“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.