But to revert to the early stages of the Cathedral, Bishop Oswald
appears to have absorbed the secular monks of St. Peter's, the Bishop's
church, into a monastery of St. Mary, thereby changing the secular state
of the canons to that of the monastic. This bishop, in 983, finished the
building of a new monastic cathedral.
By the time that the Normans cast their influence over Worcester, Bishop
Wulfstan had gained so much fame for saintliness that it is recorded he
was the only English prelate left in charge of his see. But subsequent
history somewhat discounts his holy character and demonstrates his
readiness to conform with new customs.
He met the Normans half-way by undertaking to build a great church of
stone, after the Norman style of architecture.
In 1088 he suffered interruption through Welsh raids, but finally
signalised the end of his labours by holding a synod in the crypt in
1094.
Another notable foundation of his is the Commandery, in 1095, believed
to be one of the rarest specimens of early house architecture now
extant. We cannot be too grateful for his contribution to church
architecture, though only the outer walls of the nave, the aisles, a
part of the transept walls, some shafts, and the crypt remain as
evidences of his Norman adaptability.
Here it is well to accentuate the fact that the crypt (1084) is apsidal,
and that only three other examples of this style exist, namely at
Winchester, Gloucester, and Canterbury, all dating within the last
twenty years of the eleventh century.
The nave (1175) was much injured by the collapse of the central tower.
In the meanwhile, though dead some two hundred years, the saintly
character of Wulfstan suffered no diminution, and was turned to
profitable use by the monks soon after 1203, the year of his
canonisation. The magnificent offerings to his shrine became so numerous
and rich that the monks were enabled to finish the Cathedral in
1216--surely the most fitting memorial to the great founder. They
continued their labours by adding a Lady chapel, soon after, in the east
end, and rebuilding the choir in the Early English style. In the
fourteenth century the nave was reconstructed, the Decorated style being
introduced in the north side and the Perpendicular in the south.
The Chapter House is a round building with a stone roof resting on a
central pillar, and dates from the Late Norman period.
The Refectory belongs to the Decorated, and the Perpendicular style
claims the cloisters. The central tower is just over one hundred and
sixty feet in height. As can be seen by the drawing, the plan of the
building is a pure cross. There are two transept aisles, and only
secondary transepts to the choir exist. A noteworthy circumstance is
that St. Helen's, Worcester, is the earliest recipient of a chantry
(1288).
The most interesting memorial in this cathedral is King John's, in the
choir, said to be the earliest sepulchral effigy of an English king in
the country. In the Chantry Chapel there is an altar-tomb to Arthur,
Prince of Wales and son to Henry VII., who died in 1502. John Bauden,
bishop, and author of "Icon Basilike," has a monument. Bishop Hough's
memory is perpetuated by the work of Roubillac, and that of Mrs. Digby
by the sculpture of Chantrey.
To give a detailed account of the history of the city would be long and
unnecessary. Suffice it to say that the city continually changed hands
during the civil wars. In 1265, in Worcestershire, close upon the
frontier of Gloucestershire, was fought the battle of Evesham, in which
Henry III.'s son surprised and defeated Earl Simon de Montford, one time
a royal favourite. This result put an end to the confederacy of the
barons. Cantilupe, the Bishop of Worcester, was implicated in that he
favoured the Earl's cause, who had withdrawn previous to the battle, to
the friendly territory of Worcester's See, and had rested at Evesham
Abbey. Queen Elizabeth and James II. respectively paid the city a short
visit.
It suffered extensively by the dissolution of the monasteries. The
parliamentary troops foully defiled the Cathedral, and did considerable
damage to the city, which was Royalist.
Here it was that Charles II., with his Scottish army, was defeated by
Cromwell, who had taken up a position on Red Hill without the city
gates. Fortune and disguise helped Charles to escape, and from here he
began his adventurous journey to Boscobel. The cathedral city has since
increased steadily in prosperity. Besides the Worcester China Company,
founded in 1751, and still flourishing, a Company of Glovers was
incorporated in 1661, and is an important industry. These, in addition
to hop-growing, help to keep up the trade prosperity of Worcester. The
See has enriched the Church of Rome by four saints, and has yielded to
the English State several Lord Chancellors and Lord Treasurers.