Exeter Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Exeter Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral
, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter
, in the city
of Exeter
, Devon
in South West England
.
The present building was complete by about 1400, and has several notable features, including an early set of misericord
s, an astronomical clock
and the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling
in England.
at Exeter, dedicated to Saint Peter
, dates from 1050, when the seat of the bishop
of Devon and Cornwall was transferred from Crediton
because of a fear of sea-raids. A Saxon
minster already existing within the town (and dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Peter) was used by Bishop Leofric
as his seat, but services were often held out of doors, close to the site of the present cathedral building.
In 1107, William Warelwast
, a nephew of William the Conqueror
, was appointed to the see, and this was the catalyst for the building of a new cathedral in the Norman
style. Its official foundation was in 1133, during Warelwast's time, but it took many more years to complete. Following the appointment of Walter Bronescombe
as bishop in 1258, the building was already recognized as outmoded, and it was rebuilt in the Decorated Gothic
style, following the example of nearby Salisbury
. However, much of the Norman building was kept, including the two massive square towers and part of the walls. It was constructed entirely of local stone, including Purbeck Marble
. The new cathedral was complete by about 1400, apart from the addition of the chapter house
and chantry chapels
.
Like most English cathedrals, Exeter
suffered during the Dissolution of the Monasteries
, but not as much as it would have done had it been a monastic foundation. Further damage was done during the English Civil War
, when the cloisters were destroyed. Following the restoration of Charles II
, a new pipe organ
was built in the cathedral by John Loosemore
. Charles II's sister Henrietta Anne of England was baptised here in 1644. During the Victorian era
, some refurbishment was carried out by George Gilbert Scott
.
On 4 May 1942, an early-morning air raid took place over Exeter. The cathedral sustained a direct hit by a large high-explosive bomb on the chapel of St James, completely demolishing it. The muniment room above, three bays of the aisle and two flying buttresses were also destroyed in the blast. The medieval wooden screen opposite the chapel was smashed into many pieces by the blast, but it has been reconstructed and restored. Many of the cathedral's most important artifacts, such as the glass of the great east window, the misericords, the Exeter Book, the bishop's throne and the Bronescombe Effigy, had been removed at the start of the war in anticipation of such an attack. Subsequent repairs and the clearance of the area around the western end of the building uncovered portions of earlier structures, including remains of the Roman
city and of the original Norman cathedral.
The 18 m (59 ft) high bishop's throne in the quire was made from Devon oak between 1312 and 1316; the nearby choir stalls were made by George Gilbert Scott
in the 1870s. The east window contains much 14th-century glass, and there are over 400 ceiling bosses, one of which depicts the murder of Thomas Becket
. Because there is no centre tower, Exeter Cathedral has the longest uninterrupted medieval vaulted ceiling in the world, at about 96 m (315 ft).
s are the earliest complete set in the United Kingdom. They date from two periods: 1220–1230 and 1250–1260. Amongst other things, they depict the earliest known representation of an elephant in the UK. Also, unusually for misericords of this period, they have supporters.
in the nave dates to around 1360 and is unique in English cathedrals. Its front is decorated with 12 carved and painted angels playing medieval musical instruments, including the cittern
, bagpipe, hautboy, crwth
, harp, trumpet, organ, guitar, tambourine
and cymbals, with two others which are uncertain.
The clock is one of the group of famous 14th- to 16th-century astronomical clock
s to be found in the West of England. Others are at Wells
, Ottery St Mary, and Wimborne Minster.
The main, lower, dial is the oldest part of the clock, dating from 1484. The fleur-de-lys 'hand' indicates the time (and the position of the sun in the sky) on a 24-hour analogue dial. The numbering consists of two sets of I-XII Roman numerals
. The silver ball and inner dial shows both the age of the moon and its phase (using a rotating black shield to indicate the moon's phase). The upper dial, added in 1760, shows the minutes.
The Latin phrase Pereunt et Imputantur, a favourite motto for clocks and sundials, was written by the Latin poet Martial
. It is usually translated as "they perish and are reckoned to our account", referring to the hours that we spend, wisely or not. The original clockwork mechanism, much modified, repaired, and neglected until it was replaced in the early 20th century, can be seen on the floor below. The door below the clock has a round hole near its base. This was cut in the early 17th century to allow entry for the Bishop's cat to deter vermin that were attracted to the animal fat used to lubricate the clock mechanism.
