Huitson - Stairway to heaven : the functions of Medieval upper spaces

The west front at Crowland Abbey, Lincolnshire.

The Pulpitum screen of c. 1450 at Canterbury Cathedral. Spine: Spiral stair in the tower at Sts Mary & St Ethelburga, Lyminge, Kent. Back: Vaulting boss in All Saints chapel and stained glass in the north quire aisle triforium, Canterbury Cathedral (photos: author).

Published in the United Kingdom in 2014 by
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Toby Huitson 2014

Paperback Edition: ISBN 978-1-84217-665-8
E-pub Edition: ISBN 978-1-84217-861-4; Mobi: ISBN 978-1-84217-862-1;
PDF: ISBN 978-1-84217-863-8

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Huitson, Toby.
Stairway to heaven : the functions of Medieval upper spaces / Toby Huitson.
1 online resource.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.
ISBN 978-1-84217-861-4 (epub) -- ISBN 978-1-84217-862-1 (mobi) -- ISBN 978-1-84217-863-8
( pdf ) -- ISBN 978-1-84217-665-8 1. Church architecture--Details. 2. Architecture, Medieval. 3.
Space (Architecture) I. Title.
NA4950
721.83--dc23

2014010159

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Contents

Special Boxed Text Features

Acknowledgements

One of the greatest pleasures of undertaking historical research is the people one meets along the way. Special thanks are expressed to Cressida Williams and colleagues at Canterbury Cathedral Archives and Library for access and practical assistance; to head virger Chris Crookes and head of Stonemasonry Heather Newton at Canterbury Cathedral; Colin Tolhurst and the vergers at Rochester Cathedral for enabling access to the Lapidarium and Indulgence Chambers; to John Crook for taking me on a fascinating tour around Winchester Cathedral; John Baldwin of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, and Philip Lankester, Claire Daunton and John McCann for gladly sharing their knowledge. Also, my thanks to Sylvie Pierce and Margaret Bonsall for allowing me to gain access to stairs and upper spaces at Elkstone and Horton Priory respectively. Canon Brian Barnes (then vicar) and Mr Christopher Cooper kindly gave permission and practical assistance respectively with the experimental reconstruction of gallery lights at Hythe. Thanks are also expressed to the numerous other incumbents, churchwardens, keyholders and custodians for their practical assistance.

The research which underlies this book was supported by many individuals and agencies. In addition to my late grandfathers strong personal interest and encouragement, the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust gave me a much-appreciated small grant before the Arts and Humanities Research Council fully funded my research, to whom I record my grateful thanks. The British Archaeological Association also provided scholarship grants to conferences at Coventry and Limerick, at which B.A.A. members made many helpful comments and suggestions. The publication of this book has been made possible by a generous grant courtesy of the Kent Archaeological Societys Hasted Prize. I am extremely grateful for the Societys support, and it is thanks to this award that the high quality of publication with its many colour images has been made possible.

For permission to publish images, I would like to thank the British Museum, the Bodleian Library, Oxford; the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; the Library of St-Gallen, Switzerland; the National Monuments Record, and the Sussex Archaeological Society. Images of Canterbury Cathedral were taken and reproduced with kind permission of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury. I would also like to thank Mary Berg and Howard Jones for allowing me to reproduce a plan from their book, and my friend Geoffrey Phillips for photographing the porch stair at Wraxall for me. All other photographs and artistic material are the authors own original work unless otherwise acknowledged. The authors photographs were taken on a Casio Exilim digital camera, and drawings generated using standard software. The inclusion of any image here is does not constitute evidence that public access to the space in question is normally possible, or entirely without personal risk.

Many people have commented on sections of this book. They are too numerous to mention individually, but they know who they are. Special thanks are due to Canterbury Cathedral historian Margaret Sparks, and Jennifer Alexander of the University of Warwick, who both kindly agreed to read drafts of the entire text. I am also grateful to several other academic friends and colleagues including Paul Crossley, Richard Gameson, Alixe Bovey and Gabor Thomas for making many helpful suggestions. Any shortcomings, mistakes or oversights which may remain however, and all opinions expressed, remain entirely my own.

About the Author

Toby Huitson grew up near a Grade I listed medieval church in North Bedfordshire and hasbeen fascinated by medieval architecture ever since. Awarded his PhD in 2010, he now divideshis time between teaching in the School of History at the University of Kent, and working atCanterbury Cathedral Archives. Toby was previously Personal Assistant to the Cathedral Organistat Canterbury, during which time he wrote a guidebook, The Organs of Canterbury Cathedral,republished in 2008. He is also a fieldworker contributing towards the Corpus of RomanesqueSculpture in Britain and Ireland.

List of Figures

Abbreviations