April 1089-1499 A. D. Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester, UK—Abbey Founded c. 678; “Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity;” Edward II Entombment
April 1089-1499 A. D. Gloucester
Cathedral, Gloucester, UK—Abbey Founded c. 678;
“Cathedral
Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity;” Edward II Entombment; Bishop Hooper’s
Cathedral See Before His Burning; Willie
Laudobate a Canon; 112 Miles NW of
London, about 2130 as the Crow Flies
Editors. “History of Gloucester Cathedral.” Sacred
Destinations. N.d. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/gloucester-cathedral. Accessed 1 Jan 2014.
Gloucester Cathedral was built in 1100 as a Norman abbey church and survived the Dissolution thanks to its
historical connection with the monarchy. It has one of the largest medieval
stained glass windows in England and an elegant and impressive interior. It was
from this church that William I ordered the Domesday Book, and, in more recent
history, the cathedral was graced by the filming of more than one Harry Potter
movie.
History of Gloucester Cathedral
The Abbey of St. Peter in Gloucester was founded in
681 AD by the Saxon king Osric.
Built over Roman foundations, the abbey was originally made of wood. By the 9th
century the wooden structure was replaced by stone, and in 1058 the abbey
church was rebuilt on a much grander scale by the Bishop of Worcester.
At Christmas, 1085, it was from St. Peter's Abbey
Church that William the Conqueror ordered the famous Domesday Book. The Book noted of the future Gloucester Cathedral
that, "This manor was always exempt from tax and from all royal service."
In 1088, this building was destroyed by fire and
construction on a new building began with the crypt and main stone structure in
1089. The influences on this
structure, much of which still stands today, are both Anglo-Saxon and Norman.
The nearby Worcester Cathedral was begun in 1084 on the grand Romanesque style,
and it served as the most readily available model.
The new church was consecrated in 1100, but just 22
years later was nearly destroyed by fire. Rebuilding was slow due to lack of
funds, but was good enough by 1216 to be the chosen venue for the crowning of
the young Henry III. The coronation revitalized royal interest in the Abbey
Church.
Another highly significant event for the future of
St. Peter's Abbey was the burial of the murdered King Edward II in the church in 1330. The king's gruesome and
unjust death made him into an unofficial saint, and his tomb attracted pilgrims
from near and far. Many of these pilgrims gave extravagent gifts to the abbey.
This new wealth allowed for an ambitious rebuilding
project, which began in 1331 and continued for 20 years. Much of the church was
redone in the brand-new Perpendicular
Gothic style, beginning in the south transept and reaching the choir six
years later.
The remodelling of the choir included the addition
of a cage of stonework that was extended upwards to a new clerestory of huge
dimenstions. The Great East Window
and the choir stalls with
misericords were both installed in about 1350. The canopies above the choir
stalls are exactly the same style as those depicted above the saints in the
East Window.
This style was first used in London in a chapel in Westminster Abbey and the chapter house of Old St. Paul's, but both were destroyed by fire. Thus Gloucester
has the earliest and most complete example of Perpendicular Gothic architecture
in England.
In addition to bringing in pilgrim money, King
Edward's shrine may have saved the great abbey church from destruction at the
Dissolution of the Monasteries. In September 1541, King Henry VIII declared St. Peter's Abbey in Gloucester to be a
cathedral church in the newly created diocese of Gloucester. He remarked,
"considering the site of the late monastery in which the monument of our
renowned ancestor the King of England is erected, is a fit and proper place..."
When the Reformation briefly reversed under the
Catholic Queen Mary, Bishop Hooper of Gloucester was burned at the stake in 1555. His monument is to the west of the
cathedral close by St Mary's Gate.
Gloucester Cathedral sustained minor damage in 1634
during the English Civil War but
In 1649, the newly-established Parliament abolished the Dean the Chapter and
made plans to tear down the cathedral.
Thankfully, the cathedral was saved when the mayor
and burgesses of Gloucester took it over in 1656. In gratitude, the mayor was
given a throne across from the bishop's throne in the choir (still there
today). In 1660, King Charles II reinstated the Dean and Chapter and cathedral
life was finally back to normal.
A major refurbishment was undertaken by Sir George
Gilbert Scott in 1867-73. Gloucester Cathedral escaped damage during World War II, but precautions were
taken: the Great East Window was removed and stored in the crypt. There was no
time to write down where all the glass went when it was taken down, so after
the war it had to be reassembled based on old postcards.
What to See at Gloucester Cathedral
Reflecting several different periods, Gloucester
Cathedral mirrors perfectly the slow growth of ecclesiastical taste and the
development of the Perpendicular style. The interior has largely been spared
the sterilizing attentions of modern architects and is predominantly Norman
with major Perpindicular Gothic enhancements from the transepts eastwards.
Outside, the main feature of interest is the
impressive central tower, which
rises 225 feet (69m) high and can be seen from miles around. It was built
during the abbacy of Thomas Sebrok (1450-57) by Robert Tully, one of the monks.
Unlike in most cathedrals, the west
front is of little interest. It dates from the renovations of Abbot
Morwent in the 1420s (on which see below).
