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Bury St Edmunds remarkably boasts two major churches a short distance apart, almost sharing a churchyard, with St Mary's a short walk to the south of the former St James (now the cathedral). St James is now the focus of the diocese and has been magnificently extended for its new role, but St Mary's is by far the more significant medieval building. Given its grand scale it was also considered for cathedral status upon the foundation of the new diocese but was not chosen as its historic value was too great to allow major alteration, whereas St James's was a far more flexible building already much altered and rebuilt, thus it was chosen instead.
The sight of these two great churches (and another since vanished) standing before the great and now tragically lost Abbey in the monastic precinct must have been an unforgettable sight in the Middle Ages. St Mary's is one of the grandest parish churches not only in Suffolk but the whole country, impressively proportioned and almost entirely rebuilt in the 15th century aside from the fortress-like tower on the north side that appears to date back at least to the previous century.
The interior also impresses with its great volume but most of all the wonderful original nave roof borne aloft on slender arcades. This is one of the very finest medieval hammerbeam angel roofs to have survived, and the carvings are in wonderful condition, surviving the iconoclasts unblemished unlike so many other examples, the great smiling wooden angels gazing down benevolently as they have done for centuries. The darkened woodwork makes the detail a little difficult to appreciate without a good zoom lens and requires the eye to adjust.to fully enjoy it.
The chancel beyond also possesses a fine 15th century ceiling but of a very different design and much easier see in detail owing to its rich colouring and gilding. Paintings of angels line the edges and carved bosses abound, the former have been retouched but are otherwise largely original. A further ornate medieval ceiling, uniquely adorned with mirrored glass, can be seen over the east end of the south aisle where the cadaver tomb of John Baret (benefactor of much of the rebuilding) can also be found.
The chancel contains further monuments with effigies to members of the Carewe and Drury families, both now sadly bereft of their canopies. A further burial here is that of Mary Rose Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, who was initially interred in the Abbey only to be reburied here after her brother destroyed it. The original monument is lost so her resting place here is now marked by a simple marble slab.
My time at St Mary's was limited since not long after I arrived people started gathering for a funeral so I didn't get all the shots I wanted (so many of the roof carvings thus eluded me). I quietly exited via the delightful Notyngham porch on the north side which has another gem of a medieval ceiling carved with a central pendant (which I was delighted to finally see having found this porch closed on previous visits).
St Mary's is happily normally open and welcoming daily and no visitor should miss it.
San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometers outside the town.
San Gimignano rose from an ancient etruscan settlement around a seventh century parish and a castle gave to the Volterra’s episcope in 929; during the XII century became a city-republic. Its first walls were born in 998, when San Gimignano became a business centre along the Francigena Way. San Gimignano is the birthplace of "Folgore da San Gimignano" (Poet, 1270-1332).
The families, enriched with the commerce, ordered 72 towers to be built (but, as the law forbade, everyone could not exceed in height the Commune tower, called Rognosa). Further to the continuous infighting between Guelfi and Ghibellini factions (in 1300 also Dante Alighieri stopped there few days as Guelfi’s league ambassador) and to the conflict with Volterra, in 1343 was subordinated to the duke of Athens and in 1353 was subdued to Florence, following later the rule of Grand Duchy of Tuscany till 1860.
The Urban structure and the numerosity of civil and religious buildings of San Gimignano, almost intact, preserve the medievale fascination; nowdays remain only 15 of the 72 towers, unbroken or cropped, but they are enough to give an unmistakable mark to the town.
Montalbano Elicona is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 150 km east of Palermo and about 50 km southwest of Messina. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,687 and an area of 67.4 km². It is mainly known for the castle built in 1233 by the Emperor Frederic II and the medieval architecture of its streets.The municipality of Montalbano Elicona contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Pellizzaro, Toscano, Santa Barbara,Casale, Villa Braidi, and Santa Maria, Santa Venera e Santo Stefano.Montalbano Elicona borders the following municipalities: Basicò, Falcone, Floresta, Francavilla di Sicilia, Librizzi, Malvagna, Oliveri, Patti, Raccuja, Roccella Valdemone, San Piero Patti, Santa Domenica Vittoria, Tripi.Crowned from a majestic Castle, encircled from secular forests that they perfume of thousands essences it is one of the antichi and evocative centers of the nebroidea area, rich of stroria, art and traditions. The students from ten years discuss on the origins of the country and of name. Montalbano Elicona derives from the Latin names mons albus with reference to mounts covered with snow or from the Arabic names al bana meaning of "excellent place". During the period of the Greek colonization (VII-VIII sec. B.C.), Dori, thinking to the mythical mount of the Muse, called Helikon the place that coinciding with the rise on which rises the medieval village and a torrent whose tortuous course justifies the name. First news about the existence of the village dates back to the XI century when it was a State possession. In 1232 it revolted against Federick II of Swabia, and supported the Pope together with other centres. Later it has belonged to different feudatories: Lancias in 1396, Romano Colonnas, Bonannos in 1587. It is prevalently an agricultural centre. Products mostly cultivated are grapes, cereals, chestnuts, walnuts, hazel-nuts. Very good are dairying products typical of the place. The tipical gastronomy are "maccheroni stirati a mano" and seasoned with sauce of pork, mutton and goat's meat. More important is the production of sweet whith almond, hazelnut and the typical biscuit of the Easter. The most interesting monuments are the Mother Church , today known as the Basilica Minore and the Church of S. Caterina. Built in Middle Ages, the Church Mother, was refounded and enlarged in 1654 by adding two side aisles and the splendid bell tower. The Church dedicated to San Nicola, the Saint Patron of the town, had a precious statue, built by Gagini in 1587. Neighbouring to castle there is the Church of Santa Caterina. It has a wonderful portal in romantic style. In the interior there is a statue of the Sant made in marble with a bas-relief base. Interesting to see are also some beautiful baroque portals: the Portale di casa Messina-Ballarino, built by Irardi da Napoli in the seventeenth century and the Portale di casa Mastropaolo, built in the eighteenth century by a stone-cutter born in Montalbano Elicona and named Bongiovanni and also the fountain of Gattuso.
Montalbano Elicona è un comune italiano di 2.485 abitanti della provincia di Messina in Sicilia.È caratterizzato dalla presenza, nella parte antica dell'abitato, di un antico Castello che fu residenza estiva di re Federico II di Aragona.La prima parte del nome è un composto di mons (monte) e albanus, da albus, bianco. In specifico, si riferisce all'antico nome del monte su cui fu realizzato un castello per volere di Federico II d'Aragona.Gli studiosi non sono concordi sulle origini del paese e del suo nome. Alcuni fanno risalire tale origine dai nomi latini mons albus con riferimento ai monti innevati, altri al nome arabo al bana, dal suggestivo significato di "luogo eccellente". L'appellativo Elicona risale senz'altro alla colonizzazione greca. Durante il periodo della colonizzazione (VII-VIII secolo a.C.), i Dori, pensando al mitico monte delle Muse, chiamarono Helikon un sito, coincidente con l'altura su cui sorge il borgo medievale ed un torrente vicino il cui andamento tortuoso giustifica l'appellativo.
Le prime testimonianze sull'esistenza del borgo risalgono all'XI secolo, quando risultava possesso demaniale. Nel 1232 si rivoltò contro Federico II di Svevia, parteggiando per il Papa insieme ad altri centri. Successivamente appartenne a diversi feudatari: ai Lancia nel 1396, ai Romano Colonna, ai Bonanno nel 1587.Montalbano Elicona è stato inserito nell'elenco dei 90 borghi medievali più belli d'Italia, cioè nel club de I borghi più belli d'Italia, un'esclusiva associazione di piccoli centri italiani che si distinguono per grande interesse artistico, culturale e storico, per l'armonia del tessuto urbano, vivibilità e servizi ai cittadini. Tra le chiese di interesse artistico certamente è da sottolineare la Basilica di Maria Assunta in cielo (Duomo) con le sue opere d'arte, in particolare quelle del Gagini.
Last but not least, the final church of the day and a good one to finish on, the last of my itinerary's 'big three' which I simply had to see on this trip (all the more so having finished another excursion here only two days earlier but arriving far too late to see inside, a mistake I was keen to avoid repeating!).
St Mary's at Dennington is one of those churches you read about and see details of in books long before planning a visit so the churchcrawler general;ly approaches here with a greater degree of anticipation. It is a grand building with an impressive length and width for a village church, its west tower fairly plain but given a more muscular appearance by its slightly over-emphasised corner buttresses (with a stair turret on the north side(. It appears to be a mainly late 14th century structure but its stylistic unity and generous size are not the main reason for its fame, that becsomes clearer once one steps inside via the handsome north porch.
Within the church feels somewhat sprawling, and fairly well lit owing to mostly plain-glazed windows which also means there isn't a lot of colour in here apart from the muted pale tones of the walls above and the rich dark browns of the woodwork below, and it is this Aladdin's cave of carved wooden furnishings which gives Dennington such renown. The first features to catch the eye upon entering are the carved pews, many Suffolk churches have bench ends like these with traceried panels on their fronts and fanciful animals serving as armrests and this is a particularly rich set. Sadly some of the animals have been damaged, but plenty can still be enjoyed. The most famous character here however is carved in relief on one of the benches on the south side of the nave, the figure of a mythical Sciapod sheltering under his enormous foot.
Towards the eastern end of the nave the carved pews give way to Post-Reformation box-pews (a few of which incorporate their medieval predecessors) and then two rich parclose screens that dominate the end of both side aisles, a rare survival in any form but here all the more significant for retaining their original lofts with rich cresting at full height. Originally these would have been joined across the nave by the rood screen, but only the lowest level of this now survives (and I almost missed it altogether being concealed within the box pews). The parclose chapel on the south side contains the magnificent mid 15th century alabaster tomb of Sir William Bardolph and his wife, their effigies resplendent with much of their original colouring.