(Exeter Cathedral Library MS 3501) of Anglo-Saxon poetry. 16 others have survived and are in the British Library
, the Bodleian Library or Cambridge University Library
. A 10th-century manuscript of Hrabanus Maurus's De Computo and Isidore of Seville
's De Natura Rerum may have belonged to Leofric also but the earliest record of it is in an inventory of 1327. The inventory was compiled by the Sub-Dean, William de Braileghe, and 230 titles were listed. Service books were not included and a note at the end mentions many other books in French, English and Latin which were then considered worthless. In 1412-13 a new lectrinum was fitted out for the books by two carpenters working for 40 weeks. Those books in need of repair were repaired and some were fitted with chains. The catalogue compiled in 1506 shows that the library furnished some 90 years earlier had 11 desks for books. The most beautiful manuscript in the library is a Psalter (MS. 3508) probably written for the Church of St Helen at Worcester
in the early 13th century).
The earliest printed book in the library is represented by only a single leaf: this is Cicero's De officiis (Mainz: Fust and Schoeffer, 1465–66). There is a good collection of early medical books, part of which came in 1948 from the Exeter Medical Library (founded 1814), and part on permanent loan from the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (1300 volumes, 1965). A catalogue of the cathedral's books made in 1506 records over 530 titles, of which more than a third are service books. In 1566 the Dean and Chapter presented to Archbishop Matthew Parker
a manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Gospels which had been given by Bishop Leofric; in 1602 81 manuscripts from the library were presented to Sir Thomas Bodley
for the Bodleian Library
at Oxford. In 1657 under the Commonwealth the Cathedral was deprived of several of its ancillary buildings, including the reading room of 1412-13. Some books were lost but a large part of them were saved due to the efforts of Dr Robert Vilvaine, who had them transferred to St John's Hospital. At a later date he provided funds to convert the Lady Chapel into a library, and the books were brought back. By 1752 it is thought the collection had grown considerably to some 5,000 volumes, to a large extent by benefactions. In 1761 the Dean Charles Lyttelton
describes it as having over 6,000 books and some good manuscripts. He describes the work which has been done to repair and list the contents of the manuscripts. At the same time the muniments and records had been cleaned and moved to a suitable muniment room.
In 1820 the library was moved from the Lady Chapel to the Chapter House. In the later 19th century two large collections were received by the Cathedral, and it was necessary to construct a new building to accommodate the whole library. The collections of Chancellor Edward Harington and Canon F. C. Cook were together more than twice the size of the existing library, and John Loughborough Pearson
was the architect of the new building on the site of the old cloister. During the 20th century the greater part of the library was transferred to rooms in the Bishop's Palace, while the remainder was kept in Pearson's cloister library.
and nave
. The first organ was built by John Loosemore
in 1665. There was a radical rebuild by Henry Willis
in 1891, and again by Harrison & Harrison
in 1931. The largest pipes, the lower octave of the 32 ft Contra Violone, stand just inside the south transept
. The organ has one of only three trompette militaire
stops in the country (the others are in Liverpool Cathedral
and London's St Paul's Cathedral
), housed in the minstrels' gallery
, along with a chorus of diapason pipes.
It is recorded in an 11th-century missal
that King Athelstan had brought together a great collection of holy relics at Exeter Cathedral; sending out emissaries at great expense to the continent to acquire them. Amongst these items were a little of the bush in which the Lord spoke to Moses
, and a bit of the candle which the angel of the Lord lit in Christ's tomb.Jusserand, J. J. (1891) English Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages. London: T. Fisher Unwin; p. 327.
, during her brief time of liberty in Exeter before her execution in 1557, met a stonemason repairing the statues at the Cathedral. She stated that there was no use repairing their noses, since "within a few days shall all lose their heads".
, notable for its metallic green fangs, can be found within the outer walls. The walls are made of calcerous sandstone, which decay from acidic pollution, to form cracks and crevices which the spider and invertebrate
s inhabit.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter
The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
, in the city
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
.
The present building was complete by about 1400, and has several notable features, including an early set of misericord
Misericord
A misericord is a small wooden shelf on the underside of a folding seat in a church, installed to provide a degree of comfort for a person who has to stand during long periods of prayer.-Origins:...
s, an astronomical clock
Astronomical clock
An astronomical clock is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets.-Definition:...
and the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
in England.
