THE EXTERIOR
The external beauty of Lincoln Minster is rendered doubly impressive by
the dignity of its position. While so many of our cathedrals are at a
disadvantage in this respect, the site at Lincoln, as at Durham and Ely,
was most happily chosen. Had it been less exposed, the spires would
probably have yet been standing, but these are a small loss compared
with the advantages gained. Especially when glowing with the rays of
the setting sun, the three noble towers, each a conspicuous object for
miles around, create an impression not soon forgotten. The distant view
of the minster has inspired the enthusiastic utterances of many writers;
but it may be enough for us to describe it in the words of one of the
most eminent among them. "Throughout a vast district around the city,"
says _Freeman_, "the one great feature of the landscape is the mighty
minster, which, almost like that of Laon, crowns the edge of the ridge,
rising, with a steepness well-nigh unknown in the streets of English
towns, above the lower city and the plain at its feet. Next in importance
to the minster is the castle, which, marred as it is by modern changes,
still crowns the height as no unworthy yoke-fellow of its ecclesiastical
neighbour. The proud polygonal keep of the fortress still groups well
with the soaring towers, the sharp-pointed gables, the long continuous
line of roof, of the church of Remigius and Saint Hugh."
Such words need no comment; it only remains to point out the positions
from which the minster is seen at its best. The view from the opposite
side of the river, in a south-easterly direction, is good. The long
straight line of roof is broken by the bold projection of the transepts;
the faultiness of the west front is not apparent, and the grouping of
the three towers with their numerous pinnacles appears to advantage.
The view from Brayford, too, is fine, although in this case the foreground
is perhaps not so picturesque as it might be. From nowhere does the minster
look more imposing than from the towers of the castle; a water-colour by
Frederick Mackenzie (see p. 53), painted from the roof of "Cobb Hall,"
admirably illustrates this. For a closer prospect, the best position is
undoubtedly the north-east corner, especially when the sun is setting
behind the western towers. Lastly, the view from the High Street, beyond
the Stonebow, should not be forgotten.
The minster is built of Lincoln stone, a hard limestone, well capable
of resisting the action of the weather. It yet remains to be proved
whether the fast-increasing number of tall smoking chimneys will have the
undesired effect of blackening the exterior and destroying the sharpness
of its lines.
[Illustration: THE WEST FRONT.
_Photochrom Co. Ltd., Photo._]
The =West Front= is massive and imposing, and possesses some features of
considerable interest; beyond this, little can be said for it, as it is
architecturally somewhat of a sham. Why the architects threw away the
opportunities they had, and finished off the western end of the church
with an enormous screen wall, it is now difficult to say. The Norman front
was originally furnished with three gables, one in the centre, following
the line of the old nave roof, the others in front of the Norman towers,
and similar to those which may still be seen on the outer sides of these
towers. The greater height of the Gothic nave necessitated the raising
of the central gable, and this was done; but instead of preserving the
gables in front of the towers and adding two more for the side chapels, a
huge flat wall was constructed, masking the lower parts of the towers, and
altogether hiding the western chapels. The result is that the towers appear
too close together, and lose all connection with the façade, which should
rather set off their proportions than conceal them. There seems, too,
no reason for the great width of the façade, until one passes round and
sees the low side-chapels hidden behind it. Turning, however, to details,
there are points which are deserving of close attention. The severe and
strong wall in the centre, with a fragment of the first bay behind it,
is the only part which now remains of the first Cathedral of Lincoln.
In gazing on this massive work, so fortress-like and forbidding, we are
reminded of the warrior-bishop who first chose this spot for his cathedral,
making it so solid and strong, that it was at one time seized and
fortified, under circumstances already related (p. 11). The great central
recess has been heightened several feet, but the two side-recesses
and the lofty semi-circular niches beyond remain almost as Remigius
left them. It is probable that the plainness of this bishop's work was
originally relieved by colouring. The slits in the jambs of the great
arches and on the front serve to light the passages and chambers, which
are constructed in all directions within the thick walls of this part
of the façade. The original use of these chambers cannot very well be
determined; they are accessible only from the inside of the minster,
and may be reached from the sills of the great west windows. There
is a great difference in style between the features of this wall and
those of the three elaborate doorways with which it is pierced. They
are assigned to Bishop Alexander the Magnificent, and have been called
by Sir G. G. Scott "truly exquisite specimens of the latest and most
refined period of Romanesque, just before its transition into the
Pointed style." The central doorway has four columns on either side,
carved with diaper ornament and grotesque figures; elaborate mouldings
are carried round the arch. The side doorways are of similar style,
but with three columns instead of four to support the arches. Some of
the ornament was restored between thirty and forty years ago by the
architect, J. C. Buckler of Oxford, partly to take the place of the plain
pillars inserted by Essex a century before, and partly to replace decayed
work. The arcade of intersecting arches along the top of the Norman front
is also assigned to Bishop Alexander. It has been pointed out that this
bishop's work may be distinguished from that of Remigius by its being
_fine-jointed_, whilst the other is _wide-jointed_. A most interesting,
though perplexing, band of sculpture runs horizontally across the front; it
commences just above the side niches, and is continued in the jambs of the
great arches. It is most probable that the sculptures originally formed a
consecutive pictorial illustration of many of the chief incidents recorded
in the Old and New Testaments, but they are in no order now, and there
is no doubt that they have at some time or another been rearranged--or
rather disarranged. The rarity of such work as this greatly increases
the importance of these Lincoln sculptures. They have been considered by
some to be of Saxon origin, and either to have belonged to the earlier
church of St. Mary Magdalene, which stood on this spot, or to have been
brought by Remigius from Dorchester. They do not, however, appear from
their style to be earlier than the eleventh century, and since Remigius
would have most probably arranged them differently, had they been
specially sculptured for their present position, it is possible that
they were inserted later than his time. That they were there not very
long after, is proved by the fact that one relief on the south side of
the southern tower is now enclosed in the Early English chapel, which we
know to have been built before the middle of the thirteenth century, The
sculptures are illustrated in the _Archæological Journal,_ vol. xxv.,
from photographs procured when the repair of the west front was going
on. The subjects were at the same time identified by Archdeacon Trollope
(afterwards Bishop of Nottingham). The band is about 3 ft. 6 in. in depth,
and is protected by a plain cornice. The traces of paint still seen on
some of the reliefs would lead to the conclusion that the whole series
was once bright with glowing colours. Parts of the original reliefs are
now represented by modern copies.
