Durham Cathedral Essay Research Paper Throughout the

Durham Cathedral Essay, Research Paper

Throughout the universe, there are many churches, cathedrals, and basilicas ; nevertheless, of these the best known are most likely the cathedrals. The word cathedral comes from the Latin bishop’s throne, which means chair. This is because cathedrals are churches that hold the chair of the Bishop. England houses some of the most celebrated, fantastic cathedrals of all time built.

Durham cathedral is located in Durham County, England. ( See Appendix A ) The Cathedral exceeds all other sacred buildings in England in the beauty of its state of affairs ; and although non so big as others, its impressiveness is surpassed by none. Durham cathedral occupies the acme of a exalted peninsula enclosed by the river Wear, which at that point makes so sweeping a curve that the headland is about an island. The elevated plateau therefore formed is bordered by steep stones and attractively wooded inclines, widening to the border of the river. ( See Appendix F ) This remarkable place adds greatly to the dramatic consequence and magnificence of its general visual aspect. ( History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan, London, 1894 )

During the cathedral & # 8217 ; s building, Durham was one of the most of import northern outstations of the Normans, who had begun building on the cathedral shortly after their triumph at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Norman prince bishop William St. Carileph, who had been exiled to France for some clip, razed the older Anglo-Saxon church upon his return to Durham in 1092 to do manner for the edifice of the cathedral that stands today. The cathedral itself was built reasonably rapidly. Construction began in 1093 and was completed in big portion, as Bishop William had planned it, by 1133, with the two western towers added in 1217-1222.

When Richard le Poore, former Bishop of Salisbury, became Bishop of Durham in 1228, the E chapel was in bad form, so he began the building that replaced it with the present Chapel of Nine Alters ( See Appendix B ) . By the clip Thomas Langley came to the diocese helm in 1406, the western terminal of the cathedral was in danger of stealing down the steep hill and into the river, due to the shallow foundations originally laid. As a effect the buttresses that stand today were put in topographic point.

After the Reformation, Robert Horne and Williams Whittingham ( the second and 3rd Deans of Durham severally ) tore down a good trade of the original ornamentation in the cathedral. Damage to the interior occureed in 1650 when Oliver Cromwell herded 4,000 Scots captives into the cathedral and denied them any beginning of heat, so they chopped up about every piece of wood in the edifice for their fires. Attempts at fix were made subsequently on when Sir Gilbert Scott directed the 1870 & # 8217 ; s building of the present choir screen, non considered by many to be really attractive. The official usher to the Cathedral has this to state of the marble and alabaster screens: & # 8220 ; The best that can be said of them is that they might non look so bad anyplace else & # 8221 ; . ( Durham Homepage )

In the old ages after the initial building, two major add-ons were made to the cathedral. The first was the Galilee chapel built by Bishop Hugh Le Puiset. The Galilee chapel is at the western terminal of the cathedral and is situated right at the top of the gorge formed by the River Wear where it is overshadowed by the cathedral s twin towers. ( See Appendix F ) The 2nd add-on was the black marble-topped grave of The Venerable Bede ( 673-735 AD, ) who was the first historiographer of England. Bede lived most of his life at Jarrow near the River Tyne. His castanetss were brought to Durham from the ruins of Jarrow monastery in 1020 AD. On Bede s grave is inscribed the undermentioned words in Latin: Haec sunt in fossa Baedae Venerabilis Ossa & # 8217 ; , which means in this grave are Bede s castanetss. Legend has it that the author of this poetic epitaph was inspired to utilize the word venerable by an angel who told him how to finish the rime. The lettering day of the months from 1830. The Galilee chapel is besides known as the Lady Chapel as it was one time the lone portion of the cathedral that could be entered by adult females harmonizing to the regulations of the Benedictine order of monastics. ( Durham Cathedral Homepage )

In mediaeval times Durham Cathedral, reconstituted as the Cathedral Church of Christ and B

lessed Mary the Virgin by Henry VIII, was one of the greatest centres of pilgrim’s journey in England, chiefly because of the rich and glorious Shrine of St. Cuthbert. A simple grey rock grave inscribed Cuthbertus is all that remains of the shrine, but prior to the disintegration of the monasteries in the 16th century, the whole country around the grave was an intricately decorated shrine described as one of the richest memorials in England. The shrine, made of dearly-won green marble gilded with gold, was bestowed with an unbelievable figure of gifts and gems including parts from male monarchs, Queenss, clerics and affluent Lords. These gifts were stored in attractively decorated dado cabinets which were situated on the North and south sides of the cathedral. These cabinets, which besides contained relics associated with St. Cuthbert, were opened for sing on particular occasions such as the feast twenty-four hours of St. Cuthbert. The brilliant shrine of St. Cuthbert was destroyed in the 16th century along with many other shrines throughout the land by the order of King Henry VIII. The work forces who opened St. Cuthbert s grave found a figure of cherished gems and a wand of gold which were all confiscated by the Crown.

Durham cathedral is considered by many to be the best illustration of late-Norman cathedral architecture. Its Romanesque manner s resemblance to a palace can be seen in the midst rock walls and solid presence atop the drops over the river Wear. ( See Appendices C, D, and E ) The changeless menace of force in Northern England led to a Norman architectural manner that was slow to integrate the visible radiation and aired Gothic manner that penetrated cathedral design in Kent and the remainder of southern England. Thick carved pillars dominate the nave of Durham Cathedral and the comparatively few little Windowss leave the inside dominated by a moist somberness more characteristic of a palace than a church. The carven rock vaultings of the aisles and nave don & # 8217 ; t surge like those of Canterbury and York but instead exude a impression of perpetuality and sheer strength kindred to the thick columns of a Roman temple, therefore the name Romanesque. Because of these fortress-like features, it is non clear how much the cathedral edifice is meant to laud God and how much to stand up to relentless Scots invasions.

One of the most of import facets of cathedral architecture involves the manner of overleaping used. The builders of Durham Cathedral in England invented a new method of edifice arches. They built two crossing diagonal arches across the bay, on lighter focus oning possibly supported high on the nave walls, and so found ways to make full out the shell resting on secondary focus. This gave a new geometric articulation the ribbed vault. Ribs did non modify the structural features of the inguen vault, but they offered constructional advantage and decidedly changed the vault s visual aspect. The cathedral at Durham is besides of import for the flight buttresses, a characteristic invented by the Norman Masons at Durham. Situated in the triforium or upper narrative of the cathedral, they can non be seen by visitants. ( Durham Homepage )

As can be seen by all of the important events and characteristics of Durham Cathedral, it holds an highly important topographic point in history, architecturally, historically, and sacredly. It is still widely visited today, both for particular spiritual occasions and day-to-day multitudes. ( See Appendix G for mass agenda. ) However, since the cathedral is about 900 old ages old, it has been, and still is, invariably undergoing fixs and Restorations. ( See Appendix H for list of major fixs, add-ons, and Restorations. )

In reading about Durham cathedral, I liked its olympian visual aspect and features. I find this cathedral interesting, because, although it may non be the largest cathedral on Earth, it may in fact be the most alone. It was the first to utilize ribbed vaulting, and the winging buttress, both of which are designs really good known and noticed today. I do dislike the lighting in the cathedral, because it is dark and glooming, more like a fortress or palace, nevertheless this was the Romanesque manner of architecture which was widely used during that clip period. As a tourer, I would decidedly take the clip to see the architectural admiration and spiritual landmark that is Durham Cathedral.