History
The founding of the cathedralCathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
at Exeter, dedicated to Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
, dates from 1050, when the seat of the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Devon and Cornwall was transferred from Crediton
Crediton
Crediton is a town and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon in England. It stands on the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, about north west of Exeter. It has a population of 6,837...
because of a fear of sea-raids. A Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
minster already existing within the town (and dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Peter) was used by Bishop Leofric
Leofric, Bishop of Exeter
-Early life:Little is known about Leofric, as his cathedral town was not a centre of historical writing, and he took little part in events outside his diocese. This led to little notice being taken of his life and activities, with only a few charters originating in his household and one listing of...
as his seat, but services were often held out of doors, close to the site of the present cathedral building.
In 1107, William Warelwast
William Warelwast
William Warelwast, sometimes known as William de Warelwast was a medieval Norman cleric and Bishop of Exeter in England. Warelwast was a native of Normandy, but little is known about his background before 1087, when he appears as a royal clerk for King William II of England...
, a nephew of William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
, was appointed to the see, and this was the catalyst for the building of a new cathedral in the Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
style. Its official foundation was in 1133, during Warelwast's time, but it took many more years to complete. Following the appointment of Walter Bronescombe
Walter Branscombe
Walter Branscombe was Bishop of Exeter from 1258 to 1280.-Life:...
as bishop in 1258, the building was already recognized as outmoded, and it was rebuilt in the Decorated Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style, following the example of nearby Salisbury
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
. However, much of the Norman building was kept, including the two massive square towers and part of the walls. It was constructed entirely of local stone, including Purbeck Marble
Purbeck Marble
Purbeck Marble is a fossiliferous limestone quarried in the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula in south-east Dorset, England.It is one of many kinds of Purbeck Limestone, deposited in the late Jurassic or early Cretaceous periods....
. The new cathedral was complete by about 1400, apart from the addition of the chapter house
Chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room attached to a cathedral or collegiate church in which meetings are held. They can also be found in medieval monasteries....
and chantry chapels
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
.
Like most English cathedrals, Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
suffered during the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
, but not as much as it would have done had it been a monastic foundation. Further damage was done during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, when the cloisters were destroyed. Following the restoration of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, a new pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was built in the cathedral by John Loosemore
John Loosemore
John Loosemore was an English builder of pipe organs. He is best known for his organ at Exeter Cathedral in Devon, which he completed in 1665.John Loosemore was born in Barnstaple where he was baptized on August 25, 1616...
. Charles II's sister Henrietta Anne of England was baptised here in 1644. During the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
, some refurbishment was carried out by George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
.
On 4 May 1942, an early-morning air raid took place over Exeter. The cathedral sustained a direct hit by a large high-explosive bomb on the chapel of St James, completely demolishing it. The muniment room above, three bays of the aisle and two flying buttresses were also destroyed in the blast. The medieval wooden screen opposite the chapel was smashed into many pieces by the blast, but it has been reconstructed and restored. Many of the cathedral's most important artifacts, such as the glass of the great east window, the misericords, the Exeter Book, the bishop's throne and the Bronescombe Effigy, had been removed at the start of the war in anticipation of such an attack. Subsequent repairs and the clearance of the area around the western end of the building uncovered portions of earlier structures, including remains of the Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
city and of the original Norman cathedral.
Notable features
Notable features of the interior include the misericords, the minstrels' gallery, the astronomical clock and the organ.The 18 m (59 ft) high bishop's throne in the quire was made from Devon oak between 1312 and 1316; the nearby choir stalls were made by George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
in the 1870s. The east window contains much 14th-century glass, and there are over 400 ceiling bosses, one of which depicts the murder of Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
. Because there is no centre tower, Exeter Cathedral has the longest uninterrupted medieval vaulted ceiling in the world, at about 96 m (315 ft).
Misericords
The fifty misericordMisericord
A misericord is a small wooden shelf on the underside of a folding seat in a church, installed to provide a degree of comfort for a person who has to stand during long periods of prayer.-Origins:...
s are the earliest complete set in the United Kingdom. They date from two periods: 1220–1230 and 1250–1260. Amongst other things, they depict the earliest known representation of an elephant in the UK. Also, unusually for misericords of this period, they have supporters.
