DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6910#0035
king's college chapel, cambridge.
17
the side compartments represents St. Nicholas as a bishop, with a cross: and in the
other compartment is the representation of a warrior in mail armour. The western
entrance is through a semi-circular arched door, which has several mouldings, one
of which has the zigzag ornament; on each side of this are two obtusely-shaped
pointed arches.
The Abbey Gateway diverges at right angles from the east end of the church,
"and is now," observes Hearne, in 1724, "and hath been for many years, the
common jail." It is entered through a large arched gateway, and a lateral postern
arch. Over the former is a canopied niche, with a statue ; and in the spandrils are
the royal arms of England, and the arms of the abbey.* The rooms over the
gateway are supported by groined arches, springing from sculptured corbels ; these
represent figures of angels, an owl, and a pelican. Connected with the gate is the
guildhall; and a free-school, which, by an inscription, appears to have been founded
by John Boyse, in 1565. Exclusive of the gateway, only a few fragments of the
abbey walls remain ; and these are incorporated in the buildings of a mill near the
river.
North of the abbey is a place still retaining the name of the vineyard. It
appears, from various documents, that vineyards were attached to many of the
English monastic foundations.
lUng's College Chapel,
CAMBRIDGE.
The magnificent structure of King's College Chapel is a work, observes Walpole,
" that alone will be sufficient to ennoble any age." At the period of its foundation,
the ecclesiastical architecture of Great Britain had attained its highest degree of
perfection; and the architectsf wisely and emulously sought to unite, in one struc-
• Or: a cross fiory, inter four martlets sable.
t It is the opinion of some of our most eminent antiquaries, that bishops, abbots, and other monkish officers,
were the principal or only architects, previous to the Dissolution. Most of the cathedrals and collegiate churches
were erected after the designs, or under the immediate direction of, some dignitary. This we shall have occasion
to exemplify in the course of the present work.
D. vol. I.
17
the side compartments represents St. Nicholas as a bishop, with a cross: and in the
other compartment is the representation of a warrior in mail armour. The western
entrance is through a semi-circular arched door, which has several mouldings, one
of which has the zigzag ornament; on each side of this are two obtusely-shaped
pointed arches.
The Abbey Gateway diverges at right angles from the east end of the church,
"and is now," observes Hearne, in 1724, "and hath been for many years, the
common jail." It is entered through a large arched gateway, and a lateral postern
arch. Over the former is a canopied niche, with a statue ; and in the spandrils are
the royal arms of England, and the arms of the abbey.* The rooms over the
gateway are supported by groined arches, springing from sculptured corbels ; these
represent figures of angels, an owl, and a pelican. Connected with the gate is the
guildhall; and a free-school, which, by an inscription, appears to have been founded
by John Boyse, in 1565. Exclusive of the gateway, only a few fragments of the
abbey walls remain ; and these are incorporated in the buildings of a mill near the
river.
North of the abbey is a place still retaining the name of the vineyard. It
appears, from various documents, that vineyards were attached to many of the
English monastic foundations.
lUng's College Chapel,
CAMBRIDGE.
The magnificent structure of King's College Chapel is a work, observes Walpole,
" that alone will be sufficient to ennoble any age." At the period of its foundation,
the ecclesiastical architecture of Great Britain had attained its highest degree of
perfection; and the architectsf wisely and emulously sought to unite, in one struc-
• Or: a cross fiory, inter four martlets sable.
t It is the opinion of some of our most eminent antiquaries, that bishops, abbots, and other monkish officers,
were the principal or only architects, previous to the Dissolution. Most of the cathedrals and collegiate churches
were erected after the designs, or under the immediate direction of, some dignitary. This we shall have occasion
to exemplify in the course of the present work.
D. vol. I.