GLORIES RENEWED

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1935, Page 9

GLORIES RENEWED

CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. IDENTITY OF SIX KINGS. In Canterbury Cathedral, England, over a thousand marble columns at the east end of the choir are to shine before men in renewed youth and beauty. , This is part of the work undertaken for the renewal of all the historic cathedral’s glories by the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, who can count 4000 names. There is other work to be done, the mere mention of which is enough to send a thrill through our minds. •-*. The tomb of Edward the Black Prince was neglected for centuries, and though now treated with pious care some of the ravages <jf time have still to be removed. At some period the Prince himself as well as the enamelled shields of arms round the marble base of the tomb were covered with varnish, now black and opaque. Professor Tristram, who has recovered so many ancient monuments and paintings of old churches, is now removing the varnish so that presently the figure of gilded bronze will stand Out in all its original splendour. Mr. W. D. Caroe is joined by Dr. Tri&tram in completing the work on the great Christ Church gateway. The frieze of angels on the south front is being repaired, and the frieze of shields under the arch has already been made good, awaiting only the painting of the shields in their heraldic colours.

At the doorway of the cathedral is the famous screen of the Six Kings, and this, though happily its beauty is in jio need of renewing,- has received through Mr. Charles Catten a renewal of knowledge concerning the identity of the six figures. They are in order, from left to right, Henry the Fifth, Richard the Second, who helped to rebuild , the nave, Ethelbert, the kingly founder of St Augustine’s, and Edward the Confe?sor. The two kings remaining are Henry the Fourth and Henry-the Sixth- ■