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Article ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHAÆOLOGY. ← Page 3 of 4 →
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Architecture And Archaæology.
would find a large number of religious buildings . On Dartmoor they would see tlie remains of old huts ancl habitations of ancient structure . There were one or two other things he might have mentioned to show that there was something of Eastern origin in all their practices . For instance , there was their clotted cream , which he would recommend the association to investigate closely . ( Laughter . ) It was said that clotted cream was to be found now here like what it was in the AVest of England and in the
neighbourhood of Tyre . The old name of cheese was Tyre , and butter was called by the same name , and the Indian gee had a compound in it which they called Tyre . Then , again , the remains of pottery had been found which resembled the Eastern pottery . There were also found glass and beads , and they all knew both of these were anciently made in Tyre . Sir Stafford again regretted the absence of a museum in this city . If that meeting was to be of any good they ought to make it practical —( hear)—and he hoped the ultimate
result of the associations ' s visit would be to organise the formation of a museum—to organise the system of collecting information—to organise a system of preserving the records of their old mementoes . Then , he thought , they would be able to say that the visit had not been in vain ; that their friends would go back to Loudon declaring that they had not found them quite so uncivilised as in the centre of England they might be supposed to have been , and would be encouraged to visit them againancl tell them how they
, could report of their progress since last they saw them . The Hon . baronet resumed his seat amidst loud applause . Mr . PEITIGKEW then rose and proposed a vote of thanks to the president for the able and learned address he had given them . Sir SIAEEOED acknowledged the compliment paid him . In the evening , a paper upon the "Ecclesiastical Edifices in Exeter " was read by Mr . Davis , at the Institution , Cathedralyard , Exeter . Lord Clifford took the chair , and Sir Stafford
Northcote , Bart ., M . P ., the President of the Association , having offered a few remarks , Mr . DAVIS rose ancl read his paper , the substance of which was as follows : —It is on record that on that spot two ecclesiastical edifice , at the very least , existed , of which there did not seem to be the smallest trace . The first was founded hy Athelstan about the year 932 , and was burnt down by Sweyn , in August , 1003 . Of the building which succeeded it they only knew that it contained seven bells , to which Leofric , upon the see being removed from Crediton to Exeter by Edward the Confessor , in 1050 , added six
others , and a dozen smaller ones for chimes . This building , which was in all probability the largest | . in the diocese , was doubtless fininferior to many foreign cathedrals that AVarelwast , the bishop , who was consecrated in 1107 , had seen whilst occupied in his foreign embassies , in whicli he was employed by his uncle , AVilliam the Conqueror . In 1112 this bishop commenced rebuilding this cathedral on a much grander scale than the previous building ; indeed '• he two towers that were left in almost their integrityif
, . , they did not ' display originality of design , or the simplicity that they occasionally saw in that style , were sufficient to show that AVarolwast ' s views were that his cathedral should , at least in size , vie with any other erected . During the progress of the work it was interrupted by three months' siege of that city , in the summer of 1136 , under King Stephen . AVarelwast was said to have died the year following , leaving the cathedral still incomplete ; and in 1161 ,
as Exeter suffered much from conflagration , it was probable that the cathedral itself did not entirely escape damage . The towers were remarkably fine , and bore a great resemblance in design to the western front of Ely . They occupied an unusually large area , and had been obliged to submit to the humiliation of being crowned with pinnacles of the worst description , that would , from their form , give to any less massive tower a positively frivolous character . It was to be regretted that the effect of the massiveness
of these towers had been so destroyed by the mortar pointing , which was of recent addition , the stones being set as closely together as they would admit , ancl the pointing of the mortar being nearly on the surface . It was left for AA ' arelwast ' s successor to design that very fine decorative church which , as far as the northern side , might be said to have been completed before 1377 . The northern facade equalled , if it did not surpass , the efi ' eet produced by the northern front of any other cathedral . In viewing the northern front from
the Close they had on the right the western entrance flanked by the cemetery chapel , as it was called , of St . Edmund , said to have been an older structure than the rest of the cathedral . The windows of the side aisles were of all good and various designs , principally a combination of purely geometrical forms , with an occasional filling of flowing lines . The porch was enriched with exceedingly low ornamentation , that would have been much better omitted . The parapet of the aisles was remarkable as being double the outer , which
was simply battlemented with an open space , about two feet six inches wide , between a second parapet , which was much more lofty , and without battlement , but pierced with loopholes , of the cuneiform shapeusual in fortified buildings , but not to be seen in other churches .
