How to Visit the English Cathedrals

WORCESTER

Dedication: The Blessed Virgin, St. Peter and the Holy Confessors, Oswald and Wulstan. Formerly the Church of a Benedictine Monastery.

Special features: Nave; Choir-Stalls; Tomb of King John; Chantry of Prince Arthur; Arcade across transepts and Lady-Chapel; Crypt.

The Cathedral of Worcester is severe and plain; but its very severity appeals to some critics, as do the general lines of the entire edifice.

“The beautiful proportions of the great tower harmonise so well with the general plan and mass of the rest of the fabric that although it has no pride of place like Durham or Lincoln, it still dominates the whole city and vicinity in a great and unmistakable manner. The flat meadow-land of the Severn valley in this part of the county, unbroken westward up to the very foot of the Malvern hills, gives the Cathedral on this side the importance of the chief feature in many miles of landscape. And as one approaches from the eastward, over the slight eminences on which the battle of Worcester was chiefly fought, a glimpse of the tower is the earliest evidence of the existence of the city.”—(E. F. S.)

The history of Worcester Cathedral begins with Oswald, a Benedictine monk, consecrated Bishop of Worcester by Dunstan in 961. Oswald’s cathedral, finished in 983, was destroyed by the Danes in 1041, and rebuilt in 1084-1089 by Wulstan, a monk of Worcester, who became Bishop in 1062. Wulstan placed his church a little to the south of the first one. His crypt still remains,—the most famous crypt in England. Wulstan’s tomb was miraculously preserved when a fire burned parts of the cathedral in 1113, eight years after his death. Miracles were performed and cures effected. Finally in 1203 Wulstan was canonized.

When King John died in 1216, he was buried before the High Altar between the tombs of Oswald and Wulstan.

The Cathedral was dedicated in 1218 in the presence of King Henry III. and bishops, abbots, priors and nobles from all parts of the kingdom.

The church suffered from fires and storms; and the central tower fell in 1175. Rebuilding was frequently a necessity; and, therefore, many styles are to be found throughout the fabric.

Repairs were undertaken between 1702 and 1712, when the choir was paved and when it is supposed that the spires on the corners of the presbytery, transepts and nave were added.

An important series of repairs and restorations were undertaken by Wilkinson from 1748 to 1756. At this period

“the north end of the nave transept was rebuilt, the stone pulpit removed from the nave to the choir, and the latter re-paved with blue and white stone. The old right-of-way through the cathedral was replaced by a more proper and convenient passage round the west end; and many gravestones were removed from the floors of the side aisles of the choir, and from the nave, which were re-paved with white stone. The Jesus Chapel was opened to the nave and the font therein erected.

“The great flying buttresses at the east end were erected between 1736 and 1789. The great west window was rebuilt in 1789, and that of the east end in 1792. In 1812 a new altar-screen and choir-screen were built, and the tall pinnacles taken down after 1832.

“In 1857 began the great restoration of the cathedral under the auspices of Mr. Perkins, the architect to the dean and chapter, whose work was continued and amplified by Sir Gilbert Scott, who was employed after 1864.

“The results of this restoration, probably the most complete and far-reaching undergone by any British cathedral, include the exterior and interior of the tower, the pavements throughout the building; the decoration of the choir and Lady-chapel; all the windows, and almost the whole of the furniture and fittings, including a new reredos, choir-screen, organ and pulpit. The restored cathedral was reopened, with a magnificent choral service on the 8th of April, 1874. Since that date many additions have been made, splendid evidences of the survival of the old local patriotism; for almost everything is due to the munificence of local donors.”—(E. F. S.)

The chief feature is the central Tower, supposed to have been completed in 1374. It has been restored carefully.

“It is of two stages. The first has two lancets on each side, within an arcade of seven bays. Each of the upper stages has two louvred windows surmounted by crocketed canopies, and ornamented by three large sculptured figures in niches, of the whole twelve of which, six are modern. The whole is crowned by an open rail, or parapet, with six spirelets on either side and a crocketed pinnacle at each corner.”—(E. F. S.)

The West End contains one large modern window of eight lights with a wheel window above. The gable, with three small lancet windows, is surmounted by a cross and flanked by two buttresses topped by pinnacles. The doorway in the west front is also modern (1857-1873); but parts of the old Norman doorway have been inserted.

On the north side, the North Porch (24 feet long and 8 feet broad) consists of two bays. The front was restored. The sculptured figures in the canopied niches are Christ and the Twelve Apostles. Above these is a row of saints and then Perpendicular battlements. An exterior turret and staircase lead to the rooms above it, occupied by the porter. Two bays, each with a window, follow; then comes the Jesus Chapel; then one more bay; and then the north-transept, with its gable, cross and pinnacles; then four more bays; then the choir; then three more bays; and, finally, the Lady-Chapel. The south side is similar, with the exception of the projecting Chapel of St. John.

