Bell's Cathedrals: St. David's

by Philip A. Robson

We accordingly find that, while the eastward portions of the side walls and the lower parts of the east end are of the original date, the western bays of the sides and the upper parts of the end are of the later date. This is made very manifest on the south side of the clerestory by a triforium passage, originally communicating with that in the south transept, but which was omitted in the reconstructed parts, thus cutting off the communication.

Curiously enough, we also find that in the reconstructed portions of the sides a very marked preparation was commenced for vaulting, which, however, was suspended at a few feet in height, and on one side niches added just where the groining arches would come; while at the east end the upper range of windows (as already mentioned) was designed without reference to vaulting.

We made a curious discovery in the eastern end, where a walled-up arch was visible below the cill of the central window in Bishop Vaughan’s Chapel (formerly the exterior of the end). On opening this we found it to be a deep recess into the thickness of the wall, at the back of which are some ornamental crosses of the older period, in the principal of which (which is very beautiful) the intervals between the arms of the cross are perforated through into the interior, opening just behind the high altar, as if to allow a person while kneeling in the external recess to participate in the services going on within.

Returning for a moment to the choir roof, I will mention that we have restored it precisely to its old form, retaining every part not unfitted by decay. The chief exceptions are the beams, which were hopelessly decayed, and which were of so great a size as to cause us much difficulty and delay in obtaining trees of sufficient size to contain them. They were eventually procured from Radnorshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, and the Forest of Dean.

The old roof was decorated throughout with colour, which has been carefully restored. The panels had been repainted in the seventeenth century, in a discordant style; these have been now decorated in a manner agreeing with the older work.

The roof contains ancient shields, bearing the arms of Bishop Tully, the Earl of Richmond, Roderic the Great, Bishop Martin, Owen Poole, treasurer to the church; the arms of France and England quartered; those of Edward V., Richard III., and (perhaps) Henry VII., of Rhys ap Tudor and of Bishop Young. Those which were affixed to the corbels had been obliterated, and have been supplied by the arms of the present bishop, dean, canons, and archdeacons, thus marking the period of the restoration.

The walls, pillars, arches, &c., of the eastern arm, are now put into a thorough state of repair; and the beauty of the interior will be greatly increased by the munificence of the Rev. John Lucy, of Hampton Lucy, in Warwickshire, who, as a memorial of Bishop Lucy, a member of the ancient family to which he belongs, has undertaken to fill the upper tier of windows in the east end with stained glass, and the lower tier (blocked up by Bishop Vaughan’s Chapel) with Venetian enamel mosaic work, the opaque co-relative of stained glass, though a much more costly form of art. This will give to these noble lancets just the relief and beauty which they had lost when deprived of their light, and that in a form more unique and striking than stained glass itself. I had in my first report suggested for these blank windows that “possibly some more durable kind of decoration (than painting) may be introduced,” and Mr. Lucy’s benefaction precisely meets the want.[103]

The aisles of the eastern arm, which owing to their ruined condition had been walled off, have now been opened out and brought back to a perfect state, which of course brings out the beauty of the interior in a very marked degree. In opening the second arch from the east the old sedilia were found. They are of wood, and of the fifteenth century. These have been carefully restored. The piscina, which occupied the south-eastern arch, is too ruined for its design to be recovered, though I think that a beautiful basin dug up in the churchyard must have belonged to it. Three arches on the north side are occupied by ancient tombs (including the substructure of St. David’s shrine). These are a good deal ruined, and must be in some degree restored. The tombs similarly placed in the northern arch of the tower, and which had to be removed for the repairs, have been carefully replaced.

The aisles of the choir have been twice prepared for vaulting, first in the original structure, and again when the aisles were widened, and the walls raised and remodelled, by Bishop Gower. I doubt whether in either case it was carried out, as I could find no evidences of it on the inner side, and after some perplexity I determined not to attempt it, but to cover them with handsome oak roofs, suited in character to Bishop Gower’s work.

The windows were in a most ruined condition. We found on the north side evidences of the old form of their tracery, which we have followed. Those of the south aisle had no remains of the tracery left, and even the jambs were so shattered that it was only by a fragment here and there that the mouldings were recovered. These were found to be curiously varied, out of four windows two only being alike. The tracery introduced has been founded on fragmentary evidences from other parts of the church of the same date.