Exeter Cathedral (Cathedral Church Of Saint Peter). The Longest Uninterrupted Mediæval Vaulted Ceiling In The World. (Part Three).

The Lady Chapel of Exeter Cathedral.

This is where the Library was previously located.

Photo: 30 April 2014.

Source: Own work.

Attribution:

"Photo by David Iliff. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0"

Author: Diliff

(Wikimedia Commons)

Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,
unless stated otherwise.

The precious effigy of Walter Branscombe had been protected by sandbags.[6] Subsequent repairs and the clearance of the area around the Western End of the building uncovered portions of earlier structures, including remains of the Roman City and of the original Norman Cathedral.

The Norman Cathedral construction began (1112), presumably at the East End, and was Consecrated in 1133, by which date the Choir, Transept and first two Bays of the Nave were probably complete.

As detailed above, remains of the Norman building can be seen in the massive Transept Towers. By 1160, the Nave and West Front were complete, and a Cloister and Chapter House were added between 1180 and 1244.

“The College of Vicars’ Choral, Exeter”.

19th-Century English School townscape. Oil on canvas. 

In the background stands the Cathedral. The College of Vicars was constructed during the 14th-Century. It educated and 

saw over the appointments of the Clergy in the Parishes around Exeter. The many daily Masses sung in the Chapels of the Cathedral required a back-up team of Vicars Choral. 

In 1387, the College was built behind the Deanery in Kalenderhay. It had a gatehouse, row of houses, one for 

each member, and a common kitchen and dining hall 

at the far end. It was demolished between 1850-1900 

and the hall ruined in an air raid in 1942.

Artist: Anonymous.

Date: Circa 1850.

Collection: Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery

Source/Photographer: Royal Albert Memorial Museum

(Wikimedia Commons)

During the 1270s, a new project began to replace the entire East End, starting with the East End Chapels. This work is documented by a very extensive series of fabric rolls.[7]

Work advanced slowly, with the Retro-Choir, Presbytery, and Choir, being built in the 1290s. The original Choir elevation had two storeys, but was later modified to three storeys, presumably after the arrival of Master Roger in 1297.

Master Thomas of Witney was engaged in 1316 to design the Choir furnishings, then became Master Mason and stayed at Exeter until 1342.

English: Exeter Cathedral in 1830.

Русский: Вид с северо-запада

на Эксетерский собор в 1830 году.

This File: 16 April 2021.

User: Elrond1 2eleven

Author:

English: Engraving by W. Deeble,

based on a drawing by R. Browne.

Русский: Гравюра W. Deeble 

по рисунку R. Browne.

(Wikimedia Commons)

By 1328, the Church was complete to the first two Bays of the Nave, where a design change in the Vaults is visible. During Master Thomas of Witney’s time, the East Cloister walk was begun (1318–1325) and the Nave, West Front and North Cloister walk, were probably completed (1328-1342).

That the present West Front is on the same site as the Norman predecessor is indicated by the narrowing of the Nave Bays towards the West, squeezed to meet an existing feature.

The Image Screen across the West Facade and the Chantry Chapel of Bishop Grandisson, located within the West Front, were probably designed by William Joy, who succeeded Witney as Master Mason in 1342, but seems to have died in 1347, possibly from The Black Death.

PART FOUR FOLLOWS.