The Nave was entirely rebuilt by
Sir Arthur Blomfield in 1890-1897. Not the least
difficult part of the architect’s work was the
removal of the unsatisfactory structure, of 1839-1840,
without destroying the few Norman and Early English
features imbedded in the plaster and brickwork, which
it was desired to recover as far as possible, and
preserve intact and in situ. This has to
a great extent been done, thanks to the care with
which the debased nave was taken to pieces, every
stone that was worth preserving being carefully released
from its accretions, measured, and reinstated in its
proper place in the new work. Fortunately the
earlier nineteenth century builders had not disturbed
the bases of the old piers, but had contented themselves
with building round them, and when their superstructure
was cleared off, enough of the old work remained to
show the position of every pier, as well as the lines
of the original ground plan. In nearly every
part also the old foundations were found satisfactory,
though, of course, they were thoroughly tested, and
renovation generally applied. The old lines have
been adhered to throughout the restoration, and the
new nave is a practical reproduction of its Early
English predecessor in every detail, with the single
exception to be afterwards noticed. This minute
adherence to the original includes such intentional
irregularities as the unequal distances between the
piers and the varying width of the aisles, which not
only differ from each other, but are not of the same
width throughout in each case.
Ancaster stone has been chiefly employed,
except in the roof, where the ribs of the vaulting
are of Bath stone, the filling being made up of chalk
and firestone.
The nave consists of seven bays on
each side, divided by piers, alternately circular
and octagonal, like those in the choir, with triple
vaulting shafts on the north and south sides (the central
shaft in each case being of Purbeck), and a single
shaft on the east and west, corresponding with the
interior order of the arches. The vaulting shafts
are banded. The deeply moulded arches are somewhat
loftier and more acutely pointed than those in the
choir, placing the triforia on a slightly higher level,
but the triforia of nave and choir are alike in that
in both cases they consist of four arched openings
in each bay. Every bay is walled off from its
neighbours on either side, but has an opening at the
back into a passage above the aisles, which is continuous
throughout nave and choir. In the westernmost
bay on either side, the triforium arcade has a wall
immediately behind the shafts. In the other bays
it is recessed, and open above the level of the aisle
vaulting. In these respects the architect has
reversed the old arrangement, as in the original nave
the two westernmost bays had open triforia, the others
simply containing a shallow arcading. This arrangement,
taken in conjunction with traces of an incipient tower
discovered within the two western bays, seems to show
that these bays were intended to form a narthex, or
vestibule, to the church, but it does not appear that
the tower was ever erected, or that the vestibule
ever went beyond the conception. The clerestory
is lighted by plain lancet windows, enclosed in an
elegant arcading.
Entering the church by the great doorway
at the south-west, and looking towards the east, we
get a fine perspective of over two hundred feet, including
the nave arcading in its three stages, the groined
and vaulted roof, and a good view of the choir, terminating
in Bishop Fox’s fine stone screen, with the
three-light window above it.
In both aisles there is an interesting
series of modern windows intended to memorialise the
great names associated with the Church, the Borough
of Southwark, and the history of England all
excellent specimens of the revived art of glass-staining,
and all at present designed by Mr. C.E. Kempe.
The visitor will find it convenient to begin his examination
of the interior at the North Aisle. The window
at the extreme west end of this aisle contains a figure
of St. Augustine of Hippo, as Patron of the Augustinian
Canons, introduced early in the twelfth century, when
the Collegiate Church was transformed into a monastery.
The next three windows are at present
vacant, but they are already destined for three great
names included in the memorial scheme, viz.:
Oliver Goldsmith, Dr. Johnson, and Dr. Sacheverell,
each of whom has a place in the history of Southwark
entitling him to commemoration in the church.
Goldsmith once set up as a medical practitioner at
Bankside. His friend Dr. Johnson was on friendly
terms with the Thrale family, whose successors (Messrs.
Barclay, Perkins and Co.) still retain the Doctor’s
chair on their premises. Dr. Sacheverell was
Chaplain at St. Saviour’s from 1705 to 1709,
and appears to have engaged Johnson’s attention,
as a preacher, in his childhood.
Beneath the Goldsmith window there
is a fine relic in the shape of a late Norman Recess,
which has escaped serious mutilation. A segmental
arch, surmounted with a simple chamfered moulding with
quirks, supported at each end by a column with moulded
base and capital, would seem to indicate a seat rather
than a tomb, and the date as about the end of the
twelfth century. Beneath the Johnson window there
is another Norman relic, of about the same date, in
the outline of the old Canons’ Doorway, formerly
connecting the aisle with the cloisters. The
extreme plainness of the moulding will be contrasted
with the elaborate work in the Prior’s entrance
further east, on the exterior of the same wall.
The next window contains a memorial to Alexander Cruden,
compiler of the Scripture Concordance, who died on
1st November, 1770, and was buried in the parish.
This window is the gift of Mr. W.H. Francis.
John Bunyan is commemorated in the
window beyond it, as having preached and worked in
Southwark, and as author of the immortal “Pilgrim’s
Progress.” The cost was defrayed by subscriptions
from children of the parish.
The next bay is occupied by a short
two-light window (at present plain), and by John
Gower’s Tomb in the space below. This fine
monument was removed to the east side of the south
transept during the destructive alterations of the
early nineteenth century, but had been worse treated
by its friends in 1748, when a large sum was spent
on its “embellishment.” Its history,
combined with that of the Priors who erected it, may
be summed up in the opening words of the inscription
which was placed in a marble tablet at the back of
the tomb to commemorate the embellishment referred
to, not without a touch of sarcasm, though, of course,
unintentional: “Hoc viri inter
inclytos memorandi.” Gower died in 1408,
eight years after his friend Chaucer. He had
been a liberal benefactor to the Church, and founded
a chantry in the Chapel of St. John the Baptist, where
he was eventually buried. The chapel and chantry
are no more, but the monument marks the spot, having
been restored in 1894 to its first position. It
is in the Perpendicular style, and consists of an
altar-tomb, with a dado, ornamented by seven panels
in front, on which lies the effigy of the poet, surmounted
by a canopy of three ogee arches, with an inner order
of five cusps, and terminating in crocketed pinnacles.
There is a pilaster set angle-wise at each end, banded
at the separate divisions of the monument, and also
rising into crocketed pinnacles. There are similar
pinnacles between the arches of the canopy. Behind
the canopy is a screen, divided into open panels of
three trefoil-headed lights. The cornice at the
top is modern, and the hands and nose of the figure
are restorations.
The poet is represented lying on his
back, with his hands joined in prayer, and his head
resting upon the three volumes on which his fame depends,
the “Speculum Meditantis,” “Vox Clamantis,”
and “Confessio Amantis.”
He is vested in a long dark habit, buttoned down to
the feet, after the manner of a cassock, the ordinary
dress of an English gentleman at the time. There
is a garland of four roses round his head, and at
his feet a lion couchant. The SS collar adorns
the neck, with a pendant jewel, on which a swan is
engraved the device of Richard II, to whom
Gower was Poet Laureate. On the wall of the canopy,
at the foot of the tomb, there is a sculptured and
coloured representation of the poet’s own shield
of arms, crest, and helmet. On the back wall
of the recess, above the effigy, there were formerly
three painted figures, representing Charity, Mercy,
and Pity, each bearing a scroll with an invocation,
in Norman-French, for the soul of the departed.
