CHURCH. 



Churches are of five classes, metropolitan, cathedral, collegiate con- 

 ventual and parish churches. The term cathedral is derived 'from 

 K*6eSpa, a seat, from the seat or throne of the bishop being placed 

 therein Cithedrals are the chief ecclesiastical structures of the dioceses 

 in which they are situated. 



Almost every cathedral is varied in plan, although the leading 

 features, the nave and choir, are found in almost all. The plan usually 

 consists of a galilee, or chapel, at the principal entrance ; the nave or 



CHURCH. 8S8 



main body of the church ; the side aisles, which do not rise eo hurli as 

 the nave, and are placed on each side of the nave, sometimes with 

 chapels, at other times without, between the openings formed by the 

 windows; the choir, or place for the ceremonies of the church- the 

 transept or division at right angles to the end of the nave next the 

 choir, which projects on each side, and forms a cross on the plan 

 Some cathedrals have a double transept, and the transepts have often 

 aisles. At the end of the choir is the high altar, behind which is 



Buildings 

 formerly part 

 of the Priory 

 and Deanery. 



rinu of Durham CcthidnL 



usually a lady chapel, or chapel to the Virgin. The choir end of a 

 cathedral is sometimes terminated by an apsis, or semicircular end. 

 Along the Hides of the choir are ranged richly carved seats, orna- 

 mented with arches, pinnacles, and tracery, carved in oak. The bishop's 

 Heat, richer than the others and raised above them, is on one side, at 

 the eastern end. The choir has also side aisles. Cloisters and a 

 chapter-hoiwe are usually attached to English cathedrals, but the 

 latter are more rarely met with on the Continent, the chapters being 

 usually held in the cathedral, or in a chapel within the cathedral or 

 abbey. The minor parts of a cathedral are the muniment room, the 

 library, the consistory court, the vestries of the dean and chapter, 

 minstrels' chapels, a font, and a minstrels' gallery. 



Beneath the body of the cathedral there is usually a crypt, or low 



basement, supported on arches springing from thick columns, as in 



Canterbury Cathedral and others. Both externally and internally the 



ancient cathedrals of England, France, and Germany display all the 



ARTS AHD SCI. WV. VOL. II. 



magnificence of Gothic architecture. Like ecclesiastical buildings 

 generally, they stand with the altar towards the east, and the principal 

 entrance to the west; the transept is placed north and south. At the 

 point of intersection of the transept with the nave there is usually a 

 lofty tower, sometimes surmdunted by an elegant spire, as in Salisbury 

 Cathedral. Sometimes the principal or western front has a tower at 

 each angle, and these in some instances are also terminated with spires. 

 The nave of a Gothic cathedral is supported by clustered columns, 

 arched from one to the other, over which there is usually a row of 

 small arches forming a gallery, which is called the triforium, and above 

 are windows called clerestory windows. The aisles are lighted by 

 windows placed between the openings of the arches of the nave; and, 

 externally, the buttresses of the aisles often rise, supported on an arch, 

 to the wall of the nave : these are called flying buttresses. The 

 exterior walls of the cathedral, with its towers, are generally decorated 

 with buttresses, surmounted with pinnacles; and between the but- 



3 H 



