The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and ArchitectureDitchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)
History
The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and Architecture
Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)
Cathedrals -- Great Britain; Church architecture -- Great Britain
Great sanctity was attached to the body of St. Hugh, which caused many
miracles. It was buried according to the wishes of this holy and
humble-minded man in an obscure corner of the Cathedral. In such
honour were his remains held that it was resolved to transport them to
a more distinguished place; hence it was decided to erect a large and
costly shrine, and the beautiful "Angel Choir" was erected for its
accommodation. This magnificent structure was built in 1255-1280, and
belongs to the period of Transition between the Early English and
Decorated styles, just when Gothic architecture was touching its point
of highest development. It is simply perfect in its proportion and
details. The translation of the body of St. Hugh was performed with
much pomp, and the ceremony was attended by the highest in the land,
King Edward I. himself being one of the bearers of the revered saint's
remains. The cloisters and vestibule belong to the Decorated period,
1296 A.D., of which they present a small but beautiful example. The
"Bishop's Eye," the large circular window of the south transept, was
erected in 1350. About the same period much was done to adorn the
interior. John de Welbourn, treasurer of the Cathedral, 1350-1380, set
up the beautiful choir stalls, erected the vaulting of the central and
west towers, with the internal panelling of the latter, and the row of
niches and regal statues over the great west door. The three western
windows and the upper stages of the west towers belong to a closely
subsequent period. In these works we see the transition from the
Decorated to Perpendicular style. Some of the chantry chapels are
purely Perpendicular.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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