How to Visit the English CathedralsSingleton, Esther
History
How to Visit the English Cathedrals
Singleton, Esther
Cathedrals -- England
“The WEST FRONT has been altered in character from its original
Norman work. We see a huge Perpendicular window with an embattled
parapet over it, an alteration made in the Fifteenth Century. The
windows in the lower stages of the towers are modern imitations of
Norman work. The towers have seven stages and the sixth is enriched
with fine arcading composed of intersecting arches. The present
spires are modern imitations of the originals destroyed by fire in
1711. These were immediately restored but removed in 1802, and have
now again been replaced. The old Norman doorway is remarkably fine.
It has five orders, the zigzag and the filleted edge roll being the
chief mouldings.
“Passing to the south side we see the walls of the nave pierced by
apparent Norman windows, but these are modern imitations. The most
western window in the north side is the only original Norman
window; the rest are copied from it, and were erected in 1847. Four
Perpendicular windows were inserted in the Fifteenth Century. There
is a row of small square windows above which light the triforium,
and the clerestory has a curious series of circular windows which
are unique in this country. The roof is high-pitched, having been
erected in modern times by the architect Christian, and the
parapets are Perpendicular in style. The south doorway should be
noticed, of Norman workmanship with zigzag string-course over
it.”--(P. H. D.)
The Choir is Early English and much resembles that of Lincoln. The
dog-tooth is very evident. The windows are lancet. The two
flying-buttresses on the south were added in the Decorated period.
The Chapter-House is on the north, and its similarity to that of York
will strike every one who has seen the _flos florum_ of the great
Minster of the north. It is supposed the same architect (probably John
Romeyn) designed both. This is octagonal. The windows are of three
lights, with trefoil and circular ones in the heads. The roof is modern.
The North porch is much admired. The inner doorway has a zigzag and
beak-head moulding. In the parvise above (very unusual in a porch of
this date), the wife of William Clay, a hunted Royalist, was hidden
during the Civil War. Here her child was born.
We enter by the west door and gain a view of the =Nave=.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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