Commencing over the northern niche, the first subject is the Torments of
the Lost, who are seen in the clutches of demons; next is Christ standing
at the jaws of hell, on the prostrate form of Satan. On the northern
jamb of the recess are two more reliefs, one representing six saints,
the other identified by Trollope as "Christ the Custodian of all faithful
souls." Our Saviour is seated on a throne, holding a sheet before Him,
in which are the souls of four personages; the symbols of the Evangelists
appear at the corners. Opposite to these are two other reliefs; one
represents Christ sitting at meat with the two disciples at Emmaus,
the table at which the three figures are seated being placed beneath
an arcade capped by turrets with conical roofs. This relief is in very
good preservation, and the architectural features furnish a guide to the
date of the series. The next subject is the Blessed End of the Righteous
and the Torments of the Lost. On the front of the pier is a fragment
of a draped figure. The next relief should be the first of the series;
it represents Adam and Eve expelled from Paradise, and is placed on the
southern jamb of the central recess. On the front of the pier are two
men tilling the ground, probably typifying the Condemnation of Man
to Labour, while the hand grasping a bag above would symbolise God's
providing care for His people; along the top is a band of foliage. There
are two reliefs on the jambs of the southern recess; the first is
mutilated and obscure, but is probably intended for Hannah with the Infant
Samuel, and Samuel announcing God's revelation to Eli, On the other side
of the recess is Christ instructing a disciple, probably either Nicodemus
or Peter. The three other reliefs, over the southern niche, are:--(1)
The Building of the Ark: Noah is seen with a hammer, and another figure,
probably one of his sons, with an axe, the ark being visible behind; (2)
Daniel in the Lions' Den, this subject made conspicuous by a moulding all
round it; (3) The Entry into, and Departure from, the Ark: to the left
the ark is seen, with Noah, his wife, and three sons (?) inside, while
a procession of animals in miniature is advancing towards the vessel;
to the right of this are eight figures leaving the ark, with the Almighty
Father beyond, apparently making the covenant with Noah. The last relief,
hidden by the chapel at the south-west corner, represents the Deluge:
three half-submerged figures are clinging to trees or rocks; the prow
of the ark is seen to the left.
[Illustration: CARVED WORK OF THE CENTRAL DOORWAY AT THE WEST END.
_S. B. Bolas & Co., Photo._]
The Gothic arcading which covers the later portions of the façade varies
considerably in detail; this is particularly noticeable on the north and
south ends, where narrow lancet doors in deep porches give access to the
western chapels. These porches were at one time walled up. They are not
shewn in Hollar's plate in Dugdale's "_Monasticon_," nor in Wild's or
Coney's plates of 1819. The chapels are lighted by the circular windows
above the doors. It has been considered by some that the Gothic part of the
façade is of different periods, and that St. Hugh commenced building here
at the same time as at the eastern end of the church. Others have thought
that the first idea was to do away with the old front altogether, in which
case the enlargement would not have commenced until later. At any rate, we
may be fairly sure that the Gothic portions were all constructed some time
during the first half of the thirteenth century. We can get a little nearer
than this with regard to the gable in the middle and the arch beneath
it, where the trellis ornament is supposed to mark the work of Bishop
Grosseteste (1235-53). This bishop appears to have removed the central
Norman arch, and to have carried the recess up to its present height,
piercing the head with the cinquefoil window, outlined by a band of
finely-carved scroll foliage. Rickman calls attention to the "exquisite
workmanship" of the mouldings of this window. The rest of the arch is
filled with trellis-work, quatrefoils, trefoils and circles, while at the
crown there is a large carved boss. In the spandrels are two niches with
royal statues. The gable contains seven arches below, two of them pierced
with windows. The two at the ends contain statues, and in the centre is a
fragment of a carved subject. Above is another arch, over which are two
angels with heads bent downwards. One of the Sloane MSS. in the British
Museum contains certain "Observations" by Dr. Edward Brown in 1662.
Speaking of the west front at Lincoln, the writer says that "almost at the
top are four or five fine pictures, but broken down in the late troubles,
but with small dexterity and by as bad a handicraft." The vast façade is
finished off at the ends by two octagonal stair-turrets, capped by tall,
pyramidal roofs. On the top of the southern turret is Bishop St. Hugh, with
staff and mitre; on the other is the Swineherd of Stow, whose reputed gift
of a peck of silver pennies towards the building of the minster has secured
for his statue a position as exalted as that of the great bishop himself.
The first statue is the original one, though it was once taken down and
afterwards refixed on a firmer basis (see p. 41). The other is a copy of
the original Swineherd, now preserved in the cloisters. The suggestion
that this statue represents Bishop Bloet, the horn having reference to
the bishop's name ("blow it"), is hardly worthy of serious attention. The
row of canopies above the central door contains eleven royal statues,
ranging from William the Conqueror to Edward III., the sovereign on the
throne when the figures were placed there by Treasurer John de Welburne
(d. 1380); they are all bearded, very similar to one another, and of the
tamest possible character. They were originally coloured and gilt. There
was a great outcry in the last century at the report that they had been
removed to make room for a list of the subscribers to the iron railings
which until quite recently enclosed the minster front. The following
is a memorandum of Dr. Stukeley's, found in his copy of Browne Willis's
"Cathedrals," when sold in 1766:--"In the beginning of 1753, the wicked
chanter, Dr. Trimnell, of his own authority pulled down the eleven fine
images of kings over the door of Lincoln Cathedral, to put up a foolish
inscription of the names of the subscribers to the new iron rails." It
is unlikely, however, that the statues were ever removed.