After undergoing repainting more than once, with modifications,
the figures were scarcely recognisable in 1832, when
the monument was repaired, but the figures were unfortunately
obliterated. The inscription along the ledge of
the tomb, which had also been destroyed, is now replaced:
“Hic jacet I. Gower, Arm. Angl: poeta
celeberrimus ac hoc sacro benefac.
insignis. Vixit temporibus Edw. III,
Ric. II, et Henri IV.” The short window
above Gower’s tomb is not without suggestion
in its vacancy. The last bay of the aisle was
occupied by the Prior’s doorway, the existing
fragments of which are preserved in situ on
the exterior.
The window above it is most appropriately
dedicated to Gower’s contemporary, Chaucer.
It was presented by General A.W. Pigott in memory
of his sister, and was unveiled by the present Poet
Laureate on 25th October, 1900, the fifth centenary
of Chaucer’s death. The artist has succeeded
in compressing a rather large subject into the single
lancet. The middle compartment depicts the pilgrims
setting out from the old “Tabard” inn,
above which (in the upper division) rise the tower
of St. Saviour’s and the spire of Canterbury,
the starting-point and the goal of the pilgrimage.
The compartment beneath contains a full-length figure
of Thomas Becket, a study in ecclesiastical vestments,
his right hand raised in blessing, the left holding
the archiepiscopal cross. The whole is crowned
with a medallion portrait of the author of “The
Canterbury Tales.”
If the visitor will now turn to the
right and take up a position outside the chancel railings,
he will probably be at the best point for seeing the
East Window, unless a strong light happens to be
behind it to bring out the details at a distance.
It is placed in an elegant quintuplet
arcading, the outer arches of which are blind, leaving
the central arches for the three lancets composing
the window. It contains the Crucifixion in the
central light, with the attendant figures of St. John
and the Blessed Virgin at the sides, the whole thus
forming a pictorial substitute for the rood-screen
that formerly stood before the choir. The design
of this window is also by Mr. Kempe, but it shows
a certain departure from his characteristic style
in that it is more of a picture and less of a kaleidoscope
than most of his other windows. In colouring and
accuracy of delineation (anatomical and otherwise)
it is perhaps more modern and less mediaeval in treatment
than we should be led to expect from the artist’s
better known manner. The predominant tone is blue,
relieved by a delicate base and canopy of amber, and
the whole composition is full of the devotional spirit
of the old masters in stained glass, though obviously
subject to modern influences. A complete contrast,
in subject and in colouring, is presented in the great
West Window, by Mr. Henry Holiday. This window
also consists of three lancet lights, which, though
considerably longer than those at the east end, scarcely
afford room for the many details of the extensive
theme that has been chosen. It is a combination
of the six “Days” of Creation with the
Benedicite omnia opera as a hymn of praise
from created nature. In some respects the treatment
of the subject suggests the influence of the school
that we associate with the names of Burne-Jones, William
Morris, and Rossetti. This gift to the Cathedral
came from Mr. T.H. Withers. The space beneath
the west window, usually occupied by a porch, is lined
with two series of arched panels, seven in the higher
row, nine in the lower. The latter are less acutely
pointed, and much shorter, than the others, and also
differ from them in that the shafts are of Purbeck
marble.
On the inner south-west wall there
are some extremely interesting fragments of the ancient
thirteenth-century wall arcade. The peculiar
construction can be inferred from the three arches
that are left, viz., that in every bay one of
the three arches rested on a corbel, while the others
were supported by shafts, with moulded bases and foliated
capitals; a precedent which has been followed in the
new arcading on the west wall.
The South Aisle. The
window in the western wall contains a figure of St.
Swithun, in cope and mitre. He is here commemorated
as having converted the original “House of Sisters”
into a College of Priests, and, as it were, to balance
the other conversion referred to in the companion
window in the north aisle.
Above the Early English arcading the
westernmost bay contains a window commemorating St.
Paulinus. After the defeat of his patron, Edwin,
at the battle of Hatfield the saint fled from Northumbria
into Kent (circa 633), where he acted as Bishop
of Rochester till his death in 644. The connection
of St. Saviour’s with the See of Rochester, though
quite modern and now severed, is fittingly indicated
by this memorial. This extreme bay of the aisle
constitutes the Baptistery, and the scene chosen for
illustration from the life of St. Paulinus represents
him in the act of baptizing a large number of people
in a river.
The Font stands below this window in its proper place
near the entrance. There was a time in the history of the English Church when
the symbolism of position was thought of less account than the administration of
the initial Sacrament in the presence of all the congregation, an object supposed to be defeated where
the Baptistery was at the west end, and enclosed,
as was frequently the case. The font was consequently
removed in many churches towards the east, and at
St. Saviour’s a special pew was provided near
to it for the sponsors. It was known as the “Christening
Pew,” but has long since gone the way of the
other incongruous wooden fittings. The new font,
in the old position, was presented by Mrs. Barrow in
memory of her husband, and designed by Mr. G.F.
Bodley. It is made of Verde di Prato
marble, octagonal in shape, and rests upon a circular
base surrounded by detached pillars, all of the same
material. The faces of the octagon are concave,
and without decoration, except that towards the east,
which displays a star in a sunk gilded panel.
Dramatic Windows. The
chief feature of this aisle is the fine series of
windows representative of the drama in the Golden Age
of Queen Elizabeth. The first of the series is
devoted to Edward Alleyn (1566-1626), who was “bred
a stage player,” and lived near the group of
theatres in Southwark, but is perhaps better known
as the founder of the splendid College of “God’s
Gift” at Dulwich.
The window was presented by the governor,
old scholars, and friends of the College, and was
unveiled by the Duke of Connaught on 22nd June, 1898.
Alleyn himself is represented as the central figure,
reading the charter of his foundation in the College
Chapel, attended by Bacon, Inigo Jones, and other
contemporaries. The upper part of the window
contains Alleyn’s portrait, and the lowest compartment
a figure of Charity holding a scroll with the appropriate
quotation from Psalm XXXIV, II.
The next three windows commemorate
Francis Beaumont (1585-1616), John Fletcher (1579-1625),
and Philip Massinger (1583-1639). The first and
second of these great dramatists, so intimately associated
in their lives and in their writings, could hardly
be separated in any commemoration. They are accordingly
here represented, not only in adjacent windows, but
combined by allegorical allusion in the first.
The design portrays David and Jonathan, with an inscription
from the opening verse of Psalm CXXXII (Vulgate):
“Ecce quam bonum, et jucundum:
habitare fratres in unum.”
The Scripture parallel was not quite
verified in the case of the poets. Fletcher certainly
lies somewhere in St. Saviour’s, but no man
knows the exact place of his burial. Beaumont
lies in the more famous Poets’ Corner at Westminster.
The “Beaumont” window was presented by
Mr. W.H. Francis, in memory of his father.
