Notre Dame de Rouen. The façade of the Gothic Church in France. Photographer: Hippo1947. Licence: SHUTTERSTOCK.

Wednesday 24 May 2023

Exeter Cathedral (Cathedral Church Of Saint Peter). The Longest Uninterrupted Mediæval Vaulted Ceiling In The World. (Part Seven).



Exeter Cathedral.


Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,
unless stated otherwise.

Both of the Cathedral’s Towers contain Bells. The North Tower contains an eighty-hundredweight (4.1-tonne) Bourdon Bell, called “Peter”. “Peter” used to swing, but it is now only chimed. [Editor: The Bourdon is the heaviest of the Bells that belong to a musical instrument, especially a Chime or a Carillon, and produces its lowest tone].

The South Tower contains the second heaviest peal of twelve bells hung for “Change Ringing” in the World, with a Tenor weighing 72 long cwt 2 qr 2 lb (8,122 lb or 3,684 kg).[19] They are second only to Liverpool Cathedral in weight.[20] There are also two Semi-Tone Bells in addition to the peal of twelve.[21]



The Nave, Exeter Cathedral.
Photo: 20 July 2017.
Author: Jules & Jenny from Lincoln, U.K.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Recorded names of Organists at Exeter Cathedral go back to Matthew Godwin, 1586. Notable organists at Exeter Cathedral include Victorian composer Samuel Sebastian Wesley, grandson of Methodist Founder and Hymn-Writer Charles Wesley, educator Ernest Bullock, and conductor Thomas Armstrong. The current Director of Music, Timothy Noon, was appointed in 2016.[32]

The Cathedral Organ stands on the ornate Mediæval Screen, preserving the old classical distinction between Quire (Choir) and Nave. The first Organ was built by John Loosemore in 1665. There was a radical rebuild by Henry Willis in 1891, and, again, by Harrison & Harrison in 1931.[34]


Exeter Cathedral’s Fan Vaulting Ceiling.
Photo: 13 April 2015.
Author: Gary Ullah from UK
(Wikimedia Commons)

The largest Pipes, the lower octave of the 32′ Contra Violone, stand just inside the South Transept. The Organ has one of only three Trompette Militaire Stops in the Country (the others are in Liverpool Cathedral and London’s Saint Paul’s Cathedral), housed in the Minstrels’ Gallery, along with a chorus of Diapason Pipes.[33]

In January 2013, an extensive refurbishment began on the Organ, undertaken by Harrison & Harrison. The work consisted of an overhaul and a re-design of the internal layout of the soundboards and ranks of the Organ Pipes.[35] In October 2014, the work was completed and the Organ was re-assembled, save for the final voicing and tuning of the new instrument.[36]

The Web-Site of Exeter Cathedral can be found HERE

This concludes the Article on Exeter Cathedral.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you, Zephyrinus ,this has been a wonderful series on Exeter cathedral!

    How amazing, to have at least two large bells weighing each over 8,000 lbs in the carillon towers. Understandably, “Peter”—-one of the two— is only struck with a clapper now, very likely because when large bells swing, according to the rotation effect, the outcome of the physics of their “swinging” (as one might imagine) successively shakes loose over time the very foundations of the bell towers. Indeed. What a magnificent bell to hear it rung.

    As mentioned in the story, the pipe pipe organ at Exeter Cathedral by Harrison & Harrison, one of the famous British firms, is a premier instrument. There are examples of its performance on YouTube for those who are interested. -note by Dante P

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    Replies
    1. Many thanks, indeed, Dante P, for this valuable contribution. Delighted that you found the Article on Exeter Cathedral of interest. More Cathedrals to follow !!! Thank you, also, for elucidating on the fact that “Peter” is now struck only with a Clapper, and is not swung anymore. Again, Zephyrinus has learnt something.

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