Minstrels' gallery
The minstrels' galleryMinstrels' gallery
A minstrels' gallery is a form of balcony, often inside the great hall of a castle or manor house, and used to allow musicians to perform, sometimes discreetly hidden from the guests below.-Notable minstrel's galleries:...
in the nave dates to around 1360 and is unique in English cathedrals. Its front is decorated with 12 carved and painted angels playing medieval musical instruments, including the cittern
Cittern
The cittern or cither is a stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance. Modern scholars debate its exact history, but it is generally accepted that it is descended from the Medieval Citole, or Cytole. It looks much like the modern-day flat-back mandolin and the modern Irish bouzouki and cittern...
, bagpipe, hautboy, crwth
Crwth
The crwth is an archaic stringed musical instrument, associated particularly with Welsh music, once widely-played in Europe.-Origin of the name:...
, harp, trumpet, organ, guitar, tambourine
Tambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
and cymbals, with two others which are uncertain.
Astronomical clock
Astronomical clock
An astronomical clock is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets.-Definition:...
s to be found in the West of England. Others are at Wells
Wells Cathedral clock
The Wells Cathedral clock is an astronomical clock in the north transept of Wells Cathedral, England.The clock is one of the group of famous 14th to 16th century astronomical clocks to be found in the West of England....
, Ottery St Mary, and Wimborne Minster.
The main, lower, dial is the oldest part of the clock, dating from 1484. The fleur-de-lys 'hand' indicates the time (and the position of the sun in the sky) on a 24-hour analogue dial. The numbering consists of two sets of I-XII Roman numerals
Roman numerals
The numeral system of ancient Rome, or Roman numerals, uses combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet to signify values. The numbers 1 to 10 can be expressed in Roman numerals as:...
. The silver ball and inner dial shows both the age of the moon and its phase (using a rotating black shield to indicate the moon's phase). The upper dial, added in 1760, shows the minutes.
The Latin phrase Pereunt et Imputantur, a favourite motto for clocks and sundials, was written by the Latin poet Martial
Martial
Marcus Valerius Martialis , was a Latin poet from Hispania best known for his twelve books of Epigrams, published in Rome between AD 86 and 103, during the reigns of the emperors Domitian, Nerva and Trajan...
. It is usually translated as "they perish and are reckoned to our account", referring to the hours that we spend, wisely or not. The original clockwork mechanism, much modified, repaired, and neglected until it was replaced in the early 20th century, can be seen on the floor below. The door below the clock has a round hole near its base. This was cut in the early 17th century to allow entry for the Bishop's cat to deter vermin that were attracted to the animal fat used to lubricate the clock mechanism.
Library
The library began during the episcopate of Bishop Leofric (1050–72) who presented the cathedral with 66 books, only one of which remains in the library: this is the Exeter BookExeter Book
The Exeter Book, Exeter Cathedral Library MS 3501, also known as the Codex Exoniensis, is a tenth-century book or codex which is an anthology of Anglo-Saxon poetry. It is one of the four major Anglo-Saxon literature codices. The book was donated to the library of Exeter Cathedral by Leofric, the...
(Exeter Cathedral Library MS 3501) of Anglo-Saxon poetry. 16 others have survived and are in the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
, the Bodleian Library or Cambridge University Library
Cambridge University Library
The Cambridge University Library is the centrally-administered library of Cambridge University in England. It comprises five separate libraries:* the University Library main building * the Medical Library...
. A 10th-century manuscript of Hrabanus Maurus's De Computo and Isidore of Seville
Isidore of Seville
Saint Isidore of Seville served as Archbishop of Seville for more than three decades and is considered, as the historian Montalembert put it in an oft-quoted phrase, "le dernier savant du monde ancien"...
's De Natura Rerum may have belonged to Leofric also but the earliest record of it is in an inventory of 1327. The inventory was compiled by the Sub-Dean, William de Braileghe, and 230 titles were listed. Service books were not included and a note at the end mentions many other books in French, English and Latin which were then considered worthless. In 1412-13 a new lectrinum was fitted out for the books by two carpenters working for 40 weeks. Those books in need of repair were repaired and some were fitted with chains. The catalogue compiled in 1506 shows that the library furnished some 90 years earlier had 11 desks for books. The most beautiful manuscript in the library is a Psalter (MS. 3508) probably written for the Church of St Helen at Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
in the early 13th century).