The “Fletcher” window, in the next bay,
came from Mr. T.F. Rider, whose firm were the
builders of the nave. The subject chosen for
illustration was suggested by the dramatist’s
“Knight of Malta.” St. John the Baptist
stands in the lower compartment, as Patron of the
Knights of St. John, holding a standard displaying
the suitable word “Concordia.” The
ceremony of Investiture, with attendant figures, fills
the space above, surmounted by the poet’s head
crowned with bay leaves.
The mantle of these great dramatists
is acknowledged to have fallen on Philip Massinger,
commemorated in the next window. It was the first
of the series to be inserted, and was unveiled by
Sir Walter Besant in 1896. The subject is taken
from Massinger’s fine play, “The Virgin
Martyr,” and represents an angel bearing flowers
and fruits of Paradise from the martyr (St. Dorothea)
to a sceptical lawyer who had asked for the token
for his conviction. Below this central compartment
is a figure of St. Dorothea, and above it a medallion
portrait of the dramatist.
Massinger is buried in the church,
as certified by an entry in the “Parochial Monthly
Accounts,” but the same uncertainty attends his
remains as those of his friend Fletcher. There
is a tradition that they were both interred in one
grave, which is not at all unlikely, but no one knows
where it is, their names on the chancel floor being
modern and counting for nothing.
The series of windows could only be
appropriately concluded by one great name, “the
protagonist on the great arena of modern poetry, and
the glory of the human intellect” (De Quincey).
The Shakespeare window was presented
by Sir Frederick Wigan, Bart., in memory of his brother-in-law,
Arthur Cecil Blunt. It is a triplet, and displays
in its central light an allegorical figure of “Poetry,”
supported by Shakespeare and Spenser in the lights
on either hand. Above the Muse the sacred Dove
is hovering, symbolical of the divine inspiration
which we may presume guided the poets in their work,
and at the base is a quotation from Wisdom, viii,
4 (Vulgate): “Doctrix disciplinae
Dei, et electrix operum illius.”
The faces of Edmund Shakespeare
and A.C. Blunt are introduced in the quatrefoils
of the heading, the former as buried in the church,
the latter the gentleman commemorated by the donor.
William Shakespeare is known to have
lived near the old Bear Garden and his own theatre,
“The Globe,” in Southwark, where his brother
Edmund also lived while trying his fortune on the stage.
The immortal name has, therefore, a direct association
with St. Saviour’s Church and parish, entitling
it to the special memorial.
The Choir was erected by Peter de
Rupibus in the early part of the thirteenth century.
In its more mature and elaborate work it shows a considerable
advance on the simplest form of Early English, though
the apparently low elevation, and massiveness of the
piers and lower arcading, are obviously not free from
Norman influences. It is divided into five bays
by alternate circular and octagonal piers, the dwarfed
appearance of which is relieved by triple vaulting
shafts on the north and south sides, and single shafts
to support the arch mouldings. The central shafts
are not of Purbeck, as in the nave, and they are not
banded, except where crossed by the abacus moulding
of the capitals and the triforium string-course.
The piers have all plain capitals and well cut base
mouldings. The triforium arcade, like that in
the nave, consists of four arched openings in each
bay, and, unlike the clerestory, has no continuous
passage along the choir wall. Each bay, however,
has an opening at the back into the space between the
vault and roof of the aisle.
While both sides of the choir are
alike in their main features, there is an interesting
difference in detail, especially to be noticed in
the greater simplicity of the south side, where the
triforium capitals are less elaborate, and the dog-tooth
ornament is omitted from the outer jambs of the openings.
On the south side, moreover, the arches
have corbels, with sculptured heads, to support their
inner mouldings, in place of the full-length shafts
which occur on the responds at the ends, and on all
the piers of the opposite side. These differences,
though perhaps partly referable to the delightful
vagaries of Gothic architecture, are supposed to have
a special significance at St. Saviour’s, where
the north was the side of the Prior.
The roof is not strictly original,
most of it having been rebuilt in 1822-1824, when,
however, the old material was worked in again as far
as possible, and the old quadripartite groining adhered
to. It may be noticed that the vaulting is carried
out very systematically and correctly, the only defect
being that the wall-ribs die into the vaulting surfaces,
instead of being brought down to the clerestory sill.
The plough-share surfaces (as they are called) are
nevertheless well cut back to concentrate the lateral
pressures against the external buttresses. In
the nave the new vaulting has the wall-ribs properly
supported by light shafts in the angles of the clerestory
openings, whilst in the transepts the inner archivolt
of the windows answers the same purpose.
It is highly probable that the choir
formerly extended to the western side of the tower,
as indicated by the step between the nave and tower
pavement.
The Altar-platform, though raised
seven steps above the nave pavement, gives the altar
a rather low elevation as compared with the lofty
Continental altars, whether abroad, or introduced here
in recent years on the Continental example. Herein
it exhibits a peculiarity of the English use, as illustrated
in many pre-Reformation churches, where the occasional
deviations from rule can generally be accounted for
by the lofty crypt beneath, as, e.g., at Canterbury.
Behind the altar rises the magnificent
Screen, erected by Bishop Fox in 1520, which almost
fills the eastern end of the choir. This fine
work had been more or less mutilated through the iconoclastic
zeal of ultra-reformers, who deprived it of the sculptured
figures in the niches. It was further ill-treated
during the architectural supremacy of Sir Christopher
Wren and his school, when the smaller canopies and
other projections were pared off to make a level surface
for the classical piece of woodwork placed in front
of it. When this incongruous structure was removed
and the restoration taken in hand (in 1833) by Mr.
Wallace, liberties were again taken with the unfortunate
screen, more or less spoiling the design, though undertaken
on a good motive. Perhaps the least objectionable
of these innovations was the insertion of panels for
the Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and Ten Commandments,
in perpetuation of those in the wooden altar-piece,
where the formulae had been set up in the spirit of
the Injunctions of 1536 and 1538. Above the stages
Mr. Wallace introduced rows of angels, the highest
row being surmounted by a cornice of strawberry-leaf
ornament for which there was no sort of precedent,
either in the original work here, or in other altar-screens
of similar character elsewhere.
The screen is about thirty feet in
height, and extends to the main arcades on either
side. Three tiers of canopied niches, ten in each
tier, divided down the centre by a perpendicular series
of three larger niches, all occupied by statues, made
up a composition which was at once “a thing
of beauty” and an object lesson on the Incarnation.
The total number of niches (thirty-three) suggested
a mystic reference to the years of our Lord’s
earthly life, while the image of the Pelican “in
her piety,” here and there, besides being a
reminder of Bishop Fox (whose peculiar device it was),
also typified the sacrament of the altar. The
original materials of which the screen was built are
quoted as “Caen and fire-stone,” for which
Mr. Wallace substituted stone from Painswick in Gloucestershire,
as more easily obtained and agreeing in colour with
the old work.
Above the altar the first architect
had left a vacant panel (square) possibly intending
it for the reception of sculpture or mosaic. This
space, as well as some of the side panelling, was covered
by the Decalogue, etc., before mentioned.
