and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| VOL. XX, NO. 581.] | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1832. | [PRICE 2d. |
CHAPEL ON THE BRIDGE, WAKEFIELD
Chapels on bridges are not so unfrequent in architectural history asthe rarity of their remains would indicate. Among the early recordsof bridge-building we read that "the Romans built many bridges inthe provinces; viz. in France, Spain, Germany, Britain, &c. someof which had arches or towers on them."1 Plutarch derives the wordPontifex, (high priest,) from sacrifices made upon bridges, aceremony of the highest antiquity. The priests are said to have beencommissioned to keep the bridges in repair, as an indispensable part oftheir office. This we may conclude to have given rise to the annexationof chapels to almost all our bridges of note; and the offerings wereof course for repairs: so that priests are considered to have been theolden surveyors of bridges, and chapels on them to have been displacedby the more secular establishment of toll-houses.2
The bridge, upon which stands the above chapel, crosses the Calder, atthe south-east entrance into Wakefield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire.It was built in the reign of Edward III. and is a fine specimen of themasonry of that age. In the centre projecting from the eastern side, andresting partly on the sterlings, is the chapel, built in the richeststyle of Gothic architecture. It is[pg 402]about ten yards in length, and abouteight in breadth. The east window, overhanging the river, is adornedwith various and beautiful tracery, and the parapets are perforated.The windows on the north and south sides are equally rich. But the westfront facing the passage over the bridge, (as shown in the Engraving,)exceeds all the rest in profusion of ornament; being divided bybuttresses into compartments, forming recesses, with lofty pedimentsand pointed arches; whilst above is an entablature bearing fivebasso-relievos, the whole being crowned with battlements. Thebuttresses, finials, tracery, &c. form an assemblage of Gothicembellishments, which, for richness and delicacy can scarcely beequalled. This chapel was built by Edward IV. in memory of his father,Richard, Duke of York, and those of his party who fell in the battle ofWakefield.3 It appears, however, that a chapel had been built on thisbridge by Edward III., and dedicated to St. Mary; but it was undoubtedlyrebuilt and embellished by Edward IV. who, on this account, may beregarded as the founder of the present structure.
The beautiful embellishments have received considerable