Cathedral Cities of England Part 18

Westminster

Of the three cathedrals in London, Westminster Abbey may be said to possess the greatest charms. Compared to it St. Paul's is a new church, whilst St. Saviour's, Southwark, is little known. It is true that the foundation of St. Paul's is coeval with that of the Abbey, and St.

Saviour's is an old church, but St. Paul's dates from the Great Fire of London, and the merit of its architecture is the wonderful genius of Wren. In more ways than one Westminster is bound up with the history of the great empire. Within her precincts repose the greater number of reigning heads who inaugurated their reigns in the sacred interior with the coronation, a ceremony which was last performed when our present king came to the throne, though the last monarch to be laid to rest in the venerable pile ceased with the interment of King George II. in 1760.

The Abbey is also the favourite sepulture for eminent statesmen, poets, authors, and great travellers,--men whose intellects have done far more for the wonderful rise of Great Britain than the average crowned head, men whose ability and personality in many cases were little understood during life, preyed upon, as is often the case, by others who could turn it to good pecuniary account. But when death claims them, the nation, sensible of their loss, pay homage by interring the remains in the n.o.ble sepulchre of a cathedral, or perpetuate the memory by an epitaph on the wall.

To wander around the Poets' Corner along the echoing aisles, and stand in front of each memorial and read off the few cold lines that seem a mockery to regard as a record of some mighty intellect, serve only to awaken the imagination and to recall their sad biographies read at one time or another. Were Chaucer, Shakespeare, Spenser, Dryden, Milton, Oliver Goldsmith, Handel, Thackeray, David Garrick, to mention only a few, ever made peers, much less knights? No; yet many of their contemporaries of inferior intellect enjoyed such worldly distinction.

To stand in the presence of the great dead, or in lieu to read their epitaphs, casts a great fascination over the mind, and makes one linger within the precincts of the historic abbey till a rude awakening comes from the verger that it is closing-time. With a sigh we emerge from the great mausoleum into the hard, glaring daylight, for a few seconds dazed. The fascination still clings to us, and when we get home we are eager to consult authorities and learn more of the beautiful church at Westminster.

The Abbey, like nearly all our great cathedrals, is the growth of centuries. Looking at it under present-day conditions, we can hardly realise that in the dim past the site was an island of dry sand and gravel, bound on the one side by the river Thames, and on the other by marshes watered by the little stream called the Eye. This stream still runs, though out of sight, under New Bond Street, the Green Park, and Buckingham Palace, to empty itself into the Thames near Vauxhall Bridge, and has lent its name to Tyburn (Th' Eye Burn). In the early years of the seventh century, possibly within a few months of his restoring the church on the site of St. Paul's, which would take us back to about the year 610, Sebert, the King of the East Saxons, decided to build a church to the honour of St. Peter on this Isle of Thorns, or, as it is sometimes called, Thorney Island. The fact of the vicinity being westward of the neighbouring hill of St. Paul's eventually gave rise to the name of Westminster. According to tradition, on the eve of the new church being consecrated by Bishop Mellitus, the boatman Edric, whilst attending to his nets by the bank of the island, was attracted by a gleaming light on the opposite sh.o.r.e. Rowing across, he found a venerable man, who desired to be ferried over. On landing at the island, the mysterious stranger proceeded towards the church, accompanied by a host of angels, who gave him light by candles as he went through the forms of church consecration. On his return to the boat, the old man bade Edric tell Mellitus that St. Peter had come in person to consecrate the church, and promised him that fish would always come plentifully to his nets, provided he did not work on a Sunday and did not forget to offer a t.i.the of that which he caught to the Abbey of Westminster. On the morrow, Mellitus, hearing the fisherman's story, confirmed by the marks of consecration in the chrism, the crosses on the doors, and the droppings from the candles of the angels, acknowledged the work of St.

Peter as sufficient consecration, and changed the name from Thorney Island to Westminster, to distinguish it as being to the west of the city of London and to the Church of St. Paul's on the neighbouring hill.