The chancel beyond looks a little more sober by comparison but is enriched by a few good elements of its original 14th century glazing in the traceries and heads of certain windows. Above the altar hangs the rare wooden pyx, a spire-like tabernacle to hold the sacrament. Frustratingly I didn't get a good shot of this, a bit of a hazard in a church with so many good features to enjoy.
Dennington church is one that needs to be experienced, especially for those with a fondness for medieval and later woodwork. In normal times it is usually kept open and welcoming to visitors and really deserves more of them. For more see its entry on the Suffolk Churches site below:-
Eltham Palace in south east London is the place where high medieval architecture and the art deco styling of the 1930s collide.
www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157594230012929/ for the full set.
The site had belonged to Bishop Odo, half brother of William the Conqueror in 1086. Anthony Bek, Bishop of Durham, certainly built a defensive wall around the site in the 1290s. Edward I, Edward II and Edward III all visited or lived here, Bek having given the site to young Edward II. Edward III spent most of his youth here.
The Order of the Garter, Europe's oldest surviving order of chivalry may have been founded here by Edward III in 1348. Later kings added to the site but it was Edward IV who built the magnificent Great Hall in 1470s which can still be seen. It has the third largest hammer beam ceiling in England.
Tudor kings Henry VII and Henry VIII favoured the site for many years as it was one of only six palaces which could house the entire royal court of 800 people. However Eltham was largely replaced by the now lost Greenwich Palace which was nearer the river but still had access to the good hunting around Eltham.
It later became a farm and the Great Hall narrowly avoided demolition in the 19th century.
In the 1930s the lease was acquired by the wealthy Courtauld family who proposed a radical rebuild of the site, which was still owned by the Crown. After some controversy architects John Seely and Paul Paget go the go-ahead in 1933 and work started.
The interior is furnished in the art-deco style and modern features of the new house included a centralised vacuum cleaner system in the basement with outlets in every room, heated towel rails and radios in the staff bedrooms.
The Courtaulds lived in the house from 1936 until 1944. Conservative minister Rab Butler lived at Eltham with the Courtaulds and much of the 1944 Education Act is thought to have been written here.
Although the family still had 88 years left on the lease the Second World War prompted the Courtaulds to leave and the building became the headquarters for the Army Educational Corps from 1945 until 1992. English Heritage had already cared for the Great Hall but took over the whole site in 1995 and began a restoration of the main house which, fortunately, had retained many of its art deco features and interiors.
More fittings and furniture have since been returned to the house - including a table and chairs which were found in the board room and the props department of Pinewood film studios. Stephen Courtauld had been on the board of Ealing Film Studios for 20 years.
Detail from the magnificent chantry chapel of Prince Arthur at Worcester, a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and sculpture and the last resting place of Henry VIII's elder brother.
Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.
The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Refomation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.
The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).
Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.
Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.
The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.
The superb net-vaulting over the choir is studded with gilded roof bosses, mostly of a foliate design except for those over the sanctuary which depict various musician angels surrounding a central figure of Christ.
Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.
The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.
The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.
The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.
The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a seperate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.
There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.
Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.
The Rock of Cashel (Irish: Carraig Phádraig [ˈcaɾˠəɟ ˈfˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ]), also known as Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick's Rock, is an historic site located at Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland.
According to local legends, the Rock of Cashel originated in the Devil's Bit, a mountain 20 miles (30 km) north of Cashel when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in the Rock's landing in Cashel. Cashel is reputed to be the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century.
The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years prior to the Norman invasion. In 1101, the King of Munster, Muirchertach Ua Briain, donated his fortress on the Rock to the Church. The picturesque complex has a character of its own and is one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture to be found anywhere in Europe. Few remnants of the early structures survive; the majority of buildings on the current site date from the 12th and 13th centuries.
The oldest and tallest of the structure is the well preserved round tower (28 metres, or 90 feet), dating from c.1100. Its entrance is 12 feet (3.7 m) from the ground, necessitated by a shallow foundation (about 3 feet) typical of round towers. The tower was built using the dry stone method. Modern conservationists have filled in some of the tower with mortar for safety reasons.
Cormac's Chapel with parts of the cathedral on either side
Cormac's Chapel, the chapel of King Cormac Mac Carthaigh, was begun in 1127 and consecrated in 1134. It is a sophisticated structure, with vaulted ceilings and wide arches, drawing on contemporary European architecture and infusing unique native elements. The Irish Abbot of Regensburg, Dirmicius of Regensburg, sent two of his carpenters to help in the work and the twin towers on either side of the junction of the nave and chancel are strongly suggestive of their Germanic influence, as this feature is otherwise unknown in Ireland. Other notable features of the building include interior and exterior arcading, a barrel-vaulted roof, a carved tympanum over both doorways, the magnificent north doorway and chancel arch and the oldest stairs in Ireland. It contains one of the best-preserved Irish frescoes from this time period. The Chapel was constructed primarily of sandstone which has become waterlogged over the centuries, significantly damaging the interior frescoes. Restoration and preservation required the chapel be completely enclosed in a rain-proof structure with interior dehumidifiers to dry out the stone. It is now open for limited tours to the public.
Irish High Cross at the Rock of Cashel
The Cathedral, built between 1235 and 1270, is an aisleless building of cruciform plan, having a central tower and terminating westwards in a massive residential castle. The Hall of the Vicars Choral was built in the 15th century. The vicars choral were laymen (sometimes minor canons) appointed to assist in chanting the cathedral services. At Cashel, there were originally eight vicars choral with their own seal. This was later reduced to five honorary vicars choral who appointed singing-men as their deputies, a practice which continued until 1836. The restoration of the Hall was undertaken by the Office of Public Works as a project in connection with the European Architectural Heritage Year, 1975. Through it visitors now enter the site.
In 1647, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Cashel was sacked by English Parliamentarian troops under Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin. The Irish Confederate troops there were massacred, as were the Catholic clergy, including Theobald Stapleton. Inchiquin's troops looted or destroyed many important religious artefacts.
In 1749, the main cathedral roof was removed by Arthur Price, the Anglican Archbishop of Cashel. Today, what remains of the Rock of Cashel has become a tourist attraction. Price's decision to remove the roof on what had been called the jewel among Irish church buildings was criticised before and since.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Montalbano Elicona is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 150 km east of Palermo and about 50 km southwest of Messina. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,687 and an area of 67.4 km². It is mainly known for the castle built in 1233 by the Emperor Frederic II and the medieval architecture of its streets.The municipality of Montalbano Elicona contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Pellizzaro, Toscano, Santa Barbara,Casale, Villa Braidi, and Santa Maria, Santa Venera e Santo Stefano.Montalbano Elicona borders the following municipalities: Basicò, Falcone, Floresta, Francavilla di Sicilia, Librizzi, Malvagna, Oliveri, Patti, Raccuja, Roccella Valdemone, San Piero Patti, Santa Domenica Vittoria, Tripi.Crowned from a majestic Castle, encircled from secular forests that they perfume of thousands essences it is one of the antichi and evocative centers of the nebroidea area, rich of stroria, art and traditions. The students from ten years discuss on the origins of the country and of name. Montalbano Elicona derives from the Latin names mons albus with reference to mounts covered with snow or from the Arabic names al bana meaning of "excellent place". During the period of the Greek colonization (VII-VIII sec. B.C.), Dori, thinking to the mythical mount of the Muse, called Helikon the place that coinciding with the rise on which rises the medieval village and a torrent whose tortuous course justifies the name. First news about the existence of the village dates back to the XI century when it was a State possession. In 1232 it revolted against Federick II of Swabia, and supported the Pope together with other centres. Later it has belonged to different feudatories: Lancias in 1396, Romano Colonnas, Bonannos in 1587. It is prevalently an agricultural centre. Products mostly cultivated are grapes, cereals, chestnuts, walnuts, hazel-nuts. Very good are dairying products typical of the place. The tipical gastronomy are "maccheroni stirati a mano" and seasoned with sauce of pork, mutton and goat's meat. More important is the production of sweet whith almond, hazelnut and the typical biscuit of the Easter. The most interesting monuments are the Mother Church , today known as the Basilica Minore and the Church of S. Caterina. Built in Middle Ages, the Church Mother, was refounded and enlarged in 1654 by adding two side aisles and the splendid bell tower. The Church dedicated to San Nicola, the Saint Patron of the town, had a precious statue, built by Gagini in 1587. Neighbouring to castle there is the Church of Santa Caterina. It has a wonderful portal in romantic style. In the interior there is a statue of the Sant made in marble with a bas-relief base. Interesting to see are also some beautiful baroque portals: the Portale di casa Messina-Ballarino, built by Irardi da Napoli in the seventeenth century and the Portale di casa Mastropaolo, built in the eighteenth century by a stone-cutter born in Montalbano Elicona and named Bongiovanni and also the fountain of Gattuso.
Montalbano Elicona è un comune italiano di 2.485 abitanti della provincia di Messina in Sicilia.È caratterizzato dalla presenza, nella parte antica dell'abitato, di un antico Castello che fu residenza estiva di re Federico II di Aragona.La prima parte del nome è un composto di mons (monte) e albanus, da albus, bianco. In specifico, si riferisce all'antico nome del monte su cui fu realizzato un castello per volere di Federico II d'Aragona.Gli studiosi non sono concordi sulle origini del paese e del suo nome. Alcuni fanno risalire tale origine dai nomi latini mons albus con riferimento ai monti innevati, altri al nome arabo al bana, dal suggestivo significato di "luogo eccellente". L'appellativo Elicona risale senz'altro alla colonizzazione greca. Durante il periodo della colonizzazione (VII-VIII secolo a.C.), i Dori, pensando al mitico monte delle Muse, chiamarono Helikon un sito, coincidente con l'altura su cui sorge il borgo medievale ed un torrente vicino il cui andamento tortuoso giustifica l'appellativo.