The roof of the aisles was raised to the level of the parapet , so as to form a covered way as a protection to the defender . In the centre of the front towers , up the Norman Tower , a window was inserted in the time of Bishop Quivil , between 1280 and 1291 . In the southern tower a similar window was then also inserted , but enlarged in 1427 or 1430 . These windows ( omitting the transom in one ) were decidedly the best decorated windows in the cathedra ] ,
excepting that to the west , of which they appear to have formed the first idea . The window in the northern tower formed a most capital centre , and the front would lose all point were it omitted . The western front was of as bold a character as the other portions of the building , and was quite unlike any other western front . The window in the centre was perhaps the finest in this country . If its symbolism could be read , he helieved a tale would he elicited that would interest even those who were indifferent to
the beauties of architecture . The head contained a large wheel , in the centre of which was a five-foiled star , from which sprang five triangular figures , compressed within a circle ; round these , butstill within the great wheel , were twelve figures , alternately circular and quatrefoil ; supporting the head were nine lights , more or less foliated . Above this was another window , and still higher was a very dilapidated tabernacle , enclosing the very impressive
figure of St . Peter , the patron of the cathedral . Supporting the central portion were screens , very poorly executed , built to enclose staircases from the very pretty octagonal turrets which sprang up —the northern from the wall of St . Edmond ' s Chapel , the southern from a massive buttress that originally formed a part of the enclosing wall of the cloisters . This brought them to the screen that stretched across the whole of the western front , containing two
tiers of very rich tabernacle work , enclosing statues , of which the lower ones were supported by angels . The majority of the figures were very well executed , and were mostly posed in much more graceful attitudes than usual . The interior , as seen from the west door on a first view , appeared low , hut it was really higher than many cathedrals . Over the arch ofthe fifth bay from the west was a hanging gallery—the minstrel ' s gallery , the front of which was beautifully enriched with tabernacle workenclosing in its twelve
, recesses a figure playing some instrument . A monument , that had lately been erected in bronze and white marble in the nave desecrated the cathedral ,, and perpetuated an art but a shade hetter than that of the scribbling school boy or a Pagan hieroglyphic . Its erection was not only to be regretted in an archaeological point
of view , but also that the names they so much honoured should be associated with anything so contemptible . From a central point in the eastern side in the cloisters was the chapter house , a parallelogram of four bays divided into three stages . The tomb of Henry Marshall ancl Simon of Apulia was probably designed by the same hand . The chapter house , whatever it might have been , was removed some time in the fifteenth centuryand raised to its present elevationhaving perpendicular
, , windows in each bay , with tabernacles between , in tolerably good work , ascribed to Bishop Lacy , who died in 14 , 55 . The east window was considered the work of his successor , whilst Bothe , the following bishop , was said to have erected the rich carved and gilt roof . Between the chapter house and the south transept was the chapel of the Holy Ghost . Proceeding by the south aisle of the choir in the first bay was a doorwaynow stopped upwhilst three
bays-, , further east was the Chapel of St . Joseph , beautifully grained iii two bays . The windows were of the simplest form of tracery , of the date of 1280 . On the , north side of the chapel is the canopy of a tomb of exceedingly good design . The centre division was a two-centered arch , enriched with large open crosses . The tympanum was fitted with a vescica piscis , containing a seated figure ot the Saviourand a panel on each sidecontaining an angel
, , swinging a censer . In the floor were a few simple encaustic tiles . Above the chapel was a chamber similarly floored , which was entered by turret stairs , approached through a yard that was formerly a chamber of some kind in connection with St . Joseph ' s Chapel . The crypt beneath , which was approached by a grated window , was probably the priest ' s prison , as tradition assigned a portion of the building to that use ; but whether it was taken
clown when the palace , which was immediately contiguous to that point , was altered in 1816 , he ( Mr . Davis ) could not say . On the north side was the chapel of St . Andrew , with a similar room over it , but no crypt . One of the gems of the cathedral was the screen across the entrance to the chair . There were but very few of these remaining in England in their original position ; and , considering how many and various have been the injuries inflicted the
upon interior of this cathedral , it was gratifying to see that beauty for once had been able to defend itself . The paper concluded by stating that it was to be regretted that time would not allow of reference being made to the beautiuful tombs and their canopies , the heraldry , or the magnificent canopy of the throne , to which there was no equal throughout these realms . At ten o ' clock , on Tuesday morning , the Association met at the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Architecture And Archaæology.
