View allAll Photos Tagged HOLYTRINITY
By all accounts, there's been a church on the small hill next to Washington Old Hall since the 12th century, although the present building dates from 1833. The original church was dedicated to St Mary, but by the early years of the 19th century, it had become structurally unsafe and so was demolished to make way for a new building.
The new church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and overlooks both the ancestral home of the first president of the USA and the village green. It's referred to locally as 'the church on the hill'.
After lovely displays of snowdrops and crocuses, it's currently swathed by a host of golden daffodils in the Spring sunshine (when the sun shines, that is!).
For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency and the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.
No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.
Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the Abbaye aux Dames stands not very far from the Abbaye aux Hommes in the city of Caen. Founded in 1060 by Duchess Mathilda, William’s wife, it was only completed in 1130.
Slightly shorter than the Mens’ Abbey, the Ladies’ church is much more decorated. Do not be fooled by the façade, however: it did take up the exact same concept of façade harmonique, and the sculpted tympanum you see above the main portal is an ugly 19th century “opus” that never existed in the Middle Ages, and sparked controversy even in the 1860s!
You will notice that the engaged pillars on the façade are ever so slightly tapered: the two middle ones are so shaped on both side, while the two on the sides are only tapered on the inside. It is a very clever trick that fools the eye. Let me underline once again that the camera was perfectly level before the photos of the façade were taken...
The abbey church was listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list of 1840.
(More on the history of Duke William the Conqueror, his wife Mathilda and the two abbeys of Caen can be found in the captions under the photos of the Men’s Abbey, which I uploaded just before those of the Ladies’ Abbey.)
The transept arms are almost, and strangely enough, the most decorated parts of the nave. The sculpted motifs remain abstract or very simple, floral. None is historied.
The early history of England seems to be in every stone of this lovely village and its important ancient church. Thought to be on the site of a Roman basilica, the tower is largely Saxon and was standing when Harold, Earl of Wessex and soon to be king of England, left here with his men in 1064 prior to his ill-fated voyage to Normandy and the subsequent Norman Conquest of 1066 depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry.
"In order to understand better this sublime dignity of the Mother of God over all creatures let us recall that the holy Mother of God was, at the very moment of her Immaculate Conception, so filled with grace as to surpass the grace of all the Saints. Wherefore, as Our Predecessor of happy memory, Pius IX wrote, God "showered her with heavenly gifts and graces from the treasury of His divinity so far beyond what He gave to all the angels and saints that she was ever free from the least stain of sin; she is so beautiful and perfect, and possesses such fullness of innocence and holiness, that under God a greater could not be dreamed, and only God can comprehend the marvel.""
– Pope Pius XII.
Tympanum above the main door of the Rosary Basilica in Fatima.
Buninyong. Population 3,700.
The district uses an Aboriginal word which they used for the local high mountain. The Learmonth brothers were the first with a pastoral run here in 1838. A village slowly emerged in the mid-1840s with a Post Office, Presbyterian Church (1847) and Hiscock’s blacksmiths. When Hiscock discovered the first major gold in Victoria in August 1851 he started the rush to the Ballarat goldfields. The village became a town when surveyed in 1850. A local gold mine operated and the town developed with fine buildings. Local flour miller Robert Allen bought some land in 1856 and erected the Institute building on it in 1861 as a gift to the town. The Institute and its library closed in 1926 and it became the property of the town. It was restored in 1988. The impressive combined Town Hall and Courthouse was built in 1886; along the street from that is the former National Bank on the corner (1866) and across the intersection is the gabled Crown Hotel built in 1885. The original 1851 wooden one burnt down in 1885. Beside the hotel is the Post Office (1874) and beyond is Thomas Hiscock’s cottage (1851). Along the Main Street towards Geelong is the Presbyterian Church with three side gables built in 1860. The town also has Anglican and Catholic churches.
For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency and the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.
No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.
Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the Abbaye aux Dames stands not very far from the Abbaye aux Hommes in the city of Caen. Founded in 1060 by Duchess Mathilda, William’s wife, it was only completed in 1130.
Slightly shorter than the Mens’ Abbey, the Ladies’ church is much more decorated. Do not be fooled by the façade, however: it did take up the exact same concept of façade harmonique, and the sculpted tympanum you see above the main portal is an ugly 19th century “opus” that never existed in the Middle Ages, and sparked controversy even in the 1860s!
You will notice that the engaged pillars on the façade are ever so slightly tapered: the two middle ones are so shaped on both side, while the two on the sides are only tapered on the inside. It is a very clever trick that fools the eye. Let me underline once again that the camera was perfectly level before the photos of the façade were taken...
The abbey church was listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list of 1840.