The space is now vacant, pending the complete restoration
of the screen, and is simply concealed by the dorsal
and lateral curtains. The doors on each side will
be noticed, with their depressed ogee headings, which
indicate that this screen is of somewhat later date
than the corresponding one (also by Bishop Fox) at
Winchester. Another indication to the same effect
has been detected in the grotesque carvings in the
spandrels, which are here of a humorous character,
whereas at Winchester the minor decorations are entirely
sacred, e.g., the Annunciation and Visitation.
On the north side of the choir, in
the easternmost arch, is the Monument of Richard
Humble, erected by his son Peter in 1616. He
quotes his father in the inscription as “Alderman
of London,” which is supposed to be inaccurate,
as the prospective alderman, though represented in
the official gown, is said to have declined office
for political reasons. The monument is a good
specimen of the Jacobean style. Under an arched
canopy, supported by Ionic pillars, Richard Humble
is kneeling at a small altar, or prie-Dieu,
with his two wives behind him, the second wearing
a conical hat, his sons and daughters being represented
in bas-relief on the north and south sides of the
basement. On the altar side there are also some
verses, by an unknown author, in which human life
is compared to “the damask rose and blossom
on the tree,” with other images of its vanity
and shortness. There is a dash of Elizabethan
vigour in the versification, mixed with a certain
quaintness which points to the decadence, and the
lines have been attributed to such different writers
as Francis Beaumont and Francis Quarles. The
figures in the monument have been “beautified”
with imitations of marble and alabaster. The canopied
stalls for the Canons were erected as a memorial to
Bishop Thorold, from the diocese of Rochester, as
notified on a plain brass tablet.
Those for the choir and cathedral
officers were provided by an anonymous benefactor.
The absence of “return stalls” is accounted
for by the fact that St. Saviour’s is a parish
church as well as a cathedral, for which reason it
is desired to keep the choir as open as possible.
It may be here mentioned that the
twelve boys who sing at the daily services are known
as “the Wigan Chanters,” after Sir Frederick
Wigan, Bart., who has made provision for their salary,
and the silver badges to be worn by them on Sundays
and holy days. The badges are engraved on the
face with the priory arms “Argent,
a cross fusilly gules: in the dexter chief, a
cinquefoil gules” with an inscription
on the reverse.
The low wrought-iron chancel-railing
was presented by Mr. Barclay; the holy table (a classical
wooden structure), by Mr. J.F. France, in place
of the former table, also of classical design, which
has been transferred to the retro-choir. The
chalice and paten, crosses, vases, books, embroidery,
etc., have been bestowed from time to time by
various friends and worshippers.
The Retro-choir (now known as the
Lady Chapel) was erected by Peter de Rupibus at
about the same time as the choir, but in a much lighter
and more graceful fashion, which places it among the
best examples of Early English architecture in the
country. The groined vault rests on six slender
pillars, with detached shafts. The divisions
thus formed make up twelve compartments of nearly equal
size. Perhaps the best general prospect is to
be obtained from the south-east corner, which takes
in the whole length of the chapel, with the altar,
now on the north, and the tomb of Bishop Andrewes on
the western side. In the central bays on that
side there were formerly two arches open to the choir,
one on each side of the space now occupied by the
tomb. These were converted into triplet openings
during the reign of Edward III, with flowing tracery
in the head of each arch. When Bishop Fox’s
screen was erected in the sixteenth century, these
openings were walled-up, and the doorways already mentioned
inserted below the tracery, in correspondence with
the design of the screen, of which they formed part,
one on each side of the high altar.
Another good view is to be gained
from the south-west corner, which includes the series
of triplet windows in the four eastern bays. The
northernmost of these was till recently occupied by
the altar, but it has been transferred to the central
bay on the north side, thus sacrificing the orientation
for a supposed better position, in regard to the general
shape of the chapel, there being no central space for
it on the eastern side, where another altar was required
to balance the irregularity. Before the Reformation
there certainly were two altars on that side, one
at each extremity, where piscinae were discovered
during the restorations of 1832. The piscina at
the north end was then restored, and is still in existence:
as the other was too far gone for repair, the space
was filled up.
It has been conjectured that each
of the four eastern bays formerly contained an altar,
one of them being dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.
This circumstance has probably contributed to the popular
designation of the retro-choir as the Lady Chapel,
since the demolition of the so-called “Bishop’s
Chapel,” to which the title properly belonged.
This “Little Chapel of Our Lady,”
as it was originally called, extended eastwards from
the bay (the second from the south), now occupied
by the “Benson” window, where two straight
joints in the masonry indicate the position of the
arch that once led into it. In the north-east
angle is a slender shaft supporting a diminutive statue
of a bishop, in cope and mitre, with his right hand
raised in the act of benediction. This has taken
the place of another figure, with flowing hair, supposed
to represent St. Mary Magdalene, to whom the demolished
church, adjoining the south choir-aisle, was dedicated.
Beneath this statue is a door, which used to give access
to the staircase in the turret already noticed in
the angle outside. The staircase, however, is
destroyed. In the same bay on the north wall,
there is a stone bench, in the shape of a coffin, about
nine feet long. This has been assumed to be the
burial-place of the Foundress, but it is more probable
that it was the base on which the “Easter Sepulchre”
was placed in Holy Week.
In the south-west corner there is
a small Gothic font. It was presented by Mr.
Charles Harris (Member for Southwark) in 1860, who
is himself commemorated in a tablet beneath the Jesse
window in the south transept. The font is still
used for baptisms, the present Lady Chapel being also
the parish church.
The Tomb of Bishop Andrewes. On
the destruction of the so-called “Bishop’s
Chapel” in 1830, the tomb was removed from its
eastern end to the honourable position it now occupies.
There had been a fire in 1676, which destroyed the
roof of the little chapel, and the canopy of the monument,
but the tomb and effigy were fortunately uninjured.
The canopy was not replaced, and the tablet which
once stood at the feet is now at the head of the recumbent
figure. Otherwise the monument remains in its
original state, and is an interesting example of the
Renaissance style at a period of transition. There
had been a doubt as to the exact whereabouts of the
Bishop’s remains, some people thinking they
had been deposited in a vault beneath. The question
was settled at the removal, when the leaden coffin
was found, resting on a cross of brickwork, within
the tomb. The coffin was exposed for a few days
for the public satisfaction, and then replaced in the
interior of the tomb, where it now lies. The
painted figure above it represents the Bishop vested
in chimere and rochet, enveloped in a rich mantle,
with the cross of St. George, encircled by the Garter
and motto of the Order, “Honi soit qui
mal y pense,” embroidered on the left
shoulder insignia to which Lancelot Andrewes
was entitled as Bishop of Winchester and Prelate of
the Order. The head wears an academic cap, and
rests upon a cushion, and the right hand holds a book,
probably intended for the famous “Manual of Devotions.”
The tablet at the head is surmounted
by the arms of the See of Winchester, impaled with
the private arms of Dr. Andrewes, supported by two
figures in a sitting posture. These represent
the cardinal virtues, Justice and Fortitude, so conspicuous
in the Bishop’s life. The figures formed
part of the original decoration of the canopy.
