Have you ever visited a cathedral? If you have, did you notice something that is not found in other churches? There is a clue in the name “cathedral”, though unless you know Greek or Latin you are not likely to spot it. The word comes from cathedra, which means chair: a cathedral is the church where a bishop has his chair (or throne) and this makes it the central church of the area the bishop has in his charge – his diocese. Cathedrals are usually larger than other churches, and are built with a special regard for beauty and architecture to reflect their importance. In the middle ages a series of cathedrals were built in England that are still among the most beautiful buildings in the world. If you live in Britain, you may well have visited one; if not then you may have seen pictures of the soaring stone towers and spires of these great buildings.
The first cathedrals in England were built in the seventh century, and the Anglo-Saxons gradually developed a network of dioceses, each with its own cathedral. After the Norman Conquest, the conquerors launched a building and reorganising campaign during which every cathedral in England was rebuilt, and a number were moved. These great new cathedrals were larger than the ones they replaced, with thick walls and roofs supported by massive pillars topped with round arches, a style of architecture known as “Romanesque”. The buildings were dimly lit, as the windows were small in proportion to the walls.
During the twelfth century there was a dramatic change in architectural technique and fashion as pointed “Gothic” arches came into use. Before you read further, find a helper and try this: first, put the fingertips of both hands together to make a rounded arch shape and ask your helper to press down on them; next, put your fingertips together to make a pointed arch and let your helper press down again. Which arch was strongest? Can you see why Gothic arches would be better than round ones? Cathedrals built in the Gothic, pointed arched style look quite different to the older Romanesque ones. The windows are larger and made of stained glass, the insides lighter, and the ceilings higher. Tall pillars end in branching patterns of tracery on the ceiling like trees made of living stone, and the stone reflects the glowing colours of the windows. Between the twelfth and the fifteenth centuries the cathedrals of England were extended, enhanced, or rebuilt in this new style.
To see how all this worked, let’s look at an example: Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire. The first cathedral was built between 1075 and 1092 after the Normans moved the old Anglo-Saxon diocese from Sherborne in Dorset. It was a small cathedral, built on the top of an exposed and windy hill. A hundred years later the decision was taken that a new cathedral should be built on a more suitable site two miles away, along with a new town. The project was delayed by the troubles of King John’s reign, but in 1220 work finally started on the new church. The first section to be built was the eastern end – the choir, three chapels and two transepts – with the nave following later*. King Henry III gave twenty oak trees to be used to make stalls (seats) for the cathedral’s canons**. In a little less than forty years the cathedral was finished, and on 30th September 1258 it was consecrated and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Although the church itself was finished, more buildings were added later, including a chapter house for the canons to meet and organise the affairs of the cathedral, and a square cloister. This cloister was intended to be the largest in England, with walk ways sheltered by vaulted stone roofs and windows built in the most up-to-date French style. By the fourteenth centuries architects were experimenting with higher and higher structures, and at this time a great spire one hundred and eighty feet high was added, bringing the total height of the cathedral to four hundred feet – an extraordinary height for a building built without the help of cranes or other modern machinery.
Building a great church like Salisbury Cathedral was skilled and sometimes dangerous work. Master masons were in charge of the work, responsible both for design and for supervising the skilled craftsmen who turned their ideas into reality. Both inside and outside were decorated with carefully crafted carvings, some in corners so high or low as to be almost invisible to anyone but the sculptor himself – or God. The builders aimed not just to build a great building, but to make it as close to perfection as possible, so that God would be glorified through their work.
Altogether eighteen English cathedrals were built during the middle ages. Sixteen of these survive today. The two exceptions are Coventry, which was destroyed when the city was bombed during the Second World War, and the great church of St.Paul’s in London – the longest of all the English medieval churches – which was burned down by the Great Fire of London in 1666. There are now also many newer cathedrals, some Anglican (Church of England) and some Catholic, but the great medieval cathedrals are still at the centre of their ancient dioceses. They are now part of the Church of England and separated from the Roman Church, but they remain as focal points of Christian worship, and as reminders of the great love of medieval people for their creator and their Church.
* If you picture the layout of the cathedral as a cross, the eastern end in the top, the transepts the arms, and the nave the long bottom section.
** Canons are the priests who make up a cathedral’s “chapter” or governing body.
FURTHER READING:
Medieval Cathedral by Fiona MacDonald
The English Cathedral by Tim Tatton-Brown and John Cook (written for adults, but with many photographs)
© Kathryn Faulkner 2005. All rights reserved.
