Lendert Cathedral
Saint Peter's Cathedral | |
---|---|
The Cathedral Priory of Saint Peter and Saint Blaise at Lendert | |
Location | Lendert-with-Cadell |
Country | Great Nortend |
Denomination | Church of Nortend |
History | |
Dedication | St Peter, St Blaise |
Consecrated | August 1st, 1284 |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Style | Gothic |
Years built | 1111–1322 |
Administration | |
Diocese | Lendert and Cadell |
Province | Limmes |
Clergy | |
Lord Bishop of Lendert | Cardinal Alan Gough |
Bishop of Cadell | Walter Fitzcolling |
Prior of Lendert | Henry Finchen |
Precentor | Matthew Reedman |
St. Peter's Cathedral is a cathedral of the Church of Nortend in the capital city of Lendert-with-Cadell. It is the see of the Lord Bishop of Lendert, in the Diocese of Lendert and Cadell, as well as the church of the Benedictine Priory of Lendert. The Cathedral is formally titled the Cathedral Priory of St. Peter and St. Blaise at Lendert, dedicated to St Peter the Apostle and St Blaise. As a monastic cathedral, the conventual chapter serves as the cathedral chapter, whilst the Bishop of Lendert is also lawfully the Abbot of Lendert. As such, he appoints the Prior, who serves as a Dean of the cathedral chapter.
History
Abbey
The Cathedral was originally a Benedictine abbey, founded in 800 by Æthelfrey after the death of his father, Hartmold the Great, who was the first Christian king of Nortend. Originally a small house, by 977, records shew that there were fifty monks at the abbey, which had its own daughter priory at Galwick. This necessitated expansion and rebuilding, which had already begun in 922 under the abbot Geselwin, although building only started in 930 after funds were secured from the increasing number of pilgrims to the shrine of St. Blaise, whose relics had passed into the abbey's possession.
With the new buildings yet unfinished, in 1094, Lendert was besieged by invading forces from Lorecia which severely damaged the abbey buildings and destroyed the nearly completed nave, though the monk's quire and chancel remained mostly intact. The rebuilding of Lendert and Cadell brought skilled stonemasons to the city, who practised in the new Gothic style. Subsequently, when the entire abbey church was rebuilt beginning in 1111, it was mostly in this new Gothic style.
Cathedral Priory
With the increasing wealth and population of Lendert, the Royal Court settled down permanently in Lendert in the early 13th century. Desiring a cathedral in his capital, Eltbold appointed the abbot, Edward de Groive, as bishop in 1284, elevating the abbey into a bishopric by his charter. It is said that the Bishop of Lendert is also the Abbot of the Lendert. Indeed, Edward de Groive and the several bishops after him considered themselves the head of the priory and used the title of abbot in that capacity. However, by the time of the Bishop Thomas de Darton in 1402 at the latest, it had become usual for the prior to take the place as head of the priory, rather than merely the bishop-abbot's deputy. The change meant that the monks voted for their desired candidate for prior, who was presented to the abbot for appointment. However, at their installation, the Bishops of Lendert are still enthroned in the Chapter House as Abbot of Lendert by the Prior.
Architecture
Chancel
East Front
West Tower
Shrine of St. Blaise
Lady Chapel
Chapter House
Small Tower
Chantry Chapels
Chapter
This page is written in Erbonian English, which has its own spelling conventions (colour, travelled, centre, realise, instal, sobre, shew, artefact), and some terms that are used in it may be different or absent from other varieties of English. |