bishop; Robert Southey, the poet; Bishop Westfield (1644);
Bishop Howell (1649); and Mary Mason, wife of the poet, with some
touching lines (1767).
Between the aisle and the Elder Lady Chapel are the effigies of
Maurice, Lord Berkeley (1368), and his wife, Elizabeth. There is a
tablet to the memory of Robert Fitzhardinge, the founder of the
Cathedral and also of the house of Berkeley. Some Norman corbels will
be noticed in the door leading to a staircase in the third bay.
The _Elder Lady Chapel_ is Early English and therefore earlier than
the choir, and was probably built by Abbot John (1196-1215); it is
therefore, as the architectural details testify, very early work. The
east window is Decorated. There are some curious grotesques in the
spandrels of the arcade--a hunter-goat blowing a horn and carrying a
hare on his back, a ram and an ape playing musical instruments, St.
Michael with the dragon, and a fox carrying off a goose. The foliage
is what is known as stiff leaved, and opposed to the more natural
foliage of the Decorated period. The roof is Early Decorated. The
eastern _Lady Chapel_, formerly the chancel of the choir, was built by
Abbot Knowle and is Decorated like the rest of the eastern part of the
Cathedral. It has a magnificent east window with beautiful tracery.
This is a Jesse window, showing the descent of our Lord from Jesse,
the father of David, and the glass is in the upper parts of the same
date as the stone-work. Above we see the arms of many distinguished
families--the Berkeleys, Mowbrays, Beauchamps and others. The glass in
the other windows is also of the same period and is of much interest.
The parapet under the windows is modern. The reredos is ancient, of
the same date as the chapel, and designed by Knowle, but it has been
much altered in Perpendicular times. The _Sedilia_ have been much
restored. A characteristic feature of this Cathedral is the
star-shaped recesses designed by Knowle, which are very beautiful. In
one of these is Abbot Newbury's tomb with ball-flower ornament; in
another Abbot Hunt (1473). Here, too, is Abbot Newland's tomb, and a
modern brass to the memory of Bishop Butler, and at the back of the
reredos a brass to Bishop Ellicott.
The _South Choir Aisle_ resembles the north. It has a very similar
east window, and the same curious vaulting. Two very interesting
chapels adjoin this aisle. The _Berkeley Chapel_ is entered by a
richly-ornamented doorway which leads into the old sacristy, with its
chests for relics and plate, and a hearth for baking sacramental
bread. Abbot Knowle was a student of nature and loved to reproduce in
stone the fruits and flowers which he saw growing around him. In the
ornaments of the doorway we see the ammonite and medlar. The chapel
had two altars, as we see the remains of two piscinæ, beneath the two
east windows, separated by a screen. There is an altar tomb of Thomas,
Lord Berkeley (1321). The lower part of the tomb is Early English. The
other chapel is the _Newton Chapel_, which is Late Decorated and
almost Perpendicular in some of its details. The ball-flower has
ceased to be used as an ornament. There are many memorials of the
Newton family here, and one to Bishop Gray (1834). Returning to the
south choir aisle we notice another of the curious recesses adorned
with oak leaves, acorns and mistletoe. There are some more Berkeley
tombs which furnish interesting studies of the armour of the period.
We now enter the _Cloisters_. As we have said, only the north and east
walks remain; the north is entirely new, and the east has been much
restored. The vestibule and chapter-house are, however, part of the
original Norman building, and the work is of Transitional character.
It is oblong in shape. The east wall is modern and has three windows.
The north and south walls have beautiful arcades, and above lattice
work and zigzag mouldings. The west wall has three rows of arcading.
Twelve stone coffins were found here and a curious piece of ancient
sculpture representing our Lord wounding the head of Satan and
rescuing a child by means of the Cross. Adjoining the chapter-house
was the dormitory. The refectory was on the south side of the cloister
garth. It still exists after many transformations and is the house of
the master of the Cathedral School.
The _Great Gateway_ should be visited. The lower part is of Norman
character, and was part of the founder's work; the upper is
Perpendicular and was the work of Abbot Elliot. He probably renewed
the rich Norman ornamentation, so much so that in the opinion of Mr.
Godwin, the great authority on Bristol architecture, "the so-called
Norman gateway of College Green is no Norman gateway, but a
Perpendicular restoration of the old work."