However incredible Edric's story may be it bore fruit, in that till 1382 a t.i.the of fish was paid by the Thames fisherman to the Abbey, in exchange for which the bearer had the privilege to sit, on that day, at the Abbot's table, and to ask for bread and ale from the cellarman. By degrees the neighbourhood became peopled, partly on account of the church and partly from the erection of a palace close to it, which led the n.o.bility to build houses in the vicinity. The Abbey, becoming ruinous through the Danes, was rebuilt by Edward the Confessor as the "Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster." In fact this monarch is usually regarded as the founder of the Church. According to Matthew Paris, it was the first cruciform church erected in England, the immense size and beauty of which can be seen in the Bayeux tapestry. The foundation was laid somewhere about 1052, and the church was consecrated in 1065, a few days prior to the Confessor's death. The monastery was filled with monks from Exeter, whilst Pope Nicholas II. const.i.tuted the Abbey for the inauguration of the kings of England. Throughout the succession of reigning heads, Edward V., who died uncrowned, was the only exception.

Of the Confessor's church and monastery the only remains appear to be the Chapel of the Pyx, the lower part of the refectory below the Westminster schoolroom, a portion of the dormitory, and the walls of the south cloister.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LONDON

WESTMINSTER ABBEY. THE NORTH TRANSEPT]

The Abbey, with these few exceptions, was demolished and rebuilt on a magnificent scale by Henry III. between 1220 and 1269. The material employed was first a green stone and afterwards Caen stone. The portions that remain to us from that rebuilding are the Confessor's chapel, the side aisles and their chapels, and the choir and transepts, all beautiful examples of the Geometrical Pointed period of architecture.

Henry's work was continued by his son Edward I., who added the eastern portion of the nave after the same style; it was afterwards carried on by successive abbots till the erection of the great west window by Abbot Estney in 1498. The College Hall, the Abbot's House, Jerusalem Chamber, and part of the cloisters had also in the meantime been added by Abbot Littlington in 1380. Amongst various improvements Henry VII. built the west end of the nave, his own chapel, the deanery, and portions of the cloisters in the Perpendicular style.

The choir, a fine specimen of Early English with decorations added in the fourteenth century, is where the coronation of English sovereigns takes place, and contains the tombs of Sebert, King of the East Angles, Anne of Cleves, and Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Leicester. Henry VII.'s chapel displays the architect's skill to perfection, with the wonderful fretted work of the roof and the graceful fan-tracery. It contains the glorious tomb of Henry VII., the work of the great sculptor Pietro Torrigiano. It is composed chiefly of black marble with figures and pilasters of gilt copper. The figures once wore crowns, but some sacrilegious hands have stolen them. In the chapel of Edward the Confessor are the shrine of Edward the Confessor in Purbeck marble, the altar-tomb of Edward I., the coronation chairs of the English sovereigns, besides the stone of Scone, the old coronation seat of the Scottish kings. The beautiful chapels of St. Benedict, St. Edmund, St.

Nicholas, St. Paul, St. Erasmus, and St. John the Baptist chiefly contain the monuments of ecclesiastics and n.o.bility.

The entrance generally used is the North Porch, known as Solomon's Porch. It was erected in the reign of Richard II., but entirely changed its character in the hands of Wren, who appears not to have appreciated the beauties of Gothic architecture. The same architect is said to have built the two western towers, though they are sometimes ascribed to his pupil Hawksmoor. Wren's work upon the north porch was again altered by Sir G. G. Scott, who introduced the present triple portico. On pa.s.sing under it we come to the north transept, generally known as the Statesmen's Aisle. Here in the same grave lie the Earl of Chatham and his famous son, William Pitt. Close to them are either the graves or monuments of Fox, Castlereagh, Grattan, Palmerston, Peel, the three Cannings, and Disraeli. Right in the centre of the aisle is a slab marking the resting-place of W. E. Gladstone and his wife (1898 and 1900), over whom unconsciously the people tread, gradually wearing out the simple words of memorial. The south transept is the Poets' Corner, containing the memorials from Chaucer to Ruskin. In the nave lie David Livingstone (1873), a great missionary and traveller, whose remains were reverently brought from Central Africa; Robert Stephenson (1859), the famous engineer; Sir Charles Barry (1860), architect of the Houses of Parliament; Sir G. G. Scott (1873); George Edmund Street (1881), architect of the Law Courts; Colin Campbell; Lord Clyde (1863), who recaptured Lucknow. We have mentioned these names, not for the sake of invidiousness, but have chosen them at random.

