“Leaving the west front, and turning to the south, a rich and deep porch presents itself behind the consistory court. The south face of that court is very similar, in all respects, to the west, already described. The porch is flanked by buttresses which once had pinnacles. The entrance is under a Tudor arch, within a square head, the spandrils richly panelled, over the square head is a broad belt of quatrefoil panelling, above that a hollow moulding adorned with the Tudor flower. Above this are two flat-headed windows, of two lights each, with a deep niche between them, resting on a projecting bracket, the statue of course is gone, but the projecting and richly decorated canopy remains, on both sides of which the wall above is adorned with two rows of panelling, the open embattled parapet which once crowned the whole has disappeared. The south side of the nave and its aisle is plain, but not without dignity; the windows are all pointed and of perpendicular character; those of the aisle have straight canopies, with projecting buttresses between, which still have niches, and once had both pinnacles and statues. The aisle has no parapet. The windows of the clerestory are unusually large and lofty, and their canopies are flowing in form, but perfectly plain, and without finials, they have no buttresses between them, and the parapet is very shallow and quite plain.
“The next feature of this cathedral, which is now to be described in due order, is a very singular one, and indeed unique, viz., the south wing of the transept. It is no uncommon case to find the two portions of the transept unlike each other in some respects; but in no other instance are they so perfectly dissimilar as at Chester. Here, the south wing is nearly as long as the nave, and of equal length with the choir, and considerably broader than either, having, like them, aisles on both sides; while the north, which probably stands upon the original foundations, has no aisles, is very short, and only just the breadth of one side of the central tower. The east and west faces of this south portion of the transept are nearly similar. The aisles have no parapet; the windows are pointed, of four lights each, with late decorated tracery and small intervening buttresses. The clerestory has a parapet similar to that of the nave; the windows are pointed, large, and lofty, with perpendicular tracery, and two transoms. The south front of this transept, flat at top, is flanked with square embattled turrets and buttresses, and has a large window of the perpendicular age filling up nearly all the space between them. The south face of the aisles on each side have pointed windows, similar to those already described, and sloping tops without parapet, but flanked by double buttresses at the external angles, without pinnacles.
“The south face of the choir, with its aisle, is in nearly all respects similar to the south portion of the transept; but the aisle is lengthened out beyond the choir, and becomes the side aisle of the Lady Chapel, and has an octangular turret near the east end, with embattled parapet, and beyond it a plain heavy clumsy buttress: the sloping parapet of the east face of this aisle meets at the top the flat plain parapet of the most eastern compartment of the Lady Chapel which projects beyond the aisle, to that extent. The windows of the Lady Chapel are all pointed, and of good perpendicular character; the projecting portion has double buttresses at the external angles, and the eastern face has a low gable point. This chapel is very little higher than the side aisles of the choir, the east face of which is seen over it, with a large lofty pointed window, with perpendicular tracery and several transoms, flanked with octagonal turrets, engaged, and terminated with something like domes of Elizabethan architecture. The parapet of this east face of the choir is flat. The north side of Lady Chapel is similar to the south; the choir and its aisles exhibit features of early English character on this side, but the chapter-room conceals a considerable portion of it, which is a small building of an oblong form, and also of early English architecture. Over its vestibule and the arched passage leading into the east walk of the cloister, is seen the large window in the north front of the transept; the arch is much depressed, the tracery very common and plain, and it has two transoms; the walls of this wing of the transept are very plain, flat at top, and no parapet. The whole north side of the nave can be seen only from the cloister-yard. The south walk of the cloister is gone, and in the wall of the aisle, below the windows, are still seen several enriched semicircular arches resting on short cylindrical columns, evidently belonging to the original church of Hugh Lupus. The windows of the aisle are Tudor arched, with the ordinary tracery of this period; but, owing to the cloister once existing beneath, are necessarily curtailed of half their due length: there is a thin flat buttress between each; the aisle has no parapet. The clerestory is lofty, and the windows pointed, and not so much depressed as those in the aisle beneath: they are not so lofty as those in the south side, nor have they any canopies. There is a thin buttress between each, without pinnacles, and the parapet is quite plain, but not so shallow as that on the south side.
