pipe and tabor players as
architectural features in the UK

Manchester Cathedral

angel musician

Manchester Cathedral was rebuilt in the 15th century with the nave rebuilt between 1465 and 1481.

Decorating one of the wooden support corbels for the roof, between the springers for the window arches, is a possible pipe and tabor player; the pipe is missing but the angel's left hand is in the correct position for playing a small three-hole pipe.

There are 12 angel musicians high up on each side of the nave each playing a different instrument. Six on the North side all play wind instruments; those on the South side play mainly string instruments. All the angels were restored and guilded in 1950.

The stonework is mostly Victorian, but the woodwork is original. German bombing (1940) and the IRA explosion (1996) did not affect carvings on the North side.

 

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