We made a curious discovery in the eastern end, where a walled-up arch was visible below the cill of the central window in Bishop Vaughan’s Chapel (formerly the exterior of the end). On opening this we found it to be a deep recess into the thickness of the wall, at the back of which are some ornamental crosses of the older period, in the principal of which (which is very beautiful) the intervals between the arms of the cross are perforated through into the interior, opening just behind the high altar, as if to allow a person while kneeling in the external recess to participate in the services going on within.
Returning for a moment to the choir roof, I will mention that we have restored it precisely to its old form, retaining every part not unfitted by decay. The chief exceptions are the beams, which were hopelessly decayed, and which were of so great a size as to cause us much difficulty and delay in obtaining trees of sufficient size to contain them. They were eventually procured from Radnorshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, and the Forest of Dean.
The old roof was decorated throughout with colour, which has been carefully restored. The panels had been repainted in the seventeenth century, in a discordant style; these have been now decorated in a manner agreeing with the older work.
The roof contains ancient shields, bearing the arms of Bishop Tully, the Earl of Richmond, Roderic the Great, Bishop Martin, Owen Poole, treasurer to the church; the arms of France and England quartered; those of Edward V., Richard III., and (perhaps) Henry VII., of Rhys ap Tudor and of Bishop Young. Those which were affixed to the corbels had been obliterated, and have been supplied by the arms of the present bishop, dean, canons, and archdeacons, thus marking the period of the restoration.
The walls, pillars, arches, &c., of the eastern arm, are now put into a thorough state of repair; and the beauty of the interior will be greatly increased by the munificence of the Rev. John Lucy, of Hampton Lucy, in Warwickshire, who, as a memorial of Bishop Lucy, a member of the ancient family to which he belongs, has undertaken to fill the upper tier of windows in the east end with stained glass, and the lower tier (blocked up by Bishop Vaughan’s Chapel) with Venetian enamel mosaic work, the opaque co-relative of stained glass, though a much more costly form of art. This will give to these noble lancets just the relief and beauty which they had lost when deprived of their light, and that in a form more unique and striking than stained glass itself. I had in my first report suggested for these blank windows that “possibly some more durable kind of decoration (than painting) may be introduced,” and Mr. Lucy’s benefaction precisely meets the want.[103]