Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Norwich: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Episcopal SeeQuennell, C. H. B. (Charles Henry Bourne)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Norwich: A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Episcopal See
Quennell, C. H. B. (Charles Henry Bourne)
Norwich Cathedral (Norwich, England)
The vault was added by Bishop Nykke, and was necessitated by a fire in
1509, which consumed the wooden roofs of both transepts. During the
recent works the small arcading immediately under the line of the vault
was discovered walled up, the builders of the later vault in all
probability having done this, as in many cases the line of the vault
cuts over the arcading. This was opened up, and is distinctively
interesting in helping to reconstruct the original finish to the Norman
work under the roof.
#The Tower and Triforium Walks#, to which access is gained by a
staircase in the east wall of north transept, are of much interest. In
the triforium the imposition of the later work on the Norman is clearly
noticeable, and the original Norman triple windows walled up with the
wall shafts which once supported the semi-arches of the triforium roof.
Some of the best views of the interior are to be gained from the
triforium and clerestory paths.
#Interior of Tower.#--A continuation of the same staircase leads to the
clerestory, and from thence access is gained to the tower galleries.
Above the arches of the crossing there is a vaulted passage in the
thickness of the tower walls, with six arches pierced in the inner wall,
so that the parts of the interior can be seen from this walk. Above
occurs a smaller wall arcade, stopped before reaching the angle to admit
of large circular holes being deeply recessed in the walls; and above
this again another vaulted gallery, with three windows on either side,
pierced through the tower. In the lower of these walks openings occur
through the thickness of the walls into the presbytery, the nave, and
transepts, just under the vaults, and interestingly quaint peeps can be
gained through them.
The #Processional Path#, or aisles to the presbytery, consists of four
bays to the north and south, with quadri-partite vaulting, with a
similar five following round the line of the apse. A door in the north
aisle leads out into the gardens of the bishop's palace, and from thence
the exterior of this part of the cathedral is best seen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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