[Illustration: THE MINSTER FROM THE CASTLE.
(From a Water-colour Painting by Frederick Mackenzie, in the South
Kensington Museum.)
_F. G. M. Beaumont, Photo._]
The tracery of the great windows in the three recesses may be considered
to date from the end of the fourteenth century. The three massive oak doors
are studded with iron bolts and carved with Perpendicular tracery. The two
statues of bishops, one on either side of the great central recess, are
evidently restored. In 1796, in the _Vetusta Monumeuta_, the statues are
described as "lately put up, and had been in some other place before." They
must have replaced earlier figures, since old engravings shew these places
to have been occupied by statues. The parapet along the top of the façade
belongs to the fourteenth century, and is similar to that along the south
side of the nave.
It is worthy of mention that some critics have not been so severe on this
façade as others. Setting aside absurd comparisons of the last century,
the late Sir G. G. Scott has stated that it always struck him as being
very impressive. From behind the parapet the two fine western =towers= look
out of keeping. The gables on the west faces, by which the towers were
originally connected with the old front, are now hidden from view, but
three rows of Norman arcading of the time of Bishop Alexander (1123-48)
still project above the parapet. The details of the arcading differ
in the two towers, and it will be noticed that the octagonal turrets
at the corners were carried higher in the southern tower than in the
northern. They seem to have remained as left by Alexander (most probably
with pyramidal roofs) for two centuries and a half; Perpendicular storeys
were then added to them. On each side of these upper storeys are two
lofty windows, of which the lower parts are now walled up. The octagonal
turrets at the corners were continued to the tops of the towers: they
are crowned by wooden pinnacles, coated with lead, which are not nearly
so graceful in appearance as those on the central tower, partly owing to
the coating of dark paint with which they are covered. In the northern,
or St. Mary's, tower was placed the original "Great Tom of Lincoln,"
as well as its successor, until removed in 1834, to be recast a larger
size and hung in the central tower. The southern, or St. Hugh's, tower,
has a ring of eight =bells=. It is not known when, or by whom, the ring was
formed, but the tower must have been used for bells very anciently. Until
recently four of the bells were dated 1702, and the others 1593,
1606, 1717 and 1834; one was recast in 1895. The fifth bell is rung
daily at morning and evening; at six in the morning, from Lady Day to
Michaelmas, and at seven for the rest of the year; in the evening it is
rung at eight all the year round. The day of the month is tolled after
each ringing. These towers, as well as the central one, were originally
crowned with tall spires of timber, coated with lead. The central spire
had been blown down in a gale nearly two hundred years before it was
decided by the cathedral body to remove those on the west towers, the
excuse being that they had fallen into disrepair. The work of destruction
was commenced on the 20th September 1726 or 1727. As the citizens in the
town below saw the workmen engaged in this way, cries of indignation were
raised, and towards evening a crowd of 500 men assembled to prevent the
removal of the spires. The main gates of the minster yard were secured
against them, but the small postern on the south side was apparently
forgotten. To this the besiegers turned their attention, and, rushing
up the "Grecian" stairs, they soon battered down the gate, and entered
the close. One of the "Old Vicars," named Cunnington, appears to have
suffered especially at their hands, whether he was the chief culprit
or not. He is said to have been dragged from his house in the Vicars'
Court, and compelled to dance on the minster green in the midst of the
mob. The crowd only dispersed on the promise that the spires should be
allowed to remain. The next day, the Mayor and Aldermen were requested
by the minster authorities to send the bellman round the city with
the following message:--"Whereas there has been a tumult, for these
two days past, about pulling down the two west spires of the church,
this is to give notice to the people of the city, that there is a stop
put to it, and that the spires shall be repaired again with all speed";
"after which," we are told, "the mob with one accord gave a great shout,
and said, 'God bless the King.'" The spires remained during the lifetime
of these zealous townsmen, but their descendants seem either to have
been more indifferent in the matter, or else to have been wanting in a
similar courage, when the spires were finally removed in 1807. A foolhardy
feat was performed in the year 1739 by a man named Robert Cadman, who "did
fly from one of the spires of the minster, by means of a rope, down to the
Castle Hill, near to the Black Boy public-house." Cadman met his death in
the next year at Shrewsbury, while attempting a similar performance there.
On passing round to the south side of the minster, the artificial nature
of the west front becomes plainly apparent. We now get a much clearer
idea of what the Norman towers were originally like. The gable, with its
intersecting Norman arcades and diaper-work, is doubtless similar to that
originally on the western face. In front of the towers is St. Hugh's or
the ringers' chapel, with its single window to the south. Next is the
chapel used as the Consistory Court, with two windows facing south, and
two others facing east. The gable of this chapel is worthy of notice.
At the head of its tall central lancet is a grotesque figure, commonly
pointed out as the "Devil looking over Lincoln"; there appears to be
no satisfactory solution of the origin of this phrase. The most curious
legend is that which describes the devil as _still inside_ the minster,
and afraid to come out for fear of being blown away! At the heads of the
the two side windows are sculptured figures which have been considered
to represent pilgrims. The seven bays of the nave are indicated by stout
buttresses with triangular heads carried up clear above the parapet
of the aisle, over the roof of which flying buttresses are thrown. The
clerestory windows are divided into groups of three, and the two windows
in each bay of the aisle are separated by a slender buttress. The wavy
parapet over the clerestory is of the fourteenth century, and above it
stand six canopied niches for statues, with grotesque figures projecting
from their bases. The cornice below has been restored at the eastern
end, shewing the heads and bosses with which it appears to have been
decorated for its entire length. The lofty panelled buttresses of the
western side of the great transept are surmounted by tall pinnacles with
niches. These pinnacles are of later date than the transept. A grotesque
figure projects from each corner of their slender crocketed roofs.
