Where Gumbo Was, #182
Chester Cathedral is not the oldest, or the biggest, or the most famous of English cathedrals, but it’s surely one of the most beautiful (at least in our opinion), and has one—or several—of the most fascinating histories. And the fellow above, known as the Chester Imp, is part of it.
Four readers recognized it the cathedral as the scene of the puzzle. In order, they were George G, Traveling Canuck, GarryRF and PortMoresby. Nice spotting, all of you!
As to the history…no one is quite sure where it begins. For a start, no one is quite sure where the start is. Legends put a Roman temple on the site, then a basilica dedicated to Sts. Peter and Paul, then a Saxon shrine to St. Werburgh, followed in the 11th century by a Benedictine monastery.
The monastery comes with a bit of sinister: the funds for its founding were provided by Hugh Lupus, aka Hugh the Fat, or Hugh the Wolf. A close comrade of William the Conqueror, Hugh was known for his gluttony (he is said to have become so fat he could not walk), for his ferocity toward his enemies, and for his many children by many women. It’s said that his support for the abbey and its abot was meant as his insurance policy for getting to heaven.
In any case, by 1538, it had grown into one of the largest and richest abbeys, but its time was over. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and took their wealth, the Abbey of Saint Werburgh became an Anglican cathedral.
Only a small trace of the Norman-era building remains; the arch above was uncovered during 19th-century renovation. The small columns above it are recycled: they began life as part of a Roman building on the site, so Chester Cathedral can claim 2000 years in its heritage.
Memorials and monuments are all over, including for a Loyalist landowner in New York who returned to Chester after the American Revolution.
A large part of the church was redone in Gothic styles in the 13th and 14th centuries. Tudor features were added in the 17th century. Taking into account the 19th-century restorations, there are traces of every possible ecclesiastical style.
Among the more unusual patrons of the cathedral, or its predecessors, we find the 11th century Leofric, Earl of Mercia, who is barely known, while his wife is enduringly famous: Lady Godiva.
Red sandstone was the principal building material; it’s readily available in the region, takes really well to detailed carving…and deteriorates easily, which may account for some of the many restoration and renovation efforts.
The most recent major one took place in the 19th century, under the direction of George Gilbert Scott, scion of a family of church architects. His grandson was the architect of Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral; his son was the architect of London’s Saint Pancras Station. The grandson also designed Britain’s iconic red phone booth.
None of the beautiful stained glass windows in the structure is from the medieval period; the originals were destroyed by war—the 17th century English Civil War. Nearly all the present glass dates to the 19th century restoration and later.
The intricate carvings of the 14th-century choir stalls are incredible
Today, aside from Church of England services, the cathedral is also used as a concert venue and for exhibitions. Its 1844 organ has been rebuilt and expanded several times over the years, and is played daily to accompany the cathedral choir. In addition to the main choir of young voices, there is an adult choir that is the oldest non-professional church choir in England. Click on the video below to hear the Chester organ and choir.
And, perhaps appropriately for a building that has been associated with sins and excess of various sorts, it even has a mischievous or perhaps malevolent spirit mysteriously tucked away: The Chester Imp. Easy to see when you look, but high above, the carving went unnoticed for many years until it was spotted by a drone camera photographing the cathedral for a documentary. I saw it only when it was pointed out, and used 50x zoom to record it!
The story goes that a monk strolling along the cathedral’s upper gallery was startled to see the Devil staring in at him through the window. Reporting the sight to the Abbot, he was told to put up an image of the Devil in chains as a warning of what would happen to Satan if he showed up again.
The Imp is in the video above, too, along with some incredible views of the cathedral as a whole
Chester had not been on our original itinerary, but a New York friend told us we had to go, and so did our Liverpool friends. The cathedral alone would be worth the trip (45 minutes by train from Liverpool, an hour from Manchester), but the town’s historic center, enclosed within its medieval walls, makes a great visit, too.
Still wondering about this item from the clues? It's a 19th-century circular radiator, installed with steam heating. In use until only a few years ago.
The walls have a walk on top, allowing you to circle the city from above, although we cut it short because of rain. We also skipped a special opportunity: stop in at the visitor information center near the cathedral, and you’ll be offered a walking tour of the town—led by a Roman centurion, in uniform. That includes not only medieval sites, but Roman as well; Chester was an important military camp.
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