Frescoes.
In the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, just under the organ, there are some fine frescoes of the thirteenth century in fair preservation, and in the north transept, especially in the north-east corner, there are traces of colour and patterns, and a large but somewhat faint fresco apparently representing some monarch. On the ancient rood screen there were carved and painted figures, and the spires of the stalls were gilt until the last century.
As we passed down the Cathedral the sun was setting, and the effect of the rays falling through the vast west window was magnificent.
Near the entrance on the north side there is a remarkable door of grille work, thought to be of the eleventh or twelfth century, perhaps the oldest specimen in England. It was formerly near the choir, and the object was, it is said, to keep unsavoury and diseased pilgrims at a safe distance.
“Perhaps some of them were like the pilgrims in the East at the present day,” said Mr. Hertford; “it was not always easy to determine ‘where the dirt ended and the saint began.’”
FOOTNOTES:
| [62] | He says that the monastery at this time extended all round the church; but it is difficult to understand his description, except that the palace and chief offices were on the south. |
| [63] | Rudborne is supposed to have put Dagon for Woden, but he had mentioned the latter just before. |
| [64] | “Gloucester Fragment,” published by the Rev. S. Earle. |
| [65] | Edred gave a great gold cross and figures to the monastery. |
| [66] | Cnut patronized poets, and made verses himself, which at that time showed religious tendencies. Emma, “The Rose of Normandy,” was celebrated for her beauty; she was called by the English Ælfgifu. It is remarkable that at the time when she was married at Winchester to her first husband, Ethelred, the massacre of the Danes was plotted here. |
| [67] | “Chronicle of a Monk of Winchester.” |
| [68] | Athelstan had given the head of St. Just. |
| [69] | After reading such accounts we can understand the Recorder of Winchester being suspended in 1657, because among other offences he did not reprove a man for saying that “if all writings and pens were at liberty it would make the Protector as black as the blackest devil in hell.” |
| [70] | The cost of whipcord for these operations figures in the City Rolls. The sufferers were stripped to the waist, and the irons for the women were fixed lower than for the men, to avoid injury to the breasts; after 1790 the old theatre was used partly as a store, partly as a lock-up or watch-house. In the reign of Henry VIII. the pillory and cage were in the “Square.” |
| [71] | There is now here a balcony whence the bishops bestowed their blessings on festivals. |
| [72] | The cross and two figures of Mary and St. John in silver and gold, given by Stigand, then stood over the rood screen, which was just at the top of the stairs. The space between it and the present screen was occupied by chapels, and afterwards by vestries, removed in Charles I.’s time. |
| [73] | This Cathedral, measuring 556 feet from the western entrance to the end of the Lady Chapel, is the longest in England or on this side of the Alps. It is inferior in area only to two English cathedrals, York and Lincoln. |
| [74] | Two figures of the Perpendicular period remain in the west window. A little of the glass in Fox’s east gable window is of later date. |
| [75] | Colonel Nathaniel Fiennes stood with a drawn sword to preserve Wykeham’s Chantry when Cromwell took Winchester. |
| [76] | Rufus was extravagant in dress, and resented a present of boots which only cost 3s. |
| [77] | He was a Fellow of the College and a Canon of Winchester. Ken was brother-in-law of Walton. |
| [78] | That is, approximately, for when long before, De Blois moved many of these from the crypt, he found no inscriptions and went by hearsay. |
| [79] | A physical representation of the exhortation, “Lift up your hearts!” He ordered five thousand Masses to be said for himself and his friends. |
| [80] | At the end of the last century. |
| [81] | Piers Gaveston, favourite of Edward II., is by some thought to have been a son of Sir Arnald. But it has been said that he was of low origin, and even an Italian. Courtenay’s coffin was found lately in the well of the crypt, and is now in the choir. |
| [82] | A bishop in the fourteenth century who founded, to the south of Wolvesey Castle and east of the College, the College of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Slight traces remain. |
| [83] | Also “God’s House” at Portsmouth, the priory of Selborne, and Titchfield Abbey. |
| [84] | He chose this which is carved in his Chantry and elsewhere on account of his great veneration for the holy Sacrament. Hence also he gave the name of Corpus Christi to his college at Oxford, which keeps up this chantry. |
| [85] | Cnut’s remains are said to have been found in the Cathedral in 1766. |
| [86] | He lived in princely style. We read of his parks and cargoes of wine. He fined the Southampton citizens 100s. for selling goods during St. Giles’ fair. |
| [87] | Add. MSS. 6768. In this crypt are some askew arches, the art of forming which is said to be lost. Another peculiarity is that the east end descends as in Glasgow Cathedral. |