Gothic Architecture

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Gothic Architecture

• Architectural History
• ACT 322
• Doris Kemp

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Topics

• Gothic Architecture in England
• Canterbury Cathedral
• Salisbury Cathedral
• Lincoln Cathedral
• Kings College, Cambridge
• Westminster Abbey

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Gothic Architecture in England

• Although Gothic architecture originated in
  France, it spread throughout Europe
• Became the predominant style through the 15th
  century
• The English would soon form their own Gothic
  aesthetics
• Within a century they had created Gothic churches
  that varied considerably from those in France

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Gothic Architecture in England

• Canterbury Cathedral
• First Gothic style church in England
• The choir was originally intended to house
  Englands most popular shrine
• Thomas Becket
• Archbishop of Canterbury who was murdered by
  Henry VIIIs men
• Became a sacred pilgrimage site
• Belief that miracles were performed at the tomb
  of St. Thomas

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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England

• Salisbury Cathedral
• Presents the rare example of an English Gothic
  cathedral built almost entirely in homogenous
  style (purely English)
• Begun in 1220 and finished by 1258
• Incorporates features from monastic plans into a
  purely English long angular building
• Features a tower rising some 404-ft and a spire
  providing vertical emphasis

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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England

• Lincoln Cathedral
• Had a more complicated building history
• Originally a Norman church that was destroyed by
  an earthquake in 1185
• The original survives only in lower portions of
  the western front
• Rebuilding began in 1192 and was completed in
  1280
• The Angel Choir
• Wealth of elaborate trim in the form of Purbeck
  marble shafts, stiff-leaf capitols, and sculpted
  angels

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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
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Gothic Architecture in England
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Gothic Architecture in England

• Wells Cathedral
• Widely regarded as one of the finest English
  cathedrals
• Also one of the first English Gothic buildings
• Dates back to at least 1186 and possibly a decade
  earlier
• To strengthen the lower piers, scissor-shaped
  arches were built in 1338
• Modest structure
• Vaults are only 67-ft high

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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
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Gothic Architecture in England

• Cathedral Chapterhouse, Southwell
• Contains some of the finest carvings of the
  English Gothic period
• Built around 1290
• Plants from the surrounding countryside were used
  as a model for much of the decorative work

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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England

• Ely Cathedral
• Large scale structure built of timber
• One of the few Christian churches in existence
  were Christ is depicted without a beard
• In 1322, due to structural problems, the tower
  was replaced with a wooden lantern
• Increased the lighting and usable space at the
  heights

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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England

• Kings College, Cambridge
• Began about 1446 and finished 1515
• Built in a time were the sermon served as an
  important part of church service
• Built on a simpler plan and smaller area to
  reduce reverberation time so that speech could be
  understood
• Basically rectangular in plan
• Features perpendicular tracery in the large
  windows and majestic fan vaults overhead

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Gothic Architecture in England

• Kings College, Cambridge
• The ornate organ loft atop the choir divides the
  space into two parts
• One for townspeople
• One for students
• Similar style to the High Renaissance Period in
  Northern Italy

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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England

• Westminster Abbey
• Building begun in 1245
• Located in London

Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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Gothic Architecture in England
Photo Sullivan
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References

• Sullivan, Mary http//www.bluffton.edu/sullivanm
  /
• http//www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.htm
  l
• Trachtenburg/Hyman Architecture From Prehistory
  to Postmodernity
• Wodehouse/Moffett A History of Western
  Architecture

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Gothic Architecture

• Architectural History
• ACT 322
• Doris Kemp