At the south-west corner of this transept is the =Galilee Porch=. It will
be remembered that the same name is also borne by two other celebrated
porches in England, at Ely and Durham. Both of these are, however, at the
western end of their respective churches. The origin of the name "Galilee"
has had so many different explanations, that it would be tedious to give
them here, but the name may have some reference to the room above the
porch, in which the judicial Court of the Dean and Chapter was formerly
held. The Galilee at Durham was built for women, who were not allowed to
use the church. The porch at Lincoln was constructed about the year 1230,
as a state entrance for the bishop, whose palace lay on the south side
of the minster yard. The plan is in the form of a cross, and the porch
may be entered at the south and west ends, both of which are open. An
arcade of slender arches runs round the walls. At the end of the north
limb the arches are open, and rest upon a low wall.
[Illustration: GALILEE PORCH, AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE NAVE.
_Photochrom Co. Ltd., Photo._]
The two stone coffin-covers in the pavement do not appear to have been
originally placed here; they apparently date from the twelfth or thirteenth
century. The porch has a stone vault, with a profusion of tooth ornament on
the groins and elsewhere. Someone has left it on record that there are 5355
dog-tooth pyramids used in the decoration of the Galilee Porch alone.
Two massive oak doors at the east end open into the transept; the doorway
is richly carved with foliage and tooth ornament. In an engraving of
the year 1672 this fine porch is shewn as walled up; it was used, in
the last century, as a work-shop for the plumbers of the cathedral. The
ground round the minster has been considerably lowered in recent years,
and in this way the proportions of the building are displayed to greater
advantage. In Wild's plan of 1819, a flight of steps is indicated by
which the Galilee Porch was entered, but the lowering of the ground
has caused their removal. Above this porch is the room in which the
=Chapter Archives= are carefully preserved. An account of these is
given by the Rev. Prebendary Wickenden in the thirty-eighth volume of
the _Archæological Journal_. The cathedral plumbers seem to have been
accommodated here after the porch below was reopened, until the year
1851, when the chamber was appropriated as the muniment room. For nearly
a century before this the documents had been kept in what is now the
singing-school over the vestry. The plan of the room is =T=-shaped, and
it is lighted by eleven lancet windows rising from the floor; the walls
are covered with Early English arcading. The documents have suffered
considerably from damp and neglect, and some of them still bear traces
of the time when George Huddleston, a priest-vicar in the early part
of the seventeenth century, kept pigeons in the muniment room. The two
most precious documents are now preserved in the cathedral library; one
of the few existing contemporary copies of the Magna Charta, and a copy,
made early in the twelfth century, of the Charter of William the Conqueror
for the transference of the see from Dorchester to Lincoln. A charter from
Edward I., of the year 1285, is also still preserved, by which permission
is given to build walls round the close, and to shut the gates of the same
at night. Lastly may be mentioned a series of Chapter Acts, nearly complete
from 1305 to the present time, and audit accounts covering the same period.
The embattled parapet which surrounds the low modern roof is in the
Perpendicular style, and is, of course, later than the structure itself.
[Illustration: THE CENTRAL TOWER, FROM THE SOUTH.
_Photochrom Co. Ltd. Photo._]
From a point a little westward of the Galilee Porch, the =Central Tower= is
seen to advantage. Its early name of the "Rood Tower," from the rood-screen
which fills the easternmost of the four great interior arches supporting
it, has been corrupted into "Broad Tower." Very excellent authority could
be brought forward for calling this the finest central tower of any English
cathedral. The height to the top of the corner pinnacles is 271 feet, an
altitude which is exceeded by only two cathedral _spires_ in England, those
of Salisbury and Norwich. The tall spire of timber, covered with lead,
which originally crowned this tower reached an altitude, it is said, of 525
feet; but this is doubtful. This spire was blown down during a tempest in
January 1547-8. The outside measurement of the sides of the tower is 54 ft.
6 in. This is not the first central tower of Lincoln. The original tower,
of Norman work, was succeeded by a _nova turris_, which fell about the year
1237. The celebrated Grosseteste was bishop at the time, and the work of
reconstruction would appear to have been begun almost immediately. The
lower part of the present tower, both inside and out, bears the peculiar
lattice-work ornament which has been noticed in the gable of the west
front. Here, as there, it may be considered a mark of Grosseteste's time.
The tower was then carried as high as the top of the arcading just over
the ridge of the nave roof, and a wooden spire was added. In this state it
appears to have remained for at least half-a-century. When the work was
again taken in hand, in 1307, it was speedily completed, and by 1311 the
tower was raised as high as we now see it. The two lofty windows which
occupy each side of the upper storey, with their crocketed pillars and
canopied heads, are extremely beautiful. At the four corners are octagonal
panelled turrets, surmounted by wooden pinnacles coated with lead. The
spire which fell in 1547-8 carried the parapet with it. In February 1715
three of the pinnacles were blown down; their re-erection was completed
in 1728. Nearly fifty years later, the dean wrote to James Essex, the
architect, asking his opinion about the erection of a stone spire. He
replied that the height was too great and the situation too exposed, but
recommended, instead, battlements and four stone pinnacles. In 1775, Essex
was employed to erect the present open parapet. The western side was blown
down in December 1883, but, falling inwards, it did little damage, and was
easily replaced. The following details concerning the tower are copied
from a pocket-guide to Lincolnshire by the late Sir Charles Anderson,
Bart, (third edition, revised by Canon Maddison), a most interesting
book containing much useful information:--"It was a bold undertaking, and
executed with marvellous skill, for, in order to lessen the additional
weight without building strengthening arches below, which would have
injured the interior effect, as at Salisbury and Wells, two thin walls
are tied together at intervals, so as to leave a vacuum between, bound by
squinches at the top corners.... Compared with the great Victoria Tower
of Westminster, which, from many points of view, looks broader at the
top than the bottom, the Lincoln tower is the perfection of symmetrical
proportion; the reason is that it is gathered in about 2-½ inches, 25
feet below the parapet, which shews upon what trifles, as they might be
called, beauty and proportion depend." Wallcott describes this tower as
"so full of state, and dignity, and majestic grandeur, that no church
in England, or on the continent, can be cited in the same description."
