Bristol Cathedral Author(s): Dotted Crotchet Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 48, No. 777 (Nov. 1, 1907), pp. 705-715 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/904456 . Accessed: 13/01/2015 15:30 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 15:30:00 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-NOVEMBER I, 1907. 705 diaper work of the beautiful roof, which, with e Gloucester, is one of the finest specimens 'of OEMusBicalEEim s. Norman stone-vaultingremaining in England. No NOVEMBER I, 1907. less fascinating is the arcading-indeed, this Chapter House and its vestibule are veritable gems of ancient architecture. The easternwall is modern,as it replaces that destroyedby the rioters BRISTOL CATHEDRAL. in 1831. What is the long cathedralglade, But faith, that in thestructured shade embodiesto the Herself sense, ~cs Leaning upon Omnipotence; And Holiness, ennoblingthought, Into a living templewrought ? Ancient and modern: these characteristicscause Bristol to be unique among English cathedrals. Seven centuriescover the period of building: from ;a;' the Chapter House, erected in the reign of Henry II., to the Nave, built in the reign of Queen Victoria. The cathedral owes its originto Robert Fitzharding,afterwards Lord Berkeley,who ARMS OF THE CATHEDRAL. died in 1170 and was buried under the choir of the Norman church. In 1142 Fitzhardingfounded With the exception of the walls of the northand a monasteryof Augustinian canons, six of whom south transepts,which are Norman, the next most afterwards came into residence. Built between ancient part of the building is the Elder Lady 1148 and I155, the ChapterHouse is late Norman, Chapel, situated on the northside of the cathedral almost transitionalin fact,having 'just a touch of and enteredfrom the northtransept. It is called the point.' Here we meet withthe most elaborate Elder because it preceded the second Lady Chapel Norman work in England. The photograph on at the east end of the church. Originallydetached p. 707 will help to convey some idea of the rich from the main building, the Elder Chapel dates ii:ii.iii?-:i--i_:.~-i:.:.-?,- i:i?.i-;ii ::: --ii -: ii-?-i:i i : : ii:: -ii::::: :: :::: : :-::_ B i:i:-l~-':"~-"~i~' -- iiiii~jlll- ::::: ..;;-; -1--' i- ~?::?c:r : ::n : : ' ::-: I: - i-::::_i-iiii;-ii- : i ,_-;-?i(?i:i::::: THE WEST FRONT. (Photongrap4iby Mr. Ck:trles H. H1orton, Bristol.) This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 15:30:00 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 706 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-NOVEMBER I, 1907. from1216 to 1234, and by reason of its decorative In common withother churches under the feudal work is one of the most beautiful featuresof the dominationof the Berkeleyfamily the monumental cathedral. In the spandrelsof the arcade are some recesses in the walls at once attractattention. The grotesque carvings, not unlike those at Wells.* central tower-which is not quite square-contains One of these humoresques-an ape playing, on an unusual number of windows,five on each side. Pan's pipes,a duet witha violinistram, is reproduced The east window, singularlybeautiful in tracery, below. Early in the 14th century, during the with other windows contains some of the best regime of Abbot Knowle, the Norman choir was old glass in England. A relic of medihevaltimes is replaced by the existingbuilding in the Decorated the littlewatching-window in the south choir aisle or Middle pointed style. Every English cathedral above the Newton Chapel, whence a view could has its special points of architecturalinterest, and always be obtained of the choir. The Berkeley thechoir of Bristol can hold its own in thisrespect. Chapel, now used as a practice room forthe choir, It has no triforium,clerestory, or flyingbuttresses; contained two altars; the chapel is enteredthrough the same height (52 feet) prevails throughoutthe a vestibule,formerly the monastic sacristy,rich in entire building, including the aisles and the its splendidvaulting. The mouldingof the doorway to the BerkeleyChapel contains a repre- sentationof ammonite,in all probability due to a happy thoughtof Abbot Knowle, who, 'having noticed an ammonite partiallyuncovered in a piece of stone, may have, in his love for natural forms, made a note of it foruse' in the church /o l he was instrumentalin building. The misericordes furnishinstances of those grotesque carvings in which old-world artiststook fond delight. One of these (reproduced on p. 708) representstwo F or ~U~T~ --- v??