Problems with Towers

Soon after the torn vault appeared at Bristol cathedral, someone had the bright idea of building an impossibly huge new Lady Chapel at Ely cathedral. Bigger than many churches and twice as wide as any nave, it is still the biggest Lady Chapel in England. Can it really be coincidence that a year later, something that the insurance companies of the future would call an "Act of God" destroyed the cathedral tower? It came down suddenly, destroyed the centre of the cathedral, and left a gap 70 foot wide! There's an irresistible force, for you!

This was a challenge too inspiring to be passed up. Rather than simply repair, they called in the most prestigious expert builder they could find—the King's Carpenter, no less! And he produced a mason's miracle.

Just look at that! A 70 foot wide tierceron vault with no centre! It can't be done! Really. You couldn't build this vault in stone—you just assume that it is made of stone because that's what you expect of a tierceron vault. In fact, it's made of wood, and now those ribs are doing some supporting! Above the vault is a windowed tower that lets in the light (called a lantern), and dead centre above the windows is a single, enormous boss that doesn't show in this picture.

You might be interested to know that the slender vertical panels in the lantern are painted with angelic choristers and trumpeters, and right at the top, above the space, above the vault, above the angels: is God! Quite literally, He is the boss. And apparently He has accepted the compliment, because the vault has been standing with Him inside it for about 650 years.

See God in the Lantern here. It will open in a new window. While you're there, click "prev" twice, to see two more great pics of the Octagon at Ely.

More Tower Problems

Before Ely's Octagon was even finished, Wells' tower started giving trouble. By threatening to burst the four crossing piers, it proved once again that cathedrals were by no means immovable objects. So what did the masons do? They paid God another graceful compliment!

Take a look at these strainer arches that are repeated on three sides of the crossing. Everyone notices how wierdly modern they look. Few people realise that they form the Greek letter Chi. In the Middle Ages, this letter represented the word "Christ". Wells cathedral is quite literally "saved by Christ"! Like Ely, Wells has stood without further mishap for around 650 years.

Oh no! more tower problems! At Salisbury, which still has the tallest spire in England, the piers in the crossing under it started to bend with the strain, and the tower over the extra, eastern transept didn't look to be in much better shape. Stone cannot bend far or it will break, so strainer arches were installed at Salisbury, too. Notice the repetition of Wells' Chi design in the eastern transept strainers. At the main crossing, they'd got braver and we only have half a Chi. Hmm. Wonder what God made of that?

Meanwhile (page 5), the masons came up with a decorative reinforcement for the tierceron vault, which allowed them one more fight against the irresistible force.

Page 1: structure and terms
Page 2: an idea is born
Page 3: the patterns and the power
Page 4: problems with towers
Page 5: the masons fight back
Page 6: lilies, seashells, snowflakes and waterfalls
Page 7: