Religion and the Arts - Report Example

Religion and the Arts A REPORT ON THE PRIORY CHURCH OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW IN LONDON Introduction St. Bartholomew’s Church in London was founded in1123 as both priory and hospital, with the hospital started earlier to the priory. The hospital was separated from the priory later in the twelfth century (Brooke, 1999: 225). Rahere was an Augustinian monk, who in 1115 was named as Minor Canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral. In 1123, Henry I granted permission to Rahere to found a priory and hospital at Smithfield which was already well-known for its horse fair and the King’s Friday Market. During the next 400 years the priory church of St. Bartholomew-the-Great developed until it measured around 300 feet by 86 feet (Rees, 1996: 7). The medieval priory church has an interesting history, architectural features, and other unique elements The purpose of this paper is to investigate the history of the Priory Church of St. Bartholomew focusing on the period of its construction, analyse the architectural features characteristic of the period, and discuss other interesting aspects of the building. Main Body History of the Priory Church of St. Bartholomew Smithfield was originally a flat grassy area of high ground to the north-west of the City of London, outside the city walls. During the Roman occupation, Smithfield was used as a cemetery and cremation grounds, since these were not permitted by Roman law within the walled City. During the Norman invasions, the Smithfield area reverted to agricultural use (Rees, 1996: 6). Before the founding of the priory, Smithfield was notorious as a place of public execution. However, the area was also used for more festive purposes such as tournaments, pageants and plays, and was well known throughout the mediaeval period for horse trading. From 1133 the monastery established the Bartholomew Fair, an annual three-day event on the eve of St. Bartholomew’s Day. The area designated for the Fair was extended over the years, and the event continued annually for over seven hundred years, sometimes lasting two weeks, until it was stopped in 1855. The cloth fair was known throughout Europe and the priory received large profits from the fair, through the centuries. With the ban on slaughtering within the city walls from 1381, there was development of meat and livestock trade at Smithfield (Rees, 1996:8, 7). According to Shepherd & Elmes (1929: 114), on the east side of Smithfield stands the parish church of St. Bartholomew the Great which originally adjoined the priory of St. Bartholomew. When the latter was pulled down to the choir, that part was used by the King’s order for the enlargement of the old Church. Later, when Queen Mary gave the remnant of the priory church to the Black Friars they used it as their conventual church. In the first year of Queen Elizabeth, the friars had to leave, and the church was restored by Act of Parliament to the parish. The edifice of the church is spacious, and is of Gothic and Tuscan orders. Figure 1. St. Bartholomew-the-Great, Exterior View (NationMaster, 2005) On the east side of Smithfield Square is the rare 16th century gatehouse (seen in Figure 1.), and perched atop the gatehouse is an ever rarer late 16th century timber frame house dating before the Great Fire (Olson, 2008: 321) which occurred in September, 1666. “Smithfield was saved by the proximity of the City Wall and ditch, together with a fortunate change in the direction of the wind when the fire had almost reached Holborn” (Rees, 1996: 12). The entrance gate leading into the church is a fine example of early English work (Bonney, 2003: 107). The gatehouse opens on to the grounds of the Church of St. Bartholomew the Great, the oldest parish church in London. The church is part of the Augustinian priory founded in 1123 by Rahere, and over the centuries the building has miraculously escaped damage, although it has been used at different times as stables and a printing office. On the right are the 15th century cloisters. Inside the church are the unique architecture and art of the time (Olson, 2008: 322). Rahere: the First Canon of the Priory of St. Bartholomew the Great: Though Rahere was of humble birth, he had great wit and wisdom, and was highly accomplished. He was a welcome companion of nobles and a guest at the court of Henry I; made a pilgrimage to Rome, saw a vision of St. Bartholomew, and founded this church and priory of black canons. The Augustines were known as the Black Canons because of their black cassocks and cloaks; they were famous builders and the hospital flourished in their governance. For twenty two years and six months Rahere continued as the active director of the priory and its charitable work; and after his demise was succeeded by Thomas, one of the canons of the Church of St. Osyth (Bonney, 2003: 106). Architectural Features Characteristic of the Period Within the building the bold freedom and solidity of the vast Norman pillars and arches are imposing and splendid in structure (Figures 2 & 3). The aisle or ambulatory which encircles the body of the church enhances the appearance of space and grandeur. The edifice of the dimensions of 132 feet by 57 feet in length and width and 47 feet high to its timber roof had been damaged in various ways, and was extensively injured by fire in 1830. Nothing could destroy the grand proportions of the stone work, however. Since the pillars and arches had been whitewashed, and the congregation objected to the lime rubbing off on their clothes, “pillars and supports were actually placed around the gigantic supports of the arches” (Bonney, 2003: 108). Figure 2. The Interior of the Church from the