Slide Shows on Cathedral and Church Architecture - by Michael G Hardy

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Lichfield Cathedral

Details of Slide Show - by Michael G Hardy

Description of Slide Show      Timings of Slide Show      Some Illustrations

Contents, Important Dates, and Number of Slides Shown

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Description of Slide Show

 

Lichfield will always be known for Saint Chad, its first bishop whose vast diocese was the kingdom of Mercia until his death in 672. However now Lichfield Cathedral is probably better known as the only medieval cathedral to have three spires, which are known as 'The Ladies of the Vale'. Part One starts by looking at Saint Chad's story with the help of the 19th century windows of the Chapter House. The first cathedral was started within 30 years of the saint's death, but the earliest remains we see are some traces of Norman stonework from a rebuilding of 1128. Another rebuilding was commenced around 1195, by when the earliest phase of Gothic architecture, Early English, was used. From that time we see the surviving main arcades of three bays of the eastern arm, which house the choir stalls. Another important feature of the Early English style is the Chapel of St Chad's Head, built in 1225 to keep the most important relic of the Saint who died five and a half centuries earlier. We look at how the transepts and central crossing were built at a time when the Early English style was losing its exuberant foliage decoration, and we can easily see the change as work progressed.

The bishop had another seat at Coventry and before the middle of the 13th century the canons at Lichfield decided to build an imposing Chapter House to try and raise the importance of Lichfield and make it the best place to hold meetings. We take a detailed look at this two storey building, and its fine central pillar with a very unusual and rather mysterious capital. The greatest treasure of the cathedral is housed in the Chapter House, a book of gospels written about 60 years after Saint Chad died.

The next building work would be the Nave, built between 1265 and 1285 by which time the Early English style was started to be superseded by the first phase of the Decorated style, Geometric Decorated, which is really a style all of its own. The bays are separated by narrow triple shafts which rise from the floor, slicing through large cinque-foiled circles in the tympana above the elegant main arches, through the tall triforium, and in-between the unusual triangular windows of the clerestory, to support the rich capitals of the vaulting. I find this all makes a particularly unforgettable scene.

Next we move to the Lady Chapel, completed around 50 years after the nave. This lofty building with its tall windows now really makes the entire east end feel remarkably spacious, and possibly more in character with many continental cathedrals rather than other English ones. The Lady Chapel was actually built as a separate building, but as soon as it was finished in 1336, work started on connecting it to the cathedral with a new five bay presbytery to join the choir to the Lady Chapel. By then the Decorated style was at its highest point and we look at some of its details, although much was subsequently destroyed. We end Part One by looking at the vaulting of the eastern arm and realising that its similarity and same height as the nave vaulting gives the whole interior of the cathedral a wonderful consistency.

 

We start Part Two by looking at some remains of the wall and other defences (mainly water) that had surrounded the cathedral close since the 14th century. We then find that they became very useful at the time of the Civil War, but eventually three sieges against the Royalists who held the close caused Lichfield Cathedral more damage than any other. Twice the Roundhead soldiers caused devastating damage to fittings within the cathedral, matching the damage they had already caused to the building itself, including shooting down the central spire. Repairs were started immediately after the Civil War, and support from King Charles II earned him the right to have his statue displayed on the very apex of the west front. The statue now has a rather less prominent position at ground level.  

We then move on to look at restorations of the 18th and 19th centuries, some rather more successful than others. There were many changes in the Eastern arm, the most dominant being the High Altar Reredos and Scott's metal Choir Screen, thankfully still in place. We take a particularly detailed look at the work done to the West Front by Sir George Gilbert Scott and his son John Oldrid Scott. Lichfield Cathedral is often dismissed by some writers as being small and over-restored. However I try to use the example of the restoration work here to show that I feel it is a great tribute to G G Scott who obviously strove to reconstruct the Decorated style in an original form , even if we do not appreciate the rather mechanical ways in which the decorative stonework and sculpture was produced.

In the Full Version only: we conclude with quite an extensive look at many of the monuments to famous people that are in the cathedral, and relating them to buildings in the cathedral and city of Lichfield. I also try to show how this is a city that is very proud of its past, its historical characters, the buildings they were connected to, and they are also very pleased to have, in Lichfield Cathedral, the finest building of the industrial Midlands.

 

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Timings of Slide Show:

Lichfield Cathedral

 

Full

Version

Abridged

Version

Part One

  46 minutes

38 minutes

Part Two

  46 minutes

35 minutes

TOTAL

92 minutes

(maximum)

73 minutes

(minimum)

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Lichfield Cathedral from the south

 

 

The oldest part of the exterior   Tall windows of the Lady Chapel

 

The lower stages of the West Front

 

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Contents Included, Important Dates, Number of Slides Shown

 

Please note that some of the dates quoted are only approximate

 

Part One

Contents

Date

Full

Version

Abridged

Version

Introduction

x

5

5

Early History of Area

x

9

6

St Chad - 1st Bishop of Lichfield

669-672

11

6

1st Cathedral on New Site

700

2

2

Norman Cathedral

1128

2

2

Rebuilding Starts

c1195

4

3

Choir Arcades c1195 5 5
Chapel of St Chad's Head c1225 11 9

S Transept

c1230

9

7

N Transept

c1240

14

13

Central Crossing c1230-c1240 6 6
Chapter House c1230-c1240 20 14
Lichfield Gospels c730 4 4

Nave

c1265

18

14

Nave Vaulting

x

17

14

West Towers & West Front

c1280-c1320

9

7

Western Spires & Central Tower

c1320

8

6

Lady Chapel

c1320-c1336

10

9

New Eastern Arm

c1336-c1350

36

25

Reformation & Conclusion of Part One

x

8

8

Total Slides in Part One:

208

165

 

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Part Two

Contents

Date

Full

Version

Abridged

Version

Defences around Cathedral Close

14th Century

8

8

Attacks in Civil War

1643-6

6

6

17th Century Re-building

1661-1668

6

6

Introduction to Restorations

18C and 19C

3

3

Lady Chapel 16th Century Glass fitted 1804 6 6
Lady Chapel Interior Restorations x 6 6
Choir and Presbytery Restorations x 22 22
Lady Chapel Exterior Restorations x 5 5
S Transept Restorations x 8 8

West Front Restorations

completed 1884

67

67

Cathedral Close

x

3

3

Conclusion (Abridged Version)

x

x

4

Monuments, Close and City

x

47

x

Conclusion

x

5

x

Total Slides in Part Two:

192

144

 

Slide Show on "Lichfield Cathedral"

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This page last modified on 15th December 2005