81. REMEMBRANCE BOOK AND BANNER
In the Chapel we find two Books of Remembrance listing the names of those who gave their lives in the 1914 – 1918 conflict, and also in the 1939–1945 World War. There is also a Gloucester Diocese Girls’ Friendly Society banner. The connection here is not clear, although many women worked tirelessly for the War effort in WWII. PLAN
82. LADY CHAPEL
Leaving the Regimental Chapel we return to the North Ambulatory and so to the large and magnificent Lady Chapel – the last part of the church to be built during the Medieval period in the 15th century. Dedicated to ‘Our Lady’, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Lady Chapel is unique in its design and decoration. It has a vaulted roof on a series of stone arches filled with stained-glass windows; these were made by the famous Arts and Crafts designer Christopher Whall in the early 1900s. In front of the altar are the wooden rails made in 1617 on the orders of William Laud (Dean of Gloucester until 1621). Behind the high altar, the Chapel’s reredos bears the scars of the Reformation and the Civil War – a poignant reminder to all.
83. LADY CHAPEL NORTH WALL
The North wall is a ‘window wall’ of colourful stained glass. There are two large memorials, and further away we can see one of the two chantry chapels which open onto the Lady Chapel. Building of the Lady Chapel was finished by ca 1482, although the glass is slightly later.
84. MEMORIALS
These two monumnets remember Johannes Powell (left) and Elizabeth Williams. John Powell (1645–1713) was an English politician and lawyer. He was Member (MP) of the Parliament of England in 1685. He was the judge at one of England’s last witchcraft trials, that of Jane Wenham in 1712. Elizabeth Williams (died 1622) died in childbirth: an effigy of a baby in its chrisom shroud lies by her side.
85. NORTH WINDOWS
Windows by Christopher Whall from left: • ‘Man’s Fallen State’, 1898. • ‘The Childhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary’, 1901. From top: Raphael; Choir of Virgins; Agnes, Lucy, Blessed Virgin Mary, Faith and Agatha; the Northern Saints – Columba, Aidan, Hilda, Cuthbert and Chad; scenes from the lives of the above saints. • ‘The Annunciation’, 1901. From top: Gabriel; Scales and Thrones; John the Baptist, Annunciateion, Catherine; SS Patrick, Bede, Helen, Bridget, David of Wales; Vignettes. • – • The Reconciliation of Man to God through the Incarnation; below – SS Peter, Paul, John, James, Andrew; scenes from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
86. LADY CHAPEL EAST WINDOW AND ALTAR
The window consists of fragments of glass dating from the 14th to the early 16th century. Some glass survives in situ, but a great deal of old glass has been used from other windows in the Cathedral. In the 17th C vast damage was done to stained-glass windows, especially with the rise of the Puritan party. Subsequently large amounts of money was spent in trying to replace the damage done. In later centuries damage was done through ignorance or indifference and windows were allowed to fall into a poor state of repair. In 1798 it was reported that glass had been stolen from the East window. In 1896 the window was re-leaded although most of the fragments were haphazard, with several inscriptions inverted and reversed. The three panels of the reredos represent the Crucifixion, Pieta and Resurrection of Christ. The panels stand over two metres high.
87. LADY CHAPEL SOUTH WALL
We now move to examine the South wall of the Chapel.
88. SOUTH WINDOWS
Windows from left: • Bible figures by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, 1899: Simon, Jude, Matthias, James and Phillip, and below Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Exekial, and Daniel. • The small memorial window to Christopher Whall is by Veronica Whall. It is dedicated to the memory of her father. As one looks at the child on St Christopher’s shoulders it is tempting to think that in drawing that child Veronica may have had herself in mind. The window was completed in 1926. Christopher Whall windows: • ‘The Nativity’, 1902; From top: Michael; Swords and Sceptres; Mary Magdalene, Nativity, Stephen; SS Eadburg, Hugh, Edmund, Boniface, Winifred; Scenes from lives of above saints. • ‘The Salutation’, 1909. From top: Uriel; Power, Music, Creation, Earth Fire; Vincent, Alban, Salutation, George, Lawrence; SS Etheldreda, Swithun, Edward, Oswald, Frideswide; Scenes from lives of above saints. • ‘The Restoration in the Sacrament’, 1902 – has links to the window opposite.
89. CLENT MEMORIAL AND MADONNA
There are two items of note along the South wall. It is interesting that the monument at left remembers Margery Clent who died in 1623. She and Elizabeth Williams (died 1622), whose monument we noticed on the North side of the Chapel, were both daughters of Bishop Miles Smith. Along the wall a little is this statue of the Virgin Mary carrying the Child Jesus.
