DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29899#0378
358
EN'GrLISH AECHITECTURE.
Part II.
But the evidence is not conclusive, foi’ the vaulting shafts ai'e usually
similar, and in all instances run from the ground through the clere-
story, and terminate with the copings of the wall, so that, in their
present form, they could only be meant to support the main timher of
the roof. It may be that it was intended to cut them away down to
the string-course of the clerestory, as was actually done at Norwich in
1446, when the nave was vaulted ; but at present we must be satisfied
with the evidence that the architects were content with such roofs as
that of Peterborough (Woodcut hlo. 810), which is the oldest and
finest we possess. It is very beautiful, but cei’tainly not the class of
roof these massive piers were designed to support.
Though we may hesitate with regard to the intention of the builders
of Norwich, Ely, or Peterborough, there can be no doubt, from the
alternate piers and pillai’s, that when Dui’ham (Woodcut No. 804) was
commenced it was intended that the nave should be covered by a great
hexapartite vault. Before, however, the intention could be cai’ried out,
the ax’t of vaulting had been so far perfected that that very clumsy
expedient was abandoned ; and, by the introduction of a bracket in the
nave, and aftei’wards of a vaulting shaft in the choir, a vault of the
usual quadi’ilateral form was successfully carried out between the years
1233 ancl 1284.
It is probably to St. Hugh of Lincoln that we owe the first perfect
vault in England. Coming from Burgundy he must have been familiar
with the great vaults which had been constructed in his counti’y long
before the year 1200, when he encouraged his new followers to under-
take one not necessarily in the Bui’gundian style, but in that form with
which they were conversant from their practice in erecting smaller
side-vaults. He built and roofed the choir of Lincoln, immediately
after which (1209-1235) the nave (Woodcut Ho. 811) was undei'taken
by Hugh of Wells, and its roof may be taken as a type of the first
perfected form of English vaulting. It is very simple and beautiful ;
but it cannot be denied—and this is felt still more at Exetei’—that the
great inverted pyramidal blocks of the roof are too heavy for the light
pier and piei’ced walls which support them. Another defect is, that
the lines of the clerestory windows do not accord with the lines of the
“severeys” of the vault. This defect was remedied at Lichfield, but
nowhere else, until the invention of the four-centred arch and of
fan-tracery. At Lichfield (Woodcut No. 812) the triangular form of
the clerestory windows afforded a perfect solution of the diificulty,
and gave a stability and propriety to the whole arrangement that never
was surpassed, and never might have been reiinquished had not their
fatal fondness for painted glass forced the architects in this, as in
other instances, to forego constructive propriety for indulgence in
that fascinating mode of decoration.
Beautiful as these simple early roofs were felt to be, the great mass
EN'GrLISH AECHITECTURE.
Part II.
But the evidence is not conclusive, foi’ the vaulting shafts ai'e usually
similar, and in all instances run from the ground through the clere-
story, and terminate with the copings of the wall, so that, in their
present form, they could only be meant to support the main timher of
the roof. It may be that it was intended to cut them away down to
the string-course of the clerestory, as was actually done at Norwich in
1446, when the nave was vaulted ; but at present we must be satisfied
with the evidence that the architects were content with such roofs as
that of Peterborough (Woodcut hlo. 810), which is the oldest and
finest we possess. It is very beautiful, but cei’tainly not the class of
roof these massive piers were designed to support.
Though we may hesitate with regard to the intention of the builders
of Norwich, Ely, or Peterborough, there can be no doubt, from the
alternate piers and pillai’s, that when Dui’ham (Woodcut No. 804) was
commenced it was intended that the nave should be covered by a great
hexapartite vault. Before, however, the intention could be cai’ried out,
the ax’t of vaulting had been so far perfected that that very clumsy
expedient was abandoned ; and, by the introduction of a bracket in the
nave, and aftei’wards of a vaulting shaft in the choir, a vault of the
usual quadi’ilateral form was successfully carried out between the years
1233 ancl 1284.
It is probably to St. Hugh of Lincoln that we owe the first perfect
vault in England. Coming from Burgundy he must have been familiar
with the great vaults which had been constructed in his counti’y long
before the year 1200, when he encouraged his new followers to under-
take one not necessarily in the Bui’gundian style, but in that form with
which they were conversant from their practice in erecting smaller
side-vaults. He built and roofed the choir of Lincoln, immediately
after which (1209-1235) the nave (Woodcut Ho. 811) was undei'taken
by Hugh of Wells, and its roof may be taken as a type of the first
perfected form of English vaulting. It is very simple and beautiful ;
but it cannot be denied—and this is felt still more at Exetei’—that the
great inverted pyramidal blocks of the roof are too heavy for the light
pier and piei’ced walls which support them. Another defect is, that
the lines of the clerestory windows do not accord with the lines of the
“severeys” of the vault. This defect was remedied at Lichfield, but
nowhere else, until the invention of the four-centred arch and of
fan-tracery. At Lichfield (Woodcut No. 812) the triangular form of
the clerestory windows afforded a perfect solution of the diificulty,
and gave a stability and propriety to the whole arrangement that never
was surpassed, and never might have been reiinquished had not their
fatal fondness for painted glass forced the architects in this, as in
other instances, to forego constructive propriety for indulgence in
that fascinating mode of decoration.
Beautiful as these simple early roofs were felt to be, the great mass