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
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 imitation 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 filleted edge roll being the chief
mouldings.
Passing to the south side we see the wall 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. Near here are the remains of the old Palace.
The banqueting hall has been recently restored. The kitchens belong to
the time of Henry VI. On the east of the transepts there were formerly
apsidal chapels, which were removed when the present choir was built
in the Early English period.
The _Choir_ is a noble specimen of Early English work and "seems to be
an emanation from Lincoln," wrote Sir Gilbert Scott, which it much
resembles. We notice the extensive use of the dog-tooth ornament.
Lancet windows give light to the interior. Two flying buttresses
support the walls on the south side, and were added subsequently in
the Decorated period to help them to bear the weight of the vaulted
roof.
The _Chapter-House_ is on the north side, and was built in the
Decorated period during the reign of Edward I., when York was
extremely prosperous and profited by the presence of the court. The
resemblance between the chapter-houses of York and Southwell is very
striking, and both were evidently designed by the same architect.
This one is octagonal, and has windows of three lights with trefoil
and circular ones in the heads. The roof is modern. A vestibule
connects it with the church. An Early English wall with an arcade of
lancets connects the vestibule with the north transept. The _North
Porch_ is good Norman work, and has a parvise which is very unusual in
a porch of this date. This parvise was the scene of the story of the
hiding of Mistress Clay in the troublous times of the Civil War. The
inner doorway is very fine with its zigzag and beak-head moulding.
THE INTERIOR
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