“The central tower is perhaps the best external feature of this cathedral, it is indeed only of one story above the roof ridge, but it is loftier than such towers usually are; in each face of it are two pointed windows, divided down the middle with a single mullion, with a quatrefoil at the top, and all of them have flowing crocketted canopies with finials. At each of the four angles of the tower is an octagonal turret engaged, all of which like the tower itself, are terminated with an embattled parapet.”
On entering the interior (says the same authority) through the west doorway, into the nave, some disappointment and regret cannot but be felt. Here is no vaulted roof, but a flat ceiling of wood, resting on brackets of the same material, slightly arched, which gives the nave the appearance of having less elevation than it really possesses; for the naves of many much more magnificent cathedrals are not so lofty as this by several feet, but by being vaulted, their apparent height is increased. The stone vaulting appears to have been actually commenced, and it is to be regretted that the desirable work was not completed, as it would certainly have given to the nave a much more imposing effect. The north wall of the nave, to the height of the windows, is Norman work, and contains, on the side of the cloisters, six tombs, where, as it appears from an old MS. written on the back of an old charter, now in the British Museum, the early Norman Abbots are interred. Under a wide arch, sunk in the south wall, which from the ornaments attached to the pillar near it, appears part of the original building, is a coffin-shaped stone, with a cross fleury on the lid, over the remains of some Abbot. Nearly opposite to this, is an altar-tomb, the sides of which are ornamented with Gothic niches, with trefoil heads, and with quatrefoils set alternately, the quatrefoils being also alternately filled with roses and leopards’ heads; the lid slides, and discloses the lead coffin, a part of which has been cut away; on the lid is a plain coffin-shaped stone. It is highly probable that this tomb contains the remains of one of the later Abbots. The pillars of the nave are clustered, and have rich bases and foliated capitals, and the arches are pointed. In this part of the Cathedral and the north transept, are several monuments worthy the attention of visitors. A pyramidical monument by Nollekins, representing a female figure resting on a rock, against which is placed a broken anchor, erected by Capt. John Matthews, R.N. to the memory of his wife. One, in white marble, by Banks, representing the genius of history weeping over an urn, having three vols., inscribed “Longinus,” “Thucydides,” “Xenophon,” placed by it; erected to the memory of Dean Smith, the learned translator of those works. One to the memory of Mrs. Barbara Dod, erected by the minor canons. One to Capt. John William Buchanan, of the 16th light dragoons slain at the battle of Waterloo. One of Cavalier Sir Willm. Mainwaring, killed at Chester during the great civil war, 1644. Against the north wall, a handsome monument, enclosing a bust of Sir John Grey Egerton, Bart., erected by subscriptions of the citizens of Chester, in memory of their honourable and independent representative. One in memory of Major Thomas Hilton, who died at Montmeir, in the Burmese empire, 2nd February, 1829. One to Augusta, the wife of the Rev. James Slade, canon of the Cathedral, and daughter of Bishop Law. One of Capt. John Moor Napier, who died of asiatic cholera, in Scinde, July 7th, 1846, aged 28 years: this monument was executed by Westmacott, the inscription was written by his uncle, the gallant Sir Charles Napier, and is as follows:—
The tomb is no record of high lineage;
His may be traced by his name.
His race was one of soldiers:
Among soldiers he lived—among them he died.
A soldier, falling where numbers fell with him
In a barbarous land.
Yet there died none more generous,
More daring, more gifted, more religious.
On his early grave
Fell the tears of stern and hardy men,
As his had fallen on the grave of others.To the memory of their comrade, the officers of the General Staff in Scinde erect this cenotaph.—[The above was executed by Westmacott.]
In the north transept is a piece of exceedingly fine tapestry, executed after one of the cartoons of Raphael, representing the history of Elymas the Sorcerer. Wright, in his travels through France and Italy, after describing the tapestry he saw in the Vatican at Rome, says “We have an altar-piece in the choir of Chester, after one of the same cartoons (it is that of Elymas the Sorcerer), which, in my mind, is much superior to any of these.” There is also a well-executed stone monument to Roger Barnston, Esq., and a tablet in memory of good Chancellor Peploe.