The earliest printed book in the library is represented by only a single leaf: this is Cicero's De officiis (Mainz: Fust and Schoeffer, 1465–66). There is a good collection of early medical books, part of which came in 1948 from the Exeter Medical Library (founded 1814), and part on permanent loan from the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (1300 volumes, 1965). A catalogue of the cathedral's books made in 1506 records over 530 titles, of which more than a third are service books. In 1566 the Dean and Chapter presented to Archbishop Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 until his death in 1575. He was also an influential theologian and arguably the co-founder of Anglican theological thought....
a manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Gospels which had been given by Bishop Leofric; in 1602 81 manuscripts from the library were presented to Sir Thomas Bodley
Thomas Bodley
Sir Thomas Bodley was an English diplomat and scholar, founder of the Bodleian Library, Oxford.-Biography:...
for the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
at Oxford. In 1657 under the Commonwealth the Cathedral was deprived of several of its ancillary buildings, including the reading room of 1412-13. Some books were lost but a large part of them were saved due to the efforts of Dr Robert Vilvaine, who had them transferred to St John's Hospital. At a later date he provided funds to convert the Lady Chapel into a library, and the books were brought back. By 1752 it is thought the collection had grown considerably to some 5,000 volumes, to a large extent by benefactions. In 1761 the Dean Charles Lyttelton
Charles Lyttelton (bishop)
Charles Lyttelton was an English churchman and antiquary, bishop of Carlisle from 1762.-Life:He was third son of Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet, by his wife Christian, daughter of Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet of Stowe, Buckinghamshire...
describes it as having over 6,000 books and some good manuscripts. He describes the work which has been done to repair and list the contents of the manuscripts. At the same time the muniments and records had been cleaned and moved to a suitable muniment room.
John Loughborough Pearson
John Loughborough Pearson was a Gothic Revival architect renowned for his work on churches and cathedrals. Pearson revived and practised largely the art of vaulting, and acquired in it a proficiency unrivalled in his generation.-Early life and education:Pearson was born in Brussels, Belgium on 5...
was the architect of the new building on the site of the old cloister. During the 20th century the greater part of the library was transferred to rooms in the Bishop's Palace, while the remainder was kept in Pearson's cloister library.
Organ
The Cathedral organ stands on the ornate medieval screen, preserving the old classical distinction between quireQuire (architecture)
Architecturally, the choir is the area of a church or cathedral, usually in the western part of the chancel between the nave and the sanctuary . The choir is occasionally located in the eastern part of the nave...
and nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
. The first organ was built by John Loosemore
John Loosemore
John Loosemore was an English builder of pipe organs. He is best known for his organ at Exeter Cathedral in Devon, which he completed in 1665.John Loosemore was born in Barnstaple where he was baptized on August 25, 1616...
in 1665. There was a radical rebuild by Henry Willis
Henry Willis
Henry Willis was a British organ player and builder, who is regarded as the foremost organ builder of the Victorian era.-Early Life and work:...
in 1891, and again by Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison Ltd are a British company that make and restore pipe organs, based in Durham and established in 1861. They are well known for their work on instruments such as King's College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Festival Hall....
in 1931. The largest pipes, the lower octave of the 32 ft Contra Violone, stand just inside the south transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
. The organ has one of only three trompette militaire
Trompette militaire
The trompette militaire is a loud majestic sounding organ stop, with brassy, penetrating tone. It is noted for its installation in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, on the fifth manual of the Henry Willis Organ in St Paul's Cathedral, London, and in the 1968 rebuild of the organ of Exeter Cathedral...
stops in the country (the others are in Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
and London's St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
), housed in the minstrels' gallery
Minstrels' gallery
A minstrels' gallery is a form of balcony, often inside the great hall of a castle or manor house, and used to allow musicians to perform, sometimes discreetly hidden from the guests below.-Notable minstrel's galleries:...
, along with a chorus of diapason pipes.