Le prime testimonianze sull'esistenza del borgo risalgono all'XI secolo, quando risultava possesso demaniale. Nel 1232 si rivoltò contro Federico II di Svevia, parteggiando per il Papa insieme ad altri centri. Successivamente appartenne a diversi feudatari: ai Lancia nel 1396, ai Romano Colonna, ai Bonanno nel 1587.Montalbano Elicona è stato inserito nell'elenco dei 90 borghi medievali più belli d'Italia, cioè nel club de I borghi più belli d'Italia, un'esclusiva associazione di piccoli centri italiani che si distinguono per grande interesse artistico, culturale e storico, per l'armonia del tessuto urbano, vivibilità e servizi ai cittadini. Tra le chiese di interesse artistico certamente è da sottolineare la Basilica di Maria Assunta in cielo (Duomo) con le sue opere d'arte, in particolare quelle del Gagini.
Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.
The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.
The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.
The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.
The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a separate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.
There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.
Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.
Eltham Palace in south east London is the place where high medieval architecture and the art deco styling of the 1930s collide.
www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157594230012929/ for the full set.
The site had belonged to Bishop Odo, half brother of William the Conqueror in 1086. Anthony Bek, Bishop of Durham, certainly built a defensive wall around the site in the 1290s. Edward I, Edward II and Edward III all visited or lived here, Bek having given the site to young Edward II. Edward III spent most of his youth here.
The Order of the Garter, Europe's oldest surviving order of chivalry may have been founded here by Edward III in 1348. Later kings added to the site but it was Edward IV who built the magnificent Great Hall in 1470s which can still be seen. It has the third largest hammer beam ceiling in England.
Tudor kings Henry VII and Henry VIII favoured the site for many years as it was one of only six palaces which could house the entire royal court of 800 people. However Eltham was largely replaced by the now lost Greenwich Palace which was nearer the river but still had access to the good hunting around Eltham.
It later became a farm and the Great Hall narrowly avoided demolition in the 19th century.
In the 1930s the lease was acquired by the wealthy Courtauld family who proposed a radical rebuild of the site, which was still owned by the Crown. After some controversy architects John Seely and Paul Paget got the go-ahead in 1933 and work started.
The interior is furnished in the art-deco style and modern features of the new house included a centralised vacuum cleaner system in the basement with outlets in every room, heated towel rails and radios in the staff bedrooms.
The Courtaulds lived in the house from 1936 until 1944. Conservative minister Rab Butler lived at Eltham with the Courtaulds and much of the 1944 Education Act is thought to have been written here.
Although the family still had 88 years left on the lease the Second World War prompted the Courtaulds to leave and the building became the headquarters for the Army Educational Corps from 1945 until 1992. English Heritage had already cared for the Great Hall but took over the whole site in 1995 and began a restoration of the main house which, fortunately, had retained many of its art deco features and interiors.
More fittings and furniture have since been returned to the house - including a table and chairs which were found in the board room and the props department of Pinewood film studios. Stephen Courtauld had been on the board of Ealing Film Studios for 20 years.
Originally founded as an Augustinian abbey in 1140, Bristol Cathedral has had a more chequered history than most, having only been elevated to a diocesan church in 1542 following the dissolution of the monastery. At the time it was granted cathedral status the church was also incomplete, a major rebuilding of the nave was underway but the Dissolution brought work to a halt and the unfinished parts were demolished. The new cathedral was a truncated church consisting of choir, transepts and central tower, (already on a smaller scale than many) and so it remained until the Victorian period when renewed interest in the Middle Ages reignited the desire to rebuild the nave. The work was done between 1868-77 to the designs of architect George Edmund Street (largely imitating the genuine medieval architecture of the choir) whilst the west front with its twin towers wasn't finished until 1888 (to the design of J.L.Pearson). Only then was Bristol cathedral a complete church again, after a gap of more than three centuries.
Architecturally this is also a rather unique building in England, since it follows the German pattern of a 'hall-church' where the main vessel (nave & choir) and the side aisles are all of the same height, thus there is no clerestorey and the aisle windows rise to the full height of the building. Externally this gives the building a rather more solid, muscular look, whilst within there is a greater sense of enclosed space, with the columns merging into the vaulted ceilings like trees sprouting branches. There are many striking architectural innovations here that don't seem to have been repeated elsewhere in 14th/15th century England, such as the distinctive designs of the choir aisle vaults which appear to rest on pierced bracings and the 'stellate' tomb-recesses punctuating the walls below. Further eccentric touches can be found in some of the side chapels of the eastern arm. Another unique feature is the fact the cathedral has two Lady Chapels, the major one being below the east window behind the high altar, whilst a further chapel (one of the earliest parts of the church) is attached to the north transept.
Beyond its impressive architectural features the cathedral contains much of interest, with its late medieval choir stalls surviving along with a few much restored elements of its 14th century glass (along with an interesting mixture of windows from later centuries) and several monumental tombs of note. Parts of the monastic complex remain too, with two sides of the cloister remaining and the superb Norman chapter house (one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture and carving in the country with some wonderfully rich-non-figurative decoration).
Frustratingly this visit was cut rather short by an impending service so I had to leave before making a full circuit of the building (it wasn't my first visit fortunately but my first opportunity to use a decent camera here) so much will have to wait until I find myself in Bristol again. I got around the bulk of the church but had to leave before I could get any shots of the north choir aisle and lady chapels (and had to miss the superb chapter house altogether). Unfinished business, an excuse to return.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Cathedral
Much fuller photographic coverage here:-
Beauvais cathedral represents medieval architecture at it's most ambitious, it's vaulted ceilings are the highest ever built.
This ambition came at a price, with the choir vault collapsing soon after it was constructed, so considerable reinforcement in the form of extra columns accompanied their reconstruction.
As a result of such traumas work on the cathedral was slow, and by the late Middle Ages the transepts had only just been completed with their impressive, late Gothic facades. The nave awaited construction, but rather than focus on this an act of pure folly led to priority being given to an enormous steeple over the crossing instead, giving this already loftiest of cathedrals one of the tallest, most elaborate spires ever concieved.
It all ended in disaster after only three years; the already overburdened columns couldn't support such a load for long, especially given the absence of a nave to reinforce the west side of the crossing, and the whole steeple came crashing down in 1573, never to be rebuilt.
The damage caused by the fall of the spire was repaired but all hopes of completing the cathedral were abandoned and the west end boarded up in 'temporary' fashion as it remains to this day. Bizarrely the remaining section of the Romanesque church that preceeded the cathedral was left in place as a result, and being such a modest building is utterly dwarfed by the soaring gothic structure towering over it.
Sadly it was too late in the day to get inside the cathedral, and our hopes of doing so at the start of the trip had been scuppered by our being burdened with luggage (having just arrived from Beauvais airport) and there being no left luggage facility at the local station!
A familiar landmark in north Birmingham, Aston's parish church of SS Peter & Paul is also the most substantial piece of medieval architecture left anywhere near the city centre, or rather would have been had it not been so completely rebuilt in 1879-90 by J.A.Chatwin (whose work seems synonymous with Birmingham's older churches!), leaving just the 14th century west tower (with it's curiously designed upper stage, adorned with deeply recessed blank arcading) and spire. It is nonetheless a splendid sight in this otherwise not too glamourous area, and Chatwin's work is a solid exercise in neo-Perpendicular, adorned with much fine carved detail and an apse reminiscent of old St Michael's in Coventry.
The interior is most impressive, somewhat dark but richly decorated, with a mixed bag of Victorian glass (Hardman's in the apse, where I was shown the pink giraffe!) and very much of it's time, all under a fine hammerbeam roof, more elaborate over the chancel, as is the stonework generally with dramatic cusped ogee arches providing a setting for some of the many tombs. There are several good medieval monuments with effigies, mostly to the Erdington family and the bulk concentrated in the Erdington Chapel on the south side. None are of the highest quality or best condition, but a worthy collection nevertheless. The largest monument is the 1620s Devereux tomb with it's canopy but rather difficult to see in it's somewhat blackened state in a dark corner. There are also many Baroque and later wall tablets adorned with putti etc distributed throughout the aisles.
What would have been the most important piece of stained glass is currently stored in a crate in the north aisle, it is a large single-arched composition by Francis Eginton from 1798 with a female figure ascending to Heaven. It had been originally installed in the Erdington Chapel, but relocated in the Victorian rebuilding and hidden behind the organ for years, until more recently being removed following vandal damage. The church has no funds to restore it with and no space to put it in, but it is clearly an important work that needs to be back on display somewhere, perhaps the City Museum & Art Gallery, since they have an extensive stained glass display?
I'd been intending to visit this church for some time, but had heard it was rather difficult to get inside. I'd phoned the parish office before I left home and a very helpful young lady answered and said it'd be no problem whilst she was around (till 12ish) so I broke my journey to Erdington and made the shortish walk from Aston railway station. After struggling to find which door to knock on she emerged and kindly escorted me through the offices into the church, and after a brief introduction left me to snap away by myself. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away and when nobody arrived at 12 to lock up I pushed my luck and carried on a bit longer, only to find the poor girl was waiting patiently around the corner! I apologised and should add how grateful we should be to such individuals who generously give their time for our enjoyment of the buildings in their care.
Sculpture from the magnificent chantry chapel of Prince Arthur at Worcester, a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and sculpture and the last resting place of Henry VIII's elder brother.
Unusually, most of the medieval statuary of the chapel has survived both Reformation and Civil War though the main reredos figures have been defaced, though it seems the primary motive here was to remove the extremeties of the sculptures, allowing a flatter surface to board or plaster over! Nonetheless enough survives to give a good indication of their quality.
Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.
The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Refomation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.
The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).
Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.
Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.
The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.
