“The Bishop’s Eye”,
Stained-Glass Rose Window,
Lincoln Cathedral.
Photo: 9 June 2013.
Source: Own work.
Author: Jonathan Cardy
(Wikimedia Commons)
Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,
unless stated otherwise.
The Eastern Ends of English Cathedrals show a greater diversity than those of any other Country. Those built in the Norman era had high Apsidal Ends surrounded by a lower Ambulatory, as is typical of Northern France.
This arrangement still exists at Norwich Cathedral, and in part at Peterborough Cathedral, and, also, with variation, in the Early-English Gothic East End at Canterbury, but in every other case has been modified.[5]
The typical arrangement for an English Gothic East End is square, and may be an unbroken cliff-like design as at York, Lincoln, Ripon, Ely, and Carlisle, or may have a projecting Lady Chapel, of which there is a great diversity, as at Salisbury, Lichfield, Hereford, Exeter, and Chichester.
The East Ends of Norwich and Canterbury also have projecting Chapels; that at Norwich being a Gothic addition to the Norman East End, while that at Canterbury, known as the Corona, being designed as part of the Early-English Plan, specifically to enshrine the Relic of the Crown of Thomas Becket’s skull, sliced off at the time of his assassination.[4]
The East Ends of a number of other Cathedrals, such as Durham, Peterborough and Gloucester, have been modified in various ways and do not fit any particular model.
As English Cathedrals are often surrounded by an expanse of Green Lawn, the Plan is usually clearly visible at ground level, which is not the case with the many European Cathedrals that are closely surrounded by Town or Monastic buildings.[5]
Norwich Cathedral’s
Norman Tower and 15th-Century Spire.
Photo: 19 January 2007.
Source: Own work.
Author: Aleister Crowley
(Wikimedia Commons)
The general impression is that the English Cathedral sprawls across its site with many projecting limbs. These horizontal projections are visibly balanced by the strong verticals of the massive Towers, which may be one, two, or three, in number.
Many of the Cathedrals, particularly those like Winchester, Saint Albans, and Peterborough, where the Towers are not particularly high, give an impression of tremendous length and have been described as resembling “aircraft carriers”.
While all the Cathedrals are impressive, some, because of their location, are highly significant landmarks and landscape elements. Among these is Chichester, which can be seen for many miles across a landscape of open fields and is the only one of England’s Cathedrals that is visible from the sea.
The Great West Door, Rochester Cathedral.
Photo: 12 July 2004.
Source: Own work.
Author: w:User:ChrisO
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Grey Spire of Norwich Cathedral rises serenely from its surrounding City, to be a focus of the Norwich School of landscape painters. Ely Cathedral, on a small hill, dominates the rural countryside and its appearance in times of flood causes it to be known as “The Ship of the Fens”.[4]
The three Spires of Lichfield Cathedral are known as “The Ladies of the Vale”.[4] The “Exquisite Tower”[4] of Worcester Cathedral is seen best across The River Severn.[10]
Lincoln Cathedral, with its vast façade and three Towers, the tallest being over 80 metres (270 ft), rises majestically from a steep hill above the Town. Salisbury Cathedral with its “Faultless Spire”[4] constitutes one of the iconic views of England, made famous by the landscape painter John Constable.
In the North of England, Durham Cathedral makes a “spectacular” view as it sits dramatically on its steep rocky peninsula above The River Wear, “half Church of God, half Castle ’gainst the Scots”.[4]
PART THIRTEEN FOLLOWS.
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