Another gateway, which formerly led to the palace destroyed in 1831,
exists, which is part of the original Norman work of the Cathedral. At
the south-west corner of the cloister is an Early English doorway,
which formerly led to the refectory. It is a sad pity that so much of
the old monastery has been destroyed.
DIMENSIONS
Total length 300 ft.
Length of nave 125 ft.
Width of nave 69 ft.
Height 52 ft.
Area 22,500 sq. ft.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING DATES
Norman (1142-1170)--Part of transepts, chapter-house,
lower part of gateway.
Early English (1196-1215)--Elder Lady Chapel, parts of
transepts and Berkeley Chapel.
Decorated (1306-1332)--Choir, Lady Chapel and stalls.
(1332-1341)--Newton Chapel.
Perpendicular (1428-1481)--Great Tower, upper part of
gateway, roof.
Modern--The nave.
The city has a large number of interesting churches. The noble Church
of St. Mary, Redcliffe, one of the finest in England, chiefly
fourteenth century; All Hallows' (Norman and Perpendicular); Temple
Church (Decorated and Perpendicular); St. Philip's, St. Stephen's, St.
John's, are the most important.
WELLS CATHEDRAL
The beautiful city of Wells entirely owes its origin to the noble
church and palace built here in early times, around which the houses
and population grew. It is one of the most picturesque in England,
situated in the most delightful country, and possessing the most
perfect ecclesiastical buildings which can be conceived. History tells
us that Ina in 704 built a church here, near a spring dedicated to St.
Andrew and known as "The Wells," and Edward the Elder, son of Alfred
the Great, formed a bishopric for Somerset and set the bishop's throne
here. Three Abbots of Glastonbury became Bishops of Wells, which was
richly endowed. The first Norman prelate was Giso, who built some
dwellings for the secular canons which were destroyed by his
successor, John de Villula, a native of Tours, who erected a palace in
their stead. Moreover, he moved the seat of the see to Bath, where he
had formerly practised medicine, and Wells was allowed to become
ruinous. Bath minster we shall visit presently. There was much ancient
rivalry between the two places and sore disputings, which were only
partially settled by the conjoining of the title "Bath and Wells."
Bishop Robert (1135-1166) had pity on the ruinous state of Wells and
rebuilt the church. This took place while Stephen and Matilda were
fighting for the crown, and Bishop Robert scorned not to take up arms
on behalf of Stephen, and was moreover imprisoned by the adherents of
his rival. Almost all of Robert's work has disappeared in subsequent
alterations. Jocelyn de Wells (1206-1239) has for many years had the
credit of building the main part of this beautiful House of God. It is
hard to have one's beliefs and early traditions upset, but modern
authorities with much reason tell us that we are wrong, and that
another Jocelyn--one Reginald Fitz-Jocelyn (1171-1191)--was the main
builder of Wells. Old documents recently discovered decide the
question, and moreover the style of the architecture is certainly
earlier than the fully-developed Early English of Jocelyn de Wells.
The latter, and also Bishop Savaricus (1192-1205) carried out the
work, but the whole design and a considerable part of the building are
due to Bishop Reginald. Savarac or Savaricus was concerned with the
release of Richard I. from his prison in Germany, and was one of the
hostages for the payment of his ransom. He styled himself Bishop of
Bath and Glastonbury, and when the monks objected he stormed the abbey
and beat and imprisoned them. Jocelyn de Wells found his church
unfinished and dilapidated. His was a grand era for church-building;
moreover, he was a friend of Hugh of Lincoln and Bishop Poore of
Salisbury, both consummate architects. So he set to work to finish and
repair Reginald's rising church, completed the nave and added that
wonderful west front which is one of the glories of this Cathedral.
