by Nick Ford

Created on: July 19, 2010

Gloucester Cathedral is without doubt the most magnificent building in Gloucester. It contains a Romanesque nave and a Perpendicular East end which stand in remarkable contrast. The cloisters contain remarkable fan vaulting.

Gloucester is a city in the west of England which grew to prosperity as an inland port and as a gateway to Wales. The Romans built a fort and bridge here across the River Severn. In Anglo Saxon times the town was a fortified Royal burgh.

To understand Gloucester Cathedral one has to understand that it was once an abbey. The history starts in 678-9 AD with the establishment of a religious house by King Osric. In 1072 the first Norman abbot was appointed. Serlo from Mount Saint Michael took over a very run down establishment with a poor religious reputation, just two monks and six novices in residence, and turned it into a flourishing place. William the Conqueror favored Serlo and often spent Christmas with his children at the Abbey. Here during the Christmas of 1085 William announced his plans to compile a Domesday Book of who owned what in England

Serlo embarked on a building program that was to last for 300 years. He was a hard man who built in austere style. The massive pillars which line the gloomy nave are from his design. The tiny gallery in the nave was copied from that \art Mont St Michael.

The Abbey of St Peter has many Royal connections. The restless wooden effigy of Robert Carthouse in the ambulatory is worth a visit. He an unusual figure carved in bog oak lying uncomfortably on his side. Robert Carthouse was the first son of William the Conqueror. He spent most of his life contesting the English throne with his brothers William II and Henry I. After 28 years in prison in Cardiff castle he was buried in Gloucester.

With contention in the country Henry II was crowned here rather than n London. Royal patronage and good management which brought prosperity to the Abbey enabled the Abbots to give the Abbey a thirteenth century makeover and remove some of the harshness of Serlo’s work with Early English designs.

During this refit Edward II was brutally murdered in Berkeley Castle. Several abbeys were considered for his final resting place. The body toured the country to Malmesbury Abbey and at length came to Gloucester where a tomb was built. The great canopied tomb is now a highlight of any cathedral visit.

.With time pilgrimage to the tomb of Edward II brought wealth to the Abbey. It funded a major rebuilding project. Magnificent fan vault vaulting was installed in the cloisters which are a must see. They feature in the first, second and sixth Harry Potter films.

At the East End the Abbey was rebuilt in the latest style. This achievement is said to have launched the perpendicular style in Britain. The East End is light and airy decked with bright stained glass. It is a complete contrast to the austere nave and is best appreciated on a bright summer’s day. The East window is huge. It covers a vertical acreage equivalent to that of a tennis court.

In 1530 a retrospective tomb to King Osric was placed next to that of Edward II

In the time of Henry the Eight the Abbey was threatened with dissolution, In 1535 Abbot Parket escorted Henry around the Abbey and drew his attention to the tomb of Edward II. Mindful of the fate of his Royal forebears Henry spared the Abbey . Although the Abbey was dissolved in 1540 it was reinstated one year later as the Cathedral that \we can all now visit and enjoy.

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