medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Jim Bugslag wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> culture
>
>> does anyone here happen to know the details of this jubé, what the
>> supposéd 1133 date is based on and, particularly, if there are any
>> *contemporary* accounts which refer to it and, if so, what word is
>> used to describe it?
>
> Christopher,
> From Aymer Vallance, Greater English Church Screens (London, 1947), pp.
> 41-2: Although he principally refers to the it as the pulpitum, he also
> uses the term, "the Rood", and cites an entry in the sacrist's rolls of
> 1359-60, where it is called the Black Rood, "le blackerode". The pulpitum
> occupied the whole of the first bay of the nave below the octagon. Its
> west face, therefore, was at the first pair of piers west of the octagon,
> "where niches in the opposite columns still mark the place", according to
> George Millers, _A Description of the Cathedral Church of Ely_ (1808). It
> was built of stone, 12th-century work, all except the parapet, which seems
> to have been later, and may possibly have been of the early part of the
> 13th century. The pulpitum was not solid, but consisted of parallel
> walls, floored over to make a loft or gallery at the top. St John Hope
> suggests that this screen was set up, most probably by about 1150, i.e. in
> the early years of the episcopate of Bishop Nigellus, which began in 1133.
> If the eastern part of the pulpitum was overthrown by the collapse of the
> central tower in Feb. 1321-2, the western wall stood, as represented in
> the plan in Browne Willis's _Survey_ in 1730, until 1770, when it was
> demolished. This plan shows two newel-staircases to reach the top of the
> pulpitum, both behind the west wall of the screen and somewhat nearer to
> the two westernmost piers of the octagon. The architect, James Essex,
> made several rough sketches of the pulpitum, with dimensions marked, which
> enabled St John Hope, in _Archaeologia_, vol. lxviii (1917), to produce a
> complete drawing of it. The sketches survive in the British Library, Add.
> MS 6768, pp. 122, 123, 124, for details entitled "The Old Roodloft at Ely"
> and 6772, bottom corner of verso opposite p. 195, a rough unnamed pencil
> sketch of the greater part of the elevation.
>
> Vallance gives more of Essex's description, as well, but this explains the
> 1133 date, and for more, St John Hope's article seems to be the place to
> go.
The reconstructed plan in the VCH (Vol. IV, 1953) show a rood screen with a
nave altar (Holy Cross) one bay west of the western face of the pulpitum,
and labels that rood screen 'The Black Rood'. This would be the typical
arrangement, as Ely was a cathedral priory (after 1109), although the parish
church is shown attached to the (now lost) north-west transept - and it is
possible that the nave altart and rood screen might have been removed when
that was constructed (and the parishioners removed from the nave).
John Briggs
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|