=Bells in the Central Tower=.--The tower is the abiding-place of the
present "Great Tom of Lincoln"; but before describing him and his
companions, we must give an account of his predecessors of the same
name in the north-west tower, as well as of the former occupants of
his present abode. We find that in 1311 a question arose respecting
new ropes for the two bells lately hung in the new tower. These were
not the first bells possessed by the minster, as there is a record
in the works of Giraldus Cambrensis of "_duas campanas grandas atque
sonoras_" given by Geoffrey Plantagenet, who held the temporalities
of the see from 1173 to 1182. The number was afterwards increased to
six, although it is not known when. They were called the "Lady Bells,"
and were rung for the minster service. The largest Lady Bell was tolled
forty times at the shutting of the church doors every night, after which
the searchers of the church partook of bread and beer provided for them
under the watching chamber in the east transept; they then walked round
and searched the church. When the Lady Bells were taken down in 1834,
four were found to be dated 1593, one 1633, and one 1737. The original
"Great Tom" was hung in the north-west tower. It is not known how it
was acquired; some say it was a gift, others say it was stolen from
the Abbey of Beauchief, Derbyshire, or from Peterborough. The origin
of its name, too, has been a subject of dispute. Stukeley considered it
possible that it had been consecrated to St. Thomas of Canterbury. Others
think it took its name from that of the old bell of Christ Church, Oxford,
which bore the curious inscription, _In Thomae laude, resono Bim Bom sine
fraude_. It should be remembered that Oxford was in the diocese of Lincoln
in olden days, and that several Bishops of Lincoln were chancellors of
Oxford. Wherever the first "Great Tom" came from, it was recast in the
minster yard by two bell founders from Nottingham and Leicester early in
the seventeenth century, when the weight was increased from 8743 pounds to
9894-½ pounds. "The bell was cast and hung upp and upon Sonday the xxvij of
this month [January 1611] ronge owte and all safe and well." It was tolled
until 1802, when it was found that this process shook the tower too much.
The following extract from the _Stamford Mercury_ of the 6th August 1802,
is given by North in his "Church Bells of Lincolnshire":--"Great Tom o'
Lincoln is to be rung no more! The full swing of four tons and a half is
found to injure the tower where he hangs. He has therefore been chained
and rivetted down; so that instead of the full mouthful he has been used
to send forth, he is enjoined in future merely to wag his tongue." Towards
the end of the year 1827 experienced ears detected that something was
wrong, and by Christmas it became plainly evident that the bell was
cracked. It was finally decided to have it recast in a larger size. For
this purpose it was broken to pieces with its own clapper, and sent to
London. To provide the extra metal, the six Lady Bells were unfortunately
sacrificed. The cathedral thus lost the distinction of being the only one
in the kingdom possessed of two rings of bells. "Great Tom" was recast
by Thomas Hears at the Whitechapel Bell foundry on the 15th November
1834. It was taken by road to Lincoln, drawn by eight horses, and raised
to its new position in the central tower. Two new quarter bells, cast at
the same time, were also hung in this tower. The number of quarter bells
was increased in 1880 to four, one new bell being given by Mr. Nathaniel
Clayton, and the other by Mrs. Seely, The present "Great Tom" weighs 5
tons 8 cwts., is 6 ft. 0-¾ in. high, with a circumference at the base of
21 ft. 6 in., and is in size the fourth bell in the kingdom. The hours
are struck upon it with a hammer weighing 224 lbs.
[Illustration: THE MINSTER FROM THE CLOISTERS.
(From a Water-colour Painting by Frederick Mackenzie, in the South
Kensington Museum.)
_F. G. M. Beaumont, Photo._]
The chief feature of the south side of the western transept is the
beautiful round window, "the bishop's eye," with its delicate leaf-like
tracery. From the outside, this window would look much better if it
were a little higher up, but the reason of its position is sufficiently
evident from the inside, where it is quite clear of the vault, while the
admirable round window on the north side is spoilt by not being completely
visible until you approach it very closely. Above "the bishop's eye"
is a horizontal band of seven elaborately-carved quatrefoils, considered
to have formed part of the tracery of the earlier round window. They are
enough to shew that the window was different to "the dean's eye" at the
other end of the transept. The window in the gable, though much too large
for its position, is nevertheless worthy of notice on account of its fine
flowing tracery, which was inserted, like that of the round window below,
about the middle of the fourteenth century. This window is not visible
from the inside. The gable is outlined by a curious band of open Gothic
tracery, surmounted by a cross. This band was erected by the architect to
the fabric, named Hayward, in the year 1804. It is a copy of the original
(see old view, p. 21), constructed about the time of the insertion of
the window below. This was blown down on the 20th January 1802. It fell
at about eleven o'clock in the morning, but fortunately did little
damage. It will be noticed that the two turrets are different: the
western is octagonal and crocketed; the other is shorter, plainer,
and four-sided. Near the top of the last buttress on the east side of
the transept is a stone with the date 1746, apparently a record of
restoration. The roof of the choir of St. Hugh, the earliest Gothic
portion of the building, is somewhat lower than that of the nave;
the clerestory windows are remarkably slender. The narrow buttresses
are later additions, constructed to resist the thrust of the stone
vault. In the corner of the east transept is a small stone flue from
the old fireplace in the choristers' vestry. At the south-west corner of
this transept is the canons' vestry; the buttresses, which appear above,
pass right down to the ground, and are seen inside the vestry, clearly
shewing this to be a later addition to the transept. Over this vestry
is the room where the muniments of the chapter were kept until they were
removed to the chamber above the Galilee Porch. The room they had occupied
was then appropriated as a singing-school, and a small organ was erected
in it, which is still there. The vestry is plain and unpretending, but
it would have been a pity if, as was at one time proposed, it had been
altogether removed. In 1854 it was thoroughly restored under the architect,
J. T. Willson, when the present parapet was added. Underneath are seen the
low windows of an old vaulted crypt, which was probably used as a treasury.