The choir well merits the attention of every visitor of taste. From the organ loft to the Bishop’s throne, the sides are ornamented with rich spiral tabernacle work, underneath which are massive and highly ornamented stalls. The choir is separated from the nave and broad aisle by a Gothic stone screen; there are five pointed arches on each side; above them, is an arcade of pointed arches, resting on slender shafts, and above it are the clerestory windows. The pavement of the choir is of black and white marble. At the west end of it, are four stalls on each side of the entrance, and there are twenty others on each side of the choir; over these are rich canopies, with pinnacles and pendants in great profusion. Above the stalls on the right hand, opposite the pulpit, is the Bishop’s throne, which formerly stood at the east end in St. Mary’s Chapel, and is said to have been the shrine of St. Werburgh, or as suggested by Pennant, the pedestal on which originally stood the real shrine which contained the sacred reliques. At the Reformation it was removed to its present position, and converted into a throne for the Bishop. It is a rich specimen of Gothic architecture, decorated with carved work, and embellished with a range of thirty curious small statues, variously habited, holding scrolls in their hands, and originally inscribed with their names, but now defaced. Dr. Cowper published in 1799, an elaborate history of these figures, and was of opinion that they represented kings and saints of the royal Mercian line, ancestors or relations of St. Werburgh. Very great improvements have recently been effected within the choir. The restoration of the bishop’s throne was effected by the munificence of the Rev. Canon Slade, as an obituary testimonial to his late father-in-law, Bishop Law, in memory of whom, the following inscription, engraven upon a brass plate, is affixed to the throne:—
In gloriam Dei hanc cathedram reficiendam curabit A.D. MDCCCXLVI. Jacobus Slade, A.M. hujus ecciesiæ Canonicus. Necuen in piam memoriam Georgii Henrici Law, S.T.P. per xii. annes Episcopi Cestriensis. dein Bathoniensis.
At the back of the throne is a magnificent stone screen, the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury, corresponding in style with that on the opposite side behind the pulpit, which was erected by the Dean and Chapter. The altar screen was presented by the Rev. Peploe Hamilton, of Hoole, near Chester; the larger chair within the rails of the communion table is the liberal gift of the Dean, and the small one was presented by the Rev. Canon Blomfield; the new lectern, of carved oak in the form of an eagle, by the Rev. Chancellor Raikes, executed by Mr. Harris, of Chester; the new stone pulpit, from a beautiful design by Mr. Hussey, is the liberal gift of Sir Edward S. Walker, of this city. The seats of the choir have been provided with new crimson cushions, the stalls have been re-painted, and the canopies gilded by Mr. John Morris, through the liberality of the Dean. Towards the restoration of the cathedral, Her Majesty the Queen also contributed a donation of £105 in the name of the Prince of Wales as Earl of Chester.
The execution of the alterations were entrusted to Messrs. Furness and Kilpin, of Liverpool, and it is gratifying to add that Chester artificers have been chiefly employed in carrying them out. Mr. Haswell built the organ screen, the throne, the pulpit, the stone work of the new east window in the choir, and re-laid the marble pavement.
Mr. Harrison constructed the reredos at the back of the altar; and the oak seats, screens and altar rails are the work of Mr. J. Evans.
Under the east window is an arch opening to the Lady Chapel, which consists of a middle and two side aisles, the stone vaulting of which is adorned with richly carved key-stones. The side aisles are divided from the middle portion of two arches, sprung from a massy pier on each side, apparently part of the original building, cut down and crusted over with clusters of light pillars, terminated in elegant pointed arches, with quatrefoils inserted in the mouldings. On the north side of the chancel, which extends beyond the side aisles, are two elegant pointed arches; one contains two piscinas; the other was apparently a seat for the officiating priest: another pointed arch appears also on the opposite side.