Presbytery and quire alterations, 19th century
/In recent years the dean and chapter, for the time being, has carried out extensive programmes of repair and renovation to the eastern arm of the cathedral. This part of the building has featured regularly in surveys of the fabric as will be seen.
Henry Keene (1726-76), surveyor to the dean and chapter of Westminster, surveyed the cathedral during the autumn of 1760.
'East End
The Gable end is much decay'd wants new facing in great part of it, and new Coping. Wants repairing round the upper openings. The largest Window illustrated in the view of the presbytery. from the choir, reproduced as the front cover of this report] wants new mullions: and the weathering Stones want repairing and making good, being much decay'd'
When Keene made his survey the interior of the east end of the church was completely different in appearance from how it is today.
In 1706 the altar-piece was made of Norway oak, completely plain. On to this was fastened 'the piece of rich silk and silver brocade given by the Bishop of Rochester'. This gave way in 1752 to a large piece of rich velvet in an elegantly carved frame purchased with the £50-0-0 given by archbishop Herring, " a former dean'. The velvet was to remain in place only until 1788 when it was replaced by Benjamin West's*, the Angels appearing to the Shepherds presented by loseph Wilcocks5
By the time Cottingham began his restoration in 1825 the decay of the cathedral fabric was accelerating rapidly. Arriving at the cathedral on January 10 Cottingham soon advised the dean? that 'the roof of the choir, entirely new 14 years ago, was infected with the dry rots
It is always prudent to seek a second opinion before undertaking any large building project and this the dean and chapter proceeded to do. Sir Robert Smirke was requested to make a survey and did so after Mr. Cottingham had commenced his great work. Smirke called attention to the state of the east window.
'The upper Window at the East end is very much decayed, particularly at the tracery of the heads of the Mullions;- this must be replaced with new Stone. The Stone work of the Jambs (where not replaced at the time of the reparations made about 30 or 40 years ago) is entirely decayed; these should be repaired by inserting new Stone frames - and for the better appearance of the Fabric, those jambs which have been repaired with Brickwork ought to be replaced with stone10'.
Repairs to the roof over the eastern arm began February 21st 18251, Cottingham's removal of 'the heavy wooden altar-piece of Norway Oak, which hid the Arches and windows, [now] brought into view lal beautiful specimen of Gothic Architecture. The painting by West... fixed up against the Altar-Piece was removed. It is now pro tempore in the Deanery. It cannot be set up again in its original position; and no determination is vet come to as to what is to be done with it. It is not an admired composition 131
Readers of this report may be surprised to see the large Perpendicular window at the east end of the cathedral. Of nine lights, it replaced Early-English lancels and was installed during the fifteenth century. A low-stone screen was erected in front of the widow to guard the wall-passage. In 1825 the window was found to be 'incapable of being repaired and was 'replaced entirely, with the exception of some part of the traceryl4'.
We know from dean Stevens Note Book that the 'Great West Window was in a very dangerous state, and to be incapable of being repaired [was| taken down, and an entirely new one set up in its place. At the same time the King's Arms, that were fixed up over the Great West Door, and concealed the lower part of the Great West Window, and the upper part of the Arch of the Door way, was taken down, and set up against the Organ Galleryis. One should endeavour to visualise that in the mind's eye. Fortunately the arms were removed again and are now set up over the doorway leading into the south-eastern transcept. Why the West window is mentioned will become apparent.
Further entries in the Note Book state that with the removal of the wooden screen from the altar 'the three concealed windows [were[ restored, some of the tracery preserved; part of it and all the mullions are new. The Arches of the Crypt under the East window re-opened and restored. The 4 windows on each side of the Altar almost entirely new, some of the old tracery preserved. A crack in the wall on the North side of the Altar filled up and repaired with strong masonry16,
Removing the altar-piece and opening the windows led to the scraping off of the whitewash, with which the east wall was covered, and brought to light 'the decorations of the high altar, nearly all in their pristine glory; consisting of birds and beasts, fleurs de lis, lilies, crescents, stars, scroll-foliage, fleury-crosses, lacework borders etc., arranged in the most beautiful order, and finely contrasted in the colours, which consist of the brightest crimsons, purples, azures, greens, etc. The account continues; 'In the intercolumniations are windows, and below each is a cross in a circle painted on the wallis. These crosses were almost certainly consecration crosses, there would once have been a total of twelve in the building. Unfortunately this wonderful medieval work was lost when the three huge mosaic panels, a memorial to dean Scott's widow, were installed beneath the windows.
All of Cottingham's arrangements were removed by Sir G. Gilbert Scott in his restoration after 1872.
