The Lady Chapel and Presbytery
The Lady Chapel was designed about 100 years after the west front, but its geometry could be read plainly by the master mason. The Lady Chapel is based on the west front module of 30 feet, which is the width from window to window. It is 60 feet long from the Norman wall to the east window (Figure 14). 2½ times 15 feet gives the height of the underside of the vault at the centre line. 3 x 15 feet gives the height of the gable (Figure 15).
A slightly smaller measure, from the centre line to the inner face of the window tracery is also significant. Twice this measure from the floor gives the height of the apices of the interior arches of the aisle windows. 2½ times gives the height of the vault sous clef (Figure 15). The springing line of the vault is pentagonally determined (Figure 16).
The designer of the Lady Chapel also created some grand overall proportions. The internal length of the Cathedral, to the west face of the east wall of the Lady Chapel, is 250 feet (Figure 1). The 60 foot length of the Lady Chapel can be measured from here to the centre of the east wall of the presbytery, and from there to the presbytery arch is 40 feet, making a proportion of 3:2. The 150 foot length of the nave relates to the total of 100 feet in the same proportion of 3:2. A line that divides the 60 feet measured from the east window in the same proportion of 3:2 locates the exterior face of the east wall of the north presbytery aisle and the east window of the south presbytery aisle (Figure 14).
The east walls of the presbytery aisles belong to the same building campaign as the Lady Chapel, since the buttresses are similar. Geometrical confirmation of this is given by the internal width across the ends of the aisles which is 60 feet. The internal width of the nave is 64 feet or more. To accommodate this difference the north presbytery aisle wall curves inwards as it approaches the east wall. It is also offset to the south at its junction with the north nave aisle wall. By contrast, the inner face of the south presbytery aisle wall is maintained at a distance of 30’ from the centre line of the presbytery. There was no need to bend this wall as the east wall of the chapel was able to receive the aisle wall at any convenient position, so all the offset on the south side was made at this junction. The south jamb of the arch cut in the east wall of the vestibule is on the same 30’ line, so is the south jamb of the earlier arch at the west end of the vestibule. The width of the presbytery aisles as measured to the windows is half the width of the presbytery measured from the centre lines of the piers (Figure 14).
The building history of the presbytery aisles is not easy to determine. The Lady Chapel, which is dated c 1280, together with the end walls of the aisles, could not have existed on their own for 40 years or so, and yet the presbytery aisles seem to be later than the end walls. “The details of this first portion [associated with the Lady Chapel] are by no means clear of Early English; … the window jambs, though under Decorated labels, belong rather to the earlier style. In the south aisle they have a shaft with a broach above the abacus, in the north a continuous roll with a shaft, but no capital. … The next portion embraces the two bays forming the north aisle of the presbytery; here the architecture is decidedly Decorated; the two window-jambs are merely moulded without shafts. In the south aisle we have no work of this portion, probably because of the building added to the vaulted bay being still preserved. The only window here is later.” 28
At St David's there are the remains of 13th century passageways that led to the Lady Chapel, which were converted to extensions of the choir aisles in the 14th century. It is possible that a similar arrangement was in place at Llandaff. That would have left the lower range of Norman presbytery windows unencumbered. The string course in the Mathew chapel on the east face of the Norman presbytery wall may be a relic of such passageways. The rubble construction of the aisle walls does not easily lend itself to the recording of architectural traces, but there are discernible differences in the stonework of both aisles at the level of the tops of the corner buttresses. 29 It is also consistent with what may be later window arches resting on earlier jambs.
Lovegrove considered that the presbytery aisles must have been built at the same time as the Lady Chapel. In fact they were built in stages, as is shown by the heterogeneous collection of window jambs. 30 Confirmation of this is given by the hagioscope into the Lady Chapel. This is so directed that a celebrant standing behind an altar against the west wall of the Mathew chapel had a view of the Lady Chapel altar. The upper part of this wall still exists, above a 19th century arch, but its former continuation downwards, and its piercing by an opening in line with the hagioscope can be deduced as the altar would not have been placed in the middle of an aisle. Access to the Mathew chapel would have been via a door in this wall or the Lady Chapel. The exterior of the north presbytery aisle at the junction of the Mathew chapel and the former chapel to the west of it displays “a singular break in the wall, like an enormously wide pilaster sloping backwards and dying into the wall.” 31
The arches leading to the Lady Chapel “by the character of the mouldings, may be of the Middle Decorated style (1320-1350), although the character of these arches is somewhat peculiar, as the bases are Early English and also the foliated caps…while the abaci are Decorated.” 32 Probably therefore the arches were rebuilt with the presbytery aisles, using some existing materials. 33
After the presbytery aisles were completed the presbytery north arcade which takes up the pier design concept of a simple core with attached triplet shafts but in Decorated style was inserted into the Norman presbytery wall, and the south arcade was started (Figure 10).
Also in the 14th century the nave aisles were reconstructed, and probably heightened as Early English roofs were normally steeply pitched. Reticulated windows were inserted now corresponding with the bays. By contrast with the piecemeal building of the presbytery aisles, this was done in a single campaign. 34
In the 15th century Perpendicular tracery was inserted into the windows in the east end of the presbytery aisles, while the Early Decorated jambs were retained. 35 The original north west tower was rebuilt at the charge of Jasper Tudor, but without disturbing the geometry of the central part of the west front. This strong tower may have been built to accommodate the bells following the destruction of the 13th century detached bell tower, probably by Owain Glyndwr.
