Prior Ernulf (1039-1124) was French born and studied under Lanfranc at the monastery of Bec before serving as Prior of Canterbury Christ Church under Archbishop Anselm during the period 1096 to 1107. His main contribution to the cathedral fabric was the design of the western crypt and the choir above it. Ernulf later served as Abbot of Peterborough (1107-1114) and Bishop of Rochester (1114-24).
What to see:
- Victorian statue of Ernulf (around two thirds full size) in the crypt which stands close to the entrance door to the Black Prince’s chantry – this according to Goulden (1900) was originally destined for an outside niche in the west front of the cathedral but it seems very large for this position, and in any case there is a statue of Ernulf there (more below)
- Victorian window by Clayton and Bell of London depicting Ernulf alongside Archbishops Odo, Stigand and Lanfranc – this can be seen in the north aisle of the nave, not far from the pulpit. Window and pulpit both commemorate the life of Dean Payne Smith who died at the Deanery in 1895 and was buried at St Martin’s church
- Victorian statue of Ernulf on the external west wall of the cathedral nave – one of over 60 figures executed in the 1860s by the Belgian sculptor Theodore Phyffers who was then working in Pimlico, in London
Sources: see standard cathedral sources; also Goulden (1900); Kentish Chronicle 9 July 1864 and Kentish Gazette 15 August 1865 for Pfyffers figures; Whitstable Times 24 October 1891 for details of Dean Payne window
DL