Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Carlisle Part 5

Exalt ye the Lord our G.o.d and wors.h.i.+p at His footstool. (Ps. xcix. 5.)

SOUTH SIDE.--How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! (Ps.

lx.x.xiv. 1.)

My praise shall be of Thee in the great congregation. (Ps. xxii. 25.)

O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. (Ps.

x.x.xiv. 3.)

Holiness becometh Thine house for ever. (Ps. xciii. 5.)

The great #East Window# is the crowning ornament and special glory of the cathedral. It is unsurpa.s.sed by any other in the kingdom; perhaps there is not a window equal to it in the whole world.

Rickman says: "It is one of the finest if not _the_ finest Decorated window in the kingdom. Its elegance of composition and the easy flow of its lines rank it even higher than the celebrated west window of York, which it also excels in the number of divisions. The window is by far the most free and brilliant example of Decorated tracery in the kingdom."

Fergusson, in his "History of Architecture," also praises it: "Its upper part exhibits the most beautiful and perfect design for window tracery in the world. All the parts are in such just harmony the one to the other--the whole is so constructively appropriate and at the same time so artistically elegant--that it stands quite alone, even among windows of its own age."

"The stone-work of all this part (the east window) is entirely new, although it reproduces most minutely the original design" (King, 202-3).

"The whole of the _mouldings_, both of the mullions and tracery, _externally_ are nearly destroyed, owing to the perishable nature of the stone with which it is constructed" (Billing, p. 60 (1840)).

This great window almost entirely fills the east end of the choir, being 51 feet high from the sill to the top of the tracery and about 26 feet wide in the clear.

Immediately after the fire in 1292, the work was started, and the jambs with their slender shafts and foliated capitals were erected. Nothing more was done till about the middle of the fourteenth century, when the arch mullions were added; and the tracery dates from about the end of the same century. The mouldings were left unfinished until the restoration of the cathedral, 1856. The tracery (Decorated) is composed of eighty-six pieces struck from 263 centres. Some of the pieces forming the chief divisions are nearly five feet in length. Although the stone-work is modern, the design has been most faithfully copied from the original. In the lower part there are nine lights, no other Decorated window in existence having so many. The west window of Durham Cathedral (partly copied from, but inferior to, the west window of York) and the Rose window in the south transept at Lincoln are of the same character; but that of York ranks next in importance, and is the only window able to compete with the east window of Carlisle.

The design consists of two complete compositions united under one head by interposing a third. The York window, on the contrary, is altogether one complete design, from which no part can be separated without breaking the integrity of the composition.

The width of the opening is the same in both windows, but while the actual tracery of the York window is more than two feet higher, the Carlisle window is greatly superior in the beautiful arch mouldings above its tracery, and also in the side shafts and mouldings.

Again some stiffness is imparted to the design of the York window by the central mullion which reaches from the bas.e.m.e.nt to the top of the arch.

The tracery branches outwards from this on each side, and depends upon the arch for support; while the tracery in the Carlisle window is not so dependent. Neither in skilful workmans.h.i.+p nor in variety of ornament is the York window equal to that at Carlisle. With the exception of four quatrefoils (placed above each alternate mullion) it is composed of trefoils. Carlisle, on the contrary, possesses nine quatrefoils, in addition to four placed like those at York. Nearly all the small spandrels formed by the various ornaments are perforated, and this imparts a remarkable air of lightness to the window.

The beautiful stained gla.s.s in the tracery is all that remains of the ancient gla.s.s. It is of the time of Richard II., and was no doubt preserved because of the expense that reglazing its small intricate forms would have involved.

The subject is a Doom--the Resurrection, the Last Judgment, and the New Jerusalem.

"We have our Lord sitting in judgment; the Procession of the Blessed to the Palace of Heaven; the Place of punishment for the wicked; and the general Resurrection.

"The figure of our Saviour is in the uppermost quatrefoil of the central compartment; His countenance will bear the closest inspection; it exhibits evident traces of suffering, but is calm, severe, and dignified. His head is surrounded by a cruciform nimbus. Below this are two quatrefoils, easily distinguished by their silvery appearance. These represent the Procession of the Redeemed to the heavenly Jerusalem, whose towers and pavilions are shown in the quatrefoil to the right. St.