Organists / Directors of Music
- 1586 Matthew Godwin
- 1591 Arthur Cocke
- 1609 John Lugge
- 1665 Theodore Coleby
- 1674 Henry Hall
- 1686 Peter Passmore and John White
- 1693 Richard Henman
- 1741 John Silvester
- 1753 Richard Langdon
- 1777 William Jackson
- 1804 James Paddon
- 1835 Samuel Sebastian WesleySamuel Sebastian WesleySamuel Sebastian Wesley was an English organist and composer.-Biography:Born in London, he was the eldest child in the composer Samuel Wesley's second family, which he formed with Sarah Suter having separated from his wife Charlotte. Samuel Sebastian was the grandson of Charles Wesley...
- 1842 Alfred Angel
- 1876 Daniel Joseph WoodDaniel Joseph WoodDaniel Joseph Wood, 1849 - 1919FRCO 1873; B.Mus 1874 Oxford ; D.Mus 1896 LambethDaniel Wood was a chorister and pupil of J. L. Hopkins at Rochester...
- 1919 Ernest BullockErnest BullockSir Ernest Bullock was an English organist, composer, and educator.-Education:...
(later Organist of Westminster AbbeyWestminster AbbeyThe Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
) - 1928 Thomas Armstrong (later Principal of the Royal Academy of MusicRoyal Academy of MusicThe Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
)
- 1933 Alfred William WilcockAlfred William WilcockAlfred William Wilcock was an cathedral organist, who served in Derby Cathedral and Exeter Cathedral.-Background:Alfred Wilcock was born on 21 October 1887 in Colne Lancashire....
- 1953 Reginald MooreReginald MooreReginald Moore was an English cathedral organist, who served in Exeter Cathedral.-Background:Reginald Moore was born on 19 May 1910 in Bramley, Leeds. He was a pupil of Sir Edward Bairstow and held several appointments as organist in and around Leeds before becoming assistant at Salisbury...
- 1957 Lionel Frederick DakersLionel Frederick DakersLionel Frederick Dakers was an English cathedral organist, who served in Ripon Cathedral and Exeter Cathedral.-Background:Lionel Frederick Dakers was born on 24 February 1924 in Rochester, Kent...
- 1973 Lucian NethsinghaLucian NethsinghaLucian Nethsingha was an English cathedral organist, who served in Exeter Cathedral.-Background:Lucian Nethsingha was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and educated at St. Thomas' College, Colombo...
- 1999 Andrew Millington
Assistant Organists (Organist from 1999)
- 1856 H. G. Halfyard
- 1861 - 1870 W. Pinney
- Graham Clarke
- ???? - 1880? Mr. Vinnicombe
- 1881 - 1889 Ernest Slater
- Frederick Gandy Bradford
- ???? - 1898 Walter Hoyle (later organist of Coventry CathedralCoventry CathedralCoventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
)
- 1900 - 1906 Revd Arnold Duncan Culley
- 1906 - 1918 F. J. Pinn
- 1919 - 1927 Ernest BullockErnest BullockSir Ernest Bullock was an English organist, composer, and educator.-Education:...
(later Organist of Westminster AbbeyWestminster AbbeyThe Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
) - 1929 - 1937 William Harry GabbHarry GabbHarry Gabb CVO was an English organist, who served at Llandaff Cathedral, St Paul's Cathedral and the Chapel Royal.-Background: Harry Gabb was born in Ilford, Essex on 5 April 1909...
(later Organist of H.M. Chapels Royal & Sub Organist at St Paul's Cathedral, London)
- 1937 - 1940 John Norman Hind
- 1945 - 1946 John Norman Hind
- 1946 - Edgar S. Landen
- 1950 - 1955 Howard Stephens
- 1956 - 1961 Stuart Marston Smith
- 1961 - 1969 Christopher Gower (later Master of the Music at Peterborough CathedralPeterborough CathedralPeterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew – also known as Saint Peter's Cathedral in the United Kingdom – is the seat of the Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, whose statues look down from the...
)
- 1969 - 2010 Paul Morgan (titled 'Organist' in 1999)
Assistant Directors of Music
- 2010 David Davies
Assistant Organists and organ scholars
- 1994 Stephen Tanner (Assistant Organist)
- the Cathedral has only had one organ scholar in its history.
Burials
- Leofric (bishop), first Bishop of ExeterBishop of ExeterThe Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
(1050–1072) - Robert WarelwastRobert Warelwast-Life:Warelwast and his successor, Robert of Chichester are often confused. Warelwast was the nephew of the previous bishop, William Warelwast, and was appointed archdeacon of Exeter by his uncle. He had been educated at Laon, sent there by his uncle to study under Master Anselm of Laon.Warelwast...
