Bells Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Norwich | Page 7

the church and monastical buildings, and to provide a gold pyx, weighing ten pounds, of gold; the monks in their turn had to make new gates and entrances into the precincts. The St. Ethelbert's Gate-house was part of the work imposed on the monks; it is of early Decorated character and was erected probably early in the fourteenth century.
Bishop Roger de Skerning had died in retirement on the 22nd of January 1277, and in the meantime the work of reparation had proceeded with such vigour that on Advent Sunday 1278 his successor, Bishop Middleton, was inaugurated with great state; Edward I. and his Queen with the Bishops of London, Hereford, and Waterford being present. He does not seem to have done much in the way of building, though the work of reparation was carried on; he died in 1287, and it was left to his successor, Bishop Ralph de Walpole, to begin the work of rebuilding the cloisters. The original Norman cloisters, which had endured until the time of the great fire in 1272, were probably of wood. It was determined to rebuild them in stone in the prevailing style. The cloisters are described in more detail in the notes on the interior of the cathedral, so that it will be sufficient to state here that their building spread over a period of one hundred and thirty-three years, and that they were finished during the episcopate of Bishop Alnwick.
[Illustration: West Front of the Cathedral in 1816.]
Bishop Walpole built the eastern walk of the cloisters, together with the chapter-house; he was translated to Ely about 1299, and the work carried on by his successor, Bishop Salmon, who built the south walk, also a chapel and hall attached to the bishop's palace. Of this nothing remains in the garden of the palace except a grand ruin, which is supposed to have formed the entrance or porch to the hall.
He founded also the chapel dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, converted by Edward VI. into, and now used as, a grammar school; below it was a charnel-house.
Continuing the history of the fabric, we can pass on to the episcopate of Bishop Percy, during which, about 1361, the wooden spire and parts of central tower of the cathedral were blown down by a violent gale of wind, and the presbytery was greatly damaged by the falling material. This bishop rebuilt the present clerestory, designed in the transitional style between Decorated and Perpendicular; the vault is later. It is also probable that he repaired the spire.
During Bishop Wakering's time the Erpingham gate of the close was erected, and as well the cloister that formerly connected the palace on the north side with the cathedral. He also founded a chantry for one monk at his tomb.
His successor, Alnwick, completed the cloisters. The gateway to the palace was built by him about 1430, and probably replaced an earlier structure. He also began the work of remodelling the central compartment of the west front. He left directions in his will to his executors to make a large west window, the cost to be charged to his estate. The doorway under this window, built over the old Norman one, and encroaching on the side arcading, was executed during his episcopate, the window being eventually added during the time of Bishop Lyhart to throw additional light on to the vault he erected, and its wonderful sculptures.
In 1446, on February 27th, Walter Lyhart, or le Hart, was consecrated, and it is to him that Norwich Cathedral owes the superb lierne vault that now spans the nave. Other important works were carried out by him; the spire which had been blown down in 1362 (and had probably been re-constructed by Bishop Percy--though there is no record of such work), was struck by lightning in 1463, and the burning mass fell through the presbytery roof, which up till this period was still in wood, completely destroying it, and making necessary the vault added by Lyhart's successor.
During this episcopate the rood screen was erected, and a sumptuous monument placed over the grave of the founder.
The stone spire must have been added about this time, replacing the former wooden construction.
Bishop Lyhart left to his successor, Bishop Goldwell, in his will 2200 marks for repairing the dilapidations caused by the fire of 1463. During this bishop's episcopate we find that the cathedral was brought nearly to that state in which we have it now,--the tower was still further adorned with Perpendicular battlements, the presbytery was vaulted in with stone, and the flying-buttresses added around the eastern apse to take the consequent thrust of the new vault.
Internally, also, the lower stages of the presbytery were Perpendicularised by the addition of the four centred arches that still remain, and in the second bay of which, eastward from the