Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Exeter Part 6

#Seth Ward# (1662-1667) was already popular as dean when he succeeded Gauden as bishop. He cleared the cathedral of the small traders who desecrated the precincts, and gave to his church the finest organ then known in England. He was translated to Salisbury, and became Chancellor of the Order of the Garter. He obtained an enviable reputation for his good sense, piety, learning, and generosity.

#Anthony Sparrow# (1667-1676) was Master of King's College, Cambridge, when consecrated bishop. Cosmo III. visited Exeter during his tenancy of the see.

#Thomas Lamplugh# (1676-1688) seems to have been a clever politician. By expressing his loyalty to James II., when William had landed at Torbay, he was created Archbishop of York; thereupon he actively supported the Prince of Orange. "My Lord, you are a genuine old Cavalier," was the king's greeting. One hopes the memory of those words troubled the archbishop during his three years' experience of an ill-deserved dignity.

#Jonathan Trelawny# (1689-1707) came of a famous Cornish family. As Bishop of Bristol he was already famous, for he was one of the seven bishops whose trial and acquittal hastened the downfall of the last Stuart king. He was translated to Winchester. A popular refrain, wedded to verses by the celebrated parson Hawker, of Morwenstow, keeps his memory alive in the western counties.

#Offspring Blackball# (1708-1716) was chiefly and honourably known as a promoter of charity schools.

#Launcelot Blackburne# (1717-1724). Of this bishop there is little to record. He was translated to the Archbishopric of York in 1724.

#Stephen Weston# (1724-1742). The episcopal registers were now kept for the first time in English. His long reign seems to have been quite uneventful, and probably was, therefore, entirely successful.

#Nicholas Claggett# (1742-1746) was translated from St. David's.

#George Lavington# (1747-1762).

#Frederick Keppel# (1762-1777), a son of the Earl of Albemarle, was a canon of Windsor when appointed Bishop of Exeter.

#John Ross# (1778-1792).

#William Buller# (1792-1796), of an old west country family, was promoted from the deanery of Canterbury.

#Henry Reginald Courtenay# (1797-1803), translated to this see from Bristol.

#John Fisher# (1803-1807) was tutor to the Duke of Kent, father of Queen Victoria. He was translated to Salisbury in 1807.

#George Pelham# (1807-1820) was translated from Bristol. After, according to Oliver, "for thirteen years expecting higher preferment,"

he was promoted to Lincoln.

#William Carey# (1820-1830), head master of Westminster School. When he had been ten years at Exeter he was translated to St. Asaph, a curious reversal of the usual proceeding. For although a Welsh bishopric often led to an English one, a change from Exeter to St. Asaph could hardly have been "preferment" in the ordinary sense.

#Christopher Beth.e.l.l# (1830-1831). Exeter, for this bishop also, was merely a stepping-stone between Gloucester and Bangor.

#Henry Phillpotts# (1831-1868) was the most famous bishop who has held the see in this century. He restored the palace, which had fallen into a ruined condition. He was energetic about the affairs of his diocese, a born ruler of men, and a scholar of eminence. The story of his episcopate is a well-known chapter to students of the ecclesiastical history of the first half of the queen's reign.

#Frederick Temple# (1869-1885), head master of Rugby, 1858-1869; Bishop of Exeter, 1869; translated to London, 1885, and to the Metropolitan See of Canterbury, 1896.

#Edward Henry Bickersteth# (1885-1901) was Dean of Gloucester when appointed bishop. Resigned.

#Herbert Edward Ryle# (1901-1903) translated to Winchester. On resigning the see of Winchester he became Dean of Westminster.

#Archibald Robertson# (1903-1916). Resigned.

#Rupert Ernest William Gascoyne Cecil# (1916- ).

[Ill.u.s.tration: OLD HOUSES IN FORE STREET. A. Pumphrey Photo.]

ROUGEMONT CASTLE AND THE GUILDHALL.

It is related that when Gytha fled towards the river and William the Conqueror marched through the eastern gate of the city, claiming it as his prize, he promised the citizens their lives, goods, and limbs. But, although he adhered strictly to his promise, and took care that his victorious soldiers should not pillage or insult the inhabitants, he was well aware of the supreme value of his conquest. The taking of Exeter was practically the taking of all western England. So he determined to make his position impregnable, and to this end set about the building of a castle on the Red Mount. The task was not a hard one: the Norman engineers had little need to display their peculiar ingenuity. Nature had done much, and to her work Briton, Roman, and Englishman had made additions. As Professor Freeman puts it: "The hillside was ready scarped, the ditch was ready dug." Baldwin de Molles was appointed superintendent and commander, and so well did he carry out his trust that within a year the castle was built and the men of Cornwall and Devon had attacked its walls in vain. Perhaps because William had been a merciful conqueror, not despoiling or ill-using the citizens, perhaps because the citizens were afraid, knowing the just man was strong and his hand heavy in anger, the besiegers found no help within the city walls. Henceforth Exeter was for the king.