-~~~ THE REBUS OF JOHN DE NEWLAND, OR NAILHEART. foxes, dressed as monks, preaching to a flock of geese, before the latter were decapitated. Among other subtletiesin the buildingis the rebus,in stone, of the 'good Abbot' (1481-1515), John de Newland, or Nailheart,as shown above. The monuments include several to the to Robert STONE CARVING IN THE ELDER LADY CHAPEL. Berkeley family; Southey, a nativeof (Photograpk by Mr. Charles H. Horton, BristoL) Bristol; CatherineWinkworth, translatorof many German hymns into modern nave. The absence of the clerestoryis, English; Samuel Morley, formerlyM.P. for the however,amply atoned for by the large transomed city; Emma Marshall and FrederickJohn Fargus windows of the aisles, which cause the whole of ('Hugh Conway'), both novelists; and to the the eastern half of the interiorto be wonderfullyeminent divine, Joseph Butler,Bishop of Bristolfor open and spacious: beneath these Decorated twelveyears-holding at the same timethe Deanery windows is a string-course with ball-flowerof St. Paul's-author of 'The analogy of religion.' ornament,the whole design being most pleasing in A window commemorates Edward Colston, the its lightand cheerfulaspect. The skeletonvaulting great philanthropistof Bristol,and the south-west of the aisles (as shown in the view on p. 712) is tower is dedicated to his memory. The north- very uncommon and forms a feature of special west towerbears the name of Bishop Butler,who is interest. buriedat the entranceto the easternLady Chapel. * In the 1542, when the An illustrated article on Wells Cathedral appeared in THE MUSICAL year Augustinian TIMES of December, 190o2. monasterybecame a cathedral, the Norman nave This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 15:30:00 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions MUSICAL THE TIMES.-NOVEMBER I, 19O7. 707 being ruinous, for upwards of three hundred would be built, but the lowering of the road in years the church consisted of a choir, with its frontobfthe cathedral in 1865 disclosed the actual chapels, two transepts, and central tower, the foundations of the old nave. This discovery so western arch of the latter being walled up and firedthe zeal of Archdeacon Norris thathe at once forminga west front. Houses came to be built on set to workto raise the necessaryfunds for building the site of the nave, but these habitationswere very a complete nave. Mr. G. E. Street was the properlydemolished about seventyyears ago. In architectcalled in, and his mandate was practically order to increase the existingaccommodation, the to build a nave such as Abbot Knowle would have t4 ZA AN4, 14- A? OZ, me ?qwIt0 OR willf"7: eo? v, ;& 0' 'e, Rv.-w' 421, iP iO, V,-0, A'W SV. I 7? V4KMA7-.-? THE CHAPTER HOUSE. by Mr. Charles H. Horton, Bristol.) (Photograh choir was so altered,in I86o-6i, that it practicallyerected had he lived. The foundation-stonewas took the formof a parish church; the organ and laid in I868, and the workwas virtuallycompleted the screen upon which it stood (of which more in 1877, the westerntowers receiving their final anon) were removed, and the altar in the Lady touches in 1888. The north porch was erected at Chapel served forthe whole church. At that time the expense of the late Mr. W. K. Wait, M.P. (died there seemed little likelihood that a new nave i902), a former Mayor of Bristol, who called This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 15:30:00 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-NOVEMBER 708 I, 1907. himself 'the child of the cathedral,' inasmuch as John de Newland, or Nailheart,known as the 'Good his parents became acquainted through their Abbot,' was 'beried in the south side of our mutual love of the cathedral services: he forms Lady Chapell in the arch there by the dore going one of the group on the southernmostpillar of the into the loft going to the organs.' This minute choir screen. descriptionof the positionof the good Abbot's grave Althoughthe cathedralwas restoredto its former could scarcelybe improvedupon. Perchance those dignityby the erectionof the nave thirtyyears ago, 'organs' stood on a screen at the entranceto the nothingwas done to remodel the choir and make Lady Chapel. The church of St. Stephen, in it worthyof its surroundingsuntil after the death, the city, purchased in 1629 an organ from the in I88I, of Mr. Street. In succession to him the cathedralfor the sum of ?30o In thatyear 'a new late Mr. J. L.