The Worcester Guide. Containing an Account of the Ancient and Present State of That City; With a Description of the Seats of the Nobility and Gentry in the Neighbourhood, Embellished with Views, Plans, &C (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1799 edition. Excerpt: ...Charles 1. Worcester being at that time taken by the Parliamentary army, the Cathedral fuffered greatly. Although this Cathedral has undergone confiderable mutilations, it is at this time a fair and magnisicent structure; and though it fhews a great variety of style by being erected at different periods, it prefents, however, a grand and venerable appearance. The general plan is that of the double crofs, a mode generally ufed in the construction of Cathedrals, and in which both the strength and grandeur of the Gothic taste are eminently confpicuous. The improvements lately made both in the interior and exterior by the Dean and Chapter, do honour to their liberality; and the whole of the building may now be deemed worthy of minute attention. An extract from u A stlort View of the late Trouble in England," faid to be written by Sir William Dugdale, may ferve to convey fome idea of of what was done in the Cathedral. "When their whole army from London, "under the Earl of Eflcx, came to Worcester, the sirst thing they did was, "the profanation of the Cathedral, destroying the organ, breaking in pieces divers beautiful windows, wherein the foundation of that Church ' was lively historisied with painted glafs; and barbarously defacing divers "fair monuments of the dead. And, as if this were not enough, they "brought their horfes into the body of the Church, keeping sires and "courts of guard therein, making ufe of the quires and side aisles, with the "font, in a most indecent manner. Alfo, to make their wickednefs the more complete, they risied the Library with the records and evidences of the u Church, tore in pieces the Bibles and fervice books pertaining to the "quire, putting the furplices and other...