James Rattee
Encyclopedia
James Rattee was an English woodcarver and mason, especially noted for his skill in church ornamentation and restoration, for which his services were sought worldwide.
, Norfolk
, in 1820, and apprenticed to a carpenter and joiner of Norwich
, named Ollett. In his leisure he frequented the cathedral
and other churches in the city and its neighbourhood, and grew interested in ecclesiastical art. At his request his master taught him carving, and he rapidly showed unusual skill and ability. In 1842 he left Norwich and commenced business as a wood-carver in Sidney Street, Cambridge
. The Cambridge Camden Society
soon discovered his talent, and took him into their service.
From Thomas Thorp, William Hodge Mill
, F. A. Paley, and other members of the society, he received assistance and patronage. Rattee erected extensive workshops, plant, and steam power, on Hills Road, Cambridge
.
He was associated with Augustus Welby Pugin in restoring the choir of Jesus College
chapel; the designs were made principally by Rattee, and submitted to Pugin before execution. In the choir of Ely Cathedral
he carried out the designs of George Gilbert Scott
, and the oak screen, stalls, organ-case, and restored tomb of Bishop William de Luda
or Louth (d. 1298) were exquisitely wrought.
In 1852, when he travelled abroad for his health, he studied the works of Quentin Matsys
and other artists. On his return the dean and chapter of Ely entrusted him with the construction of the reredos
. This was composed of choice stone and alabaster, enriched with carving and inlaid with gold and gems; it is one of the finest specimens of ecclesiastical art executed in England since the Reformation.
He died at his residence, Hills Road, Cambridge, on 29 March 1855, and was buried in Mill Road cemetery
Life
Rattee was born at FundenhallAshwellthorpe and Fundenhall
Ashwellthorpe and Fundenhall is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, situated some 6 km south-east of Wymondham and 20 km south-west of Norwich...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, in 1820, and apprenticed to a carpenter and joiner of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, named Ollett. In his leisure he frequented the cathedral
Norwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral is a cathedral located in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Formerly a Catholic church, it has belonged to the Church of England since the English Reformation....
and other churches in the city and its neighbourhood, and grew interested in ecclesiastical art. At his request his master taught him carving, and he rapidly showed unusual skill and ability. In 1842 he left Norwich and commenced business as a wood-carver in Sidney Street, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. The Cambridge Camden Society
Cambridge Camden Society
The Cambridge Camden Society, later known as the Ecclesiological Society from 1845 when it moved to London, was a learned architectural society founded in 1839 by undergraduates at Cambridge University to promote "the study of Gothic Architecture, and of Ecclesiastical Antiques." Its activities...
soon discovered his talent, and took him into their service.
From Thomas Thorp, William Hodge Mill
William Hodge Mill
William Hodge Mill was an English churchman and orientalist, the first principal of Bishop's College, Calcutta and later Regius Professor of Hebrew at Cambridge.-Life:...
, F. A. Paley, and other members of the society, he received assistance and patronage. Rattee erected extensive workshops, plant, and steam power, on Hills Road, Cambridge
Hills Road, Cambridge
This article is about the street. For the Sixth Form College commonly known as "Hills Road", see Hills Road Sixth Form CollegeHills Road is an arterial road in southeast Cambridge, England...
.
He was associated with Augustus Welby Pugin in restoring the choir of Jesus College
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
chapel; the designs were made principally by Rattee, and submitted to Pugin before execution. In the choir of Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
he carried out the designs of 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...
, and the oak screen, stalls, organ-case, and restored tomb of Bishop William de Luda
William of Louth
-Life:William probably was born in Louth, Lincolnshire but his parentage is unknown. William attended a university and held a university degree. He probably held an office in the chancery under King Henry III of England. Soon after the coronation of King Edward I of England, Edward appointed...
or Louth (d. 1298) were exquisitely wrought.
In 1852, when he travelled abroad for his health, he studied the works of Quentin Matsys
Quentin Matsys
Quentin Matsys was a painter in the Flemish tradition and a founder of the Antwerp school. He was born at Leuven, where legend states he was trained as an ironsmith before becoming a painter...
and other artists. On his return the dean and chapter of Ely entrusted him with the construction of the reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
. This was composed of choice stone and alabaster, enriched with carving and inlaid with gold and gems; it is one of the finest specimens of ecclesiastical art executed in England since the Reformation.
He died at his residence, Hills Road, Cambridge, on 29 March 1855, and was buried in Mill Road cemetery
Mill Road Cemetery, Cambridge
Mill Road Cemetery is a cemetery off Mill Road in the Petersfield area of Cambridge, England. The cemetery is listed by English Heritage as a Grade II site, and several of the tombs are also listed as of special architectural and historical interest....
Work
Despite his early death, Rattee's work is found in upwards of a thousand churches in all quarters of the world. Further examples can be seen in the following:- Newfoundland CathedralCathedral of St. John the Baptist (St. John's)The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is located in the city of St. John's, Newfoundland. This parish in the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador was founded in 1699 in response to a petition drafted by the Anglican townsfolk of St. John's and sent to the Bishop of London, the Rt. Rev....
- 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,...
- St Ninian's Cathedral, PerthSt Ninian's Cathedral, PerthSt Ninian's Cathedral or the Cathedral Church of St Ninian is a cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the Royal burgh of Perth. It is the see of the Anglican Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, who is the ordinary of the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane.-History:The...
- Merton CollegeMerton College, OxfordMerton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
chapel, OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through... - St. Michael's Church and St. Sepulchre's Church (also known as the Round Church), CambridgeCambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
- Eton CollegeEton CollegeEton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
chapel - Magdalene CollegeMagdalene College, CambridgeMagdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
chapel, CambridgeCambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the... - The churches of TrumpingtonTrumpington, CambridgeshireTrumpington is a village within the city of Cambridge, UK, of which it is a suburb. It is located on the south-west side of the city and borders Cherry Hinton to the east, Grantchester to the west and Great Shelford and Little Shelford to the south-east....
, NewtonNewton, CambridgeshireNewton is a civil parish and small village in Cambridgeshire, England. Situated around 7 miles to the south-west of Cambridge, its lies on the old coaching road between London and Cambridge...
, Westley WaterlessWestley WaterlessWestley Waterless is a small village and civil parish in East Cambridgeshire, England, 5 miles south west of Newmarket.-History:The parish of Westley Waterless is long and thin covering 1150 acres between the ancient Icknield Way at its north west end , to the village of Burrough Green at the south...
and CombertonCombertonComberton is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England, just east of the Prime Meridian.-History:Archaeological finds, including a Neolithic polished stone axe and a Bronze Age barrow , suggest there has been a settlement here for thousands of years. A Roman villa was discovered...
, in CambridgeshireCambridgeshireCambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west... - YellingYellingYelling – in Huntingdonshire , England – is a linear village and civil parish located east of St Neots.The noted evangelist Henry Venn was Yelling's vicar from 1771 until his death there in 1797.- External links :*...
church, HuntingdonshireHuntingdonshireHuntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right... - SundridgeSundridgeSundridge may mean:* Sundridge, Ontario, a village in Ontario, Canada* Sundridge, Kent, a village in Kent, England* Sundridge, London, suburb in the London Borough of Bromley southeast London....
church, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...