On the Architectural History of Chester Cathedral

by Thomas Rickman

The upper part of the Eastern Window still retains what seems to be a portion of its original tracery. At this time also appears to have been inserted the windows of the North and South Aisles of the Choir; and here again the work appears to have stood still, for the next succeeding works are considerably advanced in their execution.

The next alteration we have to notice is a very considerable one and appears to have commenced in the reign of Edward III, and perhaps about the middle of it. It is very extensive, including the whole of the wall of the East Aisle of the South Transept, with the tracery of its windows, the whole of the piers of the South Transept, and of the Nave, with the arches resting on them, except the four great piers of the centre Tower. The walls, buttresses, and battlements of both Aisles of the South Transept, and the South Aisle of the Nave, if not completed, were so far finished, that the succeeding architect appears (from some obscure remains of pinnacles, &c., still in existence) not to have deviated from the original design.

At this period a stoppage seems to have taken place, probably during the reign of Richard II., for all the subsequent work is Perpendicular; [11a] and the new architect seems to have found the tracery of the windows of the West Aisle of the South Transept, and the South Aisle of the Nave not prepared, although the architrave mouldings (which are shafts with beautiful Decorated capitals) were carried up to the springing of the arch, and the arch mouldings completed, except the mullion itself, the courses of which are different from those of the arch mouldings.

It also appears probable that no design had been made for the great South Window, as the wall was carried up very little above its commencement.

The workmanship of the Decorated architect is peculiarly excellent. The tracery of those windows which he completed is uncommonly rich in design, and delicate in execution, notwithstanding the poor texture of the stone, which has rendered it impossible to make out the mouldings of some of the tablets. Enough remains, in parts a little defended from the weather, to show the excellence of the exterior workmanship; and the capitals of the interior piers are of design, which, if they were cleared of their numerous coats of whitewash, would be equal to many in York Minster.

The succeeding architect appears not only to have carried up to the roof the walls of the South Transept and the Nave, but to have pulled down a part, if not all, of the Norman tower. From the great size of the piers, however, and other circumstances, I think it probable that he did not take the piers down to the foundation, but merely to the springing of the arches, and then, taking away the shafts, cased the old piers with his new work; and this will account for the Norman remains which are left standing in the North Transept. [11b] Another circumstance which leads me to suppose that the piers were not taken down to the floor is the continuance of the stone screen, which is evidently of Decorated workmanship.

And here, perhaps, will be the proper place to mention another and most beautiful relic of that style. This is what is known as the Shrine of St. Werburgh, which,—shorn of its battlements, and having the shafts of the upper arches taken away,—is become the Throne of the Bishop; and though sadly disfigured by many coats of paint is worthy of great attention. Indeed it is one of the purest and richest small specimens I know, exclusive of the extensive works already noticed.

This Perpendicular architect raised the large windows of the North and South Transept, [12] which, though different, are both beautiful of their kind. From various small marks of similarity, I am induced to suppose that at the time those works were carrying on, the present Cloisters were all proceeded with. The general design of these is good, but the execution is not quite equal to what appears of the exterior remains of the Church itself; of the latter, though now divested of battlements and pinnacles, and the tower so weather worn, that its design is with difficulty traced, the ornaments of the cornice of the Nave and such of the mouldings as are yet distinguishable show the work to have been very well executed. Of the Cloisters, the whole internal walls, containing the windows and groinings of the roof, appear to have been executed within a short time of each other, though perhaps not quite altogether so. The small arches on the west side most likely contained the lavatories of the Monks, and as the exterior wall of the Cloister is on every side much older than the interior, the different breadths and the various arches still remaining in that outer wall, together with the small arches already mentioned, cause a very great and valuable variety of springings, and modifications of groining, of a much earlier date than perhaps later Early English.

At some period, perhaps not very late in the reign of Henry VII. an architect, apparently a different one from those engaged in the other part of the work, seems to have employed his ingenuity in metamorphosing the Lady Chapel, with as little new work as possible, from the enriched Early English to the Perpendicular style of his own times. With what judgment he has done this in the interior [13a] requires more attention to determine, than I have yet had an opportunity of bestowing.