Two Old Buildings……….part One

Southwell in Nottinghamshire has often been described over the centuries as a “Small country town with a Big Church”  and indeed it  is exactly that to-day.  But that big church is a very special Minster…..

It’s outward style,  on a first glance, would probably fool you into thinking that this was a modern building.  The unique ‘Pepper Pot’ spires create this appearance. But look more closely and you will see they cap two Norman Towers on either side of a majestic arched window.

This site has been of major religious importance since 600ad. Traces of the Anglo Saxon building can still be found.  Most of the building you see to-day is from the 12 & 13 hundreds.  But like many religious establishments it suffered much damage in the Civil Wars.  After much restoration in the years that followed misfortune visited again when it was struck by lightning and suffered major fire damage in the 1700, all the roof timbers and much else was lost. Repairs that followed were not good and again in the mid 1800’s the building required significant rebuilding and restoration work.  Despite all that activity the Minster to-day looks much as it did across the many centuries. The main Nave gives you some idea of the inner scale of the building with its barrel shaped wooden roof adding to the drama…..

The Nave from the Western Door

The Quire and High Alter at the eastern end of the Minster gives you a more luxuriant feel and your first view of one of many old stained glass windows…

The High Alter and East Window

Eagle Lectern and Choir Stalls

Dividing the the East and West  wings, as in all large churches is the Transept and central tower.

Norman Tower and Transept

It is here, below the tower, that the pulpitum separates the nave from the quire and in this Minster it is used as to house the organ….

On the south side of the nave is a large stone Font.  The Font itself dates to 1660 and replaces the font destroyed during the Civil War, the carved wooden cover with dove above is more modern and was added in the Victorian era. ….

The stained glass window behind is also Victorian and was created to record the historical significance of Baptism to this religious site.  Historical records show the as early as 627 Saint Paulinus baptised locals in the nearby River Trent.  In the years that followed a pond next to the church was used and again as time progressed this pond was incorporated within the church and then replaced by the much more convenient Font.   Even Saint Paulinus is depicted in the window…look for the one on the left side in green clock, note he is holding a model of the Minster in his left hand….

This Victorian window matches the bold and colourful style of theall the other arched windows within the Minster except for one.  The exception is the massif in the wall above the West Door.  Designed by Patrick Reyntiens this window arrived to grace the nave in 1996….very intricate and whilst still full of colour is much more subtle in strength than the early windows yet still manages to demand the attention of all visitors…….

Reyntiens West Window

 

As for the ‘Small Country Town’…well it still is a small country town.  The High Street is a mix of houses that open onto the street and a mix of traditional shops who to-day also compete with a Farmers Market – all well worth exploring……..

I mentioned that this was a story of two old buildings. The Minster was one.

My next blog will bring you part 2 and tell the story of another building at Southwell, one not quiet so old but also one of great historical note with a unique place in England’s social history.  But all that is for another day…

15th OCTOBER