Peter stands in the gateway in an att.i.tude of welcome; at his feet flows the River of Life, which some of the Redeemed have reached. The red glare of the Place of punishment makes it easy to be distinguished; the tortures represented are of the most realistic character, and the devils are very material beings, with tails, hoofs, and horns.

"The rest of the picture is occupied with the representation of the general Resurrection:--the dead rising from their graves--ecclesiastics are vested, but laity rise naked, though kings wear their crowns: several bishops are among the crowd, and a pope wearing the triple tiara. Some of the ecclesiastics are bearded, and probably are intended for canons of the cathedral, who, being Austin or Black canons, would wear their beards.

"In one of the quatrefoils, just above the mullions, is a figure surrounded by a heraldic border; this represents John of Gaunt, who was Governor of Carlisle from 1380 to 1384. It is said that he supported the prior, William de Dalston, who refused obedience to the bishop, and had been excommunicated; and that, out of grat.i.tude, he was thus represented in the east window."[4]

[4] "Guide to the Cathedral of Carlisle," by R.H. and K.H.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CHOIR AND EAST WINDOW. _A. Pumphrey, Photo._]

A "Jesse," which originally filled the lower part of the window, was destroyed at the Reformation. The present gla.s.s was inserted in 1861, in memory of Bishop Percy (d. 1856). It represents events in the history of our Lord. Although the colours do not harmonise well with the old gla.s.s, they are in accord with the gorgeous colouring of the ceiling. Like most of the stained gla.s.s in the cathedral, this is by Hardman of Birmingham.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MISERERE, SOUTH SIDE OF THE STALLS. From Billings.]

Bishop Strickland (1399-1413) erected the #Stalls#, which are of black oak, and occupy the three western bays of the choir.

Our English cathedrals are far ahead of foreign cathedrals in the beauty and richness of the tabernacle work of their stalls, which in many instances are "like a whole wood, say a thicket of old hawthorn, with its topmost branches spared, slowly transformed into stalls." These in Carlisle, if not among the finest specimens in England, certainly take very high rank.

There are forty-six compartments, divided by fifty columns, upon which the tabernacle work rests. Each compartment consists of a large canopy decorated with quatrefoils, and battlemented. This is surmounted by three smaller canopies and pedestals which were originally occupied by small carved figures. A large pinnacle, richly decorated, like the others, with crockets and finials, finishes the compartment.

Between each stall is a small b.u.t.tress beginning at the capital and finis.h.i.+ng somewhat beneath the top of the large pinnacle. These b.u.t.tresses have, alternately, a pedestal with a canopy above; and a pedestal supporting a small flying-b.u.t.tress terminating in a pinnacle enriched with small crockets.

Prior Haithwaite is said to have added the tabernacle-work after the year 1430.

The division between each stall shows either a well-executed foliated ornament, or an angel. In the north-west and south-west angles the elbows of the seats are carved with the head of a king supposed to represent Henry IV. The panels of the desks are elaborately worked, and the stone plinth which supports them is decorated with quatrefoils.

The stalls at the west end of the choir are wider than the others, and are used by the higher dignitaries of the cathedral.

The Dean's stall is on the left of the choir entrance, and the Bishop's on the right. This arrangement is said to have existed since the time of aethelwulf. He was the first prior, and upon his elevation to the bishopric he still kept the prior's seat.

The hinged seats, known as misereres or misericordes, were constructed to keep the monks from falling asleep while at prayers. The carvings beneath these seats are of different designs, generally grotesque.

The following is a list of the subjects found carved thereon:--

NORTH SIDE

A dragon swallowing a man.

Bird and young.

Dragon and lions.

Three dragons, one with a human face.

Winged figure with a tabour.

Dragon devouring a bird.

Coronation of the Virgin.

Three griffins.

Pelican in its act of piety.

Dragon and lion fighting.

Griffin and two young ones.

Two dragons joined together.

Two storks eating out of a sack.

Figure with wings, claws, and human face.

Angelic musician.

Two eagles.

Double-headed eagle.

Fox and goose.

Two dragon bodies with a human head.

Angel playing an instrument.

A man with two eagles plucking his beard.

Dragon, and two lions with human faces.