Of the east end Scott wrote;
The East end owes its main disfigurement to an earlier date. Its upper range of windows was taken out in the 15th or 16th century and a very uncouth window substituted; this seems as if it had been again renewed a century later and again in our own day. It possesses a few tolerable features internally, but such is its general poverty of effect that I feel that it ought to be restored to its original form which is ascertainable, partly from remnants still existing, and partly by reference to the contemporary windows of the Eastern Transcept'".
The window was removed as was the low-stone screen, erected to protect the wall-passage, in front of it. Although the screen was re-erected in front of Cottingham's west window, which Scott did not touch, it was subsequently removed and the stones placed in the crypt?.
Nor did Scott approve of the lower lancets;
*The lower windows of the East end have been filled in with fath century tracery, which has been renewed in our own day. It is an open question whether this interpolated tracery shows be removed or not. Had it been the actual tracery added in the 14th century, I should have been favourable to its retention; but being only a modern copy, introduced by Mr. Cottingham 1am inclined to think it should give way to the integrity of the Early English design?
This was done.
Redecoration of any internal features in a building draws attention to the whole area. This has certainly been the case with the restrained re-decoration of the eastern transepts, crossing and presbytery at Rochester cathedral.
Floor levels at the east end of the cathedral have been much altered through the centuries and the high altar has also moved back and forth. Archbishop Laud directed that the altar be 'placed at the east end . . . in a decent manner and a fair rail put up ... as in other cathedral churches?
Cottingham continued the altar at the east end. Sir Gilbert Scott did not. In 1873 he discovered what are thought to be the steps of the thirteenth century altar, to the west of the present position, and the base of the platform on which that altar had stood. To accommodate the Arundel tomb slab Sir Gilbert, of necessity, placed the altar and reredos one bay to the east of the mediaeval altar's position.
If the altar was in its original position it would be nearer to the late-Decorated three-seat sedilia, which would be more sensible. As the presbytery is 28 feet wide the original altar would not have been less than eleven or twelve feet long23. Under liturgical arrangements prevailing in mediaeval times the altar would have been raised three steps above its platform, which continued behind the altar, at the level of the Arundel tomb slab, to the east wall. Behind the present high altar is a reredos of Caen stone, containing a representation of the Last Supper, the gift of Dr. and Mrs. Griffith, and designed by Sir Gilbert Scott.
According to St. John Hope the reredos is 'unsatisfactory and top-heavy24. To J.
H. Palmer the reredos 'projects beyond the altar-table on each side in a way that is unusual and not altogether pleasing25.
Between the altar and its rails there is elaborate tiling in which the signs of the zodiac are incorporated. These tiles, mercifully covered by the carpet Sir Ronald Storrs sent to his father the dean from Arabia, were manufactured, as were all the other nineteenth century tiles in the eastern arm, by William Goodwin, at Withington near Hereford. Goodwin 'paid particular attention to the reproduction of medieval patterns in all their entirety, both as to facsimile of form and ornament and antique appearance of surface26. As some medieval tiles survive in the south-eastern transept readers may judge for themselves whether Mr.
Goodwin was successful or not in what he tried to achieve. The tiles for the whole of the eastern arm were supplied at a cost of £382-12-0 I£12,625.80 in today's terms\27
Presently the three-seat sedilia, reached by a flight of marble steps, is 2 feet 10 inches above the original floor level. If the floor was at the height of the Arundel slab, as originally, the seats would be but 18½ inches above the floor, which is a convenient height for a seat. The sedilia bears the arms of the see of Rochester, of Canterbury, and of Thomas Brinton (d.1389), bishop when the seats were installed.
Work on the restoration of the eastern arm, for which £11,396-10-0 [£376,084.50 in today's terms] was received, was completed by the summer of 1875. The choir re-opened on 11 June'.
New altar rails, to the design of J. L. Pearson", costing £60-0-0 [£1,980.00 in today's terms] and a new reading desk for the sedilia at a cost of £48-0-0 [£1,584.00 in today's terms], were installed as a memorial to dean Scott. Made by White & Ross of 207 Oxford Street (works Nags Head Yard, Ramilies Street), not a leading firm in the field, and invoiced on 25 April, 1889", The desk has been removed but part of the metal work from it has been incorporated into a screen in the organ loft.
All of the stained glass in the presbytery was made by the firm of Clayton and Bell. The six windows at the east end were given in 1873 and celebrate the successive dedications of the church, St. Andrew, and Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the centre of the upper row is a Majestas, below the Ascension.
On the right hand side of the lower range is the Virgin Mary above a picture of the Nativity and on the other side is St. Andrew.
Dean Stevens, dean for half a century, is commemorated in one of the four upper windows on the south side which carry figures of the four Evangelists.
For a number of years riddle curtains were in place at the high altar, the last pair only removed in recent years. One pair was subsequently used to make three gold copes and these remain in regular use.
Fashions change but always the building remains. Its history reflects many vicissitudes, its dean and chapter constantly wrestling to present this part of the building with becoming dignity. Few will disagree that the present chapter has not striven to the utmost to enhance every part of this ancient church, especially so in the choir and presbytery.
