tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882578413887103850.post5487778333651379193..comments2024-03-25T22:53:57.841+00:00Comments on Demolition Exeter: Above the Cathedral Vault IUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882578413887103850.post-27411246576621127852011-10-30T23:26:45.777+00:002011-10-30T23:26:45.777+00:00AntPDC - thanks for the very interesting comment! ...AntPDC - thanks for the very interesting comment! I can understand the early medieval builders being a little wary of the thinness of the vaulting. It's easy to forget that they didn't have access to various computer programs to model the spread of weight and to measure the stress on the supporting columns. The Chichester vault must weigh an enormous amount though. Presumably the medieval builders took that into account when they built it. The problem at Exeter is that the columns were never designed to take the extra weight of the Victorian concrete. The sheer audacity of the medieval architects never ceases to surprise me. Obviously there were failures and buildings, towers and spires fell down, but on the whole you get the impression that they tackled enormous difficulties with absolute confidence. At Exeter they threw down one entire side wall in each of the Norman transeptal towers in the full knowledge that the entire structure wouldn't collapse on top of them. It's incredible when you think about it.wolfpawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06806875968340034510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882578413887103850.post-38727126610995962662011-10-30T21:21:24.403+00:002011-10-30T21:21:24.403+00:00Interesting blog, thank you. I was intrigued your ...Interesting blog, thank you. I was intrigued your comments about the use of concrete coatings atop the vault. Apparently the Victorian architects at Exeter revived a long-abandoned practice. From "A history of architectural development" by Frederick Moore Simpson:<br /><br />"The web [of the vault] is generally of the lightest material available, clunch (i.e. hard chalk) being not uncommon, although courses of harder, heavier stone are sometimes introduced at intervals, as in Westminster Abbey. It varies in thickness from 4_to 8, inches, although in some early vaults a kind of concrete is laid on its extrados, as in Chichester Cathedral and Westminster Abbey nave vaults. In later work this is omitted, probably because it was found that the added strength was dearly bought by the additional weight. <br /><br />In Chichester Cathedral the concrete is a foot thick, the chalk below 6 inches. In Westminster Abbey the vaults over the eastern part of the church and over about two-thirds of the nave have about 9 inches of concrete above them. The remaining bays to the west, which are a century or two later in date, have none. The Roman tradition of layer upon layer of concrete may possibly have suggested this covering; but it is more probable that the old traditions were lost, and that the early mediaeval builders added the layers because they were afraid of the strength of their thin shells."AntPDChttp://www.youtube.com/user/AntPDC?feature=mheenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882578413887103850.post-14286277844955924872011-07-24T23:44:35.925+01:002011-07-24T23:44:35.925+01:00Hi Jack - I'd be more than happy to arrange fo...Hi Jack - I'd be more than happy to arrange for you to use some of the images from my blog. If you want to drop me an email then you can use the following address: demolitionexeter@yahoo.com I check it fairly often as it's where I get notified when people leave comments. I look forward to hearing from you.wolfpawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06806875968340034510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882578413887103850.post-91807713338413174302011-07-24T21:13:56.712+01:002011-07-24T21:13:56.712+01:00Hi Wolfpaw, I am a frequent visitor to your blog a...Hi Wolfpaw, I am a frequent visitor to your blog and would love to use some of your images in an Exeter tour iPhone app I am currently writing. Would it be possible to discuss image permissions with you in more detail and see if we can work something out? <br /><br />All the best, JackJacknoreply@blogger.com