"The nave and its aisles," says Mr. Britton, [page 70] "display a uniform style of architecture in their arches, piers, triforia, and walls; but the windows of the clerestory, triforia, and aisles are all of a later date, and are evident insertions in the original walls,—excepting indeed the exterior walls of the triforium, which appear to have been raised, and a new roof formed when some great alterations were made to the church. On the eastern side of the transept is an aisle, the southern division of which is separated into three chapels, or oratories, as they were originally appropriated, but now used as appendages to the choir. Over this aisle is a triforium, behind an arched screen, which extends along the aisles of the choir to their junction with the new work."
The lantern is another remarkable feature in this building. It "is open to the vaulted roof," and is a fearful height to contemplate.
The choir is nearly of the same kind of architecture as the transept. Its vaulted roof is boarded, but assumes an imitation of the florid pointed style,—being disposed in several compartments by thin ribs. Over the altar end it is painted with an emblematical representation of Christ as a vine, and his disciples the branches. The remaining portion of the roof, which had been painted white and yellow, has also been recently restored to its original character, the bosses being gilt and the spandrils painted bright blue and richly ornamented.
Until the year 1827, the choir of this cathedral was composed of deal painted to resemble oak, and "although in good repair," was generally allowed to be "unworthy of the magnificent structure to which it belonged." At the suggestion, and under the immediate patronage of the then dean and chapter, a subscription was entered into for the purpose of erecting a new choir and organ screen; and the sum of £5021 11s. 0d. was shortly obtained towards that object. The architect employed was the celebrated Mr. Blore, who, assisted by Mr. Ruddle, of Peterborough, completed the work in 1830.
The organ screen is composed of clunch stone, and is decorated with spiral turrets, having a number of gaudily painted shields in the spandrils, which, together with the rainbow hues of the organ pipes, give it an appearance rather offensive to modern taste, although strictly in accordance with the rest of the work, which is in the style of the 1st and 3rd Edward.
On the right of the entrance to the choir is a brass plate with the following inscription:—
this
ORGAN SCREEN
with the
CHOIR AND ALTAR SCREEN,
was erected a.d. mdcccxxx.
by subscription
from the members of this cathedral church,
the inhabitants of the
city and neighbourhood of peterborough,
and
other admirers of ecclesiastical architecture,
under the auspices of
THE VERY REV. JAMES HENRY MONK, D.D.,
dean.
The New Pulpit,
erected to the memory of the Rev. John James, D.D., for 40 years Canon of the Cathedral, has a most massive appearance. The principal material used in its construction is Dumfries stone, with pillars of Devonshire and Greek marble. The body rests on a centre marble base, with corner pillars of Greek marble. At each corner of the pulpit stand figures of the four evangelists. The three panels are richly carved, and in the centres are cut the figure of a lamb, a Norman cross, and the letters I.H.S. Greek marble has been employed as pillars for the stair rails, along which and around the upper part of the pulpit is Devonshire marble. The following inscription inlaid with gold is cut in the Greek marble bordering:—"In Memoriam. Johannes James, S.T.P., hujus Ecclesiæ Cathedralis XL.; Anno Canonici P.C. Filii Superstites A.D. mdccclxxiii, O.B. xv Dec. mdccclxviii." The arms of the See and the Dean and Chapter are cut in the stone body. The architect was Mr. Barry, of London, and the work was executed by Messrs. Field, Poole, and Sons, Westminster.
Monuments.