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June 27th 2019
A Personal Tour of Norwich Cathedral
Jacqui Horton
About 50 members and friends were present at the Heritage Society’s monthly meeting in the Fairland Hall to enjoy a talk by Jacqui Horton, whose subject was in the form of a personal tour of Norwich Cathedral.
By means of an early 20th century plan she visited various locations to pinpoint features of interest. The plan showed the site of the original chapter house, which was demolished in the 16th century. In the ambulatory is an effigy, which was once thought to be of Bishop Herbert de Losinga, who had founded the cathedral in 1096, but is now considered to be of St. Felix, who brought Christianity to England in 630 A.D. In the presbytery is a bishop’s throne, modern and made of wood but still in the original position, while beside it are two blocks of stone from an ancient throne. Losinga, whose tomb exists, had been Bishop of Thetford, but when the see moved from there to Norwich in 1094 he became the city’s first bishop. The cathedral was just about completed by 1145. In the nave with its Norman Romansque architecture is a font, which was once used in the manufacture of chocolate by Rowntree Mackintosh! It was given to the cathedral on the closure of their Norwich factory, which had once been the famous Caley’s.
Two massive pillars near the main altar make an imposing feature, but there were once four. In the choir area is the little Chapel of the Holy Innocence focusing on William of Norwich, who was murdered in 1144 at the age of twelve and acquired saint status. The Jewish community were accused of the crime but this was never proved. The choir has seats, designed for the Benedictine monks, with fine examples of misericords, which are carved with animals, birds and Medieval scenes.
Jacqui also showed a photo she had taken of the cathedral’s cat snoozing in the choir! The nave features many roof bosses illustrating Bible stories with the cathedral as a whole boasting over 1000 such carvings. A bullet dating from the Civil War still lodges in the floor of the presbytery. With the original chapter house long since gone, St. Saviour’s Chapel was added in the 1930s and here can be seen a painted effigy thought to be of St. Felix.
At the east end of the cathedral is the grave of Nurse Edith Cavell, who was executed by the Germans in 1915 for helping allied soldiers to escape. The grave was rededicated several years ago with a new white headstone and ledger stone, while nearby in Tombland is the heroine’s statue. In the Bauchon Chapel is an interesting stained glass window and a painting called The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, executed by John Opie in 1791. Opie had connections with Norwich. The cathedral has the largest monastic cloisters in the country, on the south side of which were the infirmary and the refectory. Outside in pleasant surroundings are the herb and Japanese gardens, as well as a labyrinth.
Following last month’s meeting about the Medway Queen, the heroine of Dunkirk, Jacqui had visited the historic paddle steamer at Gillingham in Kent, where Mark and Pam Bathurst, who spoke about the ship at our previous meeting, showed her round. It was an amazing coincidence that one of Mark’s ancestors was Henry Bathurst, who had been Bishop of Norwich from 1805 to 1837!
Mike Foyle, who was in the chair, introduced the speaker and Pauline Clarke gave the vote of thanks for a detailed and fascinating talk.
