#St. Andrew's Chapel.#--Opposite to, and corresponding with that of St. James'. It was Marshall's work originally, like its fellow chapel, being a substitute for one of the old apsidal chapels of the Norman choir. Stapledon completed the renovations so as to make it a parallel to Bronscombe's restored chapel of St. James. The detached shafts are clearly an imitation of the earlier bishop's work. The chapel contains an upper chamber, formerly used as a muniments room. The chapel originally contained altars to St. Andrew and St. Catherine. In 1305 is an order of Bytton's that chantry services should be held here for Andrew de Kilkenny, late dean, and others. Among the names we find that of Henry de Kilkenny, who was at the time of Bytton's order still living, and a canon of the cathedral.
[Illustration: ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL (OR SPEKE'S CHANTRY). DRAWN BY H.P. CLIFFORD.]
#The Ambulatory.#--Between the high altar and the Lady Chapel is the ambulatory. It is noticeable that the shafts differ from those in other parts of the building. The north and south windows are of the time of Bishop Bruere (thirteenth century). The architecture throughout the retrochoir is Early Decorated.
Two old oak bible-boxes are attached, one to each pillar: though ugly and clumsy they are distinctly interesting.
The windows are modern and excellent. Messrs. Clayton and Bell have seldom done anything better. The colours are quite admirable and well blended. Two monuments of Jacobean work are well worthy of attention. Concerning the subject of one, Jacob Railard, there is nothing to be learnt; but the other, John Bidgood, was "one of the most accomplished and beneficial physicians of his age," and was born in 1623. He was deprived of his fellowship at Exeter College in 1648 "for drinking of healths to the confusion of Reformers." Like many another good man he had to suffer for his loyalty. He obtained his doctor's degree at Padua and won a great reputation as a skilful and humane practitioner. With the Restoration he obtained his Oxford degree but continued to practise in his native city. He died in his sixty-eighth year.
At the north end of the ambulatory is #Speke's Chantry#, also called St. George's Chapel. It is of late, and exceedingly rich, Perpendicular work. Oliver notices that in 1657 the east window and altar were destroyed to make a passage "into the great church of St. Peter's-in-the-East, partitioned from West Peter's by a brick wall erected, plastered, and whitened on both sides by Walter Deeble, at the expense of £150." The effigy of Sir John Speke rests in the chapel; the carving behind the figure is very elaborate. His home was at White Lackington in Somersetshire, and he was the owner of Brampford Speke near Exeter. To secure the observance of his and his wife's obit, he endowed the chapel with the "lands, tenements, and hereditaments in Langford, Frehead, and Ashill, in Somersetshire."