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Updated: July 19, 2025
In 1867 the wall enclosing the library in the lady-chapel was removed, and three years later, with the consent of the Duke of Richmond, the floor was lowered to its original level and the chapel restored in memory of Bishop Gilbert. Soon afterwards the windows were provided with new stained glass.
A more beautiful picture of an Englishman, faithful unto death, it was impossible to conceive. Kit thought of Sir Geoffrey Blount, the old Crusader with chipped nose mailed hands folded just so, casqued head tilted just so asleep on the stone-slab in the lady-chapel at home. But how far more beautiful than that broken-nosed old warrior was this Crusader of the Sea! The Parson bent.
VIII., printed in Bentham's "History" from the MS. in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, the only altars mentioned are the high altar, those in the lady-chapel, in the chapels of Bishops Alcock and West, and in "Byslope Redmannes Chaple." All that need be said of the original establishment at Ely has already been told in the account of the foundress.
It is known that the rectory, now in the deanery grounds, belonged to this period. The first half of the next century was a time of great and important work at the church. In 1321 the first stone of the lady-chapel was laid by Alan de Walsingham, the sub-prior, afterwards sacrist.
On either side of this square, and connected with it by the horseshoe arches supporting the dome, are transept-like apartments, used as portions of the tepidarium, similar adjuncts existing at the ends and joining on the one hand the frigidarium, and on the other a heated smoking saloon, which occupies a position corresponding to that of a Lady-chapel in this very ecclesiastical-looking plan.
The east end of the lady-chapel has a five-light window, which has been much repaired. It has been in a measure imitated from the others in the chapel. The description of the south side of the chapel applies generally to the north side. But the windows in two cases have been much more restored. The chapel north of the lady-chapel has an angle turret like that on the south.
Other erections of very nearly the same date have admirable work, such as the lady-chapel at Winchester and the east end of Chichester; but there is nothing in either of those examples to compare with the elaborate richness of detail at Ely. #The West Tower# has six stages of Early English date above the porch.
Where its wall joins the transept the stone-work seems to be of the same date on both sides of the corner, so that there may have been an original buttress or wall extending southwards from this point. The third storey is now the Cathedral library, but was originally the =Lady-chapel=, and was commonly called the Lady-loft.
And when, later, the plaster on the stone-filling between the ribs was removed, the paintings were utterly obliterated for ever, excepting only the small portion remaining in the lady-chapel bearing the Wykeham motto upon a scroll. But this recital is but a prelude to the changes that were to follow.
Walcott, p. 23, note a. See page 45. See drawings in vestry of cathedral. Other minor works were added during the fourteenth century, but to few of these can any exact dates be assigned. The parapets to the north and south wall of the nave, the choir, and lady-chapel, and the painted oak choir-stalls were some of those additions.
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