This is Bishop Fox's chantry within Winchester Cathedral. A chantry is a place within a church specially built for honouring and remembering important people buried there. Chantries were abolished in 1547 by Henry VIII however Winchester Cathedral is lucky enough to possess 6 of the most beautiful remaining chantries in the country which contain the bodies of 6 of Winchester's most important Bishops.
This is the tomb of Richard Fox who was Bishop of Winchester from 1501 to 1528 during the reign of Henry VII and VIII. Through the bars you can see the stone skeleton carving, it is meant to symbolise the fact that death does not respect rank, that is, we all die no matter how important we have been during life! Of his notable acts Richard Fox baptised Henry VIII and founded Corpus Christi College in Oxford.
Thank you! I learned a few new things in one day visiting your blog!,,
ReplyDeleteI've learnt quite a lot about my city just doing this blog!
ReplyDeleteRichard Fox is new to me but I used to walk past Corpus Christi in Oxford quite often as a boy when we lived next door to Christchurch college.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful history and photo.
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping by. I love Oxford, a really beautiful city
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing! I hope your going to post photos of the interior.
ReplyDeleteUnforuntely I don't think you can go inside :(
ReplyDeleteI'll have another try next time I'm there!
Beautiful photo of the chantry! I've only been to England once but loved it, and hope I get to visit again one day.
ReplyDeleteChantries are not where famous people are buried but where masses are said for them once they have died.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone confirm that the Crown Inn at the top of Alton High Street started life in the 1500s as a guest house for Hyde Abbey, the medieval Benedictine monastery located outside the walls of the city of Winchester?
ReplyDeleteThe inn was originally called the Pelican which is the symbol of Bishop Fox.