Mr. Thomas Hodkinson, Architect. In his Description of the Cathedral Church of Ely. Architectural Antiquities, Vol. I. p. 3. In allusion to these military predilections, his professional friend and associate, Mr. R. C. Hussey, thus writes, “These really remained with him to the end of his life. He would always converse readily and with animation on military subjects; and his wife observed that if he saw a soldier approaching, he would cross the street in order to get as near to him as he could.” An old friend of Rickman’s told me that he once met at dinner, at Dublin, an officer (I think a major in the army) who said an extraordinary thing had occurred to him, for he once came across a Quaker who knew more about his (the major’s) regiment than he did himself. It need scarcely be added that the Quaker was no other than Mr. Rickman, our architect. I may here relate an anecdote of my own personal meeting with Rickman. I was once travelling in a stage coach, and had drawn the conversation gradually into an architectural channel. One of my companions, an elderly gentleman in Quaker costume, after some general remarks, addressed me as follows:—“Young friend, thou seemest to have some taste for architecture,—where did’st thou pick it up?” My reply was, that the little I knew of the subject had been gleaned from the perusal of Mr. Rickman’s clever work on Gothic Architecture. “Indeed, friend,” continued my querist, “is that verily so? Then, I am Thomas Rickman.” This Church (writes Mr. Hussey) was erected under the Church Building Commissioners, very soon after they were appointed; and it was under their auspices, indeed, that he commenced his Church building. He used to say that when he had an interview with these functionaries, he enquired how large a projection he might give to the Chancel. The reply was, that two feet was enough for a Chancel; and two feet is given to it in this Church. He is buried in the graveyard of St. George’s Church, where a monument, erected by subscription, exists to his memory. At this time of day masons were so little accustomed to work Gothic windows, that no one would give an estimate for work of this kind, consequently no contract for a Gothic Church could be made. As this would not suit Rickman or the Church Commissioners, he had a set of patterns made for cast iron Windows, and these he used for all the windows in St. George’s Church, except the east window, which is of stone. St. George’s is in the Decorated style. The architect here named was the father of the Rev. T. N. Hutchinson, formerly Vice-Principal of the Chester Training College, and now second Master of King Edward’s School, Birmingham. The members of the Chester ArchÆological Society need not to be reminded how thoroughly the architectural tastes of the father are inherited by the son. Article on Rickman in Knight’s CyclopoÆdia of Biography. It will be observed that, in the following paper, Rickman has distinctly pointed out what he supposes to be the dates of erection of the several portions of the Cathedral building. Having no historical authorities to refer to, he had fixed these entirely from his own notions of the probable periods, drawn from his examination of the distinctive characteristics of the several parts. We have it in our power now to verify these dates from authentic records, and to show, as we have done in foot notes, the singular accuracy of Rickman’s judgment in fixing them. This fault has since Rickman’s time been remedied by the substitution of two handsome and appropriate windows. The Presentation Book of the Abbey says, “The Choir, Steeple and Body of the Church were rebuilt about the time of King John, i.e. 1199 to 1216, Hugh Grylle, Abbot.” The Early English period dates from the accession of John in 1199, to 1272, in which year Henry III died. The work continued languidly through the abbacies of Marmion, Pincebeck, Frind, and Capenhurst, to Simon de Albo Monasterio, who became Abbot in 1265, died in 1289, and was buried in the Chapter House. During this energetic abbacy, says Dr. Ormerod, “the monastery or a considerable portion thereof was rebuilt.” The Decorated period extended from A.D. 1272 to 1377, or during the reign of the three Edwards. Simon de Albo Monasterio was Abbot from 1265–1289, while his important part of the work was in rapid progress. The Perpendicular style ranged from the accession of Richard II. in 1377, to the death of Henry VIII. in 1546. Simon Ripley, who was Abbot of St. Werburgh’s, 1472 to 1479, is stated to have rebuilt the Nave, Tower, and South Transept; but in Webb’s portion of the Vale Royal it is distinctly recorded that, in 1506, in the abbacy of John Birchenshaw “The old steeple of St. Werburgh was taken down,” while two years afterwards the same record states that “the foundation and the first stone of the Abbey laid, the Maior being then present.” This record has been hitherto connected with the western tower, but Rickman’s argument seems to be conclusive, unless indeed, which is quite probable, both were in progress at the same period. Not the windows which are to be found there now, which were erected at the time of the general repair of the fabric, about 1816, after Rickman’s survey. The Dean and Chapter have for some years past been gradually restoring this beautiful structure to its original character; and the Perpendicular work here half-complained of by Rickman has now almost disappeared. The erections here so deservedly condemned were the remains of an old cloth hall, originally built for the stranger merchants frequenting the great annual fairs at Chester. These buildings occupied great part of the space now enclosed with railing on the S.W. side of the nave and St. Oswald’s Church, and were pulled down about 20 years ago. In the print of Chester Cathedral given in Willis’ Survey of Cathedrals, A.D. 1727, the battlements and rich crocketted pinnacles are shown as existing then. The South end of the South Transept is also shewn to have been richly decorated with niches. Probably H. Cholmondeley, who was Dean of Chester, from 1806 to 1815.