St Michael's at Stanton Harcourt is one of Oxfordshire's most rewarding churches, a real gem full of interest. The building is of largely 13th century dates (with alterations / additions in the following centuries) and retains its original cruciform plan. The latest addition is the Harcourt Chapel on the south side in 15th century Perpendicular, and one of the outstanding features of the church with its fine collection of tombs and monuments of the Harcourt family. The adjoining manor is visible from the churchyard, it's most noticeable feature being the detached 15th century tower situated opposite the west end of the church and thus almost appearing as if it belongs to it.
The church has several important medieval features within, from elements of ancient glass, a substantial part of the former shrine of St Eadburgha, further fine monuments and likley the earliest complete medieval rood screen. There is much to enjoy here and a visit is highly recommended.
The church is normally kept open and welcoming for visitors but the Harcourt Chapel is usually kept locked and visitors will have to be content with peering through the gates to see the tombs. I am extremely grateful to Martin Beek for organising this day and arranging for the chapel to be opened for us, with thanks also to the churchwarden who kindly gave her time for us to explore and photograph the monuments inside.
St Peter's church at Ashby Parva can be a slightly elusive building, hidden as it is amongst the dense foliage of its leafy churchyard (and thus rather difficult to get an external impression of). It consists of a square west tower, an aisleless nave lit by large three-light windows and a chancel rebuilt by the Victorians.
The interior has most of its medieval features aside from the unusually well preserved stairway to the (long vanished) rood-loft on the north side.
An inviting sign on the door attests to the fact the church is normally open and welcoming to visitors.
Continental Market
Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk is a unique and dazzling historic gem. An important market town with a richly fascinating heritage, the striking combination of medieval architecture, elegant Georgian squares and glorious Cathedral and Abbey Gardens provide a distinctive visual charm. With prestigious shopping, an award-winning market, plus variety of attractions and places to stay, Bury St Edmunds is under two hours from London.
Enjoy a colourful day in historic Bury St Edmunds with its marketplace full of bustling bright stalls right at the heart of this thriving town (Wednesday and Saturday), complete with its brand new shopping experience, the Arc. Browse for a bargain or wander the small streets packed with independent shops. Take a stroll through the picturesque Abbey Gardens to admire the cathedral’s new tower or hear the stories of the town’s rich history on a guided walk. There are plenty of inviting coffee shops and restaurants along the way for that light-bite or special shopper’s treat, then again, if you have a taste for a bit of local flavour and a pint of real ale, why not pop in for a tasty tour of the Greene King Brewery?
Popular annual event promises a host of fresh cut flowers, bedding plants, bulbs and seedlings, herbs and shrubs, cacti and exotic plants, hanging baskets, planters and urns, bird tables, garden furniture and equipment as well as the gastronomic delights on offer at the continental market, with stalls direct from the continent. Come and sample the flavours, fragrances and bonhomie.
Montalbano Elicona is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 150 km east of Palermo and about 50 km southwest of Messina. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,687 and an area of 67.4 km². It is mainly known for the castle built in 1233 by the Emperor Frederic II and the medieval architecture of its streets.The municipality of Montalbano Elicona contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Pellizzaro, Toscano, Santa Barbara,Casale, Villa Braidi, and Santa Maria, Santa Venera e Santo Stefano.Montalbano Elicona borders the following municipalities: Basicò, Falcone, Floresta, Francavilla di Sicilia, Librizzi, Malvagna, Oliveri, Patti, Raccuja, Roccella Valdemone, San Piero Patti, Santa Domenica Vittoria, Tripi.Crowned from a majestic Castle, encircled from secular forests that they perfume of thousands essences it is one of the antichi and evocative centers of the nebroidea area, rich of stroria, art and traditions. The students from ten years discuss on the origins of the country and of name. Montalbano Elicona derives from the Latin names mons albus with reference to mounts covered with snow or from the Arabic names al bana meaning of "excellent place". During the period of the Greek colonization (VII-VIII sec. B.C.), Dori, thinking to the mythical mount of the Muse, called Helikon the place that coinciding with the rise on which rises the medieval village and a torrent whose tortuous course justifies the name. First news about the existence of the village dates back to the XI century when it was a State possession. In 1232 it revolted against Federick II of Swabia, and supported the Pope together with other centres. Later it has belonged to different feudatories: Lancias in 1396, Romano Colonnas, Bonannos in 1587. It is prevalently an agricultural centre. Products mostly cultivated are grapes, cereals, chestnuts, walnuts, hazel-nuts. Very good are dairying products typical of the place. The tipical gastronomy are "maccheroni stirati a mano" and seasoned with sauce of pork, mutton and goat's meat. More important is the production of sweet whith almond, hazelnut and the typical biscuit of the Easter. The most interesting monuments are the Mother Church , today known as the Basilica Minore and the Church of S. Caterina. Built in Middle Ages, the Church Mother, was refounded and enlarged in 1654 by adding two side aisles and the splendid bell tower. The Church dedicated to San Nicola, the Saint Patron of the town, had a precious statue, built by Gagini in 1587. Neighbouring to castle there is the Church of Santa Caterina. It has a wonderful portal in romantic style. In the interior there is a statue of the Sant made in marble with a bas-relief base. Interesting to see are also some beautiful baroque portals: the Portale di casa Messina-Ballarino, built by Irardi da Napoli in the seventeenth century and the Portale di casa Mastropaolo, built in the eighteenth century by a stone-cutter born in Montalbano Elicona and named Bongiovanni and also the fountain of Gattuso.
Montalbano Elicona è un comune italiano di 2.485 abitanti della provincia di Messina in Sicilia.È caratterizzato dalla presenza, nella parte antica dell'abitato, di un antico Castello che fu residenza estiva di re Federico II di Aragona.La prima parte del nome è un composto di mons (monte) e albanus, da albus, bianco. In specifico, si riferisce all'antico nome del monte su cui fu realizzato un castello per volere di Federico II d'Aragona.Gli studiosi non sono concordi sulle origini del paese e del suo nome. Alcuni fanno risalire tale origine dai nomi latini mons albus con riferimento ai monti innevati, altri al nome arabo al bana, dal suggestivo significato di "luogo eccellente". L'appellativo Elicona risale senz'altro alla colonizzazione greca. Durante il periodo della colonizzazione (VII-VIII secolo a.C.), i Dori, pensando al mitico monte delle Muse, chiamarono Helikon un sito, coincidente con l'altura su cui sorge il borgo medievale ed un torrente vicino il cui andamento tortuoso giustifica l'appellativo.
Le prime testimonianze sull'esistenza del borgo risalgono all'XI secolo, quando risultava possesso demaniale. Nel 1232 si rivoltò contro Federico II di Svevia, parteggiando per il Papa insieme ad altri centri. Successivamente appartenne a diversi feudatari: ai Lancia nel 1396, ai Romano Colonna, ai Bonanno nel 1587.Montalbano Elicona è stato inserito nell'elenco dei 90 borghi medievali più belli d'Italia, cioè nel club de I borghi più belli d'Italia, un'esclusiva associazione di piccoli centri italiani che si distinguono per grande interesse artistico, culturale e storico, per l'armonia del tessuto urbano, vivibilità e servizi ai cittadini. Tra le chiese di interesse artistico certamente è da sottolineare la Basilica di Maria Assunta in cielo (Duomo) con le sue opere d'arte, in particolare quelle del Gagini.
St Mary's sits upon its hillside perch at the aptly named Hill Croome, a village with only a handful of buildings. The church is small but very picturesque with its saddle-backed tower and is approached via a steep upwards path from the road.
The interior remains a mystery to me, I've passed through here a couple of times and tried the door but have always found it locked without a keyholder notice (according to the link below there is one nearby, but it's not advertised!).
www.worcesteranddudleyhistoricchurches.org.uk/index.php?p...
Victorian stained glass in the south aisle by William Warrington 1859.
Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.
The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.
The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.
The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.
The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a separate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.
There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.
Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.
Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.
The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.
The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.
The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.
The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a seperate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.
There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.
Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.
My visit coincided with the major 'Crucible' exhibition of contemporary sculpture (September-October 2010), examples of which I will upload next.
Painted alabaster wall monument to Edward Holte (d.1592) & his wife Dorothy in the north aisle at Aston.
A familiar landmark in north Birmingham, Aston's parish church of SS Peter & Paul is also the most substantial piece of medieval architecture left anywhere near the city centre, or rather would have been had it not been so completely rebuilt in 1879-90 by J.A.Chatwin (whose work seems synonymous with Birmingham's older churches!), leaving just the 14th century west tower (with it's curiously designed upper stage, adorned with deeply recessed blank arcading) and spire. It is nonetheless a splendid sight in this otherwise not too glamourous area, and Chatwin's work is a solid exercise in neo-Perpendicular, adorned with much fine carved detail and an apse reminiscent of old St Michael's in Coventry.
The interior is most impressive, somewhat dark but richly decorated, with a mixed bag of Victorian glass (Hardman's in the apse, where I was shown the pink giraffe!) and very much of it's time, all under a fine hammerbeam roof, more elaborate over the chancel, as is the stonework generally with dramatic cusped ogee arches providing a setting for some of the many tombs. There are several good medieval monuments with effigies, mostly to the Holte family and the bulk concentrated in the Erdington Chapel on the south side. None are of the highest quality or best condition, but a worthy collection nevertheless. The largest monument is the 1620s Devereux tomb with it's canopy but rather difficult to see in it's somewhat blackened state in a dark corner. There are also many Baroque and later wall tablets adorned with putti etc distributed throughout the aisles.
What would have been the most important piece of stained glass is currently stored in a crate in the north aisle, it is a large single-arched composition by Francis Eginton from 1798 with a female figure ascending to Heaven. It had been originally installed in the Erdington Chapel, but relocated in the Victorian rebuilding and hidden behind the organ for years, until more recently being removed following vandal damage. The church has no funds to restore it with and no space to put it in, but it is clearly an important work that needs to be back on display somewhere, perhaps the City Museum & Art Gallery, since they have an extensive stained glass display?