Pinnacles are a striking feature on all sides of the edifice.

On entering we are struck with the long vista, for the closed choir-screen, found in so many English cathedrals, is conspicuously absent. The proportions of the Nave are justly admired. It

“consists of nine bays, of which the two westernmost are of widely different character and date from the remaining seven. Its breadth, including the aisles, is 78 feet, its length 170 feet, and its height 68 feet; which dimensions may be compared with those of Salisbury, 82 feet, 229 feet 6 inches, and 81 feet; and of Wells, 82 feet, 161 feet, and 67 feet, respectively. The two western severies are of great interest. The pier arches are pointed, but rise from Late Norman capitals; the triforium stages have each two three-light round-headed windows, of which the centre one is considerably the highest, surmounted with zigzag ornament and decorated with characteristic lozenges, the whole enclosed within a pointed moulding. The clerestory has, in each bay, a central round-headed light, with Norman ornament above it, flanked by blank pointed windows, considerably smaller.

“On the north side, the whole of the walls of the five eastern bays, and the pier arches of the next two towards the west belong to the Decorated period, and may be dated between 1317 and 1327. The remainder of the two latter bays and the whole of the seven eastern bays of the south side are very early Perpendicular. Willis considers that this work was probably begun in the middle of the fourteenth century, and completed by the date of the vaulting of the nave, 1377, which would establish it as one of the earliest specimens of Perpendicular work in the country. The triforium arcade consists of two pointed arches, each subdivided again into two; and the clerestory has a large central light, with a smaller light on either side in each bay. On the north side these are the ordinary pointed arches of the Decorated period; on the south the lateral arches are straight sided, and the central arch only has a small curve on joining the vertical piers. Similar arches, but a century earlier in date, occur in the north transepts of Hereford and of Rochester Cathedrals.”—(E. F. S.)

The vaulting was finished in 1377. The glass of the windows is modern, as is also the handsome pulpit, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, Italian in style and made of alabaster and grey and green marble.

The monuments and tombs call for no special description, with the exception of the altar-tomb of John Beauchamp, fourth bay from the east. It dates from the early Fifteenth Century and is panelled in five compartments with coloured armorial bearings. The knight lies here in full armour, with pointed basinet, sleeveless jupon and baldric. His lady beside him is in the costume of the period. Her head rests on a swan and a dog lies at her feet.

The North aisle (1317-1327) is Decorated. Beyond the north porch, we come to Jesus Chapel, enclosed by a stone screen (Perpendicular) and containing a wooden altar with a full-size Madonna and Child.

The North transept is a mixture of Norman and Perpendicular. It consists of two bays; and in the north-west corner is the circular stair-turret. The South transept is similar to the north, and has, likewise, a stair-turret in the south-west corner.

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Worcester: Nave, east

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Worcester: Choir, east

The west window is of Perpendicular tracery. A fine Norman arch, partly closed by a Perpendicular screen, marks the entrance to the Chapel of St. John. Both transepts are aisleless. The South aisle of the nave is Norman and Transitional. The Font is modern.

The Choir was begun in 1224. The eastern transepts were added at the same time. A little of the old Norman work betrays itself here and there. No one seems to know why Bishop Godfrey de Giffard (1268-1301) placed gilded brass rings around the columns, unless it was for the sake of adding extra strength.

“The beauty of the pier-arches and those of the triforium, relieved so handsomely by the black shafts of Purbeck marble bearing Bishop Giffard’s brass rings, and by the finely proportioned spandrels of each bay, is by no means to be under-estimated.

“The choir is of five bays, including the eastern crossing, which is of greater width than the others. The pier-arch mouldings are of two patterns, one very similar to those of the choir and presbytery at Salisbury, having one of the ribs flanked by a double range of dog-tooth. The piers themselves, as well as those in the Lady-chapel, are octagonal, and have detached Purbeck shafts, eleven of which are fixed with a narrow course of marble embracing the shaft in the manner of a ring; and the remaining eight with brass rings; the two processes being used symmetrically, so that shafts similarly fixed stand opposite to each other.

“The triforium consists of two large arches in each bay, subdivided again into two. During the restoration the pillars, which had been whitewashed, were restored to their original rich black colour, and the rings which bind them made visible. The sculptures in the spandrels are restorations by Boulton. The inner wall of the triforium walk is decorated with a finely-proportioned arcade, which adds greatly to the general effect. The clerestory has a triplet of pointed lights in each bay, the centre one being considerably higher than those at the side, although they rise from pillars of equal height. The vault of the roof springs, in each severy, from a single shaft terminated with a foliated capital; it is simple in character, and was probably completed before the end of the first half of the thirteenth century. The elaborate pavement of Devonshire marble and encaustic tiles is modern.”—(E. F. S.)