, Bishop of Exeter (1138–1155) - Bartholomew IscanusBartholomew IscanusBartholomew Iscanus was a medieval Bishop of Exeter.-Early life:Bartholomew was a native of Normandy, and was probably born in Millières, a village in the Cotentin near Lessay and Périers. He was a clerk of Theobald of Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury before becoming Archdeacon of Exeter in 1155...
, Bishop of Exeter (1161–1184) - John the ChanterJohn the Chanter-Life:John's exact background is unclear. He may be the same person as the John Planeta who was a clerk of Thomas Becket's during Becket's exile, but the connection is not proven. All that is known is that he was elderly when he was consecrated....
, Bishop of Exeter (1186–1191) - Henry MarshalHenry MarshalHenry Marshal was a medieval Bishop of Exeter.-Life:Marshal was a younger son of John Marshal and Sybilla, the sister of the earl of Salisbury, Patrick. This made him a younger brother of William Marshal, the advisor to Kings Henry II, Richard I, John and Henry III...
, Bishop of Exeter (1194–1206) - Simon of ApuliaSimon of Apulia-Life:Nothing is known of Simon's early life beyond the fact that he was a native of southern Italy and that he was a canon lawyer and a magister....
, Bishop of Exeter (1214–1223) - Walter BranscombeWalter BranscombeWalter Branscombe was Bishop of Exeter from 1258 to 1280.-Life:...
, Bishop of Exeter (1258–1280) - Peter QuinelPeter QuinelPeter Quinel was a medieval Bishop of Exeter.-Life:Quinel was born about 1230, to Peter Quinel and his wife Helewis. He may have been educated at a university, because in 1262 he was given the title of master, which implies a university education. He had the office of archdeacon of St...
, Bishop of Exeter (1280–1291) - Henry de BractonHenry de BractonHenry of Bracton, also Henry de Bracton, also Henrici Bracton, or Henry Bratton also Henry Bretton was an English jurist....
, English ecclesiastic and juristJuristA jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
- Walter de StapledonWalter de StapledonWalter de Stapledon , English bishop, was born at Annery in North Devon.On 13 March 1307 Stapledon was chosen Bishop of Exeter, and was consecrated on 13 October 1308. He went on errands to France for both Edward I and Edward II, and attended the councils and parliaments of his time...
, Bishop of Exeter (1308–1326) - John GrandissonJohn GrandissonJohn Grandisson was a medieval Bishop of Exeter.Grandisson was born at Ashperton near Hereford in 1292. His father William, Lord de Grandisson, was a Burgundian in the household of Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, brother of King Edward I of England. He studied theology at the University of Paris, and...
, Bishop of Exeter (1327–1369) - Thomas de BrantinghamThomas de BrantinghamThomas de Brantingham was an English clergyman who served as Lord Treasurer to Edward III and on two occasions to Richard II, and as bishop of Exeter from 1370 until his death...
, English lord treasurerLord High TreasurerThe post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Act of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third highest ranked Great Officer of State, below the Lord High Chancellor and above the Lord President...
and Bishop of Exeter (1370–1394) - Edmund StaffordEdmund StaffordEdmund Stafford was the second son of Sir Richard Stafford of Clifton and Isabel Vernon, daughter of Sir Richard Vernon of Haddon. He became the Bishop of Exeter-Biography:...
, Lord Privy SealLord Privy SealThe Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
, Lord ChancellorLord ChancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
, Baron StaffordBaron StaffordThe title Baron Stafford, referring to Stafford, has been created several times in the Peerage of England. In the 14th century, the barons of the 1st creation were made earls. Those of the fifth creation, in the century became first viscounts and then earls....
and Bishop of Exeter (1395–1419) - Hugh OldhamHugh OldhamHugh Oldham was a Bishop of Exeter and a notable patron of education. Born in Lancashire to a family of minor gentry, he probably attended both Oxford and Cambridge universities, following which he was a clerk at Durham, then a rector in Cornwall before being employed by Lady Margaret Beaufort ,...
