WINCHESTER. 



ftftions of which it has been the fcene, or to the charafters 

 «f the perfonages whofe mortal remains it contains. This 

 magnificent and venerable ftrufture has been called, and not 

 without fome propriety, a fchool of ecclefiaftical archi- 

 tefture; for it difplays to the ftudent an interefting and 

 varied feries of examples of the ancient architefture of Eng- 

 land, from an early age down to a recent period. If the 

 ftudent fail to fatisfy himfelf as to Roman remains, or 

 genuine Saxon work ; if, after careful examination, he 

 retire either doubtful or perfiiaded that no fuch architefture 

 is there to be difcovered ; ftill he will have ample evidence 

 and examples of Norman works. The plans and magnifi- 

 cent defigns of thofe proud invaders and innovators are in 

 that fabric amply difplayed. There he will fee that the 

 Normans built not for themfelves only, but for pofterity ; 

 that their edifices were fohd and fubftantial, fimple in their 

 forms, and large m their parts ; that as their fyftem of re- 

 ligion was intended to awe, terrify, and foothe the mind, 

 fo its primary temple in England was calculated moft eflen- 

 tially to promote thofe ends. 



The cathedral of Winchefter is of great extent, its ex- 

 treme external length being 556 feet, that of the crofs or 

 tranfepts 230 feet ; the external breadth of the whole body 

 and choir 1 18 feet, and that of the tranfepts 88 feet. The 

 body of the church is divided by ranges of cluttered co- 

 lumns into a nave and two fide-aifles, as are alfo the tran- 

 fepts, witli the unufual addition of aides at the extremities. 

 The great central tower refts upon four piers of great foli- 

 dity, and rifes 140 feet from the pavement. The prefent 

 fabric may be confidered as the foundation of bifhop Wal- 

 kelyn, a chaplain and relative of William of Normandy, 

 who began it in 1079, conftrufting the crypts, the tran- 

 fepts, and tower ; alfo the internal parts of the piers and 

 •walls of the nave. The work was continued under fucceed- 

 ing prelates, in particular by bifhop de Lucy, who built part 

 of the eaft end ; by Edington, who erefted the well front 

 about 1 3 30 ; and above all by Wykeham, who, between 

 1370 and 1400, brought the nave to completion. The 

 exterior of the cathedral prefents but few beauties, or at- 

 traAive features. Its length of nave, plainnefs of mafonry, 

 fliortnefs and folidity of tower, width of eaft end, and 

 boldnefs of tranfepts, furnifh, however, fo many pecuhar 

 and fpecific charafteriftics. The interior of the cathedral will 

 amply compenfate for any defefts or deficiencies of the out- 

 fide. While the fine and fublime architefture of Wykeham, 

 in the nave and aides, produces the moft impreflive effeft, 

 and claims general admiration ; the large, plain, and fub- 

 ftantial works of Walkelyn, in the tower and tranfepts, are 

 limply grand and impofing. The tranfepts and tower are 

 entitled to attention, as unrivalled fpecimens of Norman 

 architefture. The choir and eaftern end are elevated above 

 the nave and aides, by an afcent of feveral fteps ; the choir 

 itfelf occupying the fpace moftly beneath the Norman tower, 

 an<i fitted up with ftalls of elaborate workmandiip. On the 

 north fide ftands the pulpit, curioufly carved in the time of 

 Silkftede, who became prior in 1498. On the fame fide of 

 the choir is placed the organ, in an unufual fituation, under 

 one of the lofty arches of the tower. The choir is fepa- 

 rated from the nave by a fcreen of the Compofite or Roman 

 order of architefture, faid to have been defigned by Inigo 

 Jones. The lofty ftone fcreen erefted behind the high 

 altar is an elaborate and fumptuous work, covered with 

 riches, canopies, buttrefles, pinnacles, crockets, pediments, 

 &c. ; and when in its original colour and condition, with 

 ftatues and coftly ornaments, muft have been pecuharly 

 fplendid and beautiful. On entering the church by the 

 weft door, the attention is firft arrefted by the vaft and lofty 



columns of the nave, which have been made to alTimilats 

 with the pointed ftyle, by furrounding them with cluftered 

 diafts and other ornaments. Between the fifth and fixth 

 columns, on the fouth fide, ftands the chantry or mortuary 

 chapel, containing the tomb of biftiop William of Wykeham, 

 erefted in his life -time, or prior to the clofe of the year 1404. 