I am grateful to the Dean and Chapter for permission to quote from documents in their archive.
David A. H. Cleggett
St. Andrew's Day, 1994
The Dean and Chapter archives are deposited at the Rochester Upon Medway
Studies Centre, under reference DRc. This document is DRc/Emf 32.
Herring, Thomas (1693-1757), DD., appointed dean of Rochester 28 January, 1731/32 and instituted by the bishop [Joseph Wilcocks] 31 January and installed
5 February (Neve, John Le, Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857, University of London, Institute of Historical Research, The Athlone Press, 1974, p.56). Dean Herring, who was preferred to the bishopric of Bangor 1738, continued to hold the deanery in commendam until translated to York 1743. He became archbishop of Canterbury in 1747. Died 13 March, 1758 and buried in Croydon parish church.
Palmer, G. H., The Cathedral Church of Rochester, London, George Bell and Sons, 1897, p.94.
West, Beniamin (1738-1820), narrative painter, President of the Royal Academy
1792-1820, historical painter to George III and from 1790 surveyor of the royal pictures. The Death of Wolfe is his most famous painting. West is buried in St.
Paul's cathedral.
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Wilcocks, loseph (1724-91), only son of loseph Wilcocks 11573-1759), who wa dean of Westminster, where he completed the west font, and hishop of Roches, dean or West minster where he completed he wes in Gilurenter and . is Wilcocks junior lived for a number of years in Rome where, herause or is benevolence and piety, he was styled by Clement XIlI, blessed heretic Cottingham, Lewis Nockalls (1787-1847), architect temper. In his day the approach to gothic architecture was not what
A gentleman of uncerain
Leeds Castle, restoration meant, generally
Leeds Castle, restoration maean.itantBasketrI1742-1642), the an his an Cottingham's commissions was the re-building, from the ground, or si cathedral, Armagh. Cottingham assembled a splendid library, dispersed death.
Stevens, Robert, DD., 1821, preferred to the deanery of Rochester 17 1820, installed by the bishop [Walker Kingl 3 November, Died 3 February Stevens, Robert, Repairs of Rochester Cathedral, Mr. Cottingham notebook in the dean's hand, recently deposited with the rest archives, is a first-hand account of all that went on at the cathedral time in the fabric's history. A typescript is filed under DRe/Emf a printed version of the note book in the cathedral library, ref, 73 paper the document is called Dean Steven's Note Book
Smirke, Sir Robert (1781-1867), architect. The British Museum (1823) was Smirke's magnum opus in the classical revival style but he also did important gothic work Eastnor Castle and to the eastern arm of York Minster following its destruction by fire, at the hands of a lunatic, in 1829
Dean Steven's Note Book.
Dean Steven's Note Book.
Dean Steven's Note Book. The Painting was lent to St, Mary's Chatham where Archdeacon John Law (archdeacon of Rochester 1767-1827), was then rector
Dean Steven's Note Book.
Dean Steven's Note Book.
Dean Steven's Note Book.
Dean Steven's Note Book.
Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. XCV (1825) pt. 1, p. 76, The description is reproduced in, St. John Hope, Sir William H., The Architectural History of the Cathedral Church and Monastery of St. Andrew at Rochester, London, Mitchel and Hughes 1900, p. 114.
Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. XCV (1825) pt.Il, p.225, St. John Hope, p. 115
DRc Emf 65/1 with copy 65/2.
St. John Hope, p.87.
DRc/Emf 65/1 with copy 65/2.
Thorpe, John, Registrum Roffense, London, 1769, p. 189,
St. John Hope, p. 116.
St. John Hope, p.118.
Bells, p.94.
Jewitt, Llewellynn, The Ceramic Art of Great Brain, new edition, Chicheley Paul Minet, 1977, p.577
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DR/Emf 65/6/5 and Maidstone & Kentish Journal, 3 September, 1877
St. John Hope, p. 117.
DR/Emf 65/6/5 and Maidstone & Kentish Journal, 3 September, 1877,
Details of the service held on that day will be found in DR/Emf 61.
Pearson, John Loughborough (1817-97), architect whose magnum opus is Truro cathedral. Pearson was one of the finest architects of the nineteenth century gothic revival. His work at Rochester includes the west side of the Choir screen, and the under-pining of the west front. An example of his urban work is St. Michael's West Croydon, and of his rural, the exquisite church at South Dalton in Yorkshire.
DRc/Emf 64/1.
The Friends of Rochester Cathedral were founded to help finance the maintenance of the fabric and grounds. The Friends’ annual reports have become a trove of articles on the fabric and history of the cathedral.
The Cathedral is full of features and furnishings for the purpose of worshipping God, singing His praise, administering the sacraments and spreading The Word of Christ.
