Nave, Salisbury Cathedral

The thirteenth century nave of Salisbury Cathedral is built in what nineteenth century writers called the "Lancet" style but which today is more usually referred to as the Early English style. The nave arcades and most arches elsewhere are tall and pointed. Dark, polished Purbeck marble shafts flank these arches, a motif common to this period, and at Salisbury the light grey Chilmark stone adds further emphasis. As is commonly seen today, an altar has been placed where the nave meets the choir, making the congregation closer to this focal point.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Wide angle iPhone photographs

The extreme wide angle lens on my iPhone is 13mm (35mm equivalent), 2mm wider than the widest lens on the other camera systems I use. I learned many years ago that when it comes to wide angle lenses even a small amount of width is noticeable. Recently I thought I'd try out the phone in Gloucester Cathedral. The results, though deficient in a couple of ways (including being oversharpened), are better than I expected and the extra width brings more drama to the compositions.

 

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: iPhone

Cathedral crossing

Most medieval cathedrals in Britain have a ground plan that is essentially a Latin cross. There are additions to this basic shape in the form of cloisters, chapter house etc, but in essence the footprint of the building is a Latin cross with the shorter head (the chancel) at the east, the longer nave at the west, and the north and south transepts making the two "arms". The point where the transepts meet is called the crossing and above this point (usually) is the cathedral's biggest tower - the crossing tower. Such is the plan at Hereford. Today's photograph shows the view from the north transept looking across the crossing to the south transept.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Altar reordering

In the second half of the twentieth century the Church of England began to come to terms with declining numbers in their congregations and a desire to have less separation between clergy and laity. Part of the response to these changes was to have an altar at the east end of the nave (or at the west end of the chancel). This brought the presiding priest closer to the worshippers rather than being distant, at the east end of the chancel near the high altar. However, the high altar was usually retained and the new altar could not be allowed to outshine it. The church of St Mary, Ross on Wye, illustrates this solution. A modest altar has been placed at the west end of the raised chancel. It has no permanent frontal, cross etc. but signifies its presence very effectively by being lit underneath. 

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Altar and corona, Hereford Cathedral

It is the modern way to bring cathedral altars forward from the choir so that the congregation in the nave can take more part in the service. Hereford has done this, and further accentuated the location by the addition of a corona hanging above the altar. The backdrop is the choir stalls, the original high altar the Norman arch and the Early English lancets and architecture of the Lady Chapel. From 1863 to 1967 an elaborate screen of iron, copper, brass, enamel, mosaic and polished stones hid the choir from view, Its removal was controversial and it now resides in the Victoria & Albert Museum's Ironwork Galleries. Some would like to see it returned. I think it is best left there.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100