The south face of the slender transept of St. Hugh looks very different to
that of the western transept; its many windows leave but little wall space.
First is a pair of lancets, then two rows of three above them, and lastly
three narrow lights to fill the gable. On either side are two octagonal
turrets, with pyramidal roofs surmounted by sculptured figures of angels.
On the east side of the transept are seen the two semi-circular chapels
of St. Hugh's design. On the buttress at the south-eastern corner of the
transept are two sundials, with inscriptions, one being the familiar
quotation from Martial--_Pereunt et imputantur_; the other is _Cito
ætas præterit._
The =Presbytery=, or eastern limb of the minster, is the finest example of
the best period of English Gothic. Its crocketed gables and pinnacles, its
panelled buttresses, its elaborate tracery, and, above all, its wealth of
sculpture, form a striking contrast to the simplicity of St. Hugh's work.
The choir is divided into five bays, indicated by the boldly-projecting
buttresses, once covered with statues; the canopies and pedestals still
remain, within arches supported by tall clustered pillars with foliaged
capitals. The buttresses are crowned by slender crocketed gables, at the
bases of which grotesque figures project. One of these, an imp on the
back of a witch (on the third buttress), serves, like the sculpture in
the gable of the consistory court, for the "devil looking over Lincoln."
[Illustration: SOUTH-EAST PORCH, WITH THE CHANTRY-CHAPELS OF BISHOPS
LONGLAND AND RUSSELL.
_Photochrom Co. Ltd., Photo._]
[Illustration: Cast of the Figure of Christ, in the South-East Porch.
(Taken before the Porch was restored.)
_F. G. M. Beaumont, Photo._]
Both in the aisles and in the clerestory, broad windows, filled with
elegant geometric tracery, take the place of the plain lancets seen in
other parts. The most magnificent exterior feature of the eastern arm is
undoubtedly the sculptured doorway on the south side. Leland, in the time
of Henry VIII., writes: "There is a very faire Doore in the upper part
of the Churche Southward to go into the Close, and againe this lyith the
Byshop's Palace hangginge _in declivio_." It was probably constructed,
like the Galilee doorway, as a state entrance for the bishop. The porch
fills the third bay, and projects as far as the buttresses; its sides
recede inwards to the pair of doors giving access to the Angel Choir.
Although the doorways of our cathedrals, as a rule, cannot in any way be
compared with the magnificent portals to be seen in France, yet this single
example at Lincoln would be quite enough to prove that English architects
were capable of designing a really magnificent doorway. In the tympanum is
the subject of the Last Judgment in relief. A majestic figure of Christ the
Judge occupies the central space, with an angel on either side swinging a
censer. He is surrounded by a quatrefoiled aureole supported by angels.
To the left, the dead are rising from their tombs, and are borne aloft
by angels; on the other side demons are dragging the condemned down to
the jaws of hell, which gape wide open beneath the Saviour's feet. The
archivolt is richly decorated with sculpture. In the inner band is a
row of niches with twelve seated figures, apparently kings and queens:
next a double band of delicate open-work foliage; outside this a row of
sixteen slender standing figures enclosed by interlacing stems, richly
decorated with foliage. The doorway is formed of two cinquefoiled arches,
separated by a central pillar having the canopy and base for a figure
of the Virgin, which has been removed. On either side of the doorway is
a triple canopy for statues, and behind this a row of slender columns
with foliated capitals.
The hand of the restorer might well have spared this beautiful porch, where
the question of the stability of the fabric did not in any way arise. But,
unfortunately, an attempt was made about thirty years ago to restore the
mutilated figures, and further restorations are now [1897] being carried
out. A cast of the headless figure of Christ, with the two angels at the
sides, has recently been acquired by the South Kensington Museum. It is
valuable as shewing the state of the central figure before restoration
(see illustration, p. 67). It is believed that Essex also had tampered
with this door in the last century. On the buttresses on either side of
the doorway are four headless statues, resting on corbels supported by
projecting figures.
The two small =chapels= which stand to the right and left of the doorway
are those built as chantries by Bishops Russell and Longland. The one on
the eastern side is that of Bishop Russell (d. 1494). The mullions which
run from top to bottom of the three windows, dividing them into vertical
strips, are sufficient to mark this building as of the Perpendicular
period. Between the windows there is only just room for the panelled
buttresses which separate them. The embattled parapet, far more conspicuous
and elaborate than one of an earlier period would have been, is covered
with tracery, and broken by crocketed pinnacles. The whole shews on a
small scale the extravagance into which Gothic architecture had lapsed,
and contrasts unfavourably with the sober dignity of the structure to
which this small chapel is attached. The other chapel to the west was
built half-a-century later by Bishop Longland (d. 1547). Although an
imitation of Bishop Russell's, it shews points of difference both inside
and outside. Leaving these chapels, we notice on the second buttress
from the east a queenly figure. On the eastern buttress is a statue of
Edward I., trampling on a Saracen, and by his side is his Queen, Eleanor
of Castile, whose effigy is to be seen inside this choir.
[Illustration: VIEW FROM THE SOUTH-EAST.
