English Cathedrals Illustrated: Second and Revised EditionBond, Francis
History
English Cathedrals Illustrated: Second and Revised Edition
Bond, Francis
Cathedrals -- England; Cathedrals -- Wales
His successor, William de Trumpington, was more economical, and produced
more work. He completed the porches, and built in the western end of the
nave four bays on the north and five bays on the south side. It can still
be seen how he economised, not only on John de Celia’s design, in the
arch that was to have led into a south-western tower, but on the design
of his own bases, piers and vaulting-shafts; he even renounced the idea
of vaulting his work at all—a very ungothic procedure.
IV. GEOMETRICAL.—His successors went further still; they abandoned all
hope of rebuilding the rest of the nave, and turned their attention to
the eastern limb. Retaining their stalls, as at present, in the crossing
and the three western bays of the nave, they were able to go on with
works to the east without any interruption to the services. The works
dragged on very slowly. For some reason or other this wealthy abbey—with
estates in almost every county of England—never had money to spend on its
church.
[Illustration: THE REREDOS.]
First, the Norman sanctuary and apses were demolished, except that a
length of Norman wall was retained on either side of the sanctuary. If
this had been removed the tower might have collapsed. The chief feature
of the new sanctuary is the clerestory windows, with tracery of early
type, _c._ 1250.
Soon after, the lower parts of the Saint’s chapel and the ante-chapel
were built; these were not completely finished till _c._ 1315.
There, too, “vaulting ambition had o’erleapt itself”: the monks made
preparations for vaults both within and without the ante-chapel, but in
the end put up an unworthy flat ceiling.
About 1295 they commenced a new Lady chapel. This was not finished till
about 1326. Thus it was built in the last years of the Geometrical
and the early years of the Curvilinear style, and, like Selby choir,
illustrates charmingly the transition from the one to the other.
V. CURVILINEAR.—The monks had now done all they meant to do. The eastern
limb was rebuilt. They meant to do no more in the nave. But their hands
were forced. Five Norman bays collapsed on the south side of the nave in
1323, and the monks had perforce to rebuild them. The design is closely
assimilated to that of the Lancet bays to the west; the clerestory
actually having lancet windows without tracery. To this period belong the
shrines of St. Alban and St. Amphibalus, the Rood-screen, the doorway and
arcade of the cloister.
[Illustration: THE SHRINE.]
VI. PERPENDICULAR.—The great gateway was built _c._ 1380. The nave and
choir were better lighted on the north side by the insertion of windows
in the triforium. The watching-loft was constructed _c._ 1420; the choir
was ceiled, and the great reredos was erected _c._ 1480. To the same
period belong the brass of Abbot de la Mare, _c._ 1390; and the grand
chantries of Abbot Wheathampstead and Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, _c._
1440.
VII. TUDOR.—The grandest chantry of all is that of Abbot Ramryge, _c._
1520.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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