RAIDS ON ENGLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24270, 11 May 1942, Page 6

RAIDS ON ENGLAND

1 CATHEDBAL DAMAGED r ATTACK ON NORWICH BOMBER CAUGHT BY BALLOON' (Reed. 15.35 p.m.) LONDON. May 9 The Evening Standard says that Exeter Cathedral was considerably damaged in the recent air raids. The Luftwaffe attacked Norwich on Friday night. Three German bombers are now known to have been destroyed over Britain on Friday night and early this morning. One raider crashed into a balloon after colliding with its cable, and set the balloon on fire- The impact tore a large piece of metal off the bomber, which crashed a mile away. The other two were shot down by a Hurricane pilot, who was attacked by six Messerschmitts. A few bombs were dropped, at twO ( places on the south-east coast of England soon after dawn to-day, s, Some damage was caused, hut no serious injuries were suffered. No enemy bombers were reported over, Britain to-night. It will be a year on Sunday since the Luftwaffe made its Ipst large scale raid on London —one of the heaviest the capital has experienced. The King and Queen have completed a tour of the west of England, where 'they visited Plymouth'and the recen+lv bombed city of Exeter,. i EXETER CATHEDRAL NOTABLE ARCHITECTURE j SOME .UNUSUAL FEATURES t fu jl: Smaller,-- than many of its fellows, Exeter Cathedral is renowned as one [ of. the finest examples of the ated" style, which predominated for, the first three-quarters of the 14th century, and represents the maturity of English Gothic architecture. Except for t the two massive Norman towers; it was; built between the years 1280 and 1369.^ The vaulted roof extends in an un-5 broken line over nave and choir, since there is neither central tcwer nor lan-, tern. The twin towers already men-, tioned are over the transepts, an arrangement found in only one other church in England. The interior is notable alike for richness of effect and delicacy of carving on bosses and corbels, and the window tracery is among the finest of its period. An unusual feature is a minstrels' gallery projecting from the north triforium of the nave. The bishop's throne in the choir is surmounted by a most elaborate wooden canopy. The west front, slightly later in date than the rest of the building, includes a porch richly decorated with statues. The cathedral was completely restored in 1870-77, under the direction of the late Sir Gilbert Scott.