Bishop Burnell (1275-1292) erected in later Early English style the
crypt of the chapter-house, which was itself partly built some time
late in the Decorated period, probably by Bishop William de la March,
a favourite of Edward I., who is said to have advised the plundering
of the monasteries. During the episcopate of Drokensford (1309-1329)
the central tower was raised, the choir was begun and the Lady Chapel
and chapter-house finished. Dean Godelee at this time was a great
builder and seems to have devised these additions. Bishop Ralph of
Shrewsbury (1329-1363) continued to perfect the Cathedral, enlarging
the presbytery and building the fine east end. He did much work
outside his church, founding the college, restoring his palaces and
fortifying his palace at Wells. The upper part of the Harewell Tower
was built by the bishop of that name (1366-1386). This is the
south-west tower. The north-west tower was built later still by Bishop
Bubwith (1407-1424). This prelate built the east walk of the cloister,
the west and south walks being finished by Bishop Beckington
(1443-1464) in the Perpendicular style. Wells was then in its full
glory. The church, the out-buildings, the episcopal palace, the
deanery all combined to form a wonderful architectural triumph, a
group of buildings which represented the best achievement of English
Gothic art. It was shorn of some of its glory at the Reformation. The
church was plundered of the treasures which the piety of many
generations had heaped together; the beautiful Lady Chapel in the
cloisters was pulled down, and the infamous Duke of Somerset robbed it
of its wealth and meditated further sacrilege.
Amongst these despoilers and desecrators of churches there was a
mighty hunger for lead ("I would that they had found it scalding,"
exclaims an old chaplain of Wells). Once the richest of sees, it would
probably have been suppressed altogether, but for the advent of Queen
Mary to the throne, who appointed Bishop Bourn and restored the
palace. In the Civil War it escaped. Some damage was done, the palace
was despoiled, and at the Restoration much repair was found needful.
Monmouth's rebellion wrought havoc here. The rebels came here in no
amiable temper, defaced the statues on the west front, and did much
wanton mischief, and would have caroused about the altar had not Lord
Grey stood before it with his sword drawn and thus preserved it from
the insults of ruffians. Then came the evils of "restoration." A
terrible renewing was begun in 1848, when the old stalls were
destroyed and much damage done. Better things were accomplished in
1868, save that the grandeur of the west front was belittled by a pipy
restoration, when Irish limestone with its harsh hue was used to
embellish it. In the palace, too, modern ideas have effaced much of
the refinement of its thirteenth-century beauty.
THE EXTERIOR
Fergusson declares that though Wells is one of the smallest it is
perhaps, taken altogether, the most beautiful of English cathedrals.
Some of the distant prospects are perhaps the best. There is a fine
view from the Shepton-Mallett Road. We enter the precincts by Browne's
Gate at the end of Sadler Street, and see before us the magnificent
_West Front_, a masterpiece of art superior to any in this country or
abroad. It is 150 feet in width and 70 feet high. Six deep buttresses
project from its face. There are six tiers of sculpture. The doors are
small. Not for the living throng, but to the dead was this front
dedicated who lie in the cemetery at its feet.[12] Here is the history
of God's Church on earth expressing its faith and pointing to the hope
of the Resurrection. Its style is Early English and is intermediate
between the west front of Lincoln and Salisbury. The upper part of the
towers is Perpendicular, that on the north being finished by Bishop
Bubwith (1407-1424), that on the south by Harewell (1366-1386). In the
lowest tier the sculptures have nearly all gone. In the second are
angels in small quatrefoils. In the third subjects from the Old and
New Testaments. In the fourth and fifth there are 120 statues of kings
and bishops and heroes of English history from Egbert to Henry II. The
sixth is called the Resurrection tier. And above are the angels and
Apostles, and finally the Lord in glory. It is difficult to identify
the statues with any feeling of certainty, though many lists have been
published which may, or may not, be correct. There can be no doubt
about the excellence of the sculpture, and all authorities unite in
praising them as being the perfection of design and execution. Flaxman
said of them that in them there is a beautiful simplicity, an
irresistible sentiment, and sometimes a grace excelling more modern
productions.
The _North Porch_ is earlier than the west front and possesses
transitional features. The zigzag ornament is used, and shows that
Norman traditions have not yet passed away; though Early English
foliage appears on the weather moulding. On the capitals on the east
side are representations of the martyrdom of St. Edmund, who shared
the fate of St. Sebastian and was afterwards beheaded. Mystic animals
appear in the panels on either side of the arch--one is a cockatrice.
Above, three lancets light the parvise.
The _Central Tower_ is 182 feet high, and is Early English as far as
the height of the roof. In the Decorated period the upper part was
added, which caused much disaster, as the foundations were unable to
bear the additional weight. Very skilful treatment was required, as we
shall see when we enter the church.