Photo of Great Chapel, Bishop's Palace, St. Davids
The great chapel, looking out across the courtyard through the east window. Adjacent to the great chamber in the south range of the palace, this chapel was only accessible to those important enough to have entered the great hall and great chamber. Beneath this window was the altar where Mass was celebrated. Today, there is a step in the window from which you can look out at the arcaded parapet of the great hall for a good view of some carved corbels, including one of a lion's head. A nicely illustrated sign explains the corbels. To the right of the window (not seen in this dark photo) is a purple sandstone piscina, a significant liturgical fitting used by the celebrant to wash the communion vessels at Mass. The hole in the sill leads to a drain beneath. Recently restored, the piscina is a jewel of the Decorated style of ornament, with graceful crockets and vine leaf carving crowning a complex molded frame. The design details are similar to those Gower added to the cathedral, such as in the Lady Chapel and on the stone screen in the nave. All of the chapel windows were glazed, probably with stained glass. Further color was given to the interior with multicolor figurative designs on the walls. Traces of paintwork survive in the heads of the two windows overlooking the courtyard. See the next photo for a view of the west side of the chapel. |