The massive Norman
pillars (32 feet high and 6 feet in diameter) and typically Norman
zigzag arches of the nave have been left untouched since their completion in
the late 11th century.
This was almost not the case: in the 1420s, Abbot
Morwent began to rebuild the nave in the Perpendicular style, beginning at the
west end. He had replaced the two
westerly bays of the nave before he died, when the work abruptly
stopped. Evidence of this can be seen not only in the distinctive Perpendicular
pillars of the western bays but also in discontinued vaulting in the north
aisle by the entrance to the cloister.
The stone vault
of the nave replaced the original wooden roof in 1242. It has gilded
roof bosses in red and green, some with figurative scenes.
The crypt
can be entered from the south transept by asking a cathedral guide to accompany
you. It is well worth doing so, as the earliest part of the cathedral is down
here, dating from 1087. The crypt soon became waterlogged, and still does
regularly today, so it was not used for very long. The central area is designed
to host services, with Norman pillars, low vaults and carved capitals.
Most of the crypt
capitals are carved with a simple stiff-leaf motif, but there is one
figurative capital - a man's face with large eyes and a very long mustache. His
identity is unknown, but similar figures can be seen throughout northern
Europe. One theory is that he is the old Viking god Odin, carved into the
church to hedge bets in case the old gods should turn out to be the true ones.
Another notable capital, adjacent to the mustached man, is a Saxon design
thought to represent the keys to Valhalla.
In the south ambulatory is a memorial to Robert of Normandy, the oldest son of
William the Conqueror and an early benefactor of Gloucester Abbey. His youngest
brother, later King Henry I, imprisoned him in 1106 and he died in captivity in
Cardiff Castle in 1134. He was buried in the chapter house of the abbey.
Sir Robert's lifelike effigy was carved of Irish bog oak in the 13th century. It was
probably made by knights on the Third Crusade as a tribute to this knight of
the First Crusade. It reclines on a tomb chest of the 15th century. Opposite
the monument are two medieval cope
chests, which held the monks' religious vestments.
The far east end of the cathedral is occupied by
the Lady Chapel, which dates
from the 1470s and reflects the final flowering of the Perpendicular Gothic
style at the end of the 15th century. The altar rails were made in 1617 on
orders of William Laud, Dean of Gloucester until 1621.
The Norman
lead font near the entrance to the chapel dates from c.1130 and has fine
figurative carvings. It was given to the cathedral in 1940. It originally came
from Lancaut in the Wye Valley.
The delicate walls of the Lady Chapel are filled
with stained glass windows, most
of which are by Chrisopher Whall in the early 1900s. The east window contains
much medieval glass, but it is mostly a jumble of fragments brought here in the
early 1800s from elsewhere in the building.
In the north ambulatory near the altar is a monument to Osric, prince of Mercia,
who founded the first abbey on this site in 679. The monument dates from 1530
and shows Osric holding a model of his abbey church.
Further down is the effigy of King Edward II, one of the earliest alabaster carvings
in England. The tomb of the slain king attracted many pilgrims in the 14th
century, whose offerings funded the major expansion and renovation of the east
end in 1331-50. It is currently (October 2007) undergoing major restoration
work.
The choir
dates from the great rebuilding project of 1337-50, although the inner choir
stalls and pavement are Victorian restorations. The choir stalls against the
wall, which include fine canopies and 46 medieval misericords, are original
from 1350 and in excellent condition. There are also 12 Victorian misercords.
The choir vault has a golden angel orchestra
surrounding a golden Christ in glory, forming a heavenly canopy over the Great East Window. This window, which
depicts Christ, Mary, and numerous apostles, dates from about 1350. It is the
size of a tennis court and was the largest in Europe when it was created. Today
it vies with the Great Window of York Minster for the title of the largest stained glass window
in England. The stained glass was probably imported from the Rouen
area of France and is of the highest quality.
Tours of the Whispering Gallery offer a close-up look at the back of the Great
East Window with a permanent exhibition about its medieval glass, and tours of
the tower(269 steps up) are
available in summer.
The 14th-century cloisters are a major highlight of Gloucester Cathedral. The
fan-vaulted roof is the finest in Europe, and the cloisters enclose a peaceful
garden. This was used in the filming of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
for some Hogwarts School scenes.
The Chapter
House, where monks met daily to discuss the business of the monastery,
extends off the east walk of the cloisters. It is large and has a rectangular
shape, unlike the later octagonal shape of most other chapter houses. Today it
is used by the cathedral chapter and as an examination room by the King's
School next door.
The King's School, founded by King Henry VIII,
occupies the infirmary and other monastic
buildings off the northeast corner of the cloisters. This area is
off-limits to visitors, but there is a good general view over the gate.
Quick
Facts on Gloucester Cathedral
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Site Information
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Names:
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Cathedral Church of the Holy and Indivisible
Trinity · Gloucester Cathedral
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Country:
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Categories:
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Faiths:
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Styles:
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Dedication:
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Holy Trinity; formerly St. Peter
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Dates:
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1089-1350
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Status:
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active
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