I'd been intending to visit this church for some time, but had heard it was rather difficult to get inside. I'd phoned the parish office before I left home and a very helpful young lady answered and said it'd be no problem whilst she was around (till 12ish) so I broke my journey to Erdington and made the shortish walk from Aston railway station. After struggling to find which door to knock on she emerged and kindly escorted me through the offices into the church, and after a brief introduction left me to snap away by myself. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away and when nobody arrived at 12 to lock up I pushed my luck and carried on a bit longer, only to find the poor girl was waiting patiently around the corner! I apologised and should add how grateful we should be to such individuals who generously give their time for our enjoyment of the buildings in their care.
St John's sits at the entrance to Spon Street, that rare enclave of medieval architecture in Coventry's mostly post-war city centre. Being on the fringe of city's heart it generally gets less attention from visitors, thus one feels that in any other setting it would be far more celebrated, George Gilbert Scott, who restored the church in 1877, considered it 'one of the most beautiful churches in England'. The church luckily escaped major damage in the November 1940 Blitz that destroyed so much else in the city, beyond the loss of much (but not all) of it's Victorian stained glass.
The church was founded in 1342 by Queen Isabella, mother of Edward III, but most of what we see today is 15th century work, though evidently of different phases. The church sits on a relatively small site, but what it lacks in length and width it gains in height, and with it's tapering and unusually narrow clerestorey windows and central tower it gives the impression of a cathedral in miniature. The tower has oddly corbelled-out turrets at it's corners, an over-exaggeration of the original design by Scott; his main intervention on the exterior otherwise was the renewal of much of the stonework, since warm red sandstone is one of the least resistant to weathering.
The interior is surprisingly light for a sandstone church, the result of the large Perpendicular windows and extensive clerestorey that creates a 'glass cage' effect in the higher parts of the church. It is also rather narrow, which accentuates the proportions and sense of height further, a good example of architectural limitations and constraints turned to an advantage. There are some good medieval carvings surviving higher up, but otherwise aside from the fine Perpendicular architecture itself the impression is largely of early 20th century High Church Anglican worship, as most of the furnishings appear to date from this time, though they are nonetheless attractive and sympathetic to the building.
The lack of any relics of the Middle Ages in wood or glass or monuments of later periods is explained by the history of the church, since it actually ceased to be used for worship in the 1590s and for several centuries suffered various indignities of secular use, such as a prison for Scottish rebels captured after the Battle of Preston during the Civil War in 1648 (these rebels, loyal to the King, were shunned in the Parliamentarian held city, thus the phrase being 'Sent to Coventry' was born!). Other uses included as a stables, a market and a winding and dying house for cloth, before being eventually restored to church use in the 19th century. We should at least be glad that being put to other uses at least preserved the structure through it's centuries of hibernation.
The church posesses an interesting mixture of stained glass, from Victorian and Edwardian pieces that survived the bombing, to the more prominent and colourful windows installed in the 1950s. However it is interesting to note how the postwar glass here predates the nearby Cathedral's windows by only a few years, but is still highly figurative and traditional in approach, thus still a far cry from the revolutionary new works that Coventry became famous for less than a decade later.
St John's is open on saturday mornings but otherwise kept locked owing to concerns over security. Sadly it has suffered attacks from stone-throwing idiots on several occasions in recent years (I have repaired minor damage to several of the windows here) but the parishoners remain welcoming and friendly in spite of a difficult environment. It is a lovely church and well worth a visit.
For more detail and images see it's entry on the Warwickshire Churches website below:-
warwickshirechurches.weebly.com/coventry---st-john-the-ba...
Naseby church is a handsome sight with its soaring western steeple proudly asserting its presence from afar. The church is mainly 14th century in date and constructed of beautifully coloured local ironstone. Its most handsome feature is the tall west tower with its twin bell-openings and a richly crocketed spire in contrasting limestone rising above.
I have been in Naseby church at least twice over the years as it is normally kept open and welcoming. However I was out of luck on this occasion as it was nearly 6pm when even the most visitor-friendly church will have likely locked up so interior photos will have to await another visit.
The unique strainer arches carrying the thrust of the vaulting under Gloucester Cathedral's tower; it is incredible to think of the weight carried by these delicate, insubstantial looking arches, as much as the sheer audacity of the medieval architect!
Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.
The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.
The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.
The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.
The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a seperate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.
There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14 th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.
Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.
My visit coincided with the major 'Crucible' exhibition of contemporary sculpture (September-October 2010), examples of which I will upload in due course.
Detail from the magnificent chantry chapel of Prince Arthur at Worcester, a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and sculpture and the last resting place of Henry VIII's elder brother.
Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.
The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Refomation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.
The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).
Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.
Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.
The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.
I have visited Minster perhaps more than any other village in Kent. This is because the station is an excellent spot from which to snap steam tours as they manoeuvre to take the avoiding chord to Deal and Dover. And each time I go I try to get into St Mary the Virgin and I find the door locked fast.
The week before whilst visiting Monkton, I met one of the wardens who assured me that Minster would be open every Saturday morning for bellringing practice.
Saturday morning came round and so I headed to Minster with my friend Will to snap it, if it was open. Although it appeared to be locked, the door was just stiff and soon gave way to the wonders inside.
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Minster Abbey on the Isle of Thanet was founded in AD 669 by Domneva, niece of King Erconbert of Kent. The enormous parish church, built some distance to the south-west of the abbey, dates from two distinct periods. The nave is Norman, a magnificent piece of twelfth-century arcading with tall cylindrical pillars. The chancel and transepts are thirteenth century, with a three-light east window, each one double shafted inside. This end of the church has a simple stone vaulted ceiling which adds greatly to the grandeur. The glass is by Thomas Willement and dates from 1861. Ewan Christian restored the church in 1863 and added vaulted ceilings to the transepts. They had been intended by the medieval designers, but were never built. There is a set of eighteen fifteenth-century stalls with misericords and an excellent sixteenth-century font and cover.
kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Minster+in+Thanet
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he history of Minster church is entwined with that of Minster Abbey. The abbey was founded in 670AD, when Ermenburga of Mercia accepted a gift of land from Egbert of Kent as weregild for the murder of her younger brothers at the king's court, so that she could found a nunnery on the Isle of Thanet. According to legend, the boundary of the land granted to Ermenburga was determined by the course her pet deer took when released to wander on its own. With the addition of later grants of land the estates of Minster Abbey encompassed about half of Thanet. The abbey was ransacked by the Danes, and abandoned for a time before it was refounded by the monks of Canterbury, who rebuilt the Saxon timber buildings in stone. Throughout this early part of the abbey's history the monastic church served both the nuns and the townsfolk as a parish church. For a more detailed history of Minster Abbey see our article on the abbey.
There is some confusion over what part of the church is the oldest; the nave dates to 1150, and the chancel may be slightly earlier. The tower is said to be Saxon; it certainly has old stonework and a very odd turret stair, but the material is Caen stone which only truly became popular after the Norman Conquest. So it may not be as old as it appears at first glance. The turret may have simply been a shipping lookout, for in the Middle Ages Minster had a busy port and the Wentsum Channel lapped at the base of the churchyard wall. The tower and the nave walls also contain Roman bricks.
But that's nitpicking; the church is very obviously of ancient origin and even more obviously an impressive example of medieval architecture, with features covering every century since the Norman invasion - and probably before.
We've already mentioned the 12th century nave, which has remained almost unaltered since it was built. The north aisle pillars have capitals decorated with foliage carvings, while in the aisle is a wall monument to Thomas Paramore (d. ). At the north end of the aisle is the Thorne Chapel, with the 13th century tomb of Aedile de Thorne. Look up at the lancet windows and you will see a stained glass depiction of a stag, the symbol of Thanet after the story of Ermenburga's deer.
The chancel is a true highlight; one of the finest of any parish churches in Kent. It is primarily in Early English style, with a much later Victorian east window by Thomas Willement, the “Father of Victorian Stained Glass”.
But the real highlight in the chancel are the wonderful medieval misericords that decorate the choir stalls. The early 15th century stalls feature no fewer than 18 carved misericords. These 'mercy seats' were used to provide a comfortable place for monks to rest during long services. There are 18 misericords here, probably carved in 1410, and they cover an array of subjects including a cook with a ladle, an angel playing a stringed instrument, a serpent eating its own tail, a king, dragons, lions, and other strange beasts. Perhaps the strangest, a certainly the one that tells us most about medieval society, is a depiction of a 'scold's bridle'; a woman with a bit in her mouth, intended to stop her from speaking. Together these make up one of the finest collection of misericords in the south east of England.
There are several interesting bits and bobs in the south aisle, including a cover of a wooden chained Bible in a glass display case. At the west end is a 12th century Norman font near an ancient iron-bound muniment chest, unusually made of fir with a lid of elm.
Spare a glance for the list of vicars by the door. I seldom pay these long lists much attention, but in this case there are several interesting characters among the incumbents at Minster. One was Seth Travis (1547), the first appointment made by the Archbishop of Canterbury after the Dissolution of the Monastery. Richard Clerk (1597) was one of those learned scholars named by James I to hammer out the details of the King James Bible. Then there is Meric Casaubon (1634) who was deposed by Parliament in 1644 for his Royalist sympathies. In 1652 Cromwell asked him to write a history of the war, setting down impartially 'nothing but matters of fact'. He declined. When Charles II came to the throne at the Restoration, Casaubon was reinstated as vicar of Minster.
While Casaubon was suspended during the war, however, Minster was saddled with Richard Culmer, aka 'Blue Dick'. Culmer was a virulent iconoclast, and a bitter enemy of Episcopy. He was best known for destroying monuments and breaking up stained glass at Canterbury Cathedral. So unpopular was his appointment among the townsfolk that he had trouble collecting church tithes. His name is conspicuous by its absence from the list of vicars. And speaking of such lists, Henry Wharton (1688) was the first to popularise the making of such lists of incumbents, an act he thought might impart a sense of continuity to Church of England churches. A later vicar, John Lewis (1708) wrote over a thousand sermons in his time at Minster. On his death he ordered them destroyed, fearing that vicars who followed him might find the temptation of plagiarising his works too great.
