Saint André's Cathedral west door

West door

Standing at the west door of Saint Andre’s cathedral, we can look down from the steps to fully take in the impressive 16m wide, 23m high nave that leads to the 29m high chancel.

Above our heads the 16th century organ loft is surmounted by a more recent organ chest, the original being – like the rest of the furnishings of the cathedral – dismantled and sold off in the aftermath of the French Revolution...

Saint André's Cathedral - west door

Standing at the West Door of Saint Andre’s cathedral, we can look down from the steps to fully take in the impressive 16m wide, 23m high nave that leads to the 29m high chancel.

Above our heads the 16th century organ loft is surmounted by a more recent organ chest, the original being – like the rest of the furnishings of the cathedral – dismantled and sold off in the aftermath of the French Revolution. On the 25th frimaire of the third year of the revolutionary calendar (which corresponds to the 15th December 1794), an edit requisitioned the pipes to be melted down to make buttons for uniforms!

Underneath the organ loft and flanking the west door are two renaissance bas-reliefs, vestiges of the old rood screen.

The one on the left describes the Resurrection, the one to the right depicts the Decent to the Underworld.

Medieval Graffiti

Facing the door to the right at the base of the organ loft column a series of mysterious inscriptions will catch the inquisitive eye. The graffiti inscribed here dates from 1540 to 1688. In all some forty odd names of artisans and artists have been engraved in the stone sometimes with various masonry tools such as a setsquare and the bush hammer. Nobody can tell if these signatures and symbols are simply signatures of those who worked on the alterations and rebuilding of the cathedral or if they are related to something more profound. One of the most singular signatures is that of Vidal, a music teacher, which mentions him belonging to Saint Andrew’s chapter in 1743.