_Photocrom Co. Ltd., Photo._]
The =east end=, in spite of its defects, is perhaps the finest in the
country, and the broad expanse of the minster green offers exceptional
opportunities for seeing this part of the building to advantage. An
excellent general view may be had from the south-east, in the direction
of Pottergate. The main feature is the magnificent central window in the
geometrical Decorated style. Above this is another fine window of the same
period. The latter looks somewhat awkward on account of its position,
balanced, so to speak, on the apex of the window below; like the window
over the "bishop's eye," it is far too large for the gable in which it
is placed. In the trefoil over the top is a figure of the Virgin with
the Infant Saviour, and on either side of the gable is a turret with a
richly crocketed pyramidal roof. The aisle windows (the two which are
filled with the beautiful early stained glass) look very small when
compared with the giant central window, from which they are separated
by panelled buttresses of bold projection. We have already noticed the
insincerity of the west front of the minster, and the same charge must
be brought against this eastern end, although the deception here is not
so extensive. The two panelled gables over the aisle windows are shams;
there is nothing behind them, and they appear to have been only designed
for the sake of effect. The northern gable is higher than the other,
and the tracery is not quite the same. An arcade runs right across the
lower part of the front, beneath the three principal windows. Another
short arcade is seen beneath the sham gables.
The hexagonal stone structure at the north-east corner, with a pyramidal
roof, covers the minster well. This stonework is presumably not very
ancient; in a view of Hollar's in Dugdale's "_Monasticon Anglicanum_,"
the well is covered by a wooden shed.
On the north side of the angel choir, the second bay contains the chantry
chapel of Bishop Fleming (d. Jan. 1430-1), which formed a model for the
two chapels on the other side of the choir. The parapet is panelled, and
the buttresses contain niches for small statues. In the next bay is a
door leading into the choir; its position corresponds to the sculptured
porch on the other side, but it is much smaller and plainer. One of
the mouldings of the arch is of oak; in the tympanum is an aureole
with a bracket for a figure. The doorway is divided by a central shaft,
an addition of the latter part of the fourteenth century. The shield of
arms in front of the capital is that of Richard II. (1377-99); quarterly,
first and fourth, the mythical Arms of Edward the Confessor; second and
third, the Royal Arms of England. The supporters are--dexter, a lion;
sinister, a bull. It will be noticed that the next window of the aisle,
and the buttress beyond it, are much plainer than the rest, left so
doubtless owing to their having been to a great extent hidden by the
walls of the lengthened chapel (see p. 20).
In the year 1875 the ground round the chapter-house was lowered, and the
foundations of the chapel were laid bare. They extend as far as the second
buttress of the angel choir. A general idea of the appearance of this
chapel may be had from a view of Hollar's, in Dugdale's "_Monasticon_."
There were two windows in the east wall, and above these a blind arcade.
The roof was pointed; its outline may still be traced on the transept wall.
Between this chapel and the vestibule of the chapter-house is the old
common chamber, of which parts are now used as a lavatory. The position
of the ten-sided chapter-house, like that of the neighbouring cloisters,
is somewhat unusual. Two windows, with a lozenge-shaped panel above them,
occupy each of the sides. The buttresses attached to the walls at the
angles were originally crowned by pedimental gables, all but the two
westernmost of which have been replaced by crocketed pinnacles of the
Decorated period. The pressure of the stone vault, which was added some
time after the chapter-house was built, necessitated the strengthening
of the walls, which was done by means of flying buttresses attached to
eight huge blocks of masonry, standing about 20 feet from the walls. The
roof is pyramidal, and is surmounted by a cross. A guide-book of 1810
states that there was "originally a fine spire rising from the roof,
but was taken down not long since, being greatly decayed." This apparently
refers to an alteration made by James Essex in 1761-2, when the roof was
"reduced to an ugly hipped shape." It was again altered to its original
form in the year 1800. A wall, which is shewn in early prints, between
some of the outer buttresses was removed in 1806. On several of the
buttresses the marks may still be seen of houses once built against
them. These houses have now been all removed, and a delightful view of
the minster has been obtained by clearing away all the dwellings which
stood until quite recent years on the now vacant piece of ground beyond
the chapter-house.
[Illustration: NORTH DOORWAY OF THE ANGEL CHOIR.
_H. C. Oakden, Photo._]
The north side of the minster is, to a large extent, blocked by the
deanery, but a fine general view may be had from the road at the north-east
corner, with the chapter-house just in front, surrounded by its massive
supporters. The transept of St. Hugh, beyond this, is hidden by the
chapter-house vestibule and the cloisters. At the end of the western
transept is the circular window, the "dean's eye," with the large
quatrefoil in the middle, surrounded by a band of sixteen small circles.
Above, in the gable, is a lancet window of five lights. The difference
between these two windows and those inserted in a corresponding position
on the south side of the transept, is very noticeable. The southern pair
are over a century later in date. Both the turrets on the north side are
octagonal, but neither of them is crocketed. The view from this spot at
sunset is particularly fine. After passing the deanery, and turning to
the left, it will be noticed that the north side of the nave has not a
row of niches such as has been seen on the south side. The tower at the
west end has a gable on its north face, similar to that on the opposite
side of the companion tower.
A visit to the minster would not be complete without a climb to the
breezy top of the great central tower. The ascent is not difficult,
and may be made for a small fee. The clock was made by William Potts
& Sons of Leeds, in 1880, and weighs about four tons. It took the place
of one made in 1775 by Thwaites, and afterwards improved by Vulliamy.
The Cathedral Close, or =Minster Yard=, as old-fashioned Lincoln people
still love to call it, was first protected by a wall in the last years of
the thirteenth century. The licence from Edward I. to the Dean and Chapter,
giving them permission to undertake this work, dates from the year 1285.
Edward's successor granted a further licence in the year 1319 to fortify
the walls; the two ruined towers in the chancery garden are relics
of the fortifications begun about this time. Massive double gateways
were erected to protect the approaches, except in one instance, where a
steep ascent was considered to justify the erection of a single gateway
only. Unfortunately, these gateways were for the most part destroyed early
in the present century. The principal one remaining is that opposite the
western end of the minster, known as the "Exchequer Gate." Indeed, even
when all the gateways were standing, this seems to have been the chief.
[Illustration: NORTH SIDE OF THE ANGEL CHOIR.
_S. B. Bolas & Co., Photo._]
Leland, who was at Lincoln in the latter part of Henry VIII.'s reign,
writes thus: "Al the hole Close is environid withe an highe stronge wawle
havynge dyvers Gats in it, whereof the principall is the Escheker gate."
