A few years later the great western Tower with the wings, forming a
second Transept, were begun, but whether by Bishop Harvey or by the
monks themselves during the episcopate of Bishop Nigel (1133-1169), we
cannot say; they were carried on during the episcopate of Bishop Ridel
(1174-1189), and completed as high as the first battlements during
that of his successor, Longchamp (1189-1197), producing a fine example
of what is called the Transitional style. During this latter period
the Romanesque had been rapidly giving way to the Pointed style, and
thus as the building progressed one style merged into the other.
After some years further progress was made towards the west, as the
Galilee, or western porch, is stated to have been erected by Bishop
Eustace (1198-1215), of whom it is recorded that "he built from the
foundation the new Galilee of the Church at Ely, towards the west, at
his own cost." "This has given rise to much difference of opinion.
Some persons think that by the 'Galilee towards the west,' is meant
the western porch, while others holding that so fine a work is
inconsistent with so early a date, suppose the Galilee to have been
the northern half (now lost) of the western Transept.... My own
impression has always been that it was the west porch which still
exists."[7] Be this as it may, it is a beautiful specimen of the Early
English style; and Bishop Northwold (1229-1254) took down the east end
of the church and lengthened it by the six eastern arches, usually
called the Presbytery, with its magnificent eastern facade, in the
same style; they were begun A.D. 1234, and finished and dedicated in
1252, being "one of the noblest pieces of architecture of that
glorious architectural period." About the same time a spire of timber
covered with lead was erected on the Tower.
[Footnote 7: Lecture on Ely Cathedral by the late Sir G.G. Scott, at
the Etheldreda Festival, Oct. 1873.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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