Bells Cathedrals: Chichester | Page 5

aided in the wreck of this part--a weakness in the masonry,
an insufficiency in the supports or abutments--the fall of such heavy
timbers as those which must have formed the outer roof and inner
ceiling of the chancel would in itself be sufficient to wreck the
remainder.
Whether the change in plan that now followed was really necessary
because of the damage that had been done, or whether the fire provided
a welcome opportunity by which new features might be introduced, we
are not able to discover. It is sufficient that the chance was not lost, for
in the eastern ambulatory of the cathedral church at Chichester is to be
seen, as a result, one of the most truly beautiful examples of mediæval
design that English architecture now possesses.
[Illustration: THE CLERESTORY PASSAGE, NAVE, SOUTH SIDE.
_From a photograph by Mr. F. Bond_.]
In the nave some parts of the old limestone walls had been injured by
the fall of the roofs; they were also seriously damaged by the beams
that had been laid upon them, for these, after their fall, would continue
to burn as they rested against those portions of walling which remained

standing. It was no doubt by some such cause as this that the early
clerestory was disfigured and partly destroyed. In either case, the old
clerestory arcade of the twelfth century no longer remained as it was
before; and though there were already stone vaults to the aisles of the
nave before the fire occurred, yet they also disappeared and made way
for newer ones. The outer roof over the triforium evidently shared the
fate of the other coverings; and the arched abutment in the triforium,
which acted as a support to this roof and the walling below the
clerestory, now disappeared. It may be that this arching was not
completely destroyed by the fire alone; no doubt some that remained
was intentionally removed to prepare the way for the new work.
The same bishop who had witnessed the completion of the earlier
operations began with much enterprise to see about the reconstruction,
but not the restoration, of what had been destroyed. Some portions
were repaired, others rebuilt; but the greater part of the work now
undertaken involved an entire change in the character of some of the
principal features of the earlier scheme. In fact, this incident in the
history of our subject gave "occasion to one of the most curious and
interesting examples of the methods employed by the mediæval
architects in the repairs of their buildings." [2]
[2] Willis, "Chichester Cathedral," p. 6.
Having decided that they would, if possible, avoid all future risk of a
similar catastrophe, a system of vaulting was adopted as the best
solution of the problem,--this involved necessarily a remodelling of the
interior; and so, neglecting the Isle of Wight limestone and the Sussex
sandstone, which at first had been the material used for the walling, the
masons were directed to use stone of finer texture and smaller grain. It
has been thought by some that this material was brought from Caen in
Normandy. The same stone was used to re-face parts of the nave piers.
And in addition Purbeck marble was selected instead of that which was
to be found in Sussex.
It is interesting to remember that the new choir of Canterbury had only
been finished about three years before the fire occurred at Chichester.
This work had been begun by William of Sens and finished by William

the Englishman; and though it was so large an undertaking, it appears
to have been commenced and completed between the years 1174 and
1184. This would very naturally exert some influence upon the building
projects of a neighbouring see. Whether any of the actual craftsmen
from Canterbury worked again at Chichester or not we cannot tell, but
it is evident that the Kentish experience was of great help to Sussex in
the new venture. When it had been decided how they should operate, it
was natural that the covering of the building must be the first provision.
This involved the repair of the shattered clerestory, and then they were
free to proceed in other directions. Further than this we have no means
of learning what method was followed in carrying on the new work; but
it continued, so that in about twelve years the building was dedicated
again.
There is nothing now to indicate that the provision of a vault had been
intended by the original builders of these walls. This deficiency was
met by the insertion of vaulting shafts and the addition of external
buttressing; for as the pressure of the flat wooden roof was exerted for
the most part vertically upon its supports, that of the vault would be a
strong lateral thrust as well as vertical