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The area around Chester England was developed by Romans around 380 and is known to have developed a Saxon church by 660. In 1092 a Benedictine monastery was founded in the area. King Henry VIII dissolved the monastery in 1540 but later in 1541 turned the building into a cathedral of the Church of England and it has been a place of worship ever since.  Front entrance to Chester Cathedral While touring Chester England in 2023, I found many interesting things, but none was more interesting than the discovery found in the Chester Cathedral Refectory. After touring this historical building, my wife and I decided to get a bite to eat and we sat down in the Cathedral Refectory. My wife had gone to the ladies room and I was sitting there admiring the details of the room. I noticed a tapestry on one of the walls, so after lunch, as we exited, I read the descriptive details.  Tapestry Found in Refectory Chester Cathedral  Description Of The Tapestry Found in Refectory Chester Cathedral Just to add a little more clarity to the description of the tapestry found on the west wall of the Refectory, this quote was found in the Chester Cathedral guidebook: "The tapestry on the west wall shows a scene from the life of the Apostle Paul. Its colours have darkened over time, making it hard to appreciate, but it has an interesting history. It was made at the Mortlake tapestry works in south London in the seventeenth century, after a design by the Italian High Renaissance artist Raphael. It was given to Chester by seventeenth-century bishop John Bridgeman and originally hung behind the High Altar to separate the Lady Chapel beyond." Yelp, I had found a tapestry based on a design by Raphael Sanzio. Pretty darn exciting! ... At least I thought so, my wife wasn't that impressed.  Raphael Sanzio Scott 87 (1944) Reference: Jessica Hodge, Chester Cathedral copyright Scala Arts & Heritage Prublications Ltd, 2017 All photographs for this article are from the photo collection of Marvin Lanahan, used with permission. |
