Worcester Cathedral
 Cathedrals |
Worcester and its skyline are dominated by the towering presence of its cathedral, beautifully located on the tree-lined banks of the River Severn. The cathedral itself reflects much of the city's early history, founded as it was in AD983 by St Oswald as a Saxon monastery.
The earliest part of the present building, and coincidentally the earliest surviving building in Worcester, is the Norman crypt, a relic of the cathedral begun in 1084 by St Wulstan. He was the only Saxon bishop to retain his office after the successful Norman invasion of 1066. The crypt was built for the safekeeping and worship of saints' relics, and constructed using masonry from the Benedictine monastery of St Oswald. In fact, existing records indicate that an earlier church, predating St Oswald, was founded on the site in about AD680 when the first Bishop of Worcester was enthroned.
On each anniversary of St Wulstan's death on January 19 th 1095, services are held in the crypt, and so it has been for over 900 years. The north range leads to the circular Chapter House, one of the first of its kind. Built around 1120 it is, along with the crypt, the most complete example of Norman architecture to have survived here.
The eastern staircase leads to the early English part of the cathedral built by Bishop Blois. Locals must have felt that the building work would never finish, especially as the central tower had collapsed in 1175 and fire destroyed much of the structure in 1203. The cathedral had only just been rededicated after these disasters when Bishop Blois began pulling it down again, his intention being to rebuild it in the now fashionable Gothic style of architecture.
So it was that much of what we admire today, that constitutes the completed cathedral complex, witnessed another two centuries elapse before the final stone was laid. The choir stalls were added in the 13 th century, but it wasn't until much later during the 14 th century that the naïve was rebuilt under the watchful eye of Bishop Cobham. Even then the south side remained incomplete, built at a later date in a far less elaborate style. The choir stalls themselves are an impressive sight, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, they incorporate the misericords from the original stalls, and highlighted by superb carved scenes from everyday life. The mighty central tower was a 14 th century addition when much of the rest of the cathedral was rebuilt.
Prior to his death in 1216, King John requested that he be buried in the choir, thus it is that his tomb lies centre stage in regal solemnity before the High Altar. The marble likeness of the king was placed on his tomb two years after his death. It remains a masterpiece of medieval sculpture with the monarch flanked by the Bishops Oswald and Wulstan, and is reputedly the oldest Royal effigy in England. Situated to the right of this illustrious grouping is Prince Arthur's Chantry, an elaborately carved chapel built in 1504 by Henry VII in memory of his son Arthur, the future Henry VIII's elder brother, who had died of pneumonia at Ludlow Castle. The chantry is remarkable for its fine tracery, heraldry and sculptures. Much of the finances required to create this magnificent cathedral came from successive royal patronage, although visiting pilgrims would also have contributed.
The cathedral library, located above the south aisle of the naïve, contains a large collection of early manuscripts, including fragments of an 8 th century Gospel as well as deeds of land from the same period. A monastery grew up around the cathedral and despite attempts to destroy it during the upheavals of the Dissolution, some of the buildings still remain to this day. Among the survivors are the refectory or frater, the monk's dining hall now a part of King's School, the circular Chapter House and the 14 th century Edgar Tower. Also, the cloisters, covered walks between cathedral and abbey, remain beautifully intact complete with fine examples of medieval carving. The stillness of the cloisters has remained unchanged down the centuries, and it is easy to image for a moment the quiet solitude of monks studying here on the stone benches or simply waiting to receive visitors. To wander around Worcester Cathedral, as with the old town section, is to be transported back in time.