 On an altar-tomb within the chapel is the marble effigy of 

 the founder. On the fame fide of the nave is the chantry of 

 bifliop Edinglon, who died in 1 366 ; within an open fcreen 

 is an altar-tomb fupporting his effigy. Immediately behind 

 the altar-fcreen in the fouth aide is placed the fumptuous 

 chantry of bidiop Fox, containing neither tomb, ftatue, nor 

 infcription, to commemorate the founder, or to explain his 

 works in the church. In a recefs beneath is the effigy of an 

 emaciated human figure, the head ornamented with a mitre,but 

 the feet refting on a (kuW. Oppofite to this chantry in the 

 north aide ftands that of bifhop Gardiner, who died in 1555. 

 Towards the eaftern extremity of the church are the chan- 

 tries of cardinal-bifhop Beaufort on the fouth fide, and of 

 bifhop Waynflete, the munificent founder of St. Mary's 

 college, Winchefter, and Magdalen college, Oxford, on the 

 north fide ; each containing the tombs and figures of the 

 refpeftive prelates. The eaftern extremity of the church is 

 terminated by the fpacious Lady-chapel, with a fmaller 

 inclofed on each fide. In the middle of the prefbytery, be- 

 tween the choir and the altar, lies a coffin-tomb, faid to cover 

 the remains of William Rufus, who was killed while hunting 

 in the New Foreft, and buried in this cathedral in 1 100. On 

 the top of the fide-fcreens, between the prefent choir and 

 the aides, are placed fix wooden cherts, the work of bifhop 

 Fox, containing memorials and relics of Saxon monarchs, 

 princes, and other illuftrious perfonages, former proteftors and 

 benefaftors of the cathedral. Another objeft of undoubted 

 antiquity is the curious font, now placed between two co- 

 lumns on the north fide of the nave. It is a large fquare block 

 of black marble, charged on each fide with fculptures, the 

 whole fupported by fmall columns at the corners. The fub- 

 jeft of the fculptures is a matter of difpute ; and although 

 as produftions of art they are beneath criticifm, yet as repre- 

 fentations of coftume, manners, implements, &c. they de- 

 ferve particular attention. 



Epifcopal Cajlle, or Palace. — Of this ftrufture, better 

 known by the name of Wolvefey caftle, the ruins diew it to 

 have been an imperfeft parallelogram of about 230 feet by 

 160. What ftill remains belonged to the keep. Much 

 was removed to make way for the new palace erefted by 

 bidiop Morley, under the fuperintendance of fir Chriftopher 

 Wren, after its deftruftion by Cromwell. The front of 

 Morley 's palace was pulled down by the prefent bifhop, who 

 never occupies the prefent houfe. 



College. — One of the moft celebrated inftitutions of Win- 

 chefter is the college, founded by bifhop Wykeham, and 

 completed in 1393, on the fcite of an ancient grammar- 

 fchool ; intending it as preparatory for his eftablifhment of 

 New college, Oxford. The eftablidiment in Winchefter 

 confifts of a warden, 70 fcholars, 10 fecular priefts, who 

 are perpetual fellows, 3 priefts' chaplains, 3 clerks, 16 

 chorifters, and a firll and a fecond mailer. So judicious 

 and complete were the ftatutes drawn up by Wykeham 

 for the government of his college in Winchefter, as to be 

 adopted, with very little alteration, by Henry VI., for his 

 own fplendid inftitutions at Eton and King's college, Cam- 

 bridge. On the confirmation, by Edward VI., of the ge- 

 neral difl'olution of colleges, &c. introduced by his father, 

 Winchefter college, with thofe of Eton and the univerfitiee, 

 were fpecially excepted. The buildings of the college 

 occupy a confiderable extent of ground, and confift prin- 

 cipally 



