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
towers were completed, which are Perpendicular work, above the Norman
three storeys.
[Illustration Lincoln Cathedral Exchequer Gate.]
Turning to the south side of the church we see the unique chapel and
consistory court, and the curious grotesque popularly known as "the
Devil looking over Lincoln." Heavy buttresses support the nave, and
flying buttresses connect these with the clerestory. The _Galilee
Porch_ was built in 1230, and is cruciform. The name Galilee is
attached to chapels at Durham and Ely, and we have already referred to
the most probable conjecture with regard to its origin.[18] A
profusion of dog-tooth ornament appears here, the characteristic
moulding of Early English period. The muniment room is above the
porch. The _Central Tower_ is the finest in England, as it is the
highest (271 feet), though the spires of Salisbury and Norwich exceed
this altitude. Formerly it was capped by an immense timber spire,
blown down in the first year of the sixth Edward's reign. Lincoln has
suffered from falling towers as have other cathedrals. The two lower
storeys were built by Grosseteste in Early English style on the fall
of its predecessor in 1237. The lattice-work ornament so freely
employed in the work of this bishop is observable here. The upper
storey was begun by Bishop Dalderby in 1307 and finished in 1311 in
the Decorated style. The timber spire covered with lead rose to a
height of 524 feet, and was destroyed by a tempest. Storms and
tempests have beat upon this tower for centuries, and occasionally
have wrought mischief, but this has been from time to time remedied,
and it remains the grandest and most majestic in the world. It is the
abode of the famous "Great Tom of Lincoln," the fourth largest bell in
the kingdom, recast in 1835. It weighs over five tons, and is 21 feet
6 inches in circumference. The _Choir_ is the work of St. Hugh, the
earliest example of Early English. In the _Presbytery_ we see the
style developed to his most perfect form, and merging into the
Decorated period. The south doorway is especially worthy of notice,
with its fine sculpture and splendid tympanum representing the Last
Judgment. The Russell and Longland Chapels (Perpendicular) are on each
side of this doorway. We notice the magnificent Decorated window of
the Angel Choir, on the north side the Chapel of Bishop Fleming
(Perpendicular), a doorway of good design; and then we see the
chapter-house with its flying buttresses and pyramidal roof. On the
north side is the cloister garth and Deanery. The cloisters are
usually on the south side, and this position is uncommon. Lincoln was
not a monastic church, being served by secular canons, and therefore
had no necessity for a cloister court. However, this was built in the
thirteenth century, the colonnade on the north side being erected in
1674 by Sir Christopher Wren, together with the library over it, which
we shall visit presently. By an act of vandalism the old Deanery was
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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