Friday 2 May 2008

I was fascinated by the Lady Chapel. You can see how vast it is in the third photograph below. The Lady Chapel suffered badly in the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of Henry VIII and in the photo below you should be able to see how the carved decoration was damaged: the figures were all smashed, their heads being knocked off.




Although I learned about the Dissolution of the Monasteries I don't think I have ever seen such clear evidence as this extensive destruction which has been left unrestored. Somehow it made it seem a real occurence with its attendant violence of destruction.




This ornate ceiling crowns the Lady Chapel and some of the bosses are grotesque faces. (I took the photo through a mirror!)




You can see how vast the Lady Chapel is. Money has been collected through local sponsorship to carry out renovations in recent years. The floor has some varied patterning in its tiling.




You can see in these niches where large statues were removed or destroyed during the Dissolution.





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2 comments:

rupr said...

I love floor in the chapel. It looks like patchwork and could be great inspiration.
Some time ago my boyfriend bought book about cathedrals and he was laughing, because I always looked at floor to see patterns for patchwork.

Julie said...

Hi Ivana. Thank you for leaving me a comment. I am always photographing unusual things when I go out - floors, shadows, window panes, walls, brick patterns allsorts! :)