The grandest village church in south Nottinghamshire, St Mary's church dominates the centre of the quirkily named village of Bunny, its tapering spire crowning a tall west tower making the building very much the local landmark (along with the curious tower of the nearby hall). It is a building of considerable length, both the aisled nave and the chancel seem are of impressive dimensions. Much of it appears to be of 14th century date, though later interventions are indicated here and there, such as the strangey domestic-looking east window of the chancel that must have been a 17th century alteration. The south porch is remarkable inside for its corbelled stone roof, a most unusual feature that gives it an almost fortified appearance.
The interior seems almost as broad as it is long, the aisled nave has been scraped of its plaster-finish in the Victorian period and is now in marked contrast to the chancel beyond where the walls are still white-rendered and the windows mostly plain glazed, making it a much brighter space. There are a few monuments to members of the Parkyns family but none compete with the largest and most famous of them which is now located in the north aisle (originally in the chancel) and uniquely depicts a over-large figure of Sir Thomas Parkyns in an aggressive wrestling pose balanced by a much smaller figure of his eventual defeat by Old Father Time.
Bunny church is normally kept locked outside of service times though may have limited open hours on certain days, but it is best to check ahead or make arrangements if travelling to see it. For more see its article on the highly commendable diocesan website below:-
Bern in German Bern, in French Berne, in Italian and Roman Bern, in German Berne Bärn is the federal city (Bundesstadt) and de facto capital of Switzerland. It is also the capital of the canton of the same name.
In June 2014 it had a population of 138,410 inhabitants. The agglomeration of Bern, which includes 43 municipalities, has a population (2011) of approximately 355,600 people. The metropolitan area of Bern, which in the year 2000 included 123 communes, had 660 237 inhabitants.
The Aare River runs through the city. The old city of Bern is inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List since 1983, thanks to its medieval architecture preserved over the centuries. The official language in Berne is German, although the most spoken language is Bernese German, a dialect of the Germanic alto.
According to the Mercer Quality of Life Survey 2011, Bern is the ninth city in the world with the best quality of life.5 The city ranked sixth among the cities with the best quality of life in the world in 2003 and the ninth in 2009.6
Etymology
The etymology of Bern (Bern) is uncertain. According to the local legend, based on the popular etymology, Duke Bertoldo V de Zähringen, founder of the city, promised that he would give his name in agreement with the first animal that he found in the hunt in which he was going to participate, and the first animal that he saw was a bear (Bär in German).
For a long time it was felt that the city received its name from the Italian city of Verona, which was known as «Bern» in Middle High German. In the 1980s a zinc plate was found, known as Bern's zinc plate, it had already become the oldest theory that the city had received its name from a pre-existing toponym of Celtic origin, possibly * berna «crack or divide ».7
The bear has been the heraldic animal in the coat of arms of Bern since the 1220s. The first reference that speaks of living bears in the future of the years or Bärengraben, near the Nidegg bridge, dates from the 1440s.
Geography
Bern is geographically located in the Mittelland area, on the Swiss plateau. The city was limited to its historical center enclosed by a meander of the Aar and the city walls until 1834. With the opening of the walls and the construction of bridges to cross the river, the city expanded in all directions. The city is bordered to the north by the communities of Frauenkappelen, Wohlen bei Bern, Kirchlindach, Bremgarten bei Bern, Zollikofen and Ittigen, to the east with Ostermundigen and Muri bei Bern, to the south with Köniz and Neuenegg, and to the west with Mühleberg and is located in the administrative district of Bern-Mittelland.
The commune is divided into six Stadtteile (districts), in turn subdivided into Quartiere ('barrios'). The districts of Bern are: Engeried, Felsenau, Neufeld, Länggasse, Stadtbach, Muesmatt, Holligen, Weissenstein, Mattenhof, Monbijou, Weissenbühl, Sandrain, Kirchenfeld, Brunnadern, Murifeld, Schosshalde, Beundenfeld, Altenberg, Spitalacker, Breitfeld, Breitenrain, Lorraine, Bümpliz, Oberbottigen, Stöckacker, Bethlehem.
The strong population concentrations of the central districts and of Bümpliz-Belén are counteracted, to the west of the communal territory, by rural areas and large forest areas (forests of Bremgarten and Könizberg).
Berne is the center of a growing agglomeration, consisting of 34 communes (1990), from Schalunen in the north to Wichtrach in the Aar Valley and Kaufdorf in the Güebe Valley, from Wünnewil-Flamatt (FR) in the southwest to Worb in the east Bern is a regional educational, cultural and health center.
Extracted from Wikipedia
Berna en alemán Berna, en francés Berna, en italiano y romano Berna, en alemán Berna Bärn es la ciudad federal (Bundesstadt) y capital de facto de Suiza. También es la capital del cantón homónimo.
En junio de 2014 tenía una población de 138,410 habitantes. La aglomeración de Berna, que incluye 43 municipios, tiene una población (2011) de aproximadamente 355.600 personas. El área metropolitana de Berna, que en el año 2000 incluía 123 comunas, tenía 660 237 habitantes.
El río Aare atraviesa la ciudad. La ciudad vieja de Berna está inscrita en la Lista del Patrimonio Mundial de la Unesco desde 1983, gracias a su arquitectura medieval conservada a lo largo de los siglos. El idioma oficial en Berna es el alemán, aunque el idioma más hablado es el alemán bernés, un dialecto del alto germánico.
Según la Encuesta de calidad de vida de Mercer 2011, Berna es la novena ciudad del mundo con la mejor calidad de vida.5 La ciudad ocupó el sexto lugar entre las ciudades con la mejor calidad de vida del mundo en 2003 y la novena en 2009.6
Etimología
La etimología de Berna (Berna) es incierta. Según la leyenda local, basada en la etimología popular, el duque Bertoldo V de Zähringen, fundador de la ciudad, prometió que daría su nombre de acuerdo con el primer animal que encontrara en la caza en la que iba a participar, y el primer animal que vio fue un oso (Bär en alemán).
Durante mucho tiempo se sintió que la ciudad recibió su nombre de la ciudad italiana de Verona, que era conocida como «Berna» en el alto alemán medio. En la década de 1980 se encontró una placa de zinc, conocida como la placa de zinc de Berna, ya se había convertido en la teoría más vieja que la ciudad había recibido su nombre de un topónimo preexistente de origen celta, posiblemente * berna «crack o dividir ».7
El oso ha sido el animal heráldico en el escudo de armas de Berna desde la década de 1220. La primera referencia que habla de osos vivos en el futuro de los años o Bärengraben, cerca del puente Nidegg, data de la década de 1440.
Geografía
Berna se encuentra geográficamente en el área de Mittelland, en la meseta suiza. La ciudad se limitó a su centro histórico encerrado por un meandro del Aar y las murallas de la ciudad hasta 1834. Con la apertura de las murallas y la construcción de puentes para cruzar el río, la ciudad se expandió en todas las direcciones. La ciudad limita al norte con las comunidades de Frauenkappelen, Wohlen bei Bern, Kirchlindach, Bremgarten bei Bern, Zollikofen e Ittigen, al este con Ostermundigen y Muri bei Bern, al sur con Köniz y Neuenegg, y al oeste con Mühleberg y se encuentra en el distrito administrativo de Bern-Mittelland.
La comuna se divide en seis Stadtteile (distritos), a su vez subdivididos en Quartiere ('barrios'). Los distritos de Berna son: Engeried, Felsenau, Neufeld, Länggasse, Stadtbach, Muesmatt, Holligen, Weissenstein, Mattenhof, Monbijou, Weissenbühl, Sandrain, Kirchenfeld, Brunnadern, Murifeld, Schosshalde, Beundenfeld, Altenberg, Spitalacker, Breitfeld, Breitenrain, Lorraine, Bümpliz, Oberbottigen, Stöckacker, Belén.
Las fuertes concentraciones de población de los distritos centrales y de Bümpliz-Belén son contrarrestadas, al oeste del territorio comunal, por áreas rurales y grandes áreas forestales (bosques de Bremgarten y Könizberg).
Berna es el centro de una aglomeración creciente, que consta de 34 comunas (1990), desde Schalunen en el norte hasta Wichtrach en el Valle de Aar y Kaufdorf en el Valle de Güebe, desde Wünnewil-Flamatt (FR) en el suroeste hasta Worb en el este Berna es un centro educativo, cultural y de salud regional.
Extraído de Wikipedia
Muizz Street in Islamic Cairo, Egypt is one of the oldest streets in Cairo, approximately one kilometer long. A United Nations study found it to have the greatest concentration of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world.
The magnificent chantry chapel of Prince Arthur at Worcester, a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and sculpture and the last resting place of Henry VIII's elder brother.
Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.
The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Refomation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.
The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).
Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.
Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.
The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.
Westminster Abbey is perhaps the most significant church in English History, site of the coronation of monarchs since it was founded by Edward the Confessor, and burial place of the majority of them, along with many other historical figures of note. It is first and foremost a superlative work of medieval architecture, from its soaring 13th-14th century nave, transepts and choir (all in a curiously French inspired version of Decorated Gothic) to the masterpiece of English Perpendicular, the incredibly lacy fan-vaulted Henry VII's chapel at the east end.
The Abbey is also a treasure house of ecclesiastical art, most of it monumental sculpture on the numerous tombs and effigies of almost every date ranging from the entire medieval period through to the 20th century; a somewhat cluttered interior, crammed full of interest, there is simply nothing else quite like it, no other church contains so many monuments.
