Morienval, Saint-Denis
construction history in phases
MORIENVA

Building Data for Morienval, Saint-Denis

  •  
  • Type: Abbey
  • Affiliation: Benedictine
  •  
  • Region: Picardie
  • Department: Oise
  • Coords: 49.298, 2.9221
  •  
  • Surveyed: 1980-83, 2003, 2005, 2014

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 Morienval, Saint-Denis 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 95
1070		 199
1080		 65
1090		 105
1100		 gray 22
1160		 gray
1050 1070s 1080s 1090s 1100s 1160s 1250

Phases for Morienval, Saint-Denis 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.

Short version of history

Earlier

Phase 1 - Earlier


The tower base in the west with arches to north and south, with little buttresses to west and sides; the west walls of the aisles were butted into them.
1070

Phase 2 - 1070 [1079] - choir - 80 Units


Choir and transepts with crossing arches where a change in stonework over arches of chapels is more or less in line with start of adjacent window.
1070

Phase 3 - 1070 [1073] - w tower 1 - 15 Units


West tower I
1080

Phase 4 - 1080 [1083] - w tower II - 15 Units


West tower II
1080

Phase 5 - 1080 [1085] - nave - 139 Units


Nave aisle arcade and walls abut earlier crossing and westworks followed by the clerestory wall.
1080

Phase 6 - 1080 [1086] - e tower I - 15 Units


East towers I
1080

Phase 7 - 1080 [1087] - e tower II - 15 Units


East towers II
1080

Phase 8 - 1080 [1088] - e tower III - 15 Units


East towers III
1090

Phase 9 - 1090 [1090] - e tower IV - 15 Units


East towers IV
1090

Phase 10 - 1090 - e spires - 30 Units


East towers spires
1090

Phase 11 - 1090 [1090] - w tower III - 20 Units


Western tower level III
1100

Phase 12 - 1100 [1102] - apse (a) - 50 Units


Apse chapels added between older towers with ribs and cells built with walls and the high vault shafts that were added on the inside of the older walls where there used to have double shafts, as in west crossing.
1100

Phase 13 - 1100 [1103] - east (c) - 45 Units


East clerestory wall, capitals and rib vaults
1100

Phase 14 - 1100 [1104] - east (v) - 10 Units


Completes the vault with the four boss-panels.
1160

Phase 15 - 1160 [1160] - north - 22 Units


North chapel.
Later

Phase 16 - Later


Crossing and nave vaults.