Organ Gallery (St. Bartholomew the Great website, 2008). Portions of the architecture are of various dates, some of it being of the perpendicular period; but on the whole this building with the exception of some parts of other churches is the best example of Anglo-Norman architecture in London. The clerestory or the upper storey of the nave of the church, containing windows, and rising above the aisle roofs, is of early English style. The windows were altered in the fifteenth century; the floor was raised in the year 1500, and across the western bend of what should have been the eastern apse, a straight wall had been erected and was painted red spotted with black stars. At the time of Charles I, a second wall with two arches was built. The narrow space between the two walls bore the name of Purgatory probably because of its darkness. The eastern end had originally been terminated by an apse, and the latest reclamations aim to restore its pristine beauty (Bonney, 2003: 108-109). Figure3. Interior of the Church from the East From a print of 1805 (Worley, 1908: 2) Figure 4. The Tomb of Rahere, the Founder of the Church From an old engraving, showing the original extent of the arcaded work, and the doorway now removed (Worley, 1908: 46). The tomb of Rahere (Figure 4.) is a very fine example of the Perpendicular, though it is overlaid with a coarse covering of comparatively recent date. Of all the tombs and monuments in St. Bartholomews, one of the most important is the tomb of Rahere. The Prior’s “recumbent effigy is remarkable for its elaborate ornamentation” (Bonney, 2003: 109), and is a prominent structure on the left, on the approach to the altar. Two brothers of the priory kneel beside the figure, each with a Bible opened on the 51st chapter of Isaiah. Figure 5. Interior of the choir From a print of 1822 (Worley, 1908: 11) The choir (Figure 5.) consists of five bays on each side, with an apsidal termination of five arches, which are distinct from other mainly semicircular ones by their much narrower span. All the arches are in the form of a “horse-shoe”, inclining slightly inwards towards the capitals on which they rest, the pattern being characteristic of Arabian or Moorish buildings. Their similarity in detail and positions facing each other appear to be a structural necessity (Worley, 1908: 41). The first portion of the building to be finished was the choir. It is older than the Temple Church, and only a few years later than the chapel of the White Tower of the Tower of London, to which it bears some resemblance in the grand and massive character of masonry that is still in its pristine condition, recent restorations having left the stone work untouched, other than cleaning away accummulated dirt and the remains of former whitewash. The immense size of the ancient structure is obvious from the large space of ground that it covered. Many relics of the old buildings are still to be seen in the adjacent courts and streets; and from documents of 1410 it is learnt that the various habitations and offices of the priory including the “mulberry gardens, the stables, the kitchens, refectories, granaries, wood shed and cloisters occupied a considerable area” (Bonney, 2003: 107). When Prior Bolton became the ruler, the buildings were improved and probably increased and the church especially was architecturally altered, at least with respect to its ornamention. The device or rebus of the prior, the bolt in the tun is still to be seen here, as at many other places. After Bolton’s death in 1532, with the law for the dissolution of monasteries that was introduced in 1544, the King sold them to Sir Richard Rich. It was decreed that the great church within the close would be a parish church forever, and that the “void ground” 87 feet in length and 50 feet in breadth should become the churchyard, which it still continues to be. The void ground was the space that had formerly been occupied by the nave which was destroyed, and the graveyard is the main part of what remains of it, except perhaps a fragment of the south side. Although the great hospital increased and prospered with the large grants which it obtained and inherited, the church fell into neglect and decay; for which restoration work has later been done (Bonney, 2003: 107). Perpendicular work occurs throughout the ambulatory, “conspicuously in the three recesses in the exterior wall on the north, each of which contains a three-light window in that style” (Worley, 1908: 52). With the restoration of the south ambulatory, the walls of the building were found to be those of a fourteenth century lady chapel, at the end of which is a fine day-lighted crypt, whose excavation and restoration is to be later undertaken. In the church, a new oak roof has replaced the main portion of the old one which was beyond repair. Liberal donors have gifted a new altar, altar steps and new choir stalls. Members of the committee have ensured a new organ gallery in which has been purchased and installed the organ of St.Stephen’s, Walbrook. Renovation of the church’s interior has for most part, been accomplished (Bonney, 2003: 111). From 1971, St. Bartholomew’s Conservation Project has expanded to include the surrounding areas, markets and street networks; and is characterized by the continuation of institutions and activities associated with the area for several centuries. Additionally, activities which have ceased or have relocated elsewhere are kept alive through local street and place names such as “Hosier Lane, Giltspur Street, Cock Lane, Cloth Fair and Cloth Court” (Rees, 1996: 6). Other Interesting Elements of the Church The Pulpit is built against a pier on the north side, midway between the ordinary seats and the choir-stalls. “It is