Located in Devon, England, Exeter Cathedral displays a stone facade extensively decorated with carved sculptures, flying buttresses, pointed arches, and large windows, which allow in light. Two Romanesque square towers on the left of front facade date from the Norman cathedral that previously stood on the site. (travellight/Shutterstock)
Exeter Cathedral stands proudly in the center of Exeter, in the southwestern county of Devon, England. With a history spanning from Roman times to World War II, the large cathedral provides a fascinating insight into medieval Britain with its exquisite Gothic features. To this day, Exeter Cathedral is considered the finest example of the Decorated Gothic architectural style (1280–1380), an English Gothic style.
In 1050, King Edward the Confessor built Exeter Cathedral on a site that previously held many religious buildings, including a fifth-century Christian site, a 10th-century Anglo-Saxon construction, and a Norman cathedral dating from 1180. Completed in roughly 1400, the main body of the current cathedral is in a Gothic style imported from France in the 1240s, featuring extensive ornaments and decoration.
The building was damaged throughout the centuries, notably during the dissolution of the monasteries, the English Civil War, and the Exeter Blitz during World War II; the cathedral was improved and renovated throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Exeter Cathedral is best known for its stonework, especially noticeable in the cathedral’s vaulted ceiling, which is the longest continuous medieval stone vault in the world. The carved ceiling features beautiful bosses (a decorative knob on a ceiling) and decorative caps, which were very prominent in Gothic architecture. These bosses are often brightly colored, showing that medieval churches were once filled with vibrant colors.
The cathedral includes carvings in the minstrel’s gallery, great stained glass windows, and an astronomical clock, all dating from the 13th and 14th centuries.
The west facade is dominated by three rows of statues, which represent heaven. The bottom row shows carved angels supporting the figures above. Most of the figures in the middle row represent the kings of Judah. Statues of the apostles, the four evangelists, and prophets of the Old Testament fill the upper row. A representation of God is in the top row. Restorers discovered red paint with flecks of blue, green, and gold at the rear of the statues, confirming that they were highly colored and a most beautiful sight in the Middle Ages. (travellight/Shutterstock)
The bright and airy nave of Exeter Cathedral is under a 14th-century stone vault. The vault runs from the west wall of the nave to the Great East Window at the end of the quire (choir) and the large organ. Unlike churches in the Romanesque style, in which ribs were mainly added to support the roof, the ribs here also serve a decorative purpose, creating a beautiful pattern. (travellight/Shutterstock)
A closer look at the magnificent vaulted ceiling of Exeter Cathedral shows how the stone vault is supported by elegant decorative ribs, which are met by round carved bosses at each end. This style of vaulting is known as a tierceron, and Exeter Cathedral is one of the most impressive examples of this style, with more than 400 colored bosses, making it one of the most important collections of medieval stone carvings in England. (DeFacto/CC BY-SA 4.0)
At the east end of the cathedral, visitors can admire the beautiful Lady Chapel, displaying an impressive stained-glass window in the Gothic decorated style. The chapel was formerly the cathedral library, which at one time held almost 5,000 volumes. (travellight/Shutterstock)
The Great East Window is a beautiful display of Medieval stained glass. Situated above the two arches framing the main altar of the Lady Chapel, the window depicts religious figures and prominent noble families. The elaborate window features circles, flower designs, and medieval glass depicting 19 figures and several coats of arms. (DeFacto/CC BY-SA 4.0)
A balcony that projects from the north side of the nave is known as the minstrel’s gallery. This balcony is decorated with 12 carved angels playing musical instruments. Although the purpose of this gallery isn't known, it's likely to have been used by musicians. (DeFacto/CC BY-SA 4.0)
The grand organ, located on the central pulpitum (a massive screen that separates the choir and the main altar) is one of the most distinctive features of Exeter Cathedral. Created by John Loosemore in 1665, the organ contains more than 4,000 pipes and has adapted to the continuous musical demands of the cathedral over the past few centuries. (Karl Gruber/CC BY 3.0)
Dating from 1484, Exeter’s astronomical clock is a working model based on the solar system as it was understood at the time. The Earth is in the center, represented by a fixed golden ball, with the moon and sun rotating around it. In the outer circle, a clock hand indicates the day in the lunar month and the hour of the day, as represented by the ball inside the lunar circle and the black fleur-de-lys disk representing the sun. The text below the main dial translates to “The hours pass and are reckoned to our account.” It's said that this clock is the source of the reputed English nursery rhyme “Hickory Dickory Dock.” (DeFacto/CC BY-SA 4.0)
Would you like to see other kinds of arts and culture articles? Please email us your story ideas or feedback at [email protected].
