CATHEDRAL DISCOVERIES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 52, Issue 3750, 1 May 1936, Page 9

CATHEDRAL DISCOVERIES

BEAUTY HIDDEN BY GRIME OF SIX CENTURIES. THE “DOLPHIN” WHICH WAS ST. JOHN. A Norwich correspondent of the London Observer writes: Freed at last from, the dirt of centuries—Time’s palimsest—the colours of the Middle Ages shine once more in the great. monastic cloisters of Norwich Cathedral. To-day, in the glow of the fading afternoon, I saw part of the East Walk as it must have looked during the life of Bishop Salmon, more than 600. years ago. Although the cloisters of Norwich are the largest and finest in the country, their glories have been obscured too long. Century by century new layers of grime have coated the stones and masked the carven bosses of the vaulting. The monks of Salmon’s day, or of Bishop Percy’s, would have mourned the gradual dimming of the colours, the deepening of the cloister shadows, and the ultimate union of roof, pillars, and tracery in one sheath of sombre black. It had become difficult to make out the roof-bosses beneath the accumulated dirt. A' distinguished writer stated definitely that one of the bosses, picturing the Crucifixion, contained a “ dolphin ” among the supporting figures. His testimony was accepted. I saw the same boss yesterday—glorious in its restored colour and perfection of detail. Every line was clearly defined. The expert’s “ dolphin” had proved to be an exquisite figure of St. John. NEW SPLENDOUR.

When it was decided to undertake the work of cleaning, under the direction of Professor Tristram, none knew what the lifting of the pall would reveal. The first results have been astonishing. Discovery follows discovery, and already a new splendour is added to the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity of Norwich. Late this afternoon I passed into the cloisters through the Prior’s Door. On the right ran the North Walk, its stones black with dirt, its veiled vault bosses almost invisible. On tl# southern and western sides of the wide Garth the Walks were in a similar plight. The declining sun, slanting across the Garth, caressed the first bays of the East Walk immediately in front of the Prior’s Door. In the central boss of the northeastern bay I saw the Harrowing of Hell, with Our Lord leading the souls out of a dragon’s mouth. The chief boss of the next bay shows Our Lord cowling from the Tomb at the Resurrection, with an angel on each side and two soldiers sleeping below. Farther on are the magnificent Crucifixion—and the freshly-identified St. John—the Bearing of the Cross, and the Scourging. Sunlight touched the figures of the four Evangelists on the east wall. Three have been damaged—apparently in the very distant past—but St. John, with the Eagle, is still almost perfect. The unknown fourteenth century craftsman showed the Apostle as an old man—a most unusual treatment.

Opposite, against the west wall, Professor Tristram has uncovered some humorous bosses. In one a man is seated on a lion, with his back to the lion’s head. In a second are two musicians, the first with an early form of tambourine, and another, with cheeks inflated, playing an instrument that resembles a bagpipe. These carvings have intense humour and spirit; they speak with the authentic voice of the Middle Ages. The work has now reached the bays in front of the Chapter House arches. On the northern side of the arches I saw a superb blocked doorway of the fourteenth century a doorway inserted in the Norman wall that led originally to the Slype, or parlour. Here, again, Professor Tristram has restored the colour so skilfully that the monks of Thomas Percy or Henry le Dispencer could not fail to know the scene.

FORTY-NINE BAYS TO CLEAN.

The Dean of Norwich (Dr D. H. S. Cranage) told me that there are 49 bays ih all. Each costs about £BO to clean, and so far ten promises—each covering the work in one bay—have come from familiies or from individual helpers. The British Association, which held its annual meeting in Norwich last year, subscribed £l3O, enough to cover the restoration of one bay and the glazing of the upper part of the window. It is proposed, I understand, to renew this glazing, an early feature of the cloisters, in all the bays. The coat of arms, or other device, of the family concerned will then appear in' the top light. As the afternoon slipped into evening the far end of the East Walkstill in its “ suits of woe ” —became a dark tunel. But in the north-east-ern bays the restored stonework glowed with luminous colour. Distant bells chimed across the city of Norwich and the darkening Close.