would find a large number of religious buildings . On Dartmoor they would see tlie remains of old huts ancl habitations of ancient structure . There were one or two other things he might have mentioned to show that there was something of Eastern origin in all their practices . For instance , there was their clotted cream , which he would recommend the association to investigate closely . ( Laughter . ) It was said that clotted cream was to be found now here like what it was in the AVest of England and in the
neighbourhood of Tyre . The old name of cheese was Tyre , and butter was called by the same name , and the Indian gee had a compound in it which they called Tyre . Then , again , the remains of pottery had been found which resembled the Eastern pottery . There were also found glass and beads , and they all knew both of these were anciently made in Tyre . Sir Stafford again regretted the absence of a museum in this city . If that meeting was to be of any good they ought to make it practical —( hear)—and he hoped the ultimate
result of the associations ' s visit would be to organise the formation of a museum—to organise the system of collecting information—to organise a system of preserving the records of their old mementoes . Then , he thought , they would be able to say that the visit had not been in vain ; that their friends would go back to Loudon declaring that they had not found them quite so uncivilised as in the centre of England they might be supposed to have been , and would be encouraged to visit them againancl tell them how they
, could report of their progress since last they saw them . The Hon . baronet resumed his seat amidst loud applause . Mr . PEITIGKEW then rose and proposed a vote of thanks to the president for the able and learned address he had given them . Sir SIAEEOED acknowledged the compliment paid him . In the evening , a paper upon the "Ecclesiastical Edifices in Exeter " was read by Mr . Davis , at the Institution , Cathedralyard , Exeter . Lord Clifford took the chair , and Sir Stafford
Northcote , Bart ., M . P ., the President of the Association , having offered a few remarks , Mr . DAVIS rose ancl read his paper , the substance of which was as follows : —It is on record that on that spot two ecclesiastical edifice , at the very least , existed , of which there did not seem to be the smallest trace . The first was founded hy Athelstan about the year 932 , and was burnt down by Sweyn , in August , 1003 . Of the building which succeeded it they only knew that it contained seven bells , to which Leofric , upon the see being removed from Crediton to Exeter by Edward the Confessor , in 1050 , added six
others , and a dozen smaller ones for chimes . This building , which was in all probability the largest | . in the diocese , was doubtless fininferior to many foreign cathedrals that AVarelwast , the bishop , who was consecrated in 1107 , had seen whilst occupied in his foreign embassies , in whicli he was employed by his uncle , AVilliam the Conqueror . In 1112 this bishop commenced rebuilding this cathedral on a much grander scale than the previous building ; indeed '• he two towers that were left in almost their integrityif
, . , they did not ' display originality of design , or the simplicity that they occasionally saw in that style , were sufficient to show that AVarolwast ' s views were that his cathedral should , at least in size , vie with any other erected . During the progress of the work it was interrupted by three months' siege of that city , in the summer of 1136 , under King Stephen . AVarelwast was said to have died the year following , leaving the cathedral still incomplete ; and in 1161 ,
as Exeter suffered much from conflagration , it was probable that the cathedral itself did not entirely escape damage . The towers were remarkably fine , and bore a great resemblance in design to the western front of Ely . They occupied an unusually large area , and had been obliged to submit to the humiliation of being crowned with pinnacles of the worst description , that would , from their form , give to any less massive tower a positively frivolous character . It was to be regretted that the effect of the massiveness
of these towers had been so destroyed by the mortar pointing , which was of recent addition , the stones being set as closely together as they would admit , ancl the pointing of the mortar being nearly on the surface . It was left for AA ' arelwast ' s successor to design that very fine decorative church which , as far as the northern side , might be said to have been completed before 1377 . The northern facade equalled , if it did not surpass , the efi ' eet produced by the northern front of any other cathedral . In viewing the northern front from
the Close they had on the right the western entrance flanked by the cemetery chapel , as it was called , of St . Edmund , said to have been an older structure than the rest of the cathedral . The windows of the side aisles were of all good and various designs , principally a combination of purely geometrical forms , with an occasional filling of flowing lines . The porch was enriched with exceedingly low ornamentation , that would have been much better omitted . The parapet of the aisles was remarkable as being double the outer , which
was simply battlemented with an open space , about two feet six inches wide , between a second parapet , which was much more lofty , and without battlement , but pierced with loopholes , of the cuneiform shapeusual in fortified buildings , but not to be seen in other churches .
