IN 1841.]

EAST END OF THE CHOIR IN 1841.

Above the reredos a broad spandrel left by two pointed arches springing
from a central pier fills the upper part of the Norman arch. The pier
itself is old, but the upper part is a restoration of Mr. Cottingham's.
The spandrel is covered with modern sculpture, as may be seen in the
illustration. The subject is the Saviour in Majesty, the four evangelists
holding scrolls; and below a figure of King Ethelbert.

An older representation of King Ethelbert is the small effigy on a bracket
against the easternmost pier south of the choir, close to the head of the
tomb of Bishop Mayo, who had desired in his will to be buried by the image
of King Ethelbert. It was dug up about the year 1700 at the entrance to
the Lady Chapel, where it had doubtless been buried in a mutilated
condition when the edict went forth for the destruction of shrines and
images.

[Illustration: EARLY ENGLISH WINDOW MOULDING.]

EARLY ENGLISH WINDOW MOULDING.

Originally there were other representations of St. Ethelbert: on the tombs
of Bishops Cantilupe and Mayo, Dean Frowcester, Archdeacon Rudhale,
Praecentor Porter; in colour on the walls of the chapter-house and the tomb
of Joanna de Kilpec; in ancient glass, recently restored, in a window in
the south aisle of the choir; and in a stone-carving over the door of the
Bishop's Cloister, and the effigy formerly on the west front.

Opposite the throne a slab of marble, from designs by Scott, marks the
spot, as far as it is known, where Ethelbert was buried.

*The Choir-stalls* are largely ancient, belonging to the Decorated period.
They have good canopy work, and are otherwise excellent in detail. Some of
the _misereres_ are quaint, among them being found several examples of the
curiously secular subjects chosen for this purpose by the wood-carvers of
the period.

In addition to the bishop's throne, which is of the fourteenth century,
there is, on the north side of the sacrarium, a very old episcopal chair,
concerning which a tradition remains that King Stephen sat in it when he
visited Hereford. Be this as it may, the Hereford chair is undoubtedly of
very great antiquity, and belongs to, or at least is similar to, the
earliest kind of furniture used in this country. The dimensions of the
chair are--height, 3 feet 9 inches; breadth, 33 inches; front to back, 22
inches. The entire chair is formed