Exeter Cathedral: Nearly 1,000 of Tradition and faith

St. Peter's Exeter Cathedral 

The Cathedral of St. Peter, commonly known as Exeter Cathedral is seated on a Roman army camp site with origins dating back to 1050 AD

The carved lime stone front of the Cathedral is lined with sculptures, angels on the bottom first row, kings on the middle, and saints on the top row. 

"He who... in the long way that I must tread alone. Will lead my steps aright." 

-William Bryant 1794-1878

"I enter here from day to day... While the eternal ages watch and wait"

-H. W. Longfellow 1807-1882

"When towards thee I can look, I rise again"

-John Donne 1572-1631

 

The flying buttresses along the side are what give the building its support allowing for the long vaulted to ceiling to remain for centuries. 

The hourly striking of the Peter Bell.

The Nave

This Gothic style additions including the world's longest continuous stone vaulted ceiling begun construction around 1290 under Bishop Bronscombe

The Astronomical Clock 

This astronomical clock has a fixed golden dome in the center representing Earth. It chimes on each quarter and the deep striking of a Peter Bell in the tower above is sounded on the hour. The text on the bottom, "PEREUNT ET IMPUTANTUR" translates to, the hours pass and are reckoned to our account.

The original ropes for the clock were covered in animal fat which would attract rodents. The door below the clock had a cat hole cut into around 1598-1621 for the bishop’s cat to deter the rats and mice. It is said and most believe that this is where the nursery rhyme, “Hickory Dickory Dock” came from. 

The Great East Window

Top tier: Abraham, Moses, Isaiah

Middle tier: St. Sidwell, St. Helena, An Archangel, Archangel Michael, St. Catherine, King Edward the Confessor, King Edmund the Martyr

Bottom tier: St. Margaret of Antioch, St. Catherine, St Mary Magdalene, St. Catherine, St. Barbara, Virgin and Child, St Martin of Tours, St Peter, St. Paul, St. Andrew

The three lights at the apex of the window are the three Prophets of the Old Testament

A key of date ranges and glaziers for the stained glass on The Great East Window. 

The Martyr's Pulpit

The Martyr’s Pulpit was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and erected in 1877. This Victorian age pulpit was purposefully designed like the Gothic cathedral. Stories of Christian martyrdom  are depicted in the panels, including St. Alban, St. Boniface, and the Victorian missionary bishop, John Coleridge Patteson.

The Minstrel's Gallery

Added in 1350 high on the north side of the nave is this elegantly crafted minstrels’ gallery. It has 14 carved angels, 12 of which are playing medieval musical instruments. The organ’s trumpet pipes are located in the Minstrel’s Gallery. The choir originally would sing from here however, with time it has become fragile and today the choir only uses it once a year on Christmas. 

Bishop Walter Stapelton's Canopied Tomb

Stapeldon, Bishop of Exeter (1307-1326) was responsible for funding much of the cathedral's renovations as well as founding Exeter College, Oxford, and was the Treasurer of England 1319-1325. He was killed by a mob during Edward II's deposition. 

The Bishop's Throne

Standing at 53 ft. tall, the magnificent Bishop's Throne was built between 1312-1316. It was designed by Thomas of Whitney for Bishop Stapeldon. The canopy is the largest in Britain and one of the greatest woodworking achievements of the 14th century.

Imagery on the front of the Bishop's Throne

No brass nails or other fasteners hold the solid Devon oak wood of the bishop’s throne together. Instead it is secured by long wooden dowels. The holes where made by putting a red hot iron through the wood. 

English vs. Italian Marble

The columns are made of English marble, much darker than the Italian marble like this baptismal font.

English marble is found on the bottom of fresh water ponds and often you will find fossils in the carved stone. 

 

Bishop Edmund Lacy

King Henry VIII did not want word about Bishop Lacy’s healing power to spread and he had his tomb stripped of all its adornments. It would have been cover on the top and sides with brass. He was particularly interested in the music and worship of the Cathedral. 

Bishop Lacy's Guild

St. George slaying the Dragon, England’s patron Saint. The glazier was Hugh Easton (1906-65) was made in 1959 after this part of the cathedral was demolished by a bond during the Second World War. 

The Quire

The ornate Choir Stalls inside of the Quire and contain 49 medieval tip-up seats called misericords carved in the mid-13th century. 

The massive organ built in 1665 by John Loosemoore contains 4,00 pipes!

Located along the west wall of the South Transept are the 36 ft. tall organ bass pipes. 

The misericords are on the under side of the choir seats so when one would be standing and singing for a long service they can rest their bum.

The Lady Chapel

The Lady Chapel which house the tombs of Bishop Edmund Stanford (d. 1419) and Bishop Walter Bronescombe (d. 1280) 

Bishop Walter Bronescombe’s sarcophagus  made of black basalt and retains its original paint. Bishop from 1257-1280 and began the rebuilding of the Cathedral in the 1260s.

Bishop Edmund Stafford's sarcophagus made of alabaster, a soft gypsum, and was designed to match Bishop Bronescombe's monument opposite. It has been carved with graffiti overs the years. Bishop from 1395-1419 and Chancellor England under Richard II