Mello, La Nativité
construction history in phases
MELLO

Building Data for Mello, La Nativité

  •  
  • Type: Abbey
  • Affiliation: Benedictine
  •  
  • Region: Picardie
  • Department: Oise
  • Coords: 49.272, 2.3638
  •  
  • Surveyed: 1977, 1980-83, 2015

Map

Virtual Tour

Studies These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.
X

These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.

Timeline and building units for Mello, La Nativité 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.
X

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.

info

gray gray 20
1150		 gray 138
1170		 38
1180		 gray 165
1200		 gray 180
1220		 gray
1050 1150s 1170s 1180s 1200s 1220s 1250

Phases for Mello, La Nativité 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. <p>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. <p>Every phase has been assigned to a decade, so there may be more than one phase in a decade. <p>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. <p>Clicking on any of the decade graphics will display all buildings that had work being done during that decade.
X

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.
1150

Phase 1 - 1150 [1158] - south (a)-s - 20 Units


South wall of transept with paired windows
1170

Phase 2 - 1170 - chapel, trans (b) - 138 Units


Chapel, transept bases
1180

Phase 3 - 1180 - nave (a) W1 (c) - 38 Units


Nave aisles W1 clerestory
1200

Phase 4 - 1200 [1200] - nave, portal - 165 Units


Nave and doors
1220

Phase 5 - 1220 [1220] - nave (g) WN2 - 100 Units


Nave gallery WN2, transept triforium
1220

Phase 6 - 1220 - trans (c) - 48 Units


Transept clerestory
1220

Phase 7 - 1220 - trans (c+) - 32 Units


Transept upper clerestory