The Perpendicular window at the west end of this aisle has been filled (1862) with stained glass by Hardman; representing the story of the British King Lucius, who, according to one tradition, died and was buried at Gloucester. Under the window is a tablet for Bishop Warburton, (died 1779); “a prelate,” runs the inscription, “of the most sublime genius and exquisite learning.” The slab which covers his tomb is in the first bay between the nave and aisle. Two monuments in this aisle should be mentioned: that in the fifth bay by Flaxman, for Sarah Morley, who died with her young child, at sea, in 1784. She rises from the sea supported by three floating angels. Above are the words, “The sea shall give up its dead.” The figures are graceful, and the whole composition striking. And that in the last bay, by the choir-screen, for Thomas Machen, Alderman of Gloucester, and wife; 1614;—a very good example of the period, but by no means one to be imitated. The window above is filled with excellent stained glass by Clayton and Bell, in which the white and neutral tints give great effect to the brilliant colour. The subjects are the three miracles of our Lord in raising the dead:—The Ruler’s Daughter, the Widow’s Son, and Lazarus.
VII. The south aisle of the nave was changed to its present state in 1318, during the abbacy of John Thokey, (1306-1329). The Norman south wall remains in the interior, together with the half piers, which resemble those in the north aisle. Abbot Thokey erected the present external façade against this Norman wall[8], and re-groined the roof. The exterior of this aisle (see § XX.) is a very fine example of early Decorated[9]. The deeply recessed windows are enriched with the ball-flower, and resemble one of the windows in Merton Chapel, Oxford, from which chapel (founded about 1280), or from that of Gloucester College, founded for student monks of this monastery in 1283, the windows here may have been directly copied. The ball-flower occurs again in profusion at Ledbury, in Herefordshire; but it is rarely used to such an extent as in this aisle, and in the tower of Hereford Cathedral, which is nearly of the same date. At Gloucester a horizontal line drawn across the head of the window, just above the spring of the arch, cuts no fewer than thirty-two ranks of the ball-flower, sixteen within and sixteen without. All the windows of this aisle, as far as the south porch, have been filled with stained glass. The first (beginning from the east) is by Warrington; the second, by Clayton and Bell, contains the story of Edward II.;—his imprisonment in Berkeley Castle; his murder; the Abbot of Gloucester taking possession of the body; the procession of monks with the body to Gloucester; and the entombment. This window is good and interesting. The glass of the third window is by Bell of Bristol, and is very bad. The fourth, by Clayton and Bell, represents the coronation of Henry III. in Gloucester Cathedral. The fifth, by Warrington, and the sixth, by Bell of Bristol, are equally bad. The representations in the stained glass of the cathedral of the great historical events which have been connected with it is an excellent idea, provided such historical glass is not allowed to intrude itself unfittingly. The great defect of the glass in Gloucester Cathedral is its want of plan and uniformity,—owing to the various artists (some very indifferent) who have been employed.
In altering the south aisle, Abbot Thokey cut off the arches over the Norman windows, (those opposite should be compared,) and lowered the vaulting. This, in the first four bays from the south porch, greatly resembles that of the nave, which is of much earlier date. The vaulting of the three last bays has its mouldings filled with the ball-flower.
The two western bays of this aisle are Abbot Morwent’s work, and differ very slightly from those opposite. Against the west wall is a coloured bust of John Jones, “Burgess of Parliament” at the time of the Gunpowder treason. In the aisle is a monument by Sievier for Sir George Onesephorus Paul, (died 1820,) who distinguished himself by his active exertions in reforming prisons.
The last bay between this aisle and the south transept is closed on the north side by the chantry of Abbot Seabroke, (died 1457,) the builder of the central tower, the south-west pier of which forms the head of his chantry. His effigy, in alabaster, was originally in a recess on the north side, but now occupies the place of the altar. Chantry and effigy have been much mutilated and shattered. In an arched recess under the opposite windows are effigies of a knight and lady, long assigned to one of the Bohun Earls of Hereford. There is every reason, however, to believe that the effigies represent members of the Brydges family, whose crest appears on the knight’s sword-belt[10]. He wears a collar of SS., and his armour cannot be earlier than the reign of Henry V.
Against the wall on the north side of the entrance to the transept is a large canopied bracket for a figure.
VIII. Passing into the south transept, we enter that portion of the Norman cathedral which was transformed and re-cased during the fourteenth century. Both transepts, the choir and its aisles, were thus treated, between the years 1329-1377. The work, according to Froucester’s Chronicle, was begun in this transept, which was re-cased by Abbot Wygemore[11], (1329-1337).
In both transepts the original outline of the Norman work is complete, both in the interior and exterior. Both transepts had eastern chapels, below and in the triforium, which extends over the choir-aisles, opening into other chapels at the east end. Instead of the lofty piers of the nave, the transepts at their eastern sides, and the choir throughout, have low, massive piers and arches below, and piers and arches of nearly equal dimensions in the triforium. In the fourteenth century the Norman walls of both transepts were covered on their three sides with an open screen-work or panelling formed by mullions and transoms, enriched with tracery and foiled headings. The forms of the triforium arches, of the clerestory, and of the arches opening into the chapels and choir-aisles, were changed from round to pointed; but within the triforium the round arches remain, and the wall on which the panelling is laid is the original Norman. The great distinction between the work here and that in the nave of Winchester, with which it may be instructively compared, is, that in the latter instance the Norman work was completely hidden, and re-cased with Perpendicular masonry: at Gloucester the later work was only laid on the Norman walls and arches. This is more evident in the choir than in the transepts.
The south transept, according to Abbot Froucester, was the first part of the Church to be thus treated. The panelling, however, although dating from the first half of the fourteenth century, (1329-1337,) has much of Perpendicular character; and the alterations in this transept may accordingly be regarded as perhaps the earliest approach to Perpendicular work in England. The design is indeed wanting in one chief characteristic of true Perpendicular; as the mullions are not carried straight up to the head of the arch, but branch off into arches before reaching it. But although the work in this transept retains much of Decorated character, the tendency to change is sufficiently marked; and in the rest of the cathedral (north transept and choir) the Perpendicular style is completely developed. According to Professor Willis, it may have commenced here. “It must have begun somewhere; in some place the mullion must have been carried up for the first time, and no place is so likely as Gloucester to have produced the change of style[12].”
On the east side, the entrance to the choir-aisle is closed by an open screen, with two doorways in the lower part, one leading to the aisle, the other into the crypt. The form of their arches is very unusual, and deserves notice. The rib of a great buttress, supporting the wall of the choir, runs through the triforium above. In the south-east bay was an arch, now closed, leading into the Norman chapel, on either side of which are canopied brackets for figures. In the panel filling the first bay, just above the top of the crypt door, is the so-called Prentice’s bracket, [Title,] in form resembling a builder’s square. Two figures support it, curiously placed,—the lower with a bag at his waist. It is traditionally said to be a memorial of the master builder and his son, or prentice, but was in all probability a bracket for light. Filling the centre of the blank arch is a monument with medallion for Bishop Benson, (died 1755).