, Bishop of Exeter (1504–1519) - William AlleyWilliam AlleyWilliam Alley was an Anglican prelate and the Bishop of Exeter during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.- Life :...
, Bishop of Exeter (1560–1571) - William BradbridgeWilliam Bradbridge-Life:He was born in London and took his B.A. degree at Magdalen College, Oxford, on 15 July 1528. In 1529 he became a fellow of his college, M.A. on 6 June 1632, B.D. on 17 June 1539. On 26 March 1565 he supplicated the university for a D.D. degree, but was not admitted.He was a Protestant and a...
, Bishop of Exeter (1571–1578) - John WooltonJohn Woolton-Life:He was born at Whalley, Lancashire about 1535, the son of John Woolton of Wigan, by his wife Isabella, daughter of John Nowell of Bead Hall, Whalley, and sister of Alexander Nowell He was admitted student of Brasenose College, Oxford, on 26 October 1553, when aged about 18, and supplicated...
, Bishop of Exeter (1579–1594) - Sir Gawen Carew
- Peter (Pierre) of Courtenay (1126-1183), youngest son of Louis VI of France and his second Queen consort Adélaide de Maurienne.
Holy relics
Missal
A missal is a liturgical book containing all instructions and texts necessary for the celebration of Mass throughout the year.-History:Before the compilation of such books, several books were used when celebrating Mass...
that King Athelstan had brought together a great collection of holy relics at Exeter Cathedral; sending out emissaries at great expense to the continent to acquire them. Amongst these items were a little of the bush in which the Lord spoke to Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
, and a bit of the candle which the angel of the Lord lit in Christ's tomb.Jusserand, J. J. (1891) English Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages. London: T. Fisher Unwin; p. 327.
Legends
According to the semi-legendary tale, Agnes PrestAgnes Prest
Agnes Prest was an English Protestant martyr from the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary, dying on August 15, 1557, at Southernhay near Exeter. According to Foxe's Book of Martyrs, she lived near Launceston, Cornwall, and was married to a Catholic husband...
, during her brief time of liberty in Exeter before her execution in 1557, met a stonemason repairing the statues at the Cathedral. She stated that there was no use repairing their noses, since "within a few days shall all lose their heads".
Wildlife
The Tube web spider Segestria florentinaSegestria florentina
Segestria florentina is the biggest European segestriid spider. Some common names are tube web spider or cellar spider, although neither are exclusive to this species.-Description:...
, notable for its metallic green fangs, can be found within the outer walls. The walls are made of calcerous sandstone, which decay from acidic pollution, to form cracks and crevices which the spider and invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s inhabit.
Decani Alto
- Richard Abbott (2004-2008)
- Peter Oakley (2009-2010)
- William Morrison (2010 - Present)
Decani Bass
- Edward Lougher (2008-2009)
- Charlie Hughes (2009- Present)
Cantoris Alto
- Laurence Blyth (2004-2007)
- Alasdair Forbes (2008-2009)
- Christopher West (2010-Present)
See also
- Dean of ExeterDean of ExeterThe Dean of Exeter is the head of the Chapter of Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, England. The chapter was established by Bishop William Briwere who set up the offices of Dean and chancellor of Exeter Cathedral, allowing the chapter to elect those officers.The current Dean lives at the...
- List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
- Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of EnglandArchitecture of the medieval cathedrals of EnglandThe medieval cathedrals of England, dating from between approximately 1040 and 1540, are a group of twenty-six buildings which together constitute a major aspect of the country’s artistic heritage and are among the most significant material symbols of Christianity. Though diversified in style, they...
- English Gothic architectureEnglish Gothic architectureEnglish Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
- Romanesque architectureRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
- Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
- Henry de BractonHenry de BractonHenry of Bracton, also Henry de Bracton, also Henrici Bracton, or Henry Bratton also Henry Bretton was an English jurist....
Further reading
- Barlow, Frank, et al. (1972) Leofric of Exeter: essays in commemoration of the foundation of Exeter Cathedral Library in A.D. 1072; by Frank Barlow, Kathleen M. Dexter, Audrey M. Erskine, L. J. Lloyd. Exeter: Univeity of Exeter
- Orme, Nicholas (2009) Exeter Cathedral: the first thousand years, 400-1550. Exeter: Impress ISBN 0955623987 (a history of the successive churches on the site from Roman to early Tudor times)