90. LADY CHAPEL NORTH CHANTRY
There is a small chantry chapel on either side of the Lady Chapel. A chantry, also known as a chantry chapel, is a memorial or even a complete building dedicated to the memory of a person or family. In the medieval period it was common for wealthy patrons of a church to give a grant of money to pay for a priest to say prayers in the chantry for themselves and their family.
91. GOLDSBOROUGH EFFIGY
This monument to Bishop Goldsborough with his effigy was erected in 1604, the year of his death. The effigy is robed in his white rochet, black chimero, with lawn sleeves, scarf, ruff, and skull-cap. Colourful windows line the North wall of this chantry chapel.
92. NORTH CHANTRY WINDOWS
The window shown at right is at the East end of the chantry. It shows Saint Martin of Tours, who lived from 316 (or 336) to 397, and was the third bishop of Tours. He is famous for the story (pictured here) of him cutting his military cloak in two to clothe a beggar. On the North wall are more recent memorial windows to Ivor Gurney, composer and poet. The windows are by Thomas Denny and incorporate fragments of 14th and 15th century glass in the upper sections.
93. LADY CHAPEL SOUTH CHANTRY
This small South Chantry is reserved by the Cathedral for the remembrance of musicians associated with the Cathedral. There are two windows by Christopher Whall and a charming set of windows by daughter Veronica Whall in memory of Sir Herbert Brewer.
94. ALTAR AND EAST WINDOW
The altar frontal is a work encouraging reflection. At centre is the Baby Jesus, with a Nativity scene at right. There is great rejoicing, with the shepherds given special prominence. But then overall is the image of the Cross. The lovely window above the altar is in memory of Samuel S. Wesley 1810 – 1876, well known composer and one-time organist at Gloucester Cathedral. It depicts an unknown bishop, King David with his lyre, and St Cecelia, patron saint of music.
95. SOUTH CHANTRY WINDOWS
At left is a memorial window to the composer Herbert Howells (1892-1983) by Caroline Swash and installed in 1992; the four panels illustrate settings of his music. Below is a 1997 memorial to a cathedral musician by Fiona Brown. In the tracery at the top are fragments of medieval glass. The second window is by Veronica Whall; the third narrow window is by Christopher Whall. Both these windows have an obvious musical theme.
96. WEST WALL OF LADY CHAPEL
There is an open space at the West end of the Lady Chapel, with access to the North and South ambulatories. The area is separated from the sanctuary by a wall with two framed banners, the back of the reredos rising above. In front of the wall is a moveable mirror for viewing the vaulting above.
97. BANNERS AND REFLECTION
At left we see the Gloucester Diocese Mothers’ Union banner. At right is the banner of the Gloucester Diocese Girls’ Friendly Society. We found reference to this group in the Regimental Chapel. At centre is a view of the vaulting in the supplied mirror. Amazing design and craftsmanship!
98. ENTRY TO THE CHAPEL OF ST PHILIP
If we move around to the South ambulatory and look back, we can see the placing of the Chapel of St Philip with its vivid blue windows. An effigy stands at our immediate left in the ambulatory, and we have just come around the corner past the clear glassed window. Notice the well worn bottom steps into the Chapel.
99. SOUTHEAST AMBULATORY CHAPEL
We enter the Chapel which is dominated by its blue windows. In this Chapel is an information sheet about these remarkable windows. On the wall at left is a list of the Bishops of nearby Tewkesbury. The ‘Bishop of Tewkesbury’ is an episcopal title used by a suffragan (subordinate) bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Gloucester.
100. CHAPEL WINDOWS
The vivid glass, by Tom Denny, was commissioned in 1990 and installed in 1992 to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the beginning of Abbot Serlo’s building of the new abbey in 1089. The theme of the windows is that of ‘praise’, Denny’s inspiration being Psalm 148: ‘Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights’. Initially the design appears to be abstract, but look carefully. The window on the left evokes the praise offered by creation, and here we will find (in the words of the Psalmist) ‘fruitful trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; kings of the earth and all people’. The right-hand window reflects the praise offered by the elements, and here we can see sun and moon, fire and hail, wind and storm. Notice how the leading gives a feeling of movement. The central window records the moment when St Thomas realises that he is facing the risen Christ. He kneels, praising, in front of Christ, behind whom can be seen two watching apostles.
