Mediaeval Crypts at Rochester

( 220 ) MEDIEVAL CRYPTS AT ROCHESTER, BY GEORGE PAYNE, F.L.S., F.S.A. IN a city possessing so many splendid architectural remains as Eochester it is a source of satisfaction to be enabled to place before the world details of a fine example of domestic architecture, which has existed in the city for six hundred years without receiving that attention it so richly deserves. Many persons know, or have heard, that beneath the " George Inn," in the High Street, there is an interesting cellar, and recently my attention was drawn to it by my friend Mr. Thomas Winch, who accompanied me to the place, which subsequently resulted in my superintending tbe cleaning of the chamber, and employing Miss Drake to prepare the plans (Plate I.) and drawings which illustrate this Paper; hence we have before us faithful and artistic representations of the lower storey of a house existing in Eochester about A.D. 1300. That this house was of considerable importance, and erected by a person of opulence, may be j udged by the ornate character of what is left of it below ground. Successive houses have been built upon this ancient vaulted crypt, and it yet remains in almost an uninjured state, in spite of its having been used as a skittle-alley and beer-cellar for a lengthened period. We will now treat of its dimensions and details. The chamber is oblong, 54 feet in length, 16 feet 8-| inches in width, and 11 feet in height, with four quadripartite vaults over, the shell of the vaults being chalk ashlar. There are ribs on the groins, and longitudinal, chamfered, plain, and hollow respectively, with ornamental bosses at the intersections. The nine bosses are from 12 to 15 inches in diameter, each being carved in high relief. Pig. 1 represents oak leaves and acorns; Fig. 2, grapes and vine leaves 5 Fig. 3, a lizard encircled by a wreath of foliage; Fig 4, a PLATE I. Vaulting fib longitudinal rib Window at A Section on Line CD. 1 Section OD Line A.B. 10 Scale h of Feet 10 20 =__= Measured & Drawn by E.Drake Jan.1900, SO PLAN AND SECTIONS OF MEDI/EVAL CRYPT BELOW THE "GEORGE INN," ROCHESTER. i FIG. 1.-CARVED BOSS OF VAULTING. *smwl -(7 ^wifl.W FIG. 2.-CARVED BOSS OF VAULTING, Y u \ 7 _V % \ ~ • -• . V FIG. 3.-CARVED BOSS OF VAULTING. • > o ^ FIG. 4.-CARVED BOSS OF VAULTING. miiiiiiii :mm FIG. 5.-CARVED BOSS OF VAULTING. r VAULTING SHAFT AND CORBEL. 1 I VAULTING SHAFT AND CORBEL. . VAULTING SHAFT AND CORBEL. MEDIAEVAL CRYPTS AT ROCHESTER. 22 1 grotesque bearded human face; and Pig. 5, a beautiful scroll of acanthus leaves. The four remaining have somewhat suffered from damp, but they appear to be groups of leaves. The ribs of the vaults spring from corbels, which are variously ornamented, but those in the bay at the northern end rest upon stop-chamfer vaulting shafts which rise from the floor, and are surmounted by corbels. Three of the latter are figured on Plates given ; the others are not quite distinguishable. The crypt is divided into four bays, with a splayed window opening 6 feet 1£ inches in height, and 4 feet 8 inches in width, now blocked with brickwork in each bay on the western side. Opposite, in the northern bay, is a doorway 5 feet 6 inches in height and 2 feet 5 inches in width, blocked up, with a mutilated window-space over that was smaller, but similar to those just described. S S -S- s*a w f\ V ^ i r i \ \ ._.' ^ ^ c_r yJZx- _t_r cx_ • v ] V •~! a tyr <_3> >-« o _ ^ » > o <»__? =a-, => c5swrc> ~ Q _ . ^ C-CT, n e=> m&& s o o eS c_ *T_J hT?..,a o S£ i i _ J.0 i c§> 4b fin u AT _• \-? tr^c ^ Q ' I ? . O i * H_>i-=»SSiS S>-V-: r b-^t-j ESS iia l> _=*J 2 -_. _: 5C5 y,--'V pinn,, 'f. o c -Jis- ,c> -> -vs -3re_ swc a j ^.