View from the roof of Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln vies with Durham for the most impressive situation of a cathedral in England, set on a hill rising above the River Withen, and visible for miles around. There are still some traces in the west front of the early Norman church, which was built following the transfer of the see of Bishop Remigius from Dorchester-upon-Thames (Oxfordshire). The early building's destruction during an earthquake on 15 April 1185 (when a tremor was felt throughout the whole country) led to a major reconstruction by Bishop Hugh of Avalon using locally quarried yellow limestone, and extensive use was made of Purbeck marble to decorate the interior. The style has been described as the beginning of early English Gothic, featuring in particular the first use of ribbed vaulting for pure decoration in the choir vault. A more advanced and beautiful style of ribbed vaulting is demonstrated in the nave.
The upper part of the central tower dates from the 14th century, and there are some Perpendicular features in the nave and chantry chapels, but overall the earlier style has been little altered since completion. As sections were built when money became available along the main axis, the building is more diffuse than continental counterparts, with side projections but a unifying central tower. Of note inside is the Presbytery or Angel Choir (1255–80), so-called because there are 30 carved angels in spandrels between the arcading. The column capitals in the Choir are richly decorated with foliage carving, although without any botanical distinction as at Southwell. There is also a decagonal chapter house on the north side, 60 feet in diameter and the earliest polygonal chapter house in England. Lincoln had a particularly varied succession of bishops, which included Robert Grossteste (1235–1253), a strong supporter of the University of Oxford when it fell within his diocese.
[Table of Contents]