Of course, when Leland wrote, the companion outer gateway was yet standing,
and it remained so until early in the present century. It had then
fallen into disrepair, and does not seem to have been considered worth
renovating. An idea of the appearance of the Exchequer Gate will be gained
from De Wint's picture, reproduced on p. 33. Like its former companion,
it has a large archway in the middle and a postern on either side;
above are two storeys of rooms, formerly let as dwellings. A guide-book
of the year 1810 mentions that a public-house was at that time "kept in
the apartment to the north of the southern postern." Another gateway of
the same period (early fourteenth century) is still standing near the
top of the New Road, at the south-east corner of the close. This was
the only single gateway. It is now called "Pottergate Arch." A little
westward of this gate, a flight of steps, with a postern at the top,
leads up to the minster yard from the New Road. Respecting its name,
the "Grecian Stairs," much has been written. It may be sufficient here
to remark that the old name appears to have been simply "The Greesen,"
from the early English _gree_, a step.
"a sentence
Which, as a grize or step may help these lovers."
("Othello," Act I. sc. iii.).
The "Priory Gate" to the north-east, near the chapter-house, is a plain
modern arch, a poor substitute for the two gateways destroyed in the year
1815. In addition to those already mentioned, there were anciently two
other double gateways to the close. One of them stood between the White
Hart and Angel Inns, at the west end of Eastgate; the other was near the
deanery, at the end of East Bight.
The venerable ruins of the old =Palace of the Bishops= at Lincoln bear
sufficient testimony to long years of neglect. But it is gratifying to
know that this beautiful spot has been restored in recent years to its
ancient use, and that a new bishop's palace now occupies an appropriate
place beside the ruins of the old. It lies on the south side of the
close, and anciently commanded a lovely view over the straggling city
in the valley beneath, and over the surrounding country. The prospect
is now marred by a fast-increasing number of tall, smoking chimneys,
signs of awakening activity; but it is still beautiful, and the view of
the minster from the palace grounds is as fine as ever.
[Illustration: ELEVATION OF THE FORMER CHAPEL OF THE BISHOP'S PALACE,
WITH BISHOP ALNWICK'S TOWER.
[completed from Buck's Print, 1726.]]
Special permission is necessary to visit the ruins. The entrance gateway,
at the corner of the Vicars' Close, bears the arms of Bishop Smyth. The
chapel used to stand on the left, where the coach-house and stable now
are. In front is Bishop Alnwick's tower, which was restored by the late
bishop, Dr. Wordsworth. Just westward of the tower are the ruins of
the hall, extending in a southerly direction towards the ruins of the
kitchen. The present chapel of the bishops stands between the ancient
hall and kitchen, and has been quite recently erected. There are also
remains of buildings of less importance.
=The Deanery= lies on the north side of the minster, just beyond the
cloisters. The present house, built half-a-century ago, replaced a much
finer building, with a quadrangular central court. The commencement of
the old deanery is dated as far back as the end of the twelfth century,
but the chief part was the work of Dean Fleming (1451-83). Leland seems
to imply that there were traces of more ancient buildings. "Where the
Deane of Lyncolnes Howse is," he says, "and there about was a Monasterye
of Nunes afore the time that Remigius began the new Mynstar of Lyncolne:
and in this Howse yet remayne certayne tokens of it." The demolition,
towards the end of the year 1847, of the fine tower built by Dean
Fleming caused much regret. It used to be called "Wolsey's tower," from
the popular opinion that it was built by that celebrated prelate when
bishop of Lincoln. In the painting by Mackenzie, reproduced on p. 53,
the tower is shown, to the left of the chapter-house. The new deanery
lies a little to the eastward of its predecessor.
The most interesting of all the old houses around the minster yard is the
=Cantelupe chantry house=, which stands almost opposite to the south-east
doorway of the minster, near the entrance to the Vicars' Court. This house
was originally the residence of the clergy who served at the altar of St.
Nicholas in the minster, where Nicholas, Lord Cantelupe, founded a chantry
in the year 1355, with an endowment for the maintenance of three priests.
It is probable that the house was erected by Lord Cantelupe's widow
eleven years later, when the foundation was enlarged by her for a warden
and seven chaplains. The house is of stone, with a fine oriel window,
which has, however, been much mutilated. The two shields of arms, one
on either side of this window, are those of the Cantelupe and Zouche
families. In the gable above is a niche, with a seated figure of Christ.
Several windows of the house have been filled in, and the interior has
been completely transformed.
[Illustration: PLAN OF THE BISHOP'S PALACE, LINCOLN, ON THE LEVEL OF THE
HALL FLOOR.]
[Illustration: VIEW OF THE ANCIENT DEANERY.]
Close by is the entrance to the =Vicars' Court=, founded by Bishop Oliver
Sutton (1280-99); the work was continued by his successor, John de
Dalderby, and taken up again by Bishop John Buckingham (1363-1397), The
entrance gateway is the work of Bishop Buckingham, and bears his shield of
arms. Some houses on the east side of the court also bear these arms, and
date from the same bishop's time. Part of Bishop Button's work is to be
traced in a house on the south side. The other buildings are of later date.
The residence of the chancellor, on the eastern side of the close, near the
south end, may be recognised by its fine old red-brick front, dating from
the latter part of the fifteenth century; parts of the house are of earlier
date. The precentory stands on the south side of the close, next to the
Exchequer Gate. Very little now remains of the ancient building; the
present front was designed by J. L. Pearson, R.A. The next house eastward,
the sub-deanery, has more extensive remains of early work; a bay window of
the fifteenth century should in particular be noticed. In the year 1884,
when the eighteenth century railings at the western end of the minster
were removed, and the ground round this part lowered, the sub-deanery
was considerably altered to allow of the widening of the road.
[Illustration: PART OF THE ANCIENT DEANERY, WITH DEAN FLEMING'S TOWER.]