(More on the history of Duke William the Conqueror, his wife Mathilda and the two abbeys of Caen can be found in the captions under the photos of the Men’s Abbey, which I uploaded just before those of the Ladies’ Abbey.)
This is the opposite viewpoint, from the transept crossing but looking southwesterly into the main nave.
For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency and the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.
No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.
Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the Abbaye aux Dames stands not very far from the Abbaye aux Hommes in the city of Caen. Founded in 1060 by Duchess Mathilda, William’s wife, it was only completed in 1130.
Slightly shorter than the Mens’ Abbey, the Ladies’ church is much more decorated. Do not be fooled by the façade, however: it did take up the exact same concept of façade harmonique, and the sculpted tympanum you see above the main portal is an ugly 19th century “opus” that never existed in the Middle Ages, and sparked controversy even in the 1860s!
You will notice that the engaged pillars on the façade are ever so slightly tapered: the two middle ones are so shaped on both side, while the two on the sides are only tapered on the inside. It is a very clever trick that fools the eye. Let me underline once again that the camera was perfectly level before the photos of the façade were taken...
The abbey church was listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list of 1840.
(More on the history of Duke William the Conqueror, his wife Mathilda and the two abbeys of Caen can be found in the captions under the photos of the Men’s Abbey, which I uploaded just before those of the Ladies’ Abbey.)
The architectural envelope is vast and very pure in this church. It exemplifies very well the “art of the wall” that was, as I explain above, the alpha and omega of the Norman Romanesque. An impression of unparalleled mastery and majesty emanates from the nave and transept proportions.
As you can see, the main altar is installed at the crossing of the transept. This is, of course, a consequence of the Vatican II Council. This photograph was taken on Pentecost Monday. There was a Mass going on, and you can see the small congregation was assembled beyond the main altar, in the choir, in front of a secondary altar installed in the apse.
Also notice that above the choir is still groin vaulting, and not the early rib vaulting that will be used in the rest of the church. This is interesting because for once, you can clearly see, in the same church, how the transition actually took place while construction was in progress.
The Holy Trinity Church is located in Murree, a hill station in Pakistan established by the British for the sake of troops in Peshawar riddled with excruciating heat, disease and other dangers of the frontier. Construction on the Holy Trinity Church began in 1848 when the British administration took over Punjab Province. It was completed only seven years later, formally opened on May 17, 1857, and consecrated on March 2, 1860. The Church is a good example of gothic architecture with local adaptations.
The building was originally a red brick building, and during restoration, grey bricks were used. Furniture in the Church such as the altar and pulpit are made of wood and carved with Kashmiri style decorations. The baptismal font also stands in the main hall. The Church has been providing baptism services for the past 161 years. Several British Viceroys offered prayers here both before and after Independence. In 1997, Queen Elizabeth II visited and prayed here as well.
The tautologically-named River Avon ('Avon' simply means 'river' in Celtic languages) flows for 137 km from Northamptonshire to the River Severn at Tewkesbury. It forms a key part of the 'Avon Ring', a circular tour route for canal boats, which transfer to the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal (to Birmingham) at the nearby Bancroft Basin.
The octagonal stone steeple ~300 m away is that of Holy Trinity Church, said to be England's most visited parish church, for the simple reason that it was the venue of William Shakespeare's baptism (in 1564) and burial (in 1616), alongside his wife and elder daughter. It also hosted the baptism of all three of his children and the marriages of both of his daughters.
Originally the Norman replacement of a pre-845 Saxon monastery, 'The Collegiate Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity' dates from 1210, and is hence the oldest building in Stratford, now Grade I Listed. However, as with most churches of that age, subsequent expansion and renovation somewhat hides that mediæval core – for example, the original tower was remodelled in 1320-1331 (note the fine rose windows), the octagonal stone spire was added in 1763 (replacing a wooden one?) and the whole was repeatedly 'restored' in the Victorian era.
Swans are ubiquitous in Stratford, both symbolically (statues, pub signs, even a major theatre) and physically, politely soliciting food from visitors.
Built in 1865 in Victorian Carpenter Gothic style, the former Holy Trinity Church of England can be found on a rise along Morses Creek Road in the little alpine town of Wandiligong. Built of weatherboard it is a charming example of wooden churches built all over Australia in little country towns. Unusually, it features Elizabethan loopy bargeboard gingerbreading. It is unpretentious and looks like a picturesque country village church, nestled into its surrounds which are full of tall elm trees and surrounded by a pretty white picket fence. The church was last used as a place of worship in the mid 1960s. Originally containing rather ornate stained glass which has subsequently been replaced with plain glass windows, the former Holy Trinity Church of England has since been converted into a residence, named McKenzie. Although an extension with skylights has been put at the rear of the building, the designs are sympathetic with the original 1865 building and are not visible from Morses Creek Road.
