We round the final corner and find ourselves in the East cloister. This view looks back, Northwards towards the Cathedral. the art show exhibitis continue, but of more interest to us is a further set of stained glass windows. We investigate these from South to North. PLAN
22. EAST CLOISTER WINDOWS 1–4
From left, the central named figures in these windows are: • St Oswald, St Wulfstan; • St Patrick, St David; • King Ethelbert, Queen Bertha; • King Osuiv (?), St Hilda.
23. EAST CLOISTER WINDOWS 4–7
From left, the central named figures in these windows are: • [King Osuiv (?), St Hilda]; • Theodore, St Chad; • Egwin, Osric Reg; • Ethelred Dux, Ethelflaeda. Egwin of Evesham (died 717) was a Benedictine monk and, later, the third Bishop of Worcester.
25. THE CHAPTER HOUSE
The chapter house is circular, 56 feet in diameter within, vaulted in ten compartments with a central pillar, and as a Norman building was erected complete in the first half of the twelfth century. Around the year 1400, repair work resulted in the external appearance being changed to early perpendicular design, but the interior remained essentially intact.
26. FIREPLACE AND CENTRAL COLUMN
The chapter house arcades at Worcester were for many years concealed by the bookcases which were ranged all round the walls, in contact with them, leaving only uncovered one compartment, in which a fireplace was inserted. Later the arcades were seen covered with a thick coating of paint. The Cathedral Library was removed to the chapter house in 1670 where it stayed until the Victorian Restoration of the cathedral in the 1860s. During that time it was temporarily housed in the Edgar Tower. Post-restoration it was returned to the roof space over the South aisle, where it remains until today.
27. THE NAVE VIEW WEST
We leave the chapter house and stand at the centre of the nave, looking towards the West window. The vaulting soars above us, and we might wonder what keeps all the heavy brick infill in place! The detailed West window with its top rose is glorious, and draws our immediate attention.
29. SOUTHWEST NAVE AND FONT
We move to the Southwest corner of the nave where the font is located. The information sheet gives us information about the rite of baptism and how it is used as an initiation into the Christian community, but unfortunately tells us nothing about this particular font. Except that it is now hardly ever used!
30. BAPTISMAL FONT
In fact the font is a magnificent creation with the base in carefully carved marble, and a tall, wooden canopy elaborately decorated in gold with colour accents.
31. SOUTHWEST NAVE, WEST WINDOW
The main panels of this four lancet window behind the font illustrate scenes from the story of Noah. The text comes from Hebrews 11:7 : ‘By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.’
32. TWO MONUMENTS
The tomb at left helps separate the baptistry area from the main nave. It is the tomb of Richard Edes who was Dean of Worcester Cathedral from 1597 to 1604. He was also appointed chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I in 1589. The monument at right to Colonel Sir Henry Walton Ellis is placed against the South wall. Ellis was a local man who joined the armed forces and served well beyond the call of duty, finally giving his life at Waterloo.
33. NORTHWEST NAVE
We leave the baptistry area and move across to the North side of the nave. Looking to the West we see a prominent white seated figure with a stained glass window behind. There are some further monuments to the right. Looking more closely at the West window, we read the text from Psalm 26:8 : ‘Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honour dwelleth.’ King David along with various angels and musicians join in praise of God.
34. TOMB CHEST AND STATUE
As on the South side, this corner area is separated from the nave by a tomb chest – this one for Bishop John Thornborough who was Bishop of Worcester from 1617 to 1641. He was also successively, Dean of York, and Bishop of Limerick, Bristol (and Worcester). The white seated statue depicts Bishop Henry Philpott who was Bishop of Worcester from 1860 to 1890. He also held the interesting-sounding position of Clerk of the Closet from 1865 to 1891! These days the Clerk receives a salary of £7 a year.
35. ELGAR
These items are on the North wall of the West nave. The central monument is definitely not Elgar: it remembers Mrs Abigail Godfrey, wife of Godfrey Goldesburgh, bishop of Gloucester, who died in 1613. At right is a plaque to Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934), ‘Master of the King‘s Musick’. The window at left depicts ‘The dream of Gerontius’ – A composition of Elgar based on Cardinal Newman’s poem about a soul’s journey through to its judgement and beyond. Elgar was born in 1857 at Broadheath, a village some three miles from Worcester.
36. MOORE MEMORIAL
A little further along the North wall is this Moore Memorial. This Elizabethan stone monument remembers merchant clothier John Moore and his family.
37. NAVE
Leaving the Western corners of the nave, we return to the West door and look towards the sanctuary. We notice the marching columns with their Gothic arches, the columns comprising multiple straws. The floor is covered with distinctively patterned black and white tiling. Ahead, the quire is separated from the nave by an elegant crossing screen. We notice the pulpit to the right of the nave altar. At left we see where the North door opens into the nave, and here also we particularly notice the stained glass window, and the model of the Cathedral.
38. WINDOWS
At left is shown the window adjacent to the North door. This is the Sir Charles Hastings window, and has a medical theme. It shows Luke, the Beloved Physician, and two scenes from the parable of the Good Samaritan. Hastings was the founder of the British Medical Association. The window at right is directly across the nave in the South wall. This is mostly plain lattice work, but has two interesting figures incorporated into the top tracery. Who are these people?
39. NAVE VAULTING AND ARCHES
These views of the nave emphasise the structure of the nave with its Gothic arches, triforium layer of smaller arches, and upper clerestory level with clear windows. Notice the seated figure at each apex of the triforium arches, and the green accent colour around each boss in the main vaulting.
40. CATHEDRAL MODEL
We have already noted the placement of this Cathedral model near the base of a nave column. Many cathedrals have such a model – sometimes constructed from matchsticks! Such models are good for helping us visualize the overall structure of the cathedral. This display shows a model alongside a Cathedral plan.