A slightly smaller measure, from the centre line to the inner face of the window tracery is also significant. Twice this measure from the floor gives the height of the apices of the interior arches of the aisle windows. 2½ times gives the height of the vault sous clef (Figure 15). The springing line of the vault is pentagonally determined (Figure 16).
The designer of the Lady Chapel also created some grand overall proportions. The internal length of the Cathedral, to the west face of the east wall of the Lady Chapel, is 250 feet (Figure 1). The 60 foot length of the Lady Chapel can be measured from here to the centre of the east wall of the presbytery, and from there to the presbytery arch is 40 feet, making a proportion of 3:2. The 150 foot length of the nave relates to the total of 100 feet in the same proportion of 3:2. A line that divides the 60 feet measured from the east window in the same proportion of 3:2 locates the exterior face of the east wall of the north presbytery aisle and the east window of the south presbytery aisle (Figure 14).
The east walls of the presbytery aisles belong to the same building campaign as the Lady Chapel, since the buttresses are similar. Geometrical confirmation of this is given by the internal width across the ends of the aisles which is 60 feet. The internal width of the nave is 64 feet or more. To accommodate this difference the north presbytery aisle wall curves inwards as it approaches the east wall. It is also offset to the south at its junction with the north nave aisle wall. By contrast, the inner face of the south presbytery aisle wall is maintained at a distance of 30’ from the centre line of the presbytery. There was no need to bend this wall as the east wall of the chapel was able to receive the aisle wall at any convenient position, so all the offset on the south side was made at this junction. The south jamb of the arch cut in the east wall of the vestibule is on the same 30’ line, so is the south jamb of the earlier arch at the west end of the vestibule. The width of the presbytery aisles as measured to the windows is half the width of the presbytery measured from the centre lines of the piers (Figure 14).
The building history of the presbytery aisles is not easy to determine. The Lady Chapel, which is dated c 1280, together with the end walls of the aisles, could not have existed on their own for 40 years or so, and yet the presbytery aisles seem to be later than the end walls. “The details of this first portion [associated with the Lady Chapel] are by no means clear of Early English; … the window jambs, though under Decorated labels, belong rather to the earlier style. In the south aisle they have a shaft with a broach above the abacus, in the north a continuous roll with a shaft, but no capital. … The next portion embraces the two bays forming the north aisle of the presbytery; here the architecture is decidedly Decorated; the two window-jambs are merely moulded without shafts. In the south aisle we have no work of this portion, probably because of the building added to the vaulted bay being still preserved. The only window here is later.” 28
At St David's there are the remains of 13th century passageways that led to the Lady Chapel, which were converted to extensions of the choir aisles in the 14th century. It is possible that a similar arrangement was in place at Llandaff. That would have left the lower range of Norman presbytery windows unencumbered. The string course in the Mathew chapel on the east face of the Norman presbytery wall may be a relic of such passageways. The rubble construction of the aisle walls does not easily lend itself to the recording of architectural traces, but there are discernible differences in the stonework of both aisles at the level of the tops of the corner buttresses. 29 It is also consistent with what may be later window arches resting on earlier jambs.
Lovegrove considered that the presbytery aisles must have been built at the same time as the Lady Chapel. In fact they were built in stages, as is shown by the heterogeneous collection of window jambs. 30 Confirmation of this is given by the hagioscope into the Lady Chapel. This is so directed that a celebrant standing behind an altar against the west wall of the Mathew chapel had a view of the Lady Chapel altar. The upper part of this wall still exists, above a 19th century arch, but its former continuation downwards, and its piercing by an opening in line with the hagioscope can be deduced as the altar would not have been placed in the middle of an aisle. Access to the Mathew chapel would have been via a door in this wall or the Lady Chapel. The exterior of the north presbytery aisle at the junction of the Mathew chapel and the former chapel to the west of it displays “a singular break in the wall, like an enormously wide pilaster sloping backwards and dying into the wall.” 31
The arches leading to the Lady Chapel “by the character of the mouldings, may be of the Middle Decorated style (1320-1350), although the character of these arches is somewhat peculiar, as the bases are Early English and also the foliated caps…while the abaci are Decorated.” 32 Probably therefore the arches were rebuilt with the presbytery aisles, using some existing materials. 33
After the presbytery aisles were completed the presbytery north arcade which takes up the pier design concept of a simple core with attached triplet shafts but in Decorated style was inserted into the Norman presbytery wall, and the south arcade was started (Figure 10).
Also in the 14th century the nave aisles were reconstructed, and probably heightened as Early English roofs were normally steeply pitched. Reticulated windows were inserted now corresponding with the bays. By contrast with the piecemeal building of the presbytery aisles, this was done in a single campaign. 34
In the 15th century Perpendicular tracery was inserted into the windows in the east end of the presbytery aisles, while the Early Decorated jambs were retained. 35 The original north west tower was rebuilt at the charge of Jasper Tudor, but without disturbing the geometry of the central part of the west front. This strong tower may have been built to accommodate the bells following the destruction of the 13th century detached bell tower, probably by Owain Glyndwr.