[In the time of the civil wars most of the painted glass in those windows was, it seems, taken down and replaced with white glass, the former being looked upon, by those who were then in power here, as savouring too much of popery and superstition. See Mackerell, p. 8, &c.—Of its present state Mr. Britton writes as follows.
“The church was a large spacious structure, and though curtailed of its original dimensions, is still a noble pile. Internally it displays a nave, with ailes, which constitute the present place for service; a chancel or choir, with ailes; a transept and two towers at the west end. The roof is supported by 22 columns; of which those east of the transept are formed by a cluster of five shafts each. In this part of the building are some ancient carved stalls, and several flat monumental stones, with inscriptions; also some very large and fine brasses. At the east end is a circular window, with ten transverse mullions. This part of the church is divided from the transept by a wooden screen, which was erected in 1622. A lofty tower, or lanthorn, is said to have been originally at the intersection of the cross ailes; and a high spire to have surmounted one of the western towers. The latter display different styles of architecture, and the lower parts of them are very ancient. The buttresses of the angles to the southern tower consist of several small shafts of columns. The church formerly contained numerous brasses [1091a] and inscriptions, some of which remain.” [1091b]
This account, we presume, is pretty fair and correct as far as it goes, and our limits will not well allow us here to attempt any further enlargement. We will, however, just add, that the interior of this church is, for so large a building, kept in a style of uncommon cleanliness and neatness.
[1091a] Since Mr. Britton wrote this passage, an unprincipled and sacrilegious Sexton made much havoc among those brasses, many of which he carried away and sold; but being detected, he was so ashamed and frightened, that he actually went and hanged himself.
[1091b] See Beauties of England, vol. xi, page 293.
[1093] From the period in which he flourished, the date of his canonisation, and the great regard then paid to the memory of new saints, (compared with the date of the original erection of this chapel,) it appears more than probable that the personage in question was St. Nicholas called Peregrinus, who became famous in Apulia, and of whom Jortin says—
“He was a Greek, born in Attica. His parents were poor, and he had not learnt to read, or been bred to any trade. When he was eight years of age, his mother sent him out to take care of the sheep. From that time he began to sing aloud, Kyrie eleison, which he did night and day; and this act of devotion he performed all his life long. His mother not being able to make him leave it off, thought that he was possessed of the devil, and carried him to a neighbouring monastery, where the monks shut him up and chastised him, but could not hinder him from singing his song. He suffered punishment patiently, and immediately began again. Returning to his mother, he took a hatchet and a knife, and clambering up a mountain, he cut branches of cedar, and made crosses of them, which he stuck up in the highways, and in places inaccessible, praising God continually. Upon this mountain he built himself a little hut, and dwelt there sometime all alone, working perpetually. Then he went to Lepanto, where a monk joined himself to him and never forsook him. They passed into Italy, where Nicholas was taken sometimes for an holy man, and sometimes for a madman. He fasted every day until evening; his food was a little bread and water, and yet he did not grow lean. The nights he usually passed in prayer, standing upright. He wore only a short vest, reaching to his knees, his head, legs and feet being naked. In his hand he carried a light wooden cross, and a scrip at his side, to receive the alms that were given him, which he usually laid out in fruit, to distribute to the boys who went about with him, singing along with him Kyrie eleison. His oddities caused him to be ill used sometimes, even by the orders of the bishops. He performed, [as was said] various miracles, and exhorted the people to repentance. At last falling sick, and being visited by multitudes who came to beg his blessing, he died, and was buried in a Cathedral, with great solemnity: and according to custom (our author adds) a great number of miracles was wrought at his tomb.”
This is related under 1094, which we take to be the year of his death, or canonization. See Jortin Rem. Eccl. Hist. 5. 66. Such was our St. Nicholas: a more harmless and far better saint, without doubt, than Dominic and many others that might be mentioned; so that his memory, comparatively speaking, ought to be held in very high estimation.
[1095] Had the wielders of the whitening brush totally effaced this impious representation, or had the reformers of the time of Edward the sixth, or of Charles the first completely obliterated it, they had done a good thing, and deserved our commendation; and so would our present rulers were they to do the same; for what can be a more absurd and impious object in a place of worship, or any other place, than a picture or image of the Almighty!
[1097] The passage alluded to is as follows—