The architecture of Hereford Cathedral

The cathedral that is seen today is in essence a 12th-century Romanesque church to which later features have been added. The majority of the cathedral structure belongs to the period between 1110 and 1150, with nothing surviving prior to this time although it is assumed that the first cathedral structure of Athelstan, of the early 11th century, lay between the present cathedral and the Bishop's chapel to the south.

The plan of the cathedral is of standard Norman form in the shape of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church with a crossing tower and a nave of eight bays with a shorter eastern end that terminates in three separate chapels. Hereford Cathedral does differ from the Norman standard in a couple of respects. In the south transept there is no eastern extension for a chapel or altar. Instead there is the vestry, which is not directly connected to the south transept. In the 15th century the vestry is documented as being a treasury. This does not mean that the south transept has never had a chapel off to the east, but that if there once was one it is no longer in existence.

Before the collapse of the west end of the cathedral in 1786 a single axial tower stood towards the western end of the nave. This tower has been identified (Hereford Cathedral - A History, p. 206) as an original Romanesque feature, and not a 14th century addition. Axial towers are an unusual feature for the west fronts of Norman cathedrals. Examples are known to have appeared in the late Saxon period, however they are more usually a feature of churches of the western Continent, namely France and the lower Rhineland, areas which had strong religious ties with Anglo-Saxon England at the time of the monastic reforms of the 10th century.

The first notable alterations to the completed early church were probably those carried out by Bishop William de Vere (1186-98). He was most likely responsible for the creation of an eastern transept, which took the place of three supposed apses terminating the Norman church.

The next alteration was the addition of the existing Lady Chapel and Crypt, which appear to have been begun around 1220.

Towards the middle of the 13th century the clerestory of the presbytery was rebuilt and the upper part of the two eastern towers destroyed. At the same time the existing vault of the presbytery was built.

The first remodelling to the Romanesque cathedral was the extension and alteration of the eastern arm. This occurred between 1186 and the 1230s. The first phase of work involved the production of new eastern transepts, including what is now called the retrochoir and the Lady Chapel vestibule. The second phase included the building of the Lady Chapel and the crypt below. Finally the upper chancel was remodelled creating a new Gothic vault and clerestory. Hereford Cathedral has the most recently-built crypt of any existing cathedral in the country. Its purpose may have been to provide an area of worship for the parish church of St John the Baptist, which was established in the cathedral by the late 14th century.

The next significant work was the rebuilding of the north transept during the episcopate of Peter de Aquablanca (1240-68). Bishop Peter was a wealthy man and the north transept was the product of this wealth. Although it was most likely of Romanesque origin there is a distinct lack of Romanesque features in the north transept. With the constant remodelling and alteration that occurred in most cathedrals it is unusual to find a transept such as the one at Hereford that is predominantly of one period rather than an amalgamation of styles and craftsmen.

The style of the new north transept is said to be the closest copy in England of Henry III's French-inspired rebuilding of Westminster Abbey, which was begun in 1245. The greatest comparison occurs in the eastern parts of Westminster. It has also been suggested, due to stylistic comparisons, that the masons who worked on Hereford Cathedral then moved on to nearby Tintern Abbey, started in 1269. It is not known why Peter de Aquablanca turned his attention to the north transept, but with the eastern arm having been recently remodelled it is natural that his focus would have lain elsewhere. It is quite probable that Bishop Peter was preparing a suitable place for his burial (he is buried underneath the north transept) and making provisions for an architectural monument that would live on long after his death.

The central tower was built over the arches of the Norman crossing around 1300-1310. The west tower is of approximately the same date. Other works that coincide with this date are the reconstruction of the arches of the presbytery and the nave, as well as the addition of the north porch and the reconstruction of the north-east transept. The reconstruction of the north-east transept may have been carried out under the orders of Bishop Richard Swinfield, who died in 1316 and is buried under the transept. Much of the funding for these works may have been supplied by the offerings left at the tomb of Bishop Thomas Cantilupe, who was canonised in 1320 and whose tomb became a pilgrimage site.

The south end of the south transept was re-erected after the death of Bishop John Trevenant in 1404. The vault underneath the transept and the vault under the central tower were added sometime in the same century.

The former west window was added by Precentor William Lochard, who died in 1438 and is buried beneath it. The former east window and the small room, which is now used as the Choir Vestry, were also added sometime in the 15th century, as were the two chantry chapels of Bishop John Stanbury (1453-74) on the north side and of Bishop Edmund Audley (1492-1502) on the south side of the Lady Chapel

Thereafter little was done to the cathedral until 1717 when the presbytery was re-fitted and a Renaissance style reredos erected by Bishop Philip Bisse (1713-21).

The west tower, the west front and the whole of the adjoining nave and aisles fell down on April 17th 1786 during repair work. (By a strange coincidence, this was Easter Sunday.) James Wyatt rebuilt the west front, along with one bay east of the old front. He also replastered the vault of the nave, remodelled thetriforium, and rebuilt the clerestory. The interior timber structure of the tower was also removed to make it lighter.

In 1842-49 a general restoration was undertaken due to the unstable nature of the east wall of the Lady Chapel, the central tower and other areas. This was carried out under the supervision of Cottingham. During these restorations Bishop Bisse's reredos was removed, as was the stone pulpitum under the western arch of the crossing.

Further work was carried out under the supervision of Sir George Gilbert Scott (1856-63). This included restoration of the Lady Chapel, a new pinnacle on the west side of the north transept and the insertion of the circular window in the windows of the old muniment room. The quire stalls were moved to the east of the crossing - which meant losing quite a few stalls - and the iron screen was erected.

In 1904-8 the west front of the cathedral built by James Wyatt was replaced by the existing west front designed by Mr Oldrid Scott. In 1926 the pinnacles and parapet of the west front were restored and repairs carried out to the stonework of the tower.

The cathedral contains excellent examples of 12th, 13th, 14th and early 16th century work. The plan of the Norman church has two unusual features: the two towers over the eastern bays of the quire aisles (a feature not seen elsewhere in the country) and the large arch in the east wall of the presbytery.

The cylindrical piers of the nave follow examples at Gloucester and Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire and Pershore in Worcestershire.

The Lady Chapel is a fine example of early 13th century work and is all the more unusual for having a crypt.

The 16th century outer north porch has some of the finest features. Among these are the brasses of Bishop Trilleck, Richard Delamere and his wife, and Dean Frowsetoure.

[Original author: Miranda Greene, 2003]