The roof of the aisles was raised to the level of the parapet , so as to form a covered way as a protection to the defender . In the centre of the front towers , up the Norman Tower , a window was inserted in the time of Bishop Quivil , between 1280 and 1291 . In the southern tower a similar window was then also inserted , but enlarged in 1427 or 1430 . These windows ( omitting the transom in one ) were decidedly the best decorated windows in the cathedra ] ,
excepting that to the west , of which they appear to have formed the first idea . The window in the northern tower formed a most capital centre , and the front would lose all point were it omitted . The western front was of as bold a character as the other portions of the building , and was quite unlike any other western front . The window in the centre was perhaps the finest in this country . If its symbolism could be read , he helieved a tale would he elicited that would interest even those who were indifferent to
the beauties of architecture . The head contained a large wheel , in the centre of which was a five-foiled star , from which sprang five triangular figures , compressed within a circle ; round these , butstill within the great wheel , were twelve figures , alternately circular and quatrefoil ; supporting the head were nine lights , more or less foliated . Above this was another window , and still higher was a very dilapidated tabernacle , enclosing the very impressive
figure of St . Peter , the patron of the cathedral . Supporting the central portion were screens , very poorly executed , built to enclose staircases from the very pretty octagonal turrets which sprang up —the northern from the wall of St . Edmond ' s Chapel , the southern from a massive buttress that originally formed a part of the enclosing wall of the cloisters . This brought them to the screen that stretched across the whole of the western front , containing two
tiers of very rich tabernacle work , enclosing statues , of which the lower ones were supported by angels . The majority of the figures were very well executed , and were mostly posed in much more graceful attitudes than usual . The interior , as seen from the west door on a first view , appeared low , hut it was really higher than many cathedrals . Over the arch ofthe fifth bay from the west was a hanging gallery—the minstrel ' s gallery , the front of which was beautifully enriched with tabernacle workenclosing in its twelve
, recesses a figure playing some instrument . A monument , that had lately been erected in bronze and white marble in the nave desecrated the cathedral ,, and perpetuated an art but a shade hetter than that of the scribbling school boy or a Pagan hieroglyphic . Its erection was not only to be regretted in an archaeological point
of view , but also that the names they so much honoured should be associated with anything so contemptible . From a central point in the eastern side in the cloisters was the chapter house , a parallelogram of four bays divided into three stages . The tomb of Henry Marshall ancl Simon of Apulia was probably designed by the same hand . The chapter house , whatever it might have been , was removed some time in the fifteenth centuryand raised to its present elevationhaving perpendicular
, , windows in each bay , with tabernacles between , in tolerably good work , ascribed to Bishop Lacy , who died in 14 , 55 . The east window was considered the work of his successor , whilst Bothe , the following bishop , was said to have erected the rich carved and gilt roof . Between the chapter house and the south transept was the chapel of the Holy Ghost . Proceeding by the south aisle of the choir in the first bay was a doorwaynow stopped upwhilst three
bays-, , further east was the Chapel of St . Joseph , beautifully grained iii two bays . The windows were of the simplest form of tracery , of the date of 1280 . On the , north side of the chapel is the canopy of a tomb of exceedingly good design . The centre division was a two-centered arch , enriched with large open crosses . The tympanum was fitted with a vescica piscis , containing a seated figure ot the Saviourand a panel on each sidecontaining an angel
, , swinging a censer . In the floor were a few simple encaustic tiles . Above the chapel was a chamber similarly floored , which was entered by turret stairs , approached through a yard that was formerly a chamber of some kind in connection with St . Joseph ' s Chapel . The crypt beneath , which was approached by a grated window , was probably the priest ' s prison , as tradition assigned a portion of the building to that use ; but whether it was taken
clown when the palace , which was immediately contiguous to that point , was altered in 1816 , he ( Mr . Davis ) could not say . On the north side was the chapel of St . Andrew , with a similar room over it , but no crypt . One of the gems of the cathedral was the screen across the entrance to the chair . There were but very few of these remaining in England in their original position ; and , considering how many and various have been the injuries inflicted the
upon interior of this cathedral , it was gratifying to see that beauty for once had been able to defend itself . The paper concluded by stating that it was to be regretted that time would not allow of reference being made to the beautiuful tombs and their canopies , the heraldry , or the magnificent canopy of the throne , to which there was no equal throughout these realms . At ten o ' clock , on Tuesday morning , the Association met at the