The Latin inscription at the head is from an entry
in Archbishop Laud’s “Diary,” and
shows a slight inaccuracy in grammar as well as in
the date. This is given as September 21st, 1626,
whereas Dr. Andrewes is known to have died on September
25th. The grammatical error is unimportant, while
the gist of the sentence sums up the life and character
of the departed in the brief form of an epigram:
“Lumen Orbis Christiani.”
The inscription at the foot simply refers to the restorations
of the monument in 1703 and 1810.
The Windows in the Retro-Choir.
There is no ancient glass in the Cathedral, the oldest
being that in the windows here set up to the memory
of the Anglican martyrs, and chiefly remarkable as
examples of the art of glass staining at a bad period.
Seven martyrs are thus commemorated, viz., three
in each of the extreme bays on the eastern side, and
one in the central bay on the south. Taking them
in order, the window at the north end is devoted to
the Rev. Lawrence Saunders, the Right Rev. Robert
Ferrar, and the Rev. Rowland Taylor, each figure occupying
a separate light in the triplet. Entwined about
the robes of the third there is a scroll bearing the
supplication from the Litany in the early prayer-books
against “the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and
all his detestable enormities.”
The corresponding window in the southernmost
of the four eastern bays contains the figures of the
Rev. John Rogers, Bishop Hooper, and the Rev. John
Bradford.
The seventh of the martyrs is memorialised
in the central window on the south, viz., the
Ven. Archdeacon Philpot, the three lights being
filled with pictorial scenes from his trial. He
is here commemorated as having suffered at the same
time with the others, though he was separately tried
in the Bishop of London’s house, by St. Paul’s
Cathedral. The rest were tried in this very chapel,
then (and still occasionally) used as a Consistory
Court. There is thus a peculiar appropriateness
in the local commemoration, and especially in the
position of the first window of the series, as it was
in that identical bay that the Royal Commissioners
sat in judgement, and pronounced sentence on the men
they regarded as heretics. The lancet on the
eastern side of the “Philpot” window is
dedicated to Grace Pearse, and dated 1845. The
other is at present filled with plain glass awaiting
a suitable commemoration. The two triplets between
the martyrs’ windows on the east contain memorials
to the Rev. W. Curling (1879) and the Rev. S. Benson
(1881), who were co-chaplains at St. Saviour’s.
These windows were contributed by
the parishioners, and show some advance on those to
the martyrs in their scriptural subjects as well as
in their general treatment and colouring.
By far the best window is that of
three lights on the north side. The architecture
is in the Decorated style with reticulated tracery,
as restored on the ancient model. The glass is
modern, by Kempe, in his best mediaeval manner, in
which respect, as well as in subject matter, the window
presents a strong contrast to the earlier ones in its
neighbourhood. The three lights contain figures
of King Charles I, Thomas Becket, and Archbishop Laud,
martyrs of another school, perhaps equally worthy
of remembrance, as having suffered for their opinions.
On the western wall a granite tablet
is to be noticed to the memory of George Gwilt, the
architect who did so much work at the church in his
day, and gave his services gratuitously during the
restoration of this chapel. He died at the age
of eighty-one, in the year 1856, and is buried in
the family vault outside the southern wall.
The Choir Aisles, architecturally
similar, differ very much in their contents, which
are more interesting in the north aisle. On the
south side of this aisle the Humble monument is conspicuously
seen through the choir railings. The opposite
side is lighted by three windows, more interesting
in motive and association than in themselves.
The first of these was presented in 1867 by Mr. Benson,
the chaplain commemorated in the window already noticed
in the retro-choir, and represents St. Peter in the
Chamber of Dorcas (Acts, ix, 39). The next contains
a picture of the Good Samaritan, erected in 1866 to
the memory of John Ellis. The third, of three
lights, was inserted in 1858 to the memory of George
Wood, surgeon, who was so much appreciated by the
parishioners that 670 of them contributed to the cost
of his memorial. The central light contains a
picture of Christ healing a cripple. The outer
lights are at present plain.
In the wall beneath these windows
two recesses will be noticed, exactly alike in size,
and in their segmental headed and traceried canopies.
Their proximity and close resemblance formerly led
to the conjecture that they were the tombs of the
two Norman knights, William Pont de l’Arche
and William Dauncey, who co-operated with Bishop Giffard
in refounding the Priory. If this is the case,
the tombs must have undergone alteration at a later
date, as the decoration is in the Perpendicular style,
and much more ornate than that of the recess at the
west end of the same wall, undoubtedly of late Norman,
or Transitional, design. The westernmost of the
two, again, has been held to be the burial-place of
Thomas Cure, a local benefactor in the reigns of Edward
VI, Mary, and Elizabeth, who is commemorated by a
tablet within it. The Latin epitaph (1588) is
a string of punning allusions to his name. The
most recent theory, and the most probable, respecting
the recesses, is that they mark the tombs of Priors
belonging to the Tudor period. The easternmost
now contains the effigy of a supposed Crusader,
which, after undergoing many “translations”
from its unknown original place to the lumber of the
church, and then to a ridiculous upright position
against the north wall, has now found shelter in the
recess which happens to hold it exactly. It is
a remarkably fine piece of oak carving, and represents
a knight clad in chain armour, consisting of a hauberk
with sleeves, over which is thrown a surcoat crossed
by two belts, one round the waist for the sword, the
other crossing the body diagonally to hold the shield.
The cross-guard of the sword is of metal, and is probably
a reparation. The head wears a conical helmet,
and the feet rest upon a lion. The legs are crossed
at the knees, and the knight is in the act of placing
his sword in the scabbard, both of which details are
open to various interpretations. Conjecture has
also been busy as to the person represented, who is
now thought to have been a member of the de Warren
family, several of whom were buried in the church,
and the style of armour, unless a clever imitation,
points to the date of Edward I or Edward II.
After having been overlaid with successive coats of
paint, which completely blocked up and concealed the
delicate chain-work, the figure has been more or less
redeemed, but not restored to its original colour.
This appears to have been mainly a pale blue, not
unlike the real armour, but it is now coated with bronze.
The most conspicuous monument in the
aisle is that of John Trehearne, servant to Queen
Elizabeth and “Gentleman Portar” to
James I. Flanked by two pilasters, carved in the Italian
style, supporting a plainer canopy, the monument consists
of three parts: first a plain base; then a plinth,
on the front of which (in bas-relief) are the four
children of the deceased in a kneeling posture; and,
lastly, on the top of the tomb, the kneeling figures
of Trehearne and his wife in the picturesque costume
and ruff collars of the age. The principal figures
are holding a tablet between them inscribed with a
eulogistic epitaph in English, the moral of which is
that if Trehearne’s royal master could have retained
his services, his heavenward progress would have been
considerably delayed. The Vestry minute for 15th
October, 1577 (quoted by Dr. Thompson), shows the
deceased to have been a passive resister in the matter
of tithes, for which he had to pay double in the long
run. He died on 22nd October, 1618, and was buried
the very next day. His wife died on 22nd January,
1645. She was followed by the eldest son on 22nd
of August in the same year, and they were all buried
in the one grave.
