The monuments in the south aisle are—in the second bay from the transept, the much mutilated effigy of an unknown ecclesiastic,—probably one of the priors of the monastery, represented as vested for the eucharistic office,—under a canopied recess. The date, according to Mr. Bloxam, is late in the fourteenth or early in the fifteenth century. In the third bay, within a Decorated recess, is the effigy of Bishop Parry, (1610-1616,) “wearing the rochet and the chimere, the latter reaching a little below the knees;” in the fourth is a Perpendicular altar-tomb, with panelled front, of some unknown personage; in the fifth is the tomb of Thomas Littleton, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, died Aug. 23, 1481. The brass, which represented him in his robes as Judge, was destroyed in the civil wars of the seventeenth century. This is the celebrated Judge whose treatise on land tenures was commented on by Sir Edward Coke in the reign of James I., and has still, in Fuller’s words, an “authentical reputation.” Littleton was born at Frankley in Worcestershire, and was in great favour with both Henry VI. and Edward IV. The Lords Lyttelton, of Hagley, are descended from this family. In the sixth bay is an altar-tomb in a recess for Bishop Freke, (1584-1591,) with inscriptions in Greek, Latin, and English. In the two last bays are mural monuments, both by Bacon, for Sir Henry Ellis, Colonel of the 23rd Regt., (Welsh Fusileers,) who fell at Waterloo; and for Richard Solly, Esq., (died 1804); neither of which deserve much notice. In the westernmost bay has been placed the monument of Bishop Gauden, (died 1662,) the probable author of the Icon Basilike. His effigy represents him with long hair, moustache, and beard, wearing the rochet and chimere. This monument was formerly against the wall on the north side of the choir, which has been removed. (See § VII.)
The two western bays of the north aisle are transition Norman, like those opposite; but the Decorated vaulting (plain quadripartite, with bosses) is carried throughout the aisle, and was the work of Bishop Cobham between 1317 and 1321. The rest of the aisle, including the windows, is Decorated. The west window contains some portions of ancient glass; but is chiefly filled with modern glass of the worst description. In the first bay counting from the west is a monument by Westmacott for the Earl of Strafford, and the officers and men of the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment, who fell in the Indian campaigns of 1845-6. Unlike most memorials of this class, it possesses a little religious character. In the second bay is a monument for the wife of Godfrey Goldsborough, Bishop of Gloucester, (died 1613). In the third bay is a monument with small kneeling figures for the Moore family, of Worcester; date 1613.
The north porch opens from the fifth bay. From the eighth a small Decorated chapel, called the Jesus chapel, is entered; which was opened to the nave, as it now is, about 1750, when a new and singularly hideous font was placed in it. The Decorated window on the north side has been filled with stained glass by Wailes, as a memorial for the wife of the Rev. Canon Wood. The east window of the chapel has been closed. Against the walls are tablets for Bishop Fleetwood, (died 1683); for Bishop Blandford, (died 1675); and for Bishop Bullingham, (died 1576). The upper and lower portions only of the effigy appear, the intervening wall and inscription dividing them. (Similar monuments exist at Lichfield and elsewhere.) “The dress is not very clearly developed, but it certainly does not appear to have consisted of the episcopal robes. Perhaps he was one interested in the vestiarian controversy of 1564[69].” This monument was removed from the choir wall. (See § VII.)
VI. The piers of the central tower are Decorated, with small capitals of leafage, of the same date and character as the south side of the nave. It is certain, however, that a core of Norman masonry remains within them, since Norman work is visible on the choir side of the eastern piers, (see § VII.,) in the roof of the triforium of the choir, and at the south corner of the east end of the north triforium of the nave. The vaulting resembles that of the nave.