a low oblong structure, with a short flight of steps at each end, and is ornamented in the upper part with a series of panels, arcaded and perforated to resemble small windows” (Worley, 1908: 48). Above the pulpit, one of the ornamental wall hangings is the Monument of Sir Robert Chamberlayne (Figure 6.) an elegant piece of Jacobean work, with a barely legible inscription. The sculpture, which is extremely well executed, represents Sir Robert kneeling in prayer inside a circular pavilion. On either side, an angel is represented, holding up the curtains. The figure of Chamberlayne is clothed in a partial suit of plate armour over the costume of the period, and the bearded face is turned away from the viewer, obliquely towards the east, in devotion. The circular tent has a rich cornice above it, and the “monument terminates in an ornamental pediment displaying the crest of the deceased” (Worley, 1908: 50). Figure 6. The Chamberlayne Monument (Worley, 1908: 48) The Latin inscription below the monument relates his descent from the most ancient Tankerville family of Normandy. It is also mentioned that he was knighted by James I, and died between Tripole and Cyprus, of a journey of the Holy Sepulchre, at the age of thirty-five, in the year 1615. The monument was erected by an unknown friend who exclaims piously in Latin with the words: “Heaven covers him who has no sepulchre!” (Worley, 1908: 50). Two ancient memorials which are on the north wall within the present vestry, are interesting to view (Figure 7.). A niche contains the figure of an angel carrying a shield of arms, and under this is another shield with a crown on top, which is held up by two angels. The shield displays the arms of Edward the Confessor with those of England. Against the western wall is a canopied altar tomb in Tudor style with a memorial tablet (1741) placed in it, and appears to be much later than the tomb itself. This is believed to have stood at the eastern end of the south wall, where it was found during the eighteenth century reconstruction. From the marks of the chisel seen upon the surface, ornamental projections appear to have been removed (Worley, 1908: 68). Figure 7. Ancient Sculptured Tablets in St. Bartholomew-the-Less West End of North Wall (Worley, 1908: 68) Figure 8. St. Bartholomew-the-Less and the Hospital Gate On Rahere’s return to England from his pilgrimage to Rome, the combination of a hospital with a church (Figure 8.) which was suggested by the vision of Bartholomew, was realized by him. The annexation of the hospital with the priory was confirmed by a Charter of King John, and this continued to be implemented until the separation brought about by Henry VIII. through the The Act of 1539, with the revenues from both hospital and priory benefiting the royal exchequer. After the dissolution, the hospital chapel fell into a dilapidated condition by the end of the eighteenth century, and was later improved with restoration initiatives from the year 1789 (Worley, 1908: 64, 67). Conclusion This paper has highlighted the history of the Priory Church of St. Bartholomew, focusing on the period of its construction, has examined the distinctive architectural elements of the building, characteristic of the period, and discussed some other interesting aspects of the building such as the Chamberlayne monument and the ancient sculptured tablets on the north wall, as also the combination of hospital with church which had been implemented by Rahere, the founder of the Augustinian priory church. Portions of the architecture vary in date and style. Some of the distinctive architectural elements were found to be the use of Normal pillars and arches inside the church edifice and conformance with the Perpendicular period, in many of its windows, the ambulatory and in the tomb of Rahere, a spectacular piece of architecture. Early English style is seen in the clerestory containing windows, and rising above the aisle roofs; Anglo-Norman architecture in the horse-shoe arches in the choir and internal area of the church; and also Tudor and Tuscan influences all of which, and much more add to the art and architecture of the ancient heritage building. References Bonney, T.G. 2003. Abbeys and churches of England and Wales. The United Kingdom: Kessinger Publishing. Brooke, C.N. 1999. Churches and churchmen in medieval Europe. The United Kingdom: Continuum International Publishing Group. NationMaster. 2005. Image: St. Barts: the great exterior.jpg NationMaster Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 22nd September, 2008 from: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Image:St-barts-the-great-exterior.jpg Olson, D. 2008. London. New Jersey: Wiley Publishing Inc. Rees, P.W. 1996. Smithfield conservation area: character summary. City Planning Officer, Department of Planning, Corporation of London, Guildhall, London. Retrieved on 23rd September, 2008 from: https://cms.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9FE0BB3B-DA85-4E30-86F3- E9BF024750AC/0/DP_PL_CA_smithfield.pdf Shepherd, T. & Elmes, J. 2003. London and its environs in the 19th century. London: Ayer Publishing. St. Bartholomew the Great. 2008. Website of the Priory Church of St. Bartholomew the Great. West Smithfield, City of London. Retrieved on 22nd September, 2008 from: http://www.greatstbarts.com/ Worley, G. 1908. Bells Cathedrals: The Priory Church of St. Bartholomew-the-Great, Smithfield. A short history of the foundation and a description of the fabric and also of the Church of St. Bartholomew-the-Less. London: George Bell and Sons Publishers. Digital copy: Project Gutenberg e-Book. Retrieved on 22nd September, 2008 from: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21511/21511-h/21511-h.htm Read More