The Abbey's monastic ranges partially survive, most notably the cloisters and superb chapter house; a short summary of the Abbey's riches is simply impossible. The monastery itself was shut down during the Dissolution, after which the Abbey briefly became a cathedral until its diocesan rank was revoked merely a decade later. Today it is designated a 'Royal Peculiar' owing to its unique status.
The Abbey is a textbook in stone of British history, and thus a hugely popular tourist attraction. It currently has more limited opening hours in the post-Covid recovery period and entry is not cheap, but happily after decades of a strict prohibition against photographers the rules have now been relaxed at last and visitors are now welcome to fully enjoy this marvellous building with their cameras!
For further details (and restrictions) see below:-
St Michael's church forms the centrepiece of the delightful Wiltshire village of Aldbourne, seen to best advantage across the open space of the village green.
The building is mostly of 15th century date with a handsome west tower (whose parapet has a shorn-off look owing to the missing or unfinished corner pinnacles). It is made cruciform by the addition of transepts on each side at the end of the nave.
Within the church has a warm feel owing to the coloured limewash finish. It is an interior that invites exploration and has several features of interest in the chancel chapels and transept, with a late medieval tomb bearing an incised figure of a priest and two much more flamboyant family monuments from the post-Reformation period.
Of course many fans of classic Doctor Who will know this church primarily as the one that featured in the story 'The Daemons' when the entire village of Aldbourne was used as the location of the fictional 'Devil's End' (many key scenes were set in the church's crypt, though in reality there is no crypt here. The story ends with the church exploding, so it is reassuring to see it still in such good condition regardless, or else pieced back together extraordinarily well ;-)
Aldbourne church is open and welcoming in normal times and the entire village is worth exploring for its picturesque setting.
Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.
The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.
The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.
The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.
The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a seperate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.
There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14 th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.
Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.
My visit coincided with the major 'Crucible' exhibition of contemporary sculpture (September-October 2010), examples of which I will upload in due course.
Fawsley church has long been a favourite of mine, ever since we first stumbled across it on a family outing in my youth. Seeing it standing alone in its field we simply had to stop and investigate, and were not prepared for the wealth of interest awaiting us inside. The memory thus is a strong one, and we liked it enough to revisit all those years ago, but it had been a good three decades and more since then and I was most eager to return.
To reach the church one has to pass through a gate and a field usually full of roaming sheep. The church is protected by a ditch that encloses it and the very small churchyard on the south side, beyond which is a lake. A short distance to the west stands the late medieval Fawsley Hall, now a hotel but formerly the ancient home of the Knightley Family who at the time of the Reformation decided to clear away Fawsley village to enclose the area for sheep grazing, living only the church standing alone as it still does today.
The earliest parts of the building are 13th century but what we see today is the result of various modifications since, the square tower being of 14th century date and the nave clerestorey and square-headed aisle windows from the early Tudor period. Lastly the small chancel was rebuilt in 1690, an example of Gothic Survival, blending well with the rest of the building. The material used is as usual in this area the warm Northamptonshire ironstone, though here it has a more silvery appearance as a result of being loud with lichen, though much of the whiteness of the north face of the tower appears to be the remnants of an external limewash. The effect is attractive and gives the northern face of the building a rather chalky finish.
Stepping inside through the narrow north door reveals an interior full of interesting features. a light interior that though not large feels more spacious than it is owing to the lack of pews except for the rare Tudor box pews at the west end. These only fill the first bay of the nave but are replete with linenfold below and fascinating carved panels above which include many strange human and animal figures. The style is a fusion of late medieval and Renaissance and the date may be perhaps 1530s.
The windows meanwhile are filled with an assortment of heraldic medallions and Flemish figurative roundels, all mainly of 16th century date with a few notable exceptions (some late medieval elements remain amidst the heraldry while the west window of the south aisle has an intriguing patchwork of 17th century enamel-painted pieces). The only evidence of the Victorian period is the east window of the chancel which is a fairly standard work by Hardman's.
Perhaps the most memorable features here however are the monuments, the best being the magnificent Tudor alabaster tomb of Sir Richard and Lady Knightley with splendid effigies lying on a tomb chest adorned with small figures of their eight sons and four daughters. It is one of the finest church monuments in the country and remarkable for fusing Gothic and Renaissance details (though it remains more medieval in spirit) and retaining so much of its original colouring. Nearby in the nave are two fine late medieval brasses whilst opposite is an extraordinarily massive Jacobean monument to members of the Knightley family that fills much of the wall of the north aisle, flanked by a pair of later urn like memorials. Various grand tablets adorn the walls elsewhere in the church.
Fawsley church is unspoilt and unforgettable and if one has limited time visiting the area then this is the church to see, it is a delightful and hugely rewarding place in every sense. Happily it is normally open and welcoming to visitors too, and I was glad to see that several came in for a look throughout my visit.
The church suffered in recent years owing to the theft of lead from the roof but all is now restored. It is a heavy burden for the tiny congregation that support it, but they soldier on and will doubtless welcome any support this lovely building can attract.
Montalbano Elicona is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 150 km east of Palermo and about 50 km southwest of Messina. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,687 and an area of 67.4 km². It is mainly known for the castle built in 1233 by the Emperor Frederic II and the medieval architecture of its streets.The municipality of Montalbano Elicona contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Pellizzaro, Toscano, Santa Barbara,Casale, Villa Braidi, and Santa Maria, Santa Venera e Santo Stefano.Montalbano Elicona borders the following municipalities: Basicò, Falcone, Floresta, Francavilla di Sicilia, Librizzi, Malvagna, Oliveri, Patti, Raccuja, Roccella Valdemone, San Piero Patti, Santa Domenica Vittoria, Tripi.Crowned from a majestic Castle, encircled from secular forests that they perfume of thousands essences it is one of the antichi and evocative centers of the nebroidea area, rich of stroria, art and traditions. The students from ten years discuss on the origins of the country and of name. Montalbano Elicona derives from the Latin names mons albus with reference to mounts covered with snow or from the Arabic names al bana meaning of "excellent place". During the period of the Greek colonization (VII-VIII sec. B.C.), Dori, thinking to the mythical mount of the Muse, called Helikon the place that coinciding with the rise on which rises the medieval village and a torrent whose tortuous course justifies the name. First news about the existence of the village dates back to the XI century when it was a State possession. In 1232 it revolted against Federick II of Swabia, and supported the Pope together with other centres. Later it has belonged to different feudatories: Lancias in 1396, Romano Colonnas, Bonannos in 1587. It is prevalently an agricultural centre. Products mostly cultivated are grapes, cereals, chestnuts, walnuts, hazel-nuts. Very good are dairying products typical of the place. The tipical gastronomy are "maccheroni stirati a mano" and seasoned with sauce of pork, mutton and goat's meat. More important is the production of sweet whith almond, hazelnut and the typical biscuit of the Easter. The most interesting monuments are the Mother Church , today known as the Basilica Minore and the Church of S. Caterina. Built in Middle Ages, the Church Mother, was refounded and enlarged in 1654 by adding two side aisles and the splendid bell tower. The Church dedicated to San Nicola, the Saint Patron of the town, had a precious statue, built by Gagini in 1587. Neighbouring to castle there is the Church of Santa Caterina. It has a wonderful portal in romantic style. In the interior there is a statue of the Sant made in marble with a bas-relief base. Interesting to see are also some beautiful baroque portals: the Portale di casa Messina-Ballarino, built by Irardi da Napoli in the seventeenth century and the Portale di casa Mastropaolo, built in the eighteenth century by a stone-cutter born in Montalbano Elicona and named Bongiovanni and also the fountain of Gattuso.
Montalbano Elicona è un comune italiano di 2.485 abitanti della provincia di Messina in Sicilia.È caratterizzato dalla presenza, nella parte antica dell'abitato, di un antico Castello che fu residenza estiva di re Federico II di Aragona.La prima parte del nome è un composto di mons (monte) e albanus, da albus, bianco. In specifico, si riferisce all'antico nome del monte su cui fu realizzato un castello per volere di Federico II d'Aragona.Gli studiosi non sono concordi sulle origini del paese e del suo nome. Alcuni fanno risalire tale origine dai nomi latini mons albus con riferimento ai monti innevati, altri al nome arabo al bana, dal suggestivo significato di "luogo eccellente". L'appellativo Elicona risale senz'altro alla colonizzazione greca. Durante il periodo della colonizzazione (VII-VIII secolo a.C.), i Dori, pensando al mitico monte delle Muse, chiamarono Helikon un sito, coincidente con l'altura su cui sorge il borgo medievale ed un torrente vicino il cui andamento tortuoso giustifica l'appellativo.
Le prime testimonianze sull'esistenza del borgo risalgono all'XI secolo, quando risultava possesso demaniale. Nel 1232 si rivoltò contro Federico II di Svevia, parteggiando per il Papa insieme ad altri centri. Successivamente appartenne a diversi feudatari: ai Lancia nel 1396, ai Romano Colonna, ai Bonanno nel 1587.Montalbano Elicona è stato inserito nell'elenco dei 90 borghi medievali più belli d'Italia, cioè nel club de I borghi più belli d'Italia, un'esclusiva associazione di piccoli centri italiani che si distinguono per grande interesse artistico, culturale e storico, per l'armonia del tessuto urbano, vivibilità e servizi ai cittadini. Tra le chiese di interesse artistico certamente è da sottolineare la Basilica di Maria Assunta in cielo (Duomo) con le sue opere d'arte, in particolare quelle del Gagini.
Westminster Abbey is perhaps the most significant church in English History, site of the coronation of monarchs since it was founded by Edward the Confessor, and burial place of the majority of them, along with many other historical figures of note. It is first and foremost a superlative work of medieval architecture, from its soaring 13th-14th century nave, transepts and choir (all in a curiously French inspired version of Decorated Gothic) to the masterpiece of English Perpendicular, the incredibly lacy fan-vaulted Henry VII's chapel at the east end.
