Cathedral Architecture: Architecture of the Medieval Cathedrals of England, Architecture of Cathedrals, Basilicas and Abbey Churches

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 53. Chapters: Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England, Architecture of cathedrals, basilicas and abbey churches, List of regional characteristics of European cathedral architecture, Table of the Statuary of the West Front of Salisbury Cathedral, Architectural development of the eastern end of cathedrals in England and France, Chapter house, Pisalis. Excerpt: The medieval cathedrals of England, dating from between approximately 1040 and 1540, are a group of twenty-six buildings which together constitute a major aspect of the country's artistic heritage and are among the most significant material symbols of Christianity. Though diversified in style, they are united by a common function. As cathedrals, each of these buildings serves as central church for an administrative region (or diocese) and houses the throne of a bishop (cathedra from the Greek). Each cathedral also serves as a regional centre and a focus of regional pride and affection. Only sixteen of these buildings had been cathedrals at the time of the Reformation; eight being then served by secular canons, and a further eight being monastic. A further five cathedrals are former abbey churches, which were reconstituted with secular canons as cathedrals of new dioceses by Henry VIII following the dissolution of the monasteries; and which comprise, together with the former monastic cathedrals, the 'Cathedrals of the New Foundation'. Two further pre-Reformation monastic churches, which had survived as ordinary parish churches for 350 years, became cathedrals in the 19th and 20th centuries; as did the three medieval collegiate churches which had retained their foundations for choral worship. While there are characteristics of each building which are distinctly English, these cathedrals are marked by their architectural diversity, both from one to another and also ...