A door in the aisle communicates with
the Chapel of St. John the Divine, at present used
as a clergy vestry. Fortunately it has not shared
the fate of the companion chapel of St. John the Baptist.
Up to a quarter of a century ago it had been turned
to account as a Magistrates’ Court, and still
retains the Royal Arms over the large pew erected
for the purpose. This, with the iron safe and
wooden cupboards set up against the walls, still gives
the chapel some of the appearance of a Committee room,
and helps to conceal some most interesting architectural
features. A shaft had long been visible on the
exterior which was thought to show signs of Saxon workmanship.
This fragment, added to the known fact that the chapel
was one of the oldest parts of the church, if not
the oldest of all, has led to a fuller examination
in recent years, revealing the outlines of three Norman
arches in the inner walls, and still more recently
the shafts of a wall-arcade on the eastern side, apparently
indicating an apsidal termination.
Henceforth the chapel will be associated
with the name of John Harvard, who was born in the
parish, and baptized in the church on 29th November,
1607, and its restoration is intended to take the form
of a memorial to that great and good man. It is
not unlikely, in fact, that his name will popularly
supersede the original dedication (almost forgotten
already) much in the same way as the “Little
Chapel of our Lady” was overshadowed by the
great name of Bishop Andrewes.
The first practical step in this direction
was taken by the Hon. Joseph H. Choate, who manifested
great interest in the ancient fabric while he was
American Ambassador, and presented the east window
to the chapel in commemoration of John Harvard, founder
of the renowned university which bears his name.
The window, ’unveiled by Mr. Choate on Monday,
22nd May, 1905, is of three lights, transomed, as designed
by Sir Arthur Blomfield and Sons, the glass being made
in America under the supervision of Mr. Charles F.
McKim, the famous American architect. The design
is by Mr. John La Farge. In the central light
of the lower division the Baptism of Christ is depicted,
attendant angels occupying the sides. The upper
division contains the arms of Emmanuel College, Cambridge,
where John Harvard was educated, and of the Harvard
University, with its mottoes, Veritas and Christo
et Ecclesiae. The base bears the inscription,
“In memory of John Harvard, founder of Harvard
University in America, baptized in this church, Nov
29, 1607.”
The window is a noteworthy example
of modern work, and the treatment of the familiar
subject is distinctly original, in which respect, as
well as in colouring, it presents a very striking contrast
to the other windows, especially to those of mediaeval
character, throughout the church. Perhaps it
is fortunate that it occupies an isolated position
in the chapel, where the brilliance and peculiarity
of the colouring are seen to full advantage without
detriment to the other windows.
It is hoped that this generous gift
inaugurates the restoration of the old chapel to its
original dignity, as a worthy memorial to him whose
name will henceforth be inseparable from it. The
intention is to equip it with an altar and other necessary
fittings for use at early celebrations and small gatherings
of people, at present without accommodation.
A new vestry for the clergy is badly wanted, as well
as for the choir, whose cassocks and surplices now
hang in the adjacent aisle.
The South Choir Aisle is lighted
by a small lancet above the entrance porch representing
the Good Shepherd; by another lancet to the memory
of John Herd, an inhabitant; and by a window of three
lights. The last commemorates George Gwilt, the
distinguished architect who did so much for the restoration
of 1832-3, elsewhere described.
Two tablets in the same aisle are
worth noticing. The first is a brass, dated 1652,
on the pier between the choir and aisle entrance,
in memory of Susanna Barford, who died at the early
age of ten years and thirteen weeks. The inscription
quotes her as, “The Non-such of the world for
Piety and Vertue in soe tender years.” Below
these words there is an epitaph in rhyming couplets
and complimentary terms, separated from the inscription
by a death’s head and crossbones, and a pair
of wings supporting an hourglass, on the dexter and
sinister sides respectively. This is the only
brass with any approach to antiquity in the Cathedral,
though the matrix of another, evidently thought more
worthy of a private collection, has been detected in
one of the recesses, lately described, in the opposite
aisle. The other memorial is a plain marble slab,
scarcely seen in the darkness between the windows.
It commemorates Abraham Newland, the model chief cashier
of the Bank of England, whose strict notions of duty
would not allow him to sleep a single night off the
premises during the twenty-five years of his appointment.
He died in 1807, two months after taking his pension,
leaving L60,000, in the funds, to his landlady.
This inexpensive memorial is a token of her gratitude.
The Organ. On the south
side of the aisle is the organ-chamber erected by
Sir Arthur Blomfield and Sons, after much discussion
as to a suitable place for the new instrument, for
which it was eventually decided to build the chamber
over part of the site once occupied by the Magdalen
Church. The old organ used to stand in the gallery
at the west end of the debased nave, and was since
removed to the north transept. When it was finally
taken down it was unsaleable as a musical instrument,
and had to go for what it would fetch as so much wood
and metal. Some relics of it have, however, been
preserved in the shape of the large gilded angels
which adorned its front. These are now stored
above the tall iron safe in the Harvard chapel.
The present organ and the chamber which contains it
were both presented by the late Mrs. Robert Courage
as a memorial to her husband.
The new organ, built by Messrs. Lewis
and Co., Limited, is of peculiarly rich and pleasant
tone. It contains more than 4,000 pipes and consists
of four manuals, with a system of interchangeable
composition pedals, the whole embodying the most recent
improvements for altering and combining the stops,
and working the instrument to the best advantage with
the least exertion. The action is electro-pneumatic,
and the wind is supplied by a rotary hydraulic engine.
Imbedded in the pavement at the entrance
to this aisle there is an interesting collection of
Roman tesserae, which have been carefully preserved
as an evidence of the antiquity of the site.
The Tower. A great difference
is to be noticed between the arches of the east and
west sides and those of the north and south. The
former are evidently of the same age (thirteenth century)
as the nave and choir, while the others indicate that
the transepts were not built till the following century.
There is an important difference also between the
north and south arches, in that the shafts of the former
stop considerably short of the ground, whilst those
on the south are carried down to the pavement.
The moulding of the western arch is
supported by the heads of a king and queen (uncertain),
and on the southern side of the eastern, or choir,
arch there is the head of a bishop.
Above the arches there is an open
arcade on the four sides of the tower, which communicates
with the roof above the nave, choir, and transepts.
The comparatively modern ceiling, which limited the
view upwards within the tower, has now been removed,
and the roof raised to its original level beneath
the ringers’ floor. This new roof is of
oak, in which some bosses from its fifteenth century
predecessor have been inserted. Pendent from
it is the fine Chandelier of wrought iron and brass,
presented to the church in 1680 by Dorothy Applebee,
who was buried within the sanctuary two years later.
This chandelier had been transferred to the choir
during the degradation of the old church, in which
position it was by no means without precedent in ancient
churches, but its original place here was in the tower,
to which it has been restored.
Sir Arthur Blomfield’s work
included the complete restoration of the tower windows
and the interior walls.
The Pulpit comes from a relative
of the Rev. W. Curling, the chaplain commemorated
in one of the Lady Chapel windows, and is intended
as a personal memorial to the same man. It is
a delicate piece of carved oak, somewhat out of character
with the massive stone-work around it, and is approached
by a staircase still more slender in appearance.