The great transept has undergone much alteration. The walls, as high as the level of the clerestory, are Norman; and, as appeared when they were stripped of their plaster, are built of “uncoursed rubble work, roughly laid with wide joints of mortar[70].” They may belong to the first Norman church; but after the fall of the great tower in 1175 many repairs and changes were made, to which the Norman work now apparent evidently belongs. Further alterations were made in the thirteenth, and again (perhaps by Bishop Wakefield, died 1395) in the latter part of the fourteenth century. The transept, like the rest of the church, is narrow (32 feet) in proportion to its height (66 feet), and projects only 28 feet beyond the aisle wall. Like the transept at Gloucester, it is without aisles. The circular staircase-turrets which project into the transept at the north-west and south-west angles are peculiar, and are far more decided features than those at Gloucester (see the Handbook for that Cathedral) in the same situations. These are Norman as high as the clerestory, where the change to Perpendicular is marked by a difference of masonry. The masonry of the Norman portion is unusually good, and should be noticed. The scraping of the walls of these towers “disclosed the fact that they are built of stones of two colours, the one a white or rather cream-coloured stone, the other a green stone. These are laid in bands at the lower part, not regularly; but above the doorway the courses are for a short distance alternately white and green in horizontal stripes, after the manner of the cathedrals of Pisa, Siena, and other Italian examples of the eleventh and twelfth centuries[71].” The transition Norman work at the west end of the nave, and the chapter-house, also display this particoloured masonry.
In the south transept, the south end has three divisions. The lowest is plain, and shews the Norman wall. In the second are two transition Norman window-arches, now closed. The capitals of the side shafts are of Early English character, and the arches have a broad hollow zigzag moulding. In the uppermost division is a fine three-light lancet window, deeply splayed, and with a passage through the jambs. This has been filled with stained glass, which can hardly be called good, by Rogers, from designs by Preedy, as a memorial of Queen Adelaide. The subject is a tree of Jesse. On the east side of the transept the arch into the choir-aisle is Decorated; and in the adjoining bay a very fine Norman arch, long closed, opens to an eastern chapel. This archway was re-opened in 1862, and through it a very picturesque view is obtained of the chapel beyond. The bays on this side of the transept are divided by a group of transition Norman vaulting-shafts, which terminate at the level of the clerestory, and support later groining.
The east and west walls of this transept were altered in the Perpendicular period, in a manner which recalls the work in Gloucester Cathedral, although the screen of tracery with which the Norman walls have been overlaid is not so complete. On the east side this work begins in the triforium, the openings in which are formed by a series of narrow pierced panels, with transoms and foliated headings. As at Gloucester, the wall behind this screen-work is Norman, and in the course of restoration here the remains of the ancient triforium were discovered, (1863). They are of transitional Norman character, much enriched. The clerestory above is entirely Perpendicular. A pierced parapet runs along at the base, and slender Perpendicular vaulting-shafts pass through both the triforium and clerestory stages. The west wall has been overlaid more completely with a Perpendicular screen-work, pierced for window openings in all three stages. There is also a Perpendicular clerestory window above the arch of the nave-aisle. Remains of two arches of the Norman triforium have been found on this side of the transept. They are plainer than those opposite, but may possibly be of the same date. The vaulting of the transept is a plain lierne.
On the south side of this transept is a monument designed by Adams, and executed by Nollekens, for Bishop Johnson, (1759-1774). The bust is fine. There is also a memorial of Bishop Hurd, (1781-1808.)
In the east wall of the north transept a Norman arch has been discovered during the late restorations, occupying the same position as that in the transept opposite, and of the same date. It now remains open, to the thickness of the outer wall. The vaulting-shafts here are Early English, banded, with capitals of Early English foliage. On the north side was a modern Perpendicular window, which has been removed, and replaced by a new window of early Decorated character. The east and west walls have been overlaid with Perpendicular work in the same manner as the opposite transept. The triforium panelling on the east side, which had been built up, has been re-opened and restored. The screen-work on the west wall is only pierced for a window in the clerestory stage.
In this transept are monuments for—(north wall), Bishop Stillingfleet, (1689-1699,) “jam tibi, quicumque hæc leges, nisi et Europæ et literati orbis hospes es, ipse per se notus;” and (east wall), Bishop Hough, (1717-1743,) by Roubiliac. A full-length effigy of the Bishop reclines on the top of a sepulchre, upheld by a figure of Religion. The inscription gives due praise to the “unbounded charity, the courteous affability, and the engaging condescension” of the Bishop,—the “ever-memorable President of Magdalen College, Oxford, who providentially for this nation opposed the rage of Popish superstition and tyranny.” A small bas-relief below the effigy represents the President’s expulsion from Magdalen. There is also a tablet for Dean Hook, (died 1828,) brother of the more celebrated Theodore Hook.