Ambleny, Saint-Martin

AMBLENY

Building Data for Ambleny, Saint-Martin

Type: Parish
Affiliation:
Region: Picardie
Department: Aisne
Coords: 49.380, 3.1844
Surveyed: 1977, 1980-83, 2003, 2014

Map

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Virtual Tour

Timeline and building units for Ambleny, Saint-Martin

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A 'building unit' is an arbitrary unit of work based on bulk billing techniques used by quantity surveyors. The unit is small enough to provide realistic figures in the small churches without becoming too huge in the large. Six units would pay for one small vaulted bay in an aisle about 3 metres square, or a small first-floor gallery. Such a bay would consist of an external wall with a small window, half of two columns about 3 meters tall, the floor and footings under them and the vault and roof overhead.

		125	60	25	70	185		30
1050		1160s	1170s	1180s	1190s	1200s		1220s	1250

Phases for Ambleny, Saint-Martin

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The building sequence is based on my on-site analysis of the construction history, using the techniques developed on the cathedral of Chartres called toichology, and described in a number of publications. The analysis of some of the smaller churches are more approximate than I would like, and need further analysis.
I have used 'phase' rather than 'campaign' to to identify a contiguous zone with similar elements. A campaign would be defined by recognisable breaks and construction joints in the fabric: there may be a number of phases within a campaign. One benefit is that separate programs by subcontractors, such as carvers, may be isolated, which is particularly useful in complex sections, such as portals.
Every phase has been assigned to a decade, so there may be more than one phase in a decade.
While this is certainly imperfect, it will allow us to explore all the data, including costs, across time. This is an on-going process, so as the data continues to be analyzed, the chronology and costing analysis will be further refined, and the synopsis updated.
Clicking on any of the decade graphics will display all buildings that had work being done during that decade.


	Phase 1 - Earlier West wall of north transept has 8 courses from an earlier building; there was probably an earlier nave west wall in line with pier 4 that would have remained when the nave was finished;


	Phase 2 - 1160 - north - 30 Units North wall to north with bases and shafts to 8 courses, joined to the remnants of the older wall. North an early tasx5 caused because rib had been pushed over by elongated plan and additional arches.


	Phase 3 - 1160 - piers (b) - 30 Units Bases to crossing piers, including bases on south entry into nave where steps down to floor before the sw corner; both northern walls to window sill plus 3 courses;


	Phase 4 - 1160 [1167] - piers - 30 Units Aisle capitals and start of arch over south entry into nave; north and crossing capitals and start of vaults; bases for the south wall. All crossing caps original.


	Phase 5 - 1160 - north (v) - 35 Units Vaults in north and crossing with upper north window; on south windows to one course above sill drip; completes the arch over south entry into nave aisle;


	Phase 6 - 1170 [1172] - south (c) - 60 Units Complete north and crossing vaults with the upper walls; on the south carves the capitals, starts the vaults with thinner ribs above tas-de-charge and rose in south wall;\. Externally much replaced after 1918 bombardment including flyers and all ext buttresses.


	Phase 7 - 1180 - nave 1-3 (c) - 25 Units North aisle walls to 7 courses above torus in the north as far as east side of blocked door, where stopped, possibly to avoid earlier building; south aisle wall of 6 courses from transept to east jamb of south door; probably together as both sets of bases have splayed plinths;


	Phase 8 - 1190 - portal (b) - 20 Units Bases to the west portal and west wall and stairs to tread 3; intended a projection on the inside, possibly for an inner gable or internal portal;


	Phase 9 - 1190 - nave walls - 15 Units Nave aisle windows have different sill heights in north and south, and from fall in the land presume the south was later; some work on walls on west side of both side doors, but messy; some aisle capitals;


	Phase 10 - 1190 - W-w - 35 Units Western bay to caps and vault, inner projection removed; continued to just under (a+) window slope; western capitals have different imposts and plans to those further east;


	Phase 11 - 1200 - portal (a) - 25 Units Carved corbels with heads alongside portal, started the gable and (a+) windows. WS-s the junction between the stair treads and the newel and in the external wall of stair suggests one campaign to underside of windows over porch, another with three very large treads, and then the rest in one go. The surface suggests caps original, though some in the south may have been reworked.	Load More... See Less...


	Phase 12 - 1200 - nave (b) - 40 Units Removed old nave piers to eastern 3 bays and carved drums with different imposts; something still left standing in the way from the confused work in the walls and the leaving of the two w4 piers; carved the first arcade bases for the shafts for the high vault;


	Phase 13 - 1200 [1202] - nave (a) - 40 Units All aisle vaults and arcade arches, completed in two parts as shafts over piers varied; third stage of the western wall to the top of windows with western shafts;


	Phase 14 - 1200 - nave (c) - 80 Units Clerestory wall somewhat higher in east, built slowly with vaults; all clerestory vaults begun together;


	Phase 15 - 1220 - tower - 30 Units Tower


	Phase 16 - Later Last bay in the west with lancets and rose, now replaced;