THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY & NATURALIST. 



45 



shire Cathedral. The present building (probably the 

 fourth Cathedral founded on or near the same site) 

 was erected by Bishop Walkelin in 1079 1093 > tne 

 tower was rebuilt and part of the transepts in the 

 early part of the i2th century ; the eastern portion 

 beyond the Presbytery aisles is by Bishop Godfrey 

 de Lucy, 1204 ; the nave altered to its present appear- 

 ance, the Norman being converted into Perpendicular 

 work, by Bishops Edyngton and William of Wyke- 

 ham, 1345 1400 ; and the Lady Chapel built by 

 Prisrs Hunton and Silkstede, 1470 1524. We are 

 now concerned only with the Norman portions 

 of the building, which are of two periods, 

 an earlier, 1079 1093 1 a d a later, 1107 

 (about) to 1120 and some years later than this. 

 Of the work of Bishop Walkelin we have remaining 

 the crypt and the north and south transepts (in part). 

 Of these Sir Gilbert Scott says that they "may be 

 described as the text-book of Norman architecture in 

 its earlier form." There is a sternness and dignity in 

 this ancient church that must strike the most care- 

 less ; the severity is majestic, it is almost forbidding ; 

 it seems to indicate not only the fierce and stern 

 spirit of those old Northmen, but also the uncompro- 

 mising severity of their religion. There is only one 

 capital that is ornamented, and that is in the west 

 aisle of north transept. There is no doubt that these 

 parts of the Cathedral are nearly in the condition in 

 which Walkelin left them ; and Professor Willis 

 points out one fact worthy of notice, that at the end 

 of each transept there is a column with a peculiar 

 abacus namely, a thin, square abacus, with a round 

 capital, identical with similar columns in the crypt ; 

 indicating, therefore, identity of work between crypt 

 and transepts. Walkelin's Norman nave was trans- 

 formed about 300 years later into the Perpendicular 

 style. Fergusson says, as regards the arrange- 

 ment of the pier arches, and proportions of the 

 triforium and clerestory, that in Norman cathedrals 

 " the general scheme seems to have been to divide 

 the height into three equal parts, and to allot one to 

 the pier arch, another to the triforium or great 

 gallery, and the third to the clerestory. 

 When William of Wykeham undertook to remodel 

 the style of the nave, he first threw the two lower 

 compartments into one. He then divided the whole 

 height, as nearly as the masonry would allow him, 

 into two equal parts, allotting one to the pier arches, 

 and apportioning the upper as nearly as he could by 

 giving two-thirds to the clerestory and one-third to 

 the triforium." It is interesting to compare this 

 transformation at Winchester with the similar, and 

 yet different transformation of the choir at Gloucester. 

 In our Cathedral Norman arches remain behind the 

 triforium wall, Norman shafts may be seen above the 

 vaulting, and Norman flat buttresses are traceable 

 outside between the clerestory windows on the south. 

 The old Norman nave extended further west than 

 the present west front, and was flanked by two large 

 square towers, the foundations of which have been 



made out. Gilbert Scott suggests that these may have 

 really been the foundations of a western transept 

 like that of Ely, part of which still remains. 

 In 1107 the tower fell, as a judgment some said for bringing 

 inasacred precinct so profane a person as Rufus more pro- 

 bably, however, from insecure foundation or bad building. 

 In rebuilding, the junction between the old and new work 

 can be distinctly traced, and we find a mark by which we 

 can readily distinguish early from later Norman work. 

 This is derived from the jointing of the masonry. In the 

 old work the joints between the stones are wide, filled in 

 with a great thickness of mortar ; in the new work they 

 are comparatively fine, " often leaving room for scarcely 

 more than to pass a knife," as Parker says. According to 

 Parker this is the best and safest distinction between 

 early and late Norman work, or generally between the nth 

 and i2th centuries, and is of almast universal application. 

 Two compartments in each transept were rebuilt, and 

 these arches are seen to be stilted, all the other transept 

 arches being circular. The tower was not completed, as it 

 is now, until the end of the century. 



The architectural history of the Priory church of Christ- 

 church is not altogether certain, and from a student's point 

 of view, therefore, perhaps not so instructive ; but the 

 comparison between this noble building and the others is 

 of great interest. The original structure was erected by 

 Ralph Flarabard, Dean of Christchurch and afterwards 

 (or perhaps contemporaneously) Bishop of Durham ; he 

 held the bishopric from 1099 1128, and Christchurch is 

 supposed to have been commenced about noo. The exist- 

 ing nave and transepts (except the nave clerestory) are 

 probably of this date. It is by some supposed that they 

 may be dated between 1093 1099, when Flambard was Dean 

 of Christchurch, before promotion to Durham. The nave 

 aisles, the clerestory, and the great north porch are 

 probably of about the time of Edward I (Early Decorated) 

 according to Dr. Paley ; and the choir and Lady chapel are 

 Perpendicular, about 1500 and 1400 respectively. TheNor- 

 man portions therefore are later than the old work in Win- 

 chester transepts, but earlier than St. Cross and much 

 earlier than Romsey. The advance on the primitive 

 character of Winchester is seen in the carving of the 

 capitals, the somewhat freer (but still limited) use of 

 mouldings, and in the employment of arcades, both 

 within and without the building. Thus all the capitals of 

 the shafts attached to the nave piers, of the triforium 

 columns, and of the shafts in the wall arcades are, with 

 hardly any exception, carved ; the prevailing design is that 

 of the volute with rude foliage. A shallow zig-zag mould- 

 ing is used over all the nave arches, and the billet is also 

 seen in several parts of the church ; their sparing use and 

 simple character clearly indicate that the building is some- 

 what early in the style. The intersecting arcade in the 

 wall of the south aisle, and the richer series of arcades in 

 the stones outside the north transept are a marked and 

 beautiful feature of the building, and show a great advance 

 on Winchester. By the intersection of round arches, a 

 pointed arch is produced, and this has been thought by 

 some to be the origin of the latter form. The turret at 

 the N.E. corner of the N. transept with these arcades, and 

 shallow but effective ornamentation in the spandrils over 

 the arches, also a kind of network pattern worked on the 

 stone above, is very striking. 



St. Cross is said to be the best example of Transition 

 Norman in existence. The exact date is not known ; the 

 hospital was founded by Bishop Henry de Blois, brother 

 of King Stephen, and grandson of William the Conqueror, 

 in 1136 (or 1132 according to some) ; but it was probably 

 built later, between this date and 1171, the latter year 



