DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32039#0028
6
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF TIIE
sliould duly perform tliis solemn service. He built three gate-houses,
one leading from the Market-place into the palace, one from the same into
the Cathedral Close to the south, and a third, the Chain-gate referred to, ex-
tending from the Vicars’ Close to the cathedral on the north, which seems to
have been the principal addition made to this building by him in his lifetime;
see Plate XVII.-XVIII., which shews a transverse section through the hall
looking west, with an elevation of this-gate-house on the left or south side, and
the tovver and staircase, on the right or north side, ascending from the close to
the hall. This gateway, which fornied the entrance into the Cathedral Close
from the north-west, consists of a vaulted carriage-way and a passage on each
side for pedestrians ; over these, and leading from the hall into the chapter-house
staircase, is a gallery of communication for the vicars-choral when required to
perform service in the choir.* This building is chaste and elegant in design,
and is ornamented with mouldings beautifully executed in freestone ; over the
centre arch are two compartments or bays, divided by enriched pinnacles ter-
minating in crockets and finials above a panelled parapet; each bay contains
a window of two lights, divided by a transom, with a canopied niche and
statue in the centre, under one arch and label; one of these compartments is
shewn on a larger scale in Plate XIX. Over each passage is a window of two
lights with similar tracery, and the same design is carried through, by windows
of three lights, till it abuts against the north wall of the chapter-house staircase,
except that the pinnacles are stopped under the parapet by a sculptured head
or foliated boss. On this building Beckington’s arms and rebus occur three
times, viz. on the key-stone of the vaulting, and under each of the two windows
of the small ante-room which communicates from the hall to the passage or
withdrawing-room. See Plates XII., XIV., and XVII.-XVIII.
In his will, after various bequests to the churches of Bath and Wells,
* Itinerarium Willelmi de Worcestre, ed. J. Nasmith, 1778, p. 286. Under the works by Beckington, at Wells,
he lias the following referring to this gateway: “ Item fecit aliam portam apud le close, estendendo de le close usque
le cathedrall cliyrch per vias et voltam sicco pede cooperto ad mat-et constabat in edificiis ultra D marcas.”
See Collinson, voh iii. p. 403. In Britton’s Wells Cathedral, Pl. III. shews the commencement of tlie staircase,
from tlie north transept to the chapter-liouse on the left of the picture; Pl. I., ground plan, sliews, in the plan of the
chapter-house, the stairs continued beyond the entrance, up to the Vicars’ Gallery ; Pl. IV. shews the west elevation of
this gateway, but the two centre windows ought L®t to be shewn glazed in the middle, as statues occupy niches tliere;
Pl. XX. sliews a view T of the Entrance Gateway of tlie Ciose, and the Chain-gate and gallery, from tlie east; Pl. XVIII.
shews an interior of the staircase to the cliapter-liouse, which leads up to the Vicars’ Gullery, tlie steps winding
to the right into the chapter-house. In Britton’s Picturesque Antiquities of English Cities are two perspective
views of the Vicars’ Close, Wells; one shewing The Chapel; on tlie left, part of the Chaplain's House, and on the
right, part of the Vicars’ Dicellings, aud one of the small Porches, wliich has a good effect. Tlie other is a view
through the Entrance Gateway, shewing the Vicars’ Dwellings, and the Chapel in the distance. — See p. 72 of the
Descriptions.
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF TIIE
sliould duly perform tliis solemn service. He built three gate-houses,
one leading from the Market-place into the palace, one from the same into
the Cathedral Close to the south, and a third, the Chain-gate referred to, ex-
tending from the Vicars’ Close to the cathedral on the north, which seems to
have been the principal addition made to this building by him in his lifetime;
see Plate XVII.-XVIII., which shews a transverse section through the hall
looking west, with an elevation of this-gate-house on the left or south side, and
the tovver and staircase, on the right or north side, ascending from the close to
the hall. This gateway, which fornied the entrance into the Cathedral Close
from the north-west, consists of a vaulted carriage-way and a passage on each
side for pedestrians ; over these, and leading from the hall into the chapter-house
staircase, is a gallery of communication for the vicars-choral when required to
perform service in the choir.* This building is chaste and elegant in design,
and is ornamented with mouldings beautifully executed in freestone ; over the
centre arch are two compartments or bays, divided by enriched pinnacles ter-
minating in crockets and finials above a panelled parapet; each bay contains
a window of two lights, divided by a transom, with a canopied niche and
statue in the centre, under one arch and label; one of these compartments is
shewn on a larger scale in Plate XIX. Over each passage is a window of two
lights with similar tracery, and the same design is carried through, by windows
of three lights, till it abuts against the north wall of the chapter-house staircase,
except that the pinnacles are stopped under the parapet by a sculptured head
or foliated boss. On this building Beckington’s arms and rebus occur three
times, viz. on the key-stone of the vaulting, and under each of the two windows
of the small ante-room which communicates from the hall to the passage or
withdrawing-room. See Plates XII., XIV., and XVII.-XVIII.
In his will, after various bequests to the churches of Bath and Wells,
* Itinerarium Willelmi de Worcestre, ed. J. Nasmith, 1778, p. 286. Under the works by Beckington, at Wells,
he lias the following referring to this gateway: “ Item fecit aliam portam apud le close, estendendo de le close usque
le cathedrall cliyrch per vias et voltam sicco pede cooperto ad mat-et constabat in edificiis ultra D marcas.”
See Collinson, voh iii. p. 403. In Britton’s Wells Cathedral, Pl. III. shews the commencement of tlie staircase,
from tlie north transept to the chapter-liouse on the left of the picture; Pl. I., ground plan, sliews, in the plan of the
chapter-house, the stairs continued beyond the entrance, up to the Vicars’ Gallery ; Pl. IV. shews the west elevation of
this gateway, but the two centre windows ought L®t to be shewn glazed in the middle, as statues occupy niches tliere;
Pl. XX. sliews a view T of the Entrance Gateway of tlie Ciose, and the Chain-gate and gallery, from tlie east; Pl. XVIII.
shews an interior of the staircase to the cliapter-liouse, which leads up to the Vicars’ Gullery, tlie steps winding
to the right into the chapter-house. In Britton’s Picturesque Antiquities of English Cities are two perspective
views of the Vicars’ Close, Wells; one shewing The Chapel; on tlie left, part of the Chaplain's House, and on the
right, part of the Vicars’ Dicellings, aud one of the small Porches, wliich has a good effect. Tlie other is a view
through the Entrance Gateway, shewing the Vicars’ Dwellings, and the Chapel in the distance. — See p. 72 of the
Descriptions.