The carving, however, is well executed, and many notable
sermons have already been preached from it, which,
thanks to the sounding-board, have been tolerably
well heard throughout the church.
The Lectern was presented by Mrs.
Richard Hunt, in memory of her husband. It is
of bronze with a brass pedestal, and represents an
eagle holding a dragon in his claws.
The North Transept differs materially
from the south in the dimensions and character of
the windows, which in the south transept are larger
and more elaborate. In the north transept there
are three on each side, those next the tower being
simple lancets, the others of two lights without tracery.
All these at present contain plain glass. The
two-light windows are exact reproductions of the originals,
from fragments of which they were first restored by
Mr. Wallace in 1833. The exceptionally large
window on the north side is the gift of Mr. F.L.
Bevan, and was unveiled by the Duke of Connaught on
22nd June, 1898, in double commemoration of the Prince
Consort and the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
The present window, by Mr. Kempe, takes the place
of an inferior one set up in 1861 to the memory of
Prince Albert shortly after his death.
It contains in its four lights the
figures of Gregory the Great, King Ethelbert, Stephen
Langton, and William of Wykeham. The subjects
were chosen as illustrating important stages in the
history of England and the National Church, which
it is sought to epitomize in the decoration of this
representative Cathedral.
It is supposed that this transept
once formed a chapel dedicated to St. Peter, and was
screened off from the tower for that purpose.
This probably accounts for the fact that the piers
of the tower arch are left plain to the height of
about 12 ft, above which begin the six clustered
columns similar to those which rise from the ground
level on the south side. The conjecture is supported
by the discovery of an aumbrey at the eastern end
of the north wall, which of course implies an altar
and a chapel. The transept is now used as a sort
of ecclesiastical museum for antiquities previously
distributed about the church. Perhaps the most
interesting, certainly the most ancient, of these
is a stone coffin, with a portion of the lid of Purbeck
marble, discovered during the restorations. There
was a skeleton within it, but whose it is impossible
to say, though the ornamental design on the lid points
to the twelfth century, and to a person of importance.
It bears a raised cross of unique pattern at the head
of a stem which obviously extended to the foot of
the coffin. The arms of the cross are of equal
length and terminate in chain-work, the angles of
intersection being occupied by representations of the
sun, crescent moon, and stars. The symbolism
of these figures has been variously interpreted, and,
as the coffin bears no date or inscription, it has
given rise to much speculation as to whether its occupant
was one of the Priors or a crusader. The skeleton,
though said to have been discovered in an almost perfect
condition, contained no key to the mystery.
A relic of the Norman age is preserved
in the north wall, above the aumbrey, viz., a
portion of a string-course with billet moulding a
further evidence of the age of this part of the church.
The arches between the choir and nave aisles are worth
notice as architectural curiosities. The former
shows a strange angular introduction in the moulding
of its southern side. The latter has an acute
arch, without moulding, constructed within it, apparently
to strengthen the walls.
On the floor by the eastern wall lies
one of those charnel house memorials, in the shape
of a ghastly and desiccated human figure, of the kind
not uncommon in tombs of the sixteenth century.
To whose tomb this figure belonged there is no evidence
to show.
Against the east and west walls are
piled some curious bosses from the old oak roof erected
in 1469, after the stone roof had fallen down.
There were originally about a hundred and fifty of
these grotesque specimens of wood-carving, but there
are now only about one-third of them left, including
those placed in the new roof within the tower.
The fine chest against the western
wall was presented about the middle of the sixteenth
century by Hugh Offley and Robert Harding, Aldermen
and Sheriffs of London, who were related by marriage.
The chest is made of oak, with various fancy woods
inlaid, e.g., walnut, pear, cherry, box, rosewood,
ash, yew, holly, and ebony, distributed over the surface
so as to bring their colours into agreeable contrast
in the design. This appears to represent the
façade of a classical building, the panels on the
front of the chest being divided by the pilasters
of the architecture. The central panel contains
the first owner’s initials, “H.H.O.”
The others hold the crests and armorial bearings of
the two families.
On the western wall of this transept
there is a remarkable monument, which cannot be better
described than in the words of John Strype:
“The Austin Monument,”
he says, “is emblematical of Christ and
of the Resurrection, according to the pious fancy of
the devout Mr. Austin, who set it up at first.
First, there is the representation of a rock,
upon which is writ ’Petra erat X.T.S.’,
i.e., the Rock was Christ. Down this rock
runs a stream of water, and through this same
rock is creeping a serpent; whereby he strips
off his old skin, which hangs on that part which
is not yet got through. At the foot of this rock,
and out of it, grows up standing corn, on which is
a label with these words, ‘Si non moriatur,
non reviviscit,’ i.e., if it dieth
not, it liveth not again. Underneath this corn,
upon the basis, is this significant motto, ’Nos
sevit, fovit, lavit, coget, renovabit,’
i.e., He hath sown, cherished, washed us,
and He shall gather us together, and renew us.
Upon the top of this rock standeth an angel; in his
left hand a sickle, his right hand pointing up
towards the sun shining in his glory, with a label
upon the lower rays of it, ‘Sol Justitiae,’
i.e., the Sun of Righteousness. On the
right and left sides of this monument are instruments
of husbandry hanging by a riband out of a death’s
head, as ploughs, whips, yokes, rakes, spades,
flails, harrows, shepherds’ crooks, scythes,
etc., over which is writ, ’Vos estis
Dei Agricultura,’ i.e., ye are
God’s husbandry. On the outside of
these, on the right and left, are two harvest men
with wings, the one with a fork, the other with
a rake behind him. They are in light garments,
sitting, and leaning their heads upon their hands,
their elbows resting upon their knees, as weary
and tired, and resting after their harvest work; and
having straw hats on, very comely; underneath them
these words, ‘Messores congregabunt,’
i.e., the reapers shall gather. Under
all this is a winnowing fan, within which is the representation
of a sheet of parchment, as it were, stretched upon
it; on which is writ the inscription.”
The inscription (Latin) agrees in
its figurative language with the character of the
monument. It practically states that William Austin
had the tomb constructed, while he was yet alive, as
a burial-place for his wife, his mother (Lady Clarke),
and himself, and that the three were laid there in
succession in 1623, 1626, and 1633. William Austin
was a barrister, who wrote a number of devotional pieces
in verse and prose. He died on 16th January,
1633, and his second wife published them in 1635,
“as a surviving monument of some part of the
great worth of her ever-honoured husband.”
The son William, like his father a poet and a lawyer,
was also buried at St. Saviour’s.
Another noteworthy monument is that
on the north wall to Lionel Lockyer, inventor and
patentee of the miraculous pills, “Radiis Solis
Extractae,” to be taken early in the morning
against fogs, contagious airs, and all diseases known
and unknown, to improve personal beauty, and make
old age delightful. The glowing epitaph of twelve
lines is at once a eulogy on the man, and a bold advertisement
of the medicine. Lockyer died on 26th April,
1672. An air of sanctimonious benevolence will
be noticed on the face of the recumbent doctor probably
a faithful portrait not unlike the expression
given to the quack doctor in one of Hogarth’s
famous pictures. The face of the cherub above
wears a look of intense agony, which frivolous people
are wont to attribute to the panacea. Higher
up on the same wall there is a Hatchment, with the
armorial bearings of the person to whom it refers,
and the motto Resurgam. The conspicuous
place and large characters look as if specially chosen
with reference to the fabric, to which the word may
well be applied.