The Abbey is also a treasure house of ecclesiastical art, most of it monumental sculpture on the numerous tombs and effigies of almost every date ranging from the entire medieval period through to the 20th century; a somewhat cluttered interior, crammed full of interest, there is simply nothing else quite like it, no other church contains so many monuments.
The Abbey's monastic ranges partially survive, most notably the cloisters and superb chapter house; a short summary of the Abbey's riches is simply impossible. The monastery itself was shut down during the Dissolution, after which the Abbey briefly became a cathedral until its diocesan rank was revoked merely a decade later. Today it is designated a 'Royal Peculiar' owing to its unique status.
The Abbey is a textbook in stone of British history, and thus a hugely popular tourist attraction. It currently has more limited opening hours in the post-Covid recovery period and entry is not cheap, but happily after decades of a strict prohibition against photographers the rules have now been relaxed at last and visitors are now welcome to fully enjoy this marvellous building with their cameras!
For further details (and restrictions) see below:-
Montalbano Elicona is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 150 km east of Palermo and about 50 km southwest of Messina. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,687 and an area of 67.4 km². It is mainly known for the castle built in 1233 by the Emperor Frederic II and the medieval architecture of its streets.The municipality of Montalbano Elicona contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Pellizzaro, Toscano, Santa Barbara,Casale, Villa Braidi, and Santa Maria, Santa Venera e Santo Stefano.Montalbano Elicona borders the following municipalities: Basicò, Falcone, Floresta, Francavilla di Sicilia, Librizzi, Malvagna, Oliveri, Patti, Raccuja, Roccella Valdemone, San Piero Patti, Santa Domenica Vittoria, Tripi.Crowned from a majestic Castle, encircled from secular forests that they perfume of thousands essences it is one of the antichi and evocative centers of the nebroidea area, rich of stroria, art and traditions. The students from ten years discuss on the origins of the country and of name. Montalbano Elicona derives from the Latin names mons albus with reference to mounts covered with snow or from the Arabic names al bana meaning of "excellent place". During the period of the Greek colonization (VII-VIII sec. B.C.), Dori, thinking to the mythical mount of the Muse, called Helikon the place that coinciding with the rise on which rises the medieval village and a torrent whose tortuous course justifies the name. First news about the existence of the village dates back to the XI century when it was a State possession. In 1232 it revolted against Federick II of Swabia, and supported the Pope together with other centres. Later it has belonged to different feudatories: Lancias in 1396, Romano Colonnas, Bonannos in 1587. It is prevalently an agricultural centre. Products mostly cultivated are grapes, cereals, chestnuts, walnuts, hazel-nuts. Very good are dairying products typical of the place. The tipical gastronomy are "maccheroni stirati a mano" and seasoned with sauce of pork, mutton and goat's meat. More important is the production of sweet whith almond, hazelnut and the typical biscuit of the Easter. The most interesting monuments are the Mother Church , today known as the Basilica Minore and the Church of S. Caterina. Built in Middle Ages, the Church Mother, was refounded and enlarged in 1654 by adding two side aisles and the splendid bell tower. The Church dedicated to San Nicola, the Saint Patron of the town, had a precious statue, built by Gagini in 1587. Neighbouring to castle there is the Church of Santa Caterina. It has a wonderful portal in romantic style. In the interior there is a statue of the Sant made in marble with a bas-relief base. Interesting to see are also some beautiful baroque portals: the Portale di casa Messina-Ballarino, built by Irardi da Napoli in the seventeenth century and the Portale di casa Mastropaolo, built in the eighteenth century by a stone-cutter born in Montalbano Elicona and named Bongiovanni and also the fountain of Gattuso.
Montalbano Elicona è un comune italiano di 2.485 abitanti della provincia di Messina in Sicilia.È caratterizzato dalla presenza, nella parte antica dell'abitato, di un antico Castello che fu residenza estiva di re Federico II di Aragona.La prima parte del nome è un composto di mons (monte) e albanus, da albus, bianco. In specifico, si riferisce all'antico nome del monte su cui fu realizzato un castello per volere di Federico II d'Aragona.Gli studiosi non sono concordi sulle origini del paese e del suo nome. Alcuni fanno risalire tale origine dai nomi latini mons albus con riferimento ai monti innevati, altri al nome arabo al bana, dal suggestivo significato di "luogo eccellente". L'appellativo Elicona risale senz'altro alla colonizzazione greca. Durante il periodo della colonizzazione (VII-VIII secolo a.C.), i Dori, pensando al mitico monte delle Muse, chiamarono Helikon un sito, coincidente con l'altura su cui sorge il borgo medievale ed un torrente vicino il cui andamento tortuoso giustifica l'appellativo.
Le prime testimonianze sull'esistenza del borgo risalgono all'XI secolo, quando risultava possesso demaniale. Nel 1232 si rivoltò contro Federico II di Svevia, parteggiando per il Papa insieme ad altri centri. Successivamente appartenne a diversi feudatari: ai Lancia nel 1396, ai Romano Colonna, ai Bonanno nel 1587.Montalbano Elicona è stato inserito nell'elenco dei 90 borghi medievali più belli d'Italia, cioè nel club de I borghi più belli d'Italia, un'esclusiva associazione di piccoli centri italiani che si distinguono per grande interesse artistico, culturale e storico, per l'armonia del tessuto urbano, vivibilità e servizi ai cittadini. Tra le chiese di interesse artistico certamente è da sottolineare la Basilica di Maria Assunta in cielo (Duomo) con le sue opere d'arte, in particolare quelle del Gagini.
All Saints at Sapcote was our last church of the day (or rather the last we were lucky enough to find open!) and a nice one to end on, a handsome 14th & 15th century structure with a slender west tower and spire which looked particularly well in the final bursts of evening sunshine. It was well after 6pm so we didn't hold out much hope of getting in here, but open door and nice couple who were still stewarding inside happily surprised us (I think they would have been only holding out for another quarter of an hour or so before locking up again).
The interior is light and cheerful, the nave appears unusually wide, though this is in part the illusion of the broad bit low chancel arch. There is only one side aisle on the north side and the chancel beyond is smaller and appears more restored. Most noticeable feature of interest (which all but accosts you on the way in) is the fine late Norman font , an attractive piece adorned with stylized leaf carvings. There is also some attractive glass, the east window being by Powell's and the south nave window having some fetching more recent glass by Clare Dawson.
Sapcote church is normally kept locked outside of services, so either good timing or prior planning will be necessary to see inside (unless like us one visits on Ride & Stride in September!).
Victorian stained glass in the south aisle by Clayton & Bell, 1859.
Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.
The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.
The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.
The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.
The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a separate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.
There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.
Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.
North chapel window by George Cooper Abbs of Exeter, 1960.
St John's sits at the entrance to Spon Street, that rare enclave of medieval architecture in Coventry's mostly post-war city centre. Being on the fringe of city's heart it generally gets less attention from visitors, thus one feels that in any other setting it would be far more celebrated, George Gilbert Scott, who restored the church in 1877, considered it 'one of the most beautiful churches in England'. The church luckily escaped major damage in the November 1940 Blitz that destroyed so much else in the city, beyond the loss of much (but not all) of it's Victorian stained glass.
The church was founded in 1342 by Queen Isabella, mother of Edward III, but most of what we see today is 15th century work, though evidently of different phases. The church sits on a relatively small site, but what it lacks in length and width it gains in height, and with it's tapering and unusually narrow clerestorey windows and central tower it gives the impression of a cathedral in miniature. The tower has oddly corbelled-out turrets at it's corners, an over-exaggeration of the original design by Scott; his main intervention on the exterior otherwise was the renewal of much of the stonework, since warm red sandstone is one of the least resistant to weathering.
The interior is surprisingly light for a sandstone church, the result of the large Perpendicular windows and extensive clerestorey that creates a 'glass cage' effect in the higher parts of the church. It is also rather narrow, which accentuates the proportions and sense of height further, a good example of architectural limitations and constraints turned to an advantage. There are some good medieval carvings surviving higher up, but otherwise aside from the fine Perpendicular architecture itself the impression is largely of early 20th century High Church Anglican worship, as most of the furnishings appear to date from this time, though they are nonetheless attractive and sympathetic to the building.
The lack of any relics of the Middle Ages in wood or glass or monuments of later periods is explained by the history of the church, since it actually ceased to be used for worship in the 1590s and for several centuries suffered various indignities of secular use, such as a prison for Scottish rebels captured after the Battle of Preston during the Civil War in 1648 (these rebels, loyal to the King, were shunned in the Parliamentarian held city, thus the phrase being 'Sent to Coventry' was born!). Other uses included as a stables, a market and a winding and dying house for cloth, before being eventually restored to church use in the 19th century. We should at least be glad that being put to other uses at least preserved the structure through it's centuries of hibernation.
The church posesses an interesting mixture of stained glass, from Victorian and Edwardian pieces that survived the bombing, to the more prominent and colourful windows installed in the 1950s. However it is interesting to note how the postwar glass here predates the nearby Cathedral's windows by only a few years, but is still highly figurative and traditional in approach, thus still a far cry from the revolutionary new works that Coventry became famous for less than a decade later.
St John's is open on saturday mornings but otherwise kept locked owing to concerns over security. Sadly it has suffered attacks from stone-throwing idiots on several occasions in recent years (I have repaired minor damage to several of the windows here) but the parishoners remain welcoming and friendly in spite of a difficult environment. It is a lovely church and well worth a visit.
For more detail and images see it's entry on the Warwickshire Churches website below:-
warwickshirechurches.weebly.com/coventry---st-john-the-ba...
This is an entry into the CCCX Medieval Architectural Detail category:
THE PORTAL OF LOST SOULS
This side entrance into the Cape Condice Cathedral (CCC) was comissioned by the administrators of a new movement who wanted to help those who could not help themselves. They comissioned Shmailardo, architect to the kings, to create a symbol of the new movement. It has been a shining example of Medieval Architecture ever since.
Enjoy!