Leading from the cloisters up a flight of stone steps is the Chapter House. The original structure was built by King Edward in the eleventh century, and it is noticeable in that it departed from the usual Benedictine form. In 1250 it was rebuilt by Henry III., and is an octagonal structure, second only to that at Lincoln in size. Here the monks were accustomed once a week to hold their chapters. In ornamental stalls opposite the entrance the Abbot and his four chief officers were enthroned, whilst the monks ranged themselves along the stone benches which go around the walls. Criminals were tried, and if found guilty were tied up to the central pillar of Purbeck marble (thirty-five feet high) and were flogged publicly. The monks, however, were not left in undisturbed possession of the Chapter House, for on the separation of the Houses of Lords and Commons in the reign of Edward I., the House of Commons held sittings here and continued to do so till 1547. The last parliament held here was on the day that Henry VIII. died, when it sat to discuss the Act of Attainder pa.s.sed upon the Duke of Norfolk. At the dissolution of the monastery the Chapter House pa.s.sed to the Crown, and seven years afterwards the House of Commons removed to St. Stephen's Chapel in the Palace of Westminster.

From that time the Chapter House was used as a Record Office till the removal of the records in 1865 to the Rolls House.

There are now two or three gla.s.s cases filled with interesting ancient deeds and illuminated parchments relating to the history of the Abbey.

Adjoining the Abbey is the great public school of Westminster, or St.

Peter's College as it was called when founded by Queen Elizabeth in 1560 for the education of forty boys, denominated the Queen's scholars, and prepared for the university. Since then the numbers have greatly increased, and to have been educated there is something to boast of, for it is so much sought after that preference is given to the sons of old Westminster boys. We might go on for ever, so vast is the subject-matter, but before closing we would draw attention to St.

Margaret's Church, which stands in front of Solomon's Porch. It was founded by the Confessor, and is the especial church of the House of Commons. Curiously enough, it gives scale to the whole Abbey. The Houses of Parliament are across the road to the east of the Abbey and on the bank of the river Thames. In the Tudor style Sir Charles Barry, R.A., built the New Palace of Westminster, containing the two Houses of Parliament (1840-1859). It is a stupendous work and a marvellous ma.s.s of rich architecture. Some authority states that the clock tower is much after the style of the belfry at Bruges. This statement, we would point out, is hardly correct. The two no more resemble each other than do black and white.

How is it possible to describe in a few cold words the wonderful beauties that lie hidden in the architecture of the Abbey, the best artistic expressions of its several architects? Impressions created depend upon the temperament of the individual who gazes upon them. All acknowledge the great beauty, but each from his own standpoint, according to his tastes and inclinations, which are moulded by his pursuits in life, or more rarely endowed by that inherent sense of all that is n.o.ble and refined he is enabled to sink his own individuality for a moment, and to enjoy the brain-product of a fellow-being. To the dull intellect the Abbey appeals as a mystery; to the commercial man it represents so much outlay of capital, and a proud possession of the empire's city; to the poet and artist the memorials must recall the wonderful lines of Longfellow:

"Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime";

to the architect a marvellous insight into the great possibilities offered by architecture; to the musician the ambition to create a great composition that will be worthy to echo throughout the lofty and beautiful aisles, whose music is so unconsciously based upon those laws of harmony which should exist in architecture, sculpture, painting, and literature.