On the east wall hangs an escutcheon
of the arms of Queen Anne, with the motto Semper
eadem. The arms seem to have been painted
over some previous heraldic achievement, which includes
the figures of “Justice” and “Mercy,”
or two similar characters, standing on a platform in
the middle of a Rotunda. There is a peculiarity
also in the omission of the year, which is usually
given with the Royal Arms hung up in churches.
The escutcheon is said to have been brought from the
neighbouring Sessions Court, and set up in the first
instance in the choir, to commemorate the visit of
Queen Anne, when she came to hear Dr. Sacheverell.
Appearances seem to show that it was repainted, and
the Queen’s initials inserted, to suit the occasion.
The South Transept. The
solid panels, noticed outside as diminishing the effect
of the great south window, are accounted for in the
interior, where the mouldings of two lofty arches occupy
the wall, their apices reaching to the window sill.
These the restorer has wisely left intact, and the
window, seen from within, appears in admirable proportion,
and well suited to its place. It is of five lights,
and occupies the entire breadth of the transept.
The style is described by the architect, Sir Arthur
Blomfield, as “Transitional between Flowing
Decorated and Perpendicular.” Presented
by Sir Frederick Wigan, Bart., in memory of his daughter,
the glazing of this fine window was entrusted to Mr.
C.E. Kempe. He has taken as his subject
the “Tree of Jesse,” as a connecting link
between the scripture subjects represented elsewhere,
and the modern historical windows, whether commemorating
distinguished clergy or laity of the Catholic Church.
There was formerly a doorway cut through
one of the arches beneath this window. The space
is now filled up, restoring the arcading to its original
state, and the entrance transferred to the eastern
wall, where the inner porch occupies the space beneath
the organ front. There are three windows above,
of three lights each, corresponding with those on
the opposite side, except in the tracery. The
window over the door, as well as that facing it, is
in memory of Mr. Henry Wood, Warden of the Great Account
(1899-1900). The six divisions in each contain
the same number of figures from the Old Testament,
viz., in the eastern window, Enoch, Noah, Moses,
Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph; and in the western, Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Micah, Hosea, David, Ezekiel. Both
these windows are due to Sir Frederick Wigan, who presented
them in 1900.
Next to the “Wood” window,
on the western side, there is another fine one to
the memory of Elizabeth Newcomen, a great benefactress
to the neighbourhood, buried in the church in 1675.
This window came from the Governors
and Scholars, past and present, of the school which
she founded, and from the parishioners. The glass
is by Kempe. The figures in the upper division
are St. John Baptist, Elijah, and Malachi; and in
the lower, Zechariah, Solomon, and St. Elizabeth,
the last a tribute to the lady’s own Christian
name.
It will be seen from this description
that there are three windows awaiting subjects (and
donors) in the south transept, two on the eastern,
and one on the western side. The whole series
is intended to illustrate the Gospel genealogy and
the Incarnation, in continuation of the idea suggested
in the Jesse Tree.
The most important monuments in the
south transepts are those of John Bingham, Richard
Benefeld, William Emerson, and the Rev. Thomas Jones.
The “Bingham” monument
(1625) was formerly in the Magdalene Church, whence
it was removed to the west side of this transept when
the church was destroyed. An arched recess, flanked
by consoles, contains a half-length coloured effigy
of the deceased, in gown and ruff. Below this
is a panel, surmounted by arches and supported by pilasters,
enclosing a tablet, with the inscription to John Bingham,
Sadler to Queen Elizabeth and James I. The spandrels
of the arch above the figure contain the arms of the
City of London and the Sadlers’ Company.
The family arms surmount the whole. Bingham is
quoted in the inscription as “a good benefactor
to the parish and free school”; besides which
he was one of the Trustees to whom the church was
conveyed by James I, and we have to thank him and his
confreres that it has not gone the way of the
Priory buildings formerly surrounding it.
The “Benefeld” monument
(1615) is chiefly interesting for its quaint Latin
epitaph. This speaks of his remains as purified
by the frankincense, myrrh, amber, etc., which
symbolise the discipline of life.
William Emerson and his family, ancestors
of the better known Ralph Waldo, were also good benefactors,
especially to the poor of the parish, who still enjoy
the pensions founded by their bounty. The inscription
on William Emerson’s monument (1575) describes
him as having “lived and died an honest man,”
and concludes with the warning, Ut sum sic eris,
illustrated by a small memento mori, in the
form of a skeleton, recumbent on the base.
An ornamental marble tablet (1762),
on the south wall, commemorates the Rev. Thomas Jones,
who died of a fever contracted during his parochial
visitings, and was buried in a vault in the “Little
Chapel of Our Lady.” He was chaplain at
St. Saviour’s from 1753 till he died at the
early age of thirty-three. A faithful and zealous
evangelical pastor at a period of general debility
in the Church of England, he was hampered throughout
his ministrations by the governing body, who not only
had the right of selecting their ministers, but exercised
a jealous censorship on their teaching and practice,
when they showed any tendency to “unsoundness”
or undue enthusiasm. Above the tablet containing
the inscription there is a bust of Mr. Jones, in the
clerical dress and necktie of his date, with a cherub
on each side.
The architectural differences between
the north and south transepts are largely accounted
for by the rebuilding of the latter, in the fifteenth
century, by Cardinal Beaufort.
On a pier by the transept door his
work is commemorated in a sculptured and coloured
representation of his arms the fleur-de-lis
of France, quartered with the lions of England surmounted
by a cardinal’s hat, with its tasselled strings,
twisted into a true-lover’s knot, pendent on
either side.
Henry Beaufort, born in 1377, was
a natural son of John of Gaunt by Catherine, widow
of Sir Hugh Swynford. His parents were married
in 1396, and their issue legitimated by Richard II
in the following year; but the bastardy is supposed
to be indicated in the bordure compony surrounding
the shield. Henry Beaufort was translated to Winchester
in 1404, in succession to William Wykeham. He
was raised to the cardinalate in 1426, and died in
1447. Among the famous marriages that have taken
place in the church, perhaps the most famous is that
between James I of Scotland and the Cardinal’s
niece, Joan Beaufort, in the year 1423, when the wedding
banquet was served in the adjacent Bishop of Winchester’s
palace.
In the restoration by Sir Arthur Blomfield,
the windows of both transepts were rebuilt, the pointed
roofs raised to their old level, and the walls underpinned
and refaced (externally) with Box Ground and Bath
stone, in place of the inferior material employed in
1830, care being taken to place the stone in the natural
direction of the strata.
All whitewash and plaster facing have
been stripped off the walls throughout the old parts
of the church, to make the restoration as complete
as possible, not only in the purity of the new work,
but in the removal of what was fictitious and incongruous
from the old.