Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Durham: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espiscopal SeeBygate, Joseph E. (Joseph Emanuel)
Religion
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Durham: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espiscopal See
Bygate, Joseph E. (Joseph Emanuel)
Church of England. Diocese of Durham; Durham Cathedral
The #Central Tower.#--The present central tower is noble in
proportion, and forms a fitting and harmonious summit to the whole
group. It must needs be of a very different character from the old
Norman tower, of which no trace now remains; and was most probably of
the usual type, low and square, and surmounted by a short pyramidal
spire. The existing structure may be attributed to Bishop Booth and
Prior Richard Bell, about 1474, when the letter previously quoted was
written. Externally the tower is divided into two storeys. The lower
portion contains, on each side, a pair of two-light windows, glazed,
each divided by a transom, and their heads having an ogee label
crocketed and finished with a tall finial also crocketed. Between and on
either side of these windows are panelled pilasters and brackets
carrying figures. The lower and upper stages are divided by a narrow
external gallery running round the tower, and protected by a pierced,
embattled parapet. This is known as the Bell Ringers' Gallery, and
certainly adds greatly to the effect of the tower as a whole. The upper
stage, which is much less lofty, has also two two-light windows on each
face, surmounted by crocketed ogee label mouldings and finials. These
lights are louvred. The whole is surmounted by a deep open-work parapet.
On each angle of the tower are two buttresses, which are decorated with
panelling and canopied and crocketed niches containing figures. The
interior of the tower or lantern is remarkable for the gallery which
runs round it, which is reached from the roofs of the nave and choir
transepts by doors. It rests on corbels, each alternate one being carved
with grotesque heads, and is protected by a parapet pierced in
quatrefoils. The four doorways are ogee-headed, with crockets and
finials. There is strong evidence in the construction of the present
tower that it was the original intention to surmount it by some other
erection, probably a spire. Each interior angle contains strong and
massive squinches which are of no constructive use at present, and must
have been originally inserted to carry some superstructure. The
buttresses at the angles are also carried up to the parapet, which would
seem to point to the same conclusion. Why this project was never carried
out cannot be said, but probably it would not have added to the artistic
effect of the tower. The belfry contains a peal of eight bells.
[Illustration: The Central Tower.]
The #East Front.#--The circumstances which led to the removal of
Carileph's apses and the erection of the eastern transept have
already been referred to. The present east end is divided into three
bays by massive buttresses, each of which contains three lofty lancet
windows separated by smaller buttresses. Over all, and in the gable, is
the famous large rose window. The north and south ends of the transept
are finished with the tall pyramidal pinnacles erected by Wyatt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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