Bell's Cathedrals: Chichester (1901) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 125 pages of information about Bell's Cathedrals.

Bell's Cathedrals: Chichester (1901) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 125 pages of information about Bell's Cathedrals.

In the #South Aisle# there is a good view, which extends beyond the transept into the small chapel of S. Mary Magdalen at the east end, in which is the only really fine stained-glass window in the church.  The chapel aisle to the south of this, again, is interesting, in that it still retains some signs of what purposes it served in former days.  The two western bays were originally the #chapel of S. George#.  Those to the east were dedicated as the #chapel of S. Clement#.  In each of these the old piscina and aumbry remain near where the altar had been placed.  The latter chapel has now been restored in memory of Bishop Durnford (see page 121).  Mr. G.F.  Bodley, A.R.A., and Mr. T. Garner were the architects who designed the new work.  The old wall arcade is now again used as part of the reredos.  The figures under the arches are—­in the centre S. Clement, on the south S. Anselm, and on the north S. Alphege.  In the quatrefoils above are figures of two angels bearing in their hands shields, on which are represented the symbols of the Passion.  Behind the altar, which is of oak, is a white marble re-table.  The deeply moulded arch which separates the two vaulted bays of each of these chapels is carried by some very beautiful carved capitals.  Above them may be seen the square abaci which are so much used in all the later work in the cathedral.  They are peculiarly a French characteristic, and serve to indicate the relationship there was between the English and Continental schools of mediaeval architecture.

Beyond this chapel is the doorway from the south porch, which gives access to the west walk of the cloister.

The doorway on the right in the south aisle next to the entrance to the south arm of the transept leads to the #Bishop’s Consistory Court# (or Langton’s Chapter House), which is now a muniment-room.

The small chamber above the south porch is supposed to have been a secret #Treasury#.  It is approached through the muniment-room, and has been popularly known as the “Lollard’s Prison.”

[Illustration:  THE SOUTH AISLE FROM THE NAVE. S.B.  Bolas & Co. photo.]

The #North Aisle# is similar to that on the south side.  Towards its western end is the entrance door from the north porch.

The north chapel aisle was originally used as three separate chapels until the divisions between them were removed.  The two bays at the west were the #chapel of S. Anne#; the two next east of this formed the chapel of the Four Virgins, and the last bay was the small chapel of SS.  Thomas and Edmund.  In the first named of these there may still be seen, in the jambs, the capitals, and the arch-moulds of the north-western window, some of the colour decoration of which so much remained until the nineteenth century.  The space in the north wall shows where the aumbry used to be.  The small remnants of the division wall at the east are some slight indication of what the design of the arcading on this wall was before

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Bell's Cathedrals: Chichester (1901) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.