Entering the door leading towards the tower, we cross this pavement with the text, ‘Opened by Nelson Mandela AD 2001’. PLAN
22. NORTH COVERED WAY
Part of the new additions is this attractive glass covered way along the North side of the Cathedral. At our immediate left are the remains of an old Roman road.
23. OLD HISTORY
There is so much history in this place! A 1st century Roman road, a Norman priory with the remains of the chapter house, a 13th century medieval stone coffin, an 18th century Delft kiln, a 19th century lead water pipe ...
24. CATHEDRAL MODEL
A little further along the covered way is this wooden model of the Cathedral.
25. DOWNPIPE
These days it would be impossible to find a modern downpipe with decorations like this ... .
27. NAVE ROOF
Above us the brick roof is held in place by the Gothic arches with their large central bosses.
28. WEST WALL
If we move down the central aisle and turn around, we look to the West wall with its great window and decorative arches, and baptismal font at centre.
29. WEST WINDOW
This window by Henry Holiday dates from 1903. At top is Christ, Creator of the World. Across the window are the six days of creation, each day in a circle. The wooden carvings are King David and two angels.
30. FONT AND MEMORIAL
The font was designed by George Bodley in 1904 and is made of Genoese marble. The beautiful carved canopy was designed by Walter Hare. The plaque remembers those who died in the Boer War 1901 – 1902.
31. SOUTH WEST NAVE
We turn to our left. Here there are two icons, several floor plaques, four bosses against the wall (just behind the font), and a stained glass window in the West alcove.
32. RIVER TRAGEDY
In 1989 the motor vessel ‘Marchioness’ sank in the Thames after being struck by another boat. History is not all in the distant past.
33. BAPTISMAL ICON
Two icons can be found in this corner of the nave. The first shows the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.
34. CHRIST ICON
The second icon gives a depiction of Christ. Both icons have the letters IC XC, signifying Christ, in the background.
35. BOSSES
In Gothic architecture, the joins of the wooden supports in the roof vaulting were covered with large wooden decorated bosses such as these. They are surprisingly large when viewed as closely as this!
36. WEST WINDOWS
The two small windows in the West wall are symmetrically placed. The window (at left) near the icons shows St Swithun, Bishop of Winchester who died 862. The window on the North side shows St Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (395 – 430). The Priory founded here in 1106 followed the Augustinian Rule of Life.
37. ACROSS THE NAVE
Looking back across the West end of the nave we see the North entrance below a stained glass window. The Augustinian window is set in the alcove at left.
38. NAVE NORTH WALL I
Moving further across, we see the North door at bottom left, two more windows, the top of a dark brown plaque, and the top of a large poster display. The Cathedral light fittings are noteworthy too.
39. NAVE NORTH WINDOWS
The three windows noted before feature (from left): (Novelist) Oliver Goldsmith, the Nativity, and St Patrick; (Writer) Samuel Johnson, Jesus before Pilate, and King David; (Chaplain) Henry Sacheverell, St Paul before King Agrippa, and St Paul.
40. SALMOND MEMORIAL
This plaque is in memory of Colonel Albert Louis Salmond and other former members of the Cadet Battalion who died during the Boer War.