The Choir-stalls (restored) date from 1379. The thirty-seven miserere seats represent Biblical, mythological and contemporary figures.

The Reredos, behind the High Altar, composed of alabaster, inlaid with coloured marbles, lapis lazuli, agates and malachite, is modern. The Bishop’s Throne is also modern; but the richly carved Pulpit of white stone dates from about 1630. It bears the arms of England, France, Scotland and Ireland.

In the centre of the choir in front of the altar steps stands the Tomb of King John. When John died in the Castle of Newark in 1216, his body was brought to Worcester Cathedral and buried before the High Altar. In 1797 the tomb was opened. The effigy, now gilded, is the earliest royal effigy in England. It dates from the early Thirteenth Century and is probably a good likeness of the Magna Charta king. Bloxam’s description in 1862, gives an idea of its original appearance:

“The effigy was originally the cover of the stone coffin in which the remains of that monarch were deposited in the Chapel of the Virgin, at the east end of the cathedral. The altar tomb is of a much later period, probably constructed early in the sixteenth century, when the tomb of Prince Arthur was erected.... The sides of this tomb are divided into three square compartments by panelled buttresses; each compartment contains a shield bearing the royal arms within a quatrefoil richly cusped; the spandrels are also foliated and cusped.... It is, however, the effigy of the king, sculptured in the early part of the Thirteenth Century, and probably the earliest sepulchral effigy in the cathedral, to which our chief attention should be drawn. This effigy represents him in the royal habiliments; first, the tunic, yellow, or of cloth of gold, reaching nearly to the ankles, with close-fitting sleeves, of which little is apparent. Over the tunic is seen the dalmatic, of a crimson colour, with wide sleeves edged with a gold and jewelled border, and girt about the waist by a girdle buckled in front, the pendant end of the girdle, which is jewelled, falling down as low as the skirt of the dalmatic. Of the yellow mantle lined with green little is visible. On the feet are black shoes, to the heels of which are affixed spurs. On the hands are gloves, jewelled at the back; the right hand held a sceptre, the lower portion of which only is left; the left grasps the hilt of the sword. On the head is the crown; there are moustaches and beard, and the light-brown hair is long. On either side of the head is the figure of a bishop holding a censer, perhaps intended to represent St. Oswald and St. Wulstan, between whose tombs the king was interred in the Chapel of the Virgin.”

On the south side of the sanctuary we find the Chantry of Prince Arthur, son of Henry VII., who died at Ludlow Castle in 1502. This is the most famous piece of work in the Cathedral, and one of the best examples of Tudor architecture in existence. It was erected in 1504, and

“consists of six bays of open tracery divided by panels of canopied niches containing figures and heraldic bearings surmounted by a battlemented rail and pinnacles. Within is a richly groined roof, with unusual flying supports, east and west. At the east end are the mutilated remains of a rich stone reredos, containing a figure of our Lord, and others hardly recognisable, which was above the altar formerly placed here. At the west end is a small figure of Henry VII. seated.

“The tomb itself of the Prince stands in the centre of the chantry. It is singularly plain, in contrast to the richness of its surroundings, almost the only ornament being the arms of England and France within panels on the sides. Around the top runs a painted inscription, obviously a late substitute for a brass which has been removed, to this effect: ‘Here lyeth buried prince Arthur, the first begotten sonne of the righte renowned Kinge henry the Seventhe, whiche noble Prince departed oute of this transitory life ate the Castle of Ludlowe, in the seventeenth yeere of hys father’s reign, and in the yeere of our Lorde god on thousande fyve hundred and two.’”—(E. F. S.)

The Chapel of St. John, projecting from two bays of the south-choir-aisle, is on the site of a Norman chapel. The Norman arch at the west end is its finest feature. It has three windows filled with modern glass and a piscina in the south wall.

The Eastern transepts demand careful attention.

“The design of the walls ... is extremely beautiful. Two lofty triplets of lancet lights are placed the one above the other. The lower triplet has a gallery in front of it immediately above the arcaded wall, and at the same level as the sill of the adjacent side aisle windows. The upper triplet has a similar gallery at the level of the triforium. Rich clustered shafts rise from the lower gallery in two orders; the inner order carries molded arches to correspond with the heads of the lower triplet; the shafts of the outer order rise from the lower gallery up to the impost of the upper triplet, grouping themselves with the shafts that stand in front of the upper triplet, and uniting in one group of capitals at the impost, where they carry a range of three arches with deep rich mouldings. Thus the entire composition represents a gigantic window of six lights.”—(W.)