A curious example of its loyalty was shown in the troubled days of King Stephen. Earl Baldwin, from all accounts a cruel and violent man, took arms against the king. Stephen demanded that the castle should be delivered up. For his answer the Earl laid in provisions, and at the head of his followers patrolled the streets of the city threatening vengeance on those who opposed his will. Stephen, speedily apprised by his faithful citizens of these riotous doings, sent two hundred knights to confront the rebel. Later he came himself, and the castle was closely besieged. After three months' heavy fighting the wells in the castle gave out. Deprived of water, Baldwin, who was brave enough, made s.h.i.+ft with wine, using it both for cookery and extinguis.h.i.+ng the fires. But at last the king was victorious and, not heeding the wise counsel of his brother Henry of Winchester, permitted the followers of Baldwin to "go forth with their goods and follow what lord they would."

In 1483, Richard III., fearing that the west favoured the claims of Henry, Earl of Richmond, hastened to Exeter. He was civilly greeted by John Attwill, the mayor. But his coming was not very welcome, nor did his conduct contribute to the gaiety of the inhabitants. In his train was Lord Scrope, whose business it was to try the rebels. None could be found, however, save the king's brother-in-law, St. Leger, and his esquire, John Rame. Richard none the less determined to strike terror into the hearts of all who wavered in their allegiance. So both men were beheaded at the Carfax. This done, the king busied himself in studying the surrounding country, and made careful note of the city and castle.

The military strength of Rougemont pleased him, though the name did not.

A west country accent, some say, gave it a sound like Ridgemount, too close an echo of his rival's t.i.tle. The incident is referred to by Shakespeare in these well-known lines:

"Richmond! when I last was at Exeter, The mayor in courtesy showed me the castle, And called it Rougemont--at which name I started; Because a bard of Ireland told me once, I should not live long after I saw Richmond."

The castle was considerably injured a few years later when Perkin Warbeck, at the head of his Cornishmen, attacked the city. The fight seems to have been a long and furious one. The North Gate was burned, and both there and at the East Gate the rebels were temporarily successful. But after the Earl of Devon and his retinue came to the help of the citizens the rebels were expelled and had to make their way to Taunton, unsuccessful. Henry soon afterwards arrived bringing Perkin Warbeck with him. By his clemency towards the rebels he created real enthusiasm, so that the prisoners "hurled away their halters and cried G.o.d Save the King."

By the time Charles I. came to the throne the castle was already showing "gaping c.h.i.n.ks and an aged countenance." Fairfax and his Roundheads completed the ruin. But it was not war only which left the building as we now see it. An ivy-covered gateway is all that remains. Yet from its summit one has a fine view of the surrounding country, and can readily understand of what strategical value its possession must have been in "battles long ago."

[Ill.u.s.tration: ROUGEMONT CASTLE.

Photochrom Co. Ltd. Photo.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE GUILDHALL, EXETER.

The Photochrom Co. Photo.]

The hand of the reformer proved stronger than that of the victorious captain. What war had failed to do enterprising citizens accomplished in times of peace. About the year 1770 the city fathers seem to have been animated by an unholy pa.s.sion for destruction. Not only was the house of the Earls of Bedford, a house full of historic and majestic memories, pulled down, but the venerable fortress attracted attention. First a gateway, then the chapel, later the castellan's house disappeared. New a.s.size courts, superlatively ugly, proudly rose in their stead. But even then the zeal of the reformers was not satiated. "Ten years later the Eastern Gate, with its two mighty flanking towers soaring over the picturesque house on each side with its wide and lofty Tudor arch spanning the road, its statue of Henry the Seventh, commemorating its rebuilding after the siege by Perkin Warbeck--the gate which was heir to that through which the conqueror made his way--all perished, to the great satisfaction of the Exeter of that day; for 'a beautiful Vista was opened from St. Sidwell's into the High Street, a very great and necessary improvement.'" It is easy to share Professor Freeman's indignation; less easy, unhappily, to persuade men of our own day to deal kindly by the ancient monuments that are still left to us.

Another building that has played a notable part in the history of the city is the #Guildhall#, of which the portico makes so pleasing an ornament to the High Street. The building is a picturesque medley, "English windows and Italian pillars," and Professor Freeman wittily suggests that it serves to remind us of the jumble of tongues characterizing "much of the law business that has been done within it."

The present building was built in 1464, replacing one of earlier date.

There are many pictures of local interest in the hall, and also portraits by Sir Peter Lely of Princess Henrietta, Anne, d.u.c.h.ess of Orleans, and of General Monk. The Princess was born in Exeter, and the portrait was presented to the city by Charles II after the Restoration.

General Monk belonged to a Devons.h.i.+re family whose residence was near Torrington. There seems to have been at one time a guild or confraternity connected with the chapel of St. George, erected over the hall about the last year of Richard III. In the accounts are found entries such as this: "Princ.i.p.ae and others for exequis and ma.s.ses said in the chapel of Guildhall for the repose of the souls for the brothers and sisters of the fraternity of St. George."

When Richard III was nearing the end of his reign, the roof was fortified by a gun placed in charge of John Croker and ten soldiers. It is a strange coincidence that the chapel should have been built at this time. Evidently the wise citizens were determined to protect their interests both here and hereafter.

DIMENSIONS.

Internal length 383 ft.

Nave, length 140 ft.

" breadth (with aisles) 72 ft.

" height 66 ft.

Choir, length 123 ft.

Transept, length 140 ft.

Area 29,600 sq. ft.