Victorian Carpenter Gothic style emerged where timber was the mail building material or where transport and portability were considerations, and most buildings were simplified versions of Victorian Gothic buildings, although some did have very beautifully ornamental wooden gingerbreading and fretwork.
Wandiligong is a town in north-eastern Victoria in the alpine region around 330 kilometres from Melbourne. Established in the 1850s as part of the Victorian Gold Rush, Wandiligong became a hub for many gold miners, including a large Chinese community. At its peak, the town was home to over two thousand inhabitants and boasted shops, churches, a public library, halls and even an hotel. Much has changed since those heady days of the gold rush, and the picturesque town nestled in a valley and built around the Morses Creek, is now a sleepy little town full of picturesque houses which are often let to visitors to the area. The whole town is registered with the National Trust of Australia for its historic landscape and buildings of historic value.
"Final and perfect happiness can consist in nothing else than the vision of the Divine Essence...
Consequently, for perfect happiness the intellect needs to reach the very Essence of the First Cause. And thus it will have its perfection through union with God as with that object, in which alone man's happiness consists."
– St Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiæ, Ia IIæ, 3, 8.
Detail from a painting in the Cathedral of San Cristobal de La Laguna in Tenerife.
My sermon for Trinity Sunday 2020 can be read here.
The Holy Trinity Church in Bosham is particularly special to Sarah and Richard, as this is where they were married.
Piarist Church in the background.
After the plague of 1740-41, in the hope of protection from further diseases, the city dedicated a column to the Trinity and raised a chapel named after Saint Rókus beside the cemetery where the victims of the plague were buried. In 1745 the Piarist Church was consecrated.
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Settlement in Vác dating as far back as the Roman Empire has been found.
Bishops from the diocese were influential within the Kingdom of Hungary, with many serving as chancellors or later becoming archbishops.
The town was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1541. During the Habsburg Monarchy's wars against the Ottomans, the Austrians won victories against the Turks at Vác in 1597 and in 1684.
During the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848-49, the Honvédség routed the Austrian forces stationed in the city after a major battle (April 10, 1849); the Second Battle of Vác ended in Russian victory (July 17).
www.vac.hu/nyelv/eng/index.php
"The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’"
– Matthew 28:16-20, which is today's Gospel for Trinity Sunday.
Stained glass window from the Cathedral in Nashville.
For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency and the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.
No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.
Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the Abbaye aux Dames stands not very far from the Abbaye aux Hommes in the city of Caen. Founded in 1060 by Duchess Mathilda, William’s wife, it was only completed in 1130.
Slightly shorter than the Mens’ Abbey, the Ladies’ church is much more decorated. Do not be fooled by the façade, however: it did take up the exact same concept of façade harmonique, and the sculpted tympanum you see above the main portal is an ugly 19th century “opus” that never existed in the Middle Ages, and sparked controversy even in the 1860s!
You will notice that the engaged pillars on the façade are ever so slightly tapered: the two middle ones are so shaped on both side, while the two on the sides are only tapered on the inside. It is a very clever trick that fools the eye. Let me underline once again that the camera was perfectly level before the photos of the façade were taken...
The abbey church was listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list of 1840.
(More on the history of Duke William the Conqueror, his wife Mathilda and the two abbeys of Caen can be found in the captions under the photos of the Men’s Abbey, which I uploaded just before those of the Ladies’ Abbey.)
Mass for a small congregation in the choir, on the morning of Pentecost Monday 2025.
For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency and the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.
No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.
Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the Abbaye aux Dames stands not very far from the Abbaye aux Hommes in the city of Caen. Founded in 1060 by Duchess Mathilda, William’s wife, it was only completed in 1130.
Slightly shorter than the Mens’ Abbey, the Ladies’ church is much more decorated. Do not be fooled by the façade, however: it did take up the exact same concept of façade harmonique, and the sculpted tympanum you see above the main portal is an ugly 19th century “opus” that never existed in the Middle Ages, and sparked controversy even in the 1860s!
You will notice that the engaged pillars on the façade are ever so slightly tapered: the two middle ones are so shaped on both side, while the two on the sides are only tapered on the inside. It is a very clever trick that fools the eye. Let me underline once again that the camera was perfectly level before the photos of the façade were taken...
The abbey church was listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list of 1840.
(More on the history of Duke William the Conqueror, his wife Mathilda and the two abbeys of Caen can be found in the captions under the photos of the Men’s Abbey, which I uploaded just before those of the Ladies’ Abbey.)
This abbey church is full of fascinating, never-seen-before details, such as these unique elliptical openings at the top of the towers (here, the southern one).