One of the finest features of the Cathedral is the arcade that runs along the whole extent of the eastern transepts and across the Lady-Chapel.

“This is a series of trefoil headed arcades of three mouldings, resting on slender Early English shafts, each spandrel having been filled with carvings which take high rank among the best of the English school of the Thirteenth Century. They have now been, to a great extent, restored (by Boulton), and many, including all at the east end, are entirely new. The best of the old ones are figured by Aldis; and the most interesting, whether entirely ancient or partly restored, are as follows, starting from the west wall of the south-eastern transept:

“Two crusaders fighting a lion. A centaur. An angel weighing a soul, and the devil pulling down the scale. Devils roasting a soul in hell. The Jaws of Death. A body borne to burial. Expulsion of Adam and Eve. An angel leading a righteous soul to heaven. The dead rising from coffins. Christ enthroned. The archangel blowing the last trump. An angel holding a cross.

“South Aisle.—Two monks building. A queen instructing an architect. Two monks discussing plans. A devil with bird’s claws, riding on a man’s shoulders. The Crucifixion.

“Lady-Chapel.—Centaur and crusader. Prophets and Bible subjects (modern), grotesque.

“North Aisle.—Bishop offering a model of the cathedral at an altar (perhaps Bishop Henry de Blois, d. 1236). The Annunciation. The Visitation. The Nativity.

“North Transept.—Old Testament subjects. A bishop. A monk chastising a novice.”—(E. F. S.)

The tracery of the windows in the choir aisles and the Lady-Chapel is modern, patterned on Early English models. The entire east wall is modern. The window consists of five lights in two tiers. The glass dates from 1860 and represents the Crucifixion and the Ascension.

In the south aisle of the Lady-Chapel we notice one of the finest effigies in the building. It is a Fourteenth Century lady, whose left hand holds the cord of her cloak. A little dog lies at her feet. It is interesting to compare this with another unknown effigy of a lady of the Thirteenth Century in the north aisle of the Lady-Chapel. The left hand holds a glove.

In front of the altar and on the floor of the Lady-Chapel are the effigies of Bishop William de Blois (died 1236) and his successor Bishop Walter de Cantelupe (died 1265). The latter is in higher relief than the former and was originally set with gems. In the north aisle we must also note the large effigy of Sir James de Beauchamp, in complete armour with surcoat and long shield of Henry III.’s reign. Beneath the reredos lies the richly robed figure of Hawford, Dean of Worcester in 1553-1557. On the south side lies William, Earl of Dudley, in white marble on arches of alabaster. The Lady-Chapel is of the same date as the choir.

From the south transept of the nave we enter the famous Crypt, which dates from 1084. It was built after that of Winchester (1079) and before those of Gloucester (1089) and Canterbury (1096). Three rows of pillars form four walks, with an outer aisle of two rows of pillars. It was surrounded by several chapels, but only the southern chapel is now accessible. The pillars are admired for their grace and lightness, when illuminated. It suggests the Mosque of Cordova. In comparing the crypts of Winchester, Gloucester, Canterbury, and Worcester, Willis says:

“The height of all these crypts is nearly the same; so that at Winchester and Gloucester the arches are flattened into ellipses, the pillars are low and squat, and the crypts appear as sepulchral vaults; while at Worcester, where the arches are semicircular and the pillars more slender, the crypt is a complex and beautiful temple.”

The Cloisters form an irregular quadrangle enclosing a lovely green garth, 83 feet square. The roof of the walks is richly vaulted. The glass in the windows in the south alley depicted the history and miracles of St. Wulstan, but the glass was destroyed by the Puritans.

Beyond the south walk is the Refectory, a handsome building of red sandstone, dating from about 1372. It is now used as a class-room of the Cathedral School founded by King Henry VIII. The monks’ lavatory occupies two bays in the north alley.

From the west walk we enter the Chapter-House, originally a Norman building of the Eleventh Century. It was repaired about 1400, when the Norman windows and vaults were supplanted by those we now see. The present Chapter-House

“consists of ten bays, with a Perpendicular vaulted roof rising from a central Norman Column. Each bay contains a light traceried window, of which two are entirely, and two half, blocked up. Below these is a series of slightly hollowed niches in grey, blue and yellow stone in alternate courses, resting on three courses of rough red masonry. These niches have slight traces of ancient fresco painting; they are surmounted by an arcade of intersecting circular arches containing smaller arches. Similar ornamentation is to be found in the chapter-houses at Bristol and Rochester, and in the external wall of Ernulf’s crypt at Canterbury.”—(E. F. S.)

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