Originally the Norman replacement of a pre-845 Saxon monastery, 'The Collegiate Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity' dates from 1210, and is hence the oldest building in Stratford. However, as with most churches of that age, subsequent expansion and renovation somewhat hides that mediæval core – for example, the original tower was remodelled in 1320-1331 (note the fine rose windows), the octagonal stone spire was added in 1763 (replacing a wooden one?) and the whole was repeatedly 'restored' in the Victorian era.
Grade I Listed, Holy Trinity is said to be England's most visited parish church, for the simple reason that it was the venue of William Shakespeare's baptism (in 1564) and burial (in 1616), alongside his wife and elder daughter; it also hosted the baptism of all three of his children and the marriages of both of his daughters.
Seen from the 'minigolf' course on the town's Recreation Ground; the 'bobbed' trees are on the near bank of the River Avon; note the red-brown bankside benches and life preserver.
Painting the bond of love....a new portrait , inspired by photographs sent to the expressionist artist Stephen B. Whatley by an American couple, Jerry and Janet, who have been great collectors of the artist's work; in particular his Catholic tribute paintings.
As they are devout Catholics, the painting was started on the Feast of The Most Holy Trinity and completed throughout The Feasts of The Sacred Heart of Jesus and The Immaculate Heart of Mary; during which the little heart emerged between them.
The original painting recently arrived on the East coast of the USA and the collectors emailed a happy photograph of the two of them holding the painting.
Their accompanying message to the artist : " The portrait has arrived. It brightened our day immensely! The original version is so vibrant, full of depth and energy. Thanks for sharing your artistic and spiritual gifts to capture our essence in this portrait tribute. We look forward to sharing it with our children over time as they come to visit..."
Whatley's portraits of The Prince of Wales and Princes William & Harry - commissioned by American collectors - were published in HELLO magazine in 2008 and 2011; his portrait of Princess Margaret (Private collection, USA) was published in The Times(London) and HELLO; whilst his portrait of Barack Obama was published in TIME magazine's Person of The Year issue of 2008.
Stephen B. Whatley also has a history of painting portraits from life in a single sitting and his many portrait sitters in the past 30 years include actors of stage and screen such as Frances Barber, Elizabeth Dawn MBE, Dame Judi Dench, Susan Hampshire OBE, Dame Siân Phillips CBE, Alison Steadman OBE, Dame Julie Walters, Barbara Young, Carol Royle, Virginia McKenna OBE, , Finty Williams & Dame Barbara Windsor; TV presenter Sarah Greene; comedienne & writer Jo Brand; Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year, Patsy Bloom; entrepreneur, Ivan Massow; fashion designer, Matthew Williamson; and barrister, Michael Mansfield QC.
In 2000 Whatley was commissioned to paint a series of 30 paintings for the Tower of London - all of which are permanently reproduced outside Tower Hill Station, throughout Tower Hill Underpass, as a permanent vibrant art exhibit welcoming visitors to the Tower of London.
In 2004 Stephen B. Whatley was presented to HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at a reception at the Tower of London, in recognition of his work.
Jerry and Janet Enos. 2020
Oil on canvas, 24 x 30in/61 x 76cm
Private collection, USA
"Brothers, we wish you happiness; try to grow perfect; help one another. Be united; live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with the holy kiss. All the saints send you greetings.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
– 2 Corinthians 13:11-13.
Fresco from the Jesuit church of Il Gesu in Rome.
For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency and the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.
No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.
Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the Abbaye aux Dames stands not very far from the Abbaye aux Hommes in the city of Caen. Founded in 1060 by Duchess Mathilda, William’s wife, it was only completed in 1130.
Slightly shorter than the Mens’ Abbey, the Ladies’ church is much more decorated. Do not be fooled by the façade, however: it did take up the exact same concept of façade harmonique, and the sculpted tympanum you see above the main portal is an ugly 19th century “opus” that never existed in the Middle Ages, and sparked controversy even in the 1860s!
You will notice that the engaged pillars on the façade are ever so slightly tapered: the two middle ones are so shaped on both side, while the two on the sides are only tapered on the inside. It is a very clever trick that fools the eye. Let me underline once again that the camera was perfectly level before the photos of the façade were taken...
The abbey church was listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list of 1840.
(More on the history of Duke William the Conqueror, his wife Mathilda and the two abbeys of Caen can be found in the captions under the photos of the Men’s Abbey, which I uploaded just before those of the Ladies’ Abbey.)
The simple dark marble slab that marks the tomb of Duchess Mathilda of Flanders, founder of the abbey and wife of Duke William the Conqueror.
The interior of Holy Trinity, Blythburgh. Known as 'The Cathedral of the Marshes' this Suffolk church has a long and interesting history.