Nouvion-le-Vineux, Saint-Martin
NOUVION

Building Data for Nouvion-le-Vineux, Saint-Martin

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  • Type: Parish
  • Affiliation:
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  • Region: Picardie
  • Department: Aisne
  • Coords: 49.502, 3.6106
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  • Surveyed: 1972-74, 1980-83, 2003, 2014

Map

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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.
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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 Nouvion-le-Vineux, Saint-Martin 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 85
1110		 gray 102
1150		 50
1160		 gray
1050 1110s 1150s 1160s 1250

Phases for Nouvion-le-Vineux, Saint-Martin 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

1080

Phase 1 - 1080 [1086] - tower base


Tower base to vault
1110

Phase 2 - 1110 [1110] - tower I - 20 Units


Tower level I to capitals and arches.
1110

Phase 3 - 1110 [1111] - tower II (b) - 20 Units


Tower II bases
1110

Phase 4 - 1110 [1112] - tower II (a) - 23 Units


Tower II capitals and arches as junctions to wavy jamb shafts changed.
1110

Phase 5 - 1110 [1116] - tower III - 22 Units


Tower III.
1150

Phase 6 - 1150 [1157] - east s (b) - 20 Units


Footings dug and built over three campaigns by following the courses and from three changes to the widths of the buttresses. The south was more advanced as ground is higher in the southeast than northwest. On the outside the upper level stretches from the lowest three visible courses below the chamfer all the way from the tower to the north side of the projection for the east window. This campaign then drops to the footings on the north. On the interior of the southern wall the first plinth and torus in SW2 corner are placed diagonally, showing ribs were intended. I estimate that these three campaigns could have occupied the 1155-1157 seasons.
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1150

Phase 7 - 1150 [1158] - east n (b) - 32 Units


Footings laid to north side of entry into north chapel. Nothing was done along north transept wall, as there may have been some structure in the way that delayed work in this area for some years. Square-set plinths and tori were laid from south chapel to entry from north aisle. Apse walls to the 9th course with vertical breaks on outer sides of the apse entry shafts, which was three courses below start of windows. The joint is indicated by changes to buttresses. In both chapels lowest courses were built with thickened walls without any rib shafts, suggesting that in this campaign the master had not intended to vault the transepts, and when they reversed that decision in phase 12b the rib corbels had to be uncomfortably squeezed into the walls.
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1150

Phase 8 - 1150 [1159] - apse aisle (s) - 50 Units


Apse of eight courses with windowsills and frames. The continuous external drip forms a skirt around the building.
1160

Phase 9 - 1160 [1160] - apse (a) - 50 Units


Apse 8 or 9 courses to caps and square imposts, with start of vaults, window heads and entry arch that has a simple scooped profile; possibly a few courses in transepts and chapels while continuing the thick eastern wall in the chapels.
1160

Phase 10 - 1160 [1161] - apse (v)


Completed the apse vault but did little on external walls so he could retain access to lay up the cells. In the south continued the south wall from tower to chapels. The master reduced the external diameter of the south chapel in fourth course below window drip; the fact that this does not occur on the north reinforces the evidence that they were being built in different phases. Began the S-s window in the lowest course, placed so it was not central to the wall. The joint is indicated where the buttress was reduced in the next course. In the north laid the footings and bases to the transept with different buttress widths, and built more on this side, yet it was still lower than the south. This campaign built altogether about 7 courses to a little below the north window. On the west laid the bases to the crossing piers and the opening into nave aisle with plinths angled true to the ribs.
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1160

Phase 11 - 1160 [1162] - south aisle (s)


In the chapels there was major changes from domical vaults to ribs. The thick wall was reduced in thickness to make room for shafts that were added over corbels to support additional arches over the entries into the chapels.
1160

Phase 12 - 1160 [1162] - s aisle (a)


In the apse built the uppermost stones of wall and gable and coping to buttress with cornice with scooped profile and roof. Jambs for the S-s windowsill after lowest course in previous campaign with sill and shafts, and continuous drip so same profile as used before as skirt. Completed the whole of S-e window to the head with rings on the shafts. As it has the same window design as the apse this may have been the same master as in phase 9, being the return of the Scooped-profile master. The buttresses were reduced in the course above the string. The north chapel window was begun but not completed. Built the south chapel vaults with caps and arch entry, with the scooped profile. Unlike the south the north transept window N-n was set out centrally in the wall and one course lower than the south, a difference of 420mm, so it sat below the north chapel corbels.
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1160

Phase 13 - 1160 [1162] - s aisle (a)


This master employed the team that carved the capitals and arch to WN-w(a) aisle entry that continued the capital along wall. Used scooped profile to the voussoires.
1160

Phase 14 - 1160 [1163] - n aisle (a)


In south transept set up S-s window with head twisted towards the east possibly so it would be seen centrally from the room. Completed head of S-e window with a modified scooped profile in the arch. Vault begun out of SW2 corner. Caps and arch entry into N chapel with extended impost. Began roof cornices to both chapels with this profile. Jambs to N-e window without rings on the shafts.
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1160

Phase 15 - 1160 [1163] - chapel windows


Consoles with figures were set into the walls of both transepts to support the ribs above the level of the chapel entry arches. They are not consistently aligned and look like an afterthought as they could have been carved with the capitals under the chapel entry arches.
1160

Phase 16 - 1160 [1163] - crossing (c)


Employing the carvers for the western clerestory capitals of the crossing. Originally all these capitals were at the same level, and then it was decided to raise the height of the crossing with a central lantern, thus ensuring a very tall nave. To achieve this some capitals were moved up 7 courses in the next campaign.
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1160

Phase 17 - 1160 [1164] - raised crossing


In the western crossing piers raised the opening into the nave 7 courses for a much taller interior, replacing the vault over the crossing with a lantern, and to do this relocated some capitals and imposts to this upper level, as can be seen in the angled edges of the imposts; that meant that there would be no vault over the crossing but a lantern. The arch into nave, and arches between crossing and transepts have a fillet-profile; vaulted the south transept with ribs with a groove on only one side (as in Soissons south transept); south chapel roof cornice and completed north N-n window head with centralised arch, and adjacent transept vault caps.
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1160

Phase 18 - 1160 [1164] - lantern caps


Shafts and capitals were inserted over apse piers for lantern
1160

Phase 19 - 1160 [1165] - trans (v)


Completed transept vaults. Erected lantern walls over arches, and began twin windows and starts diagonal ribs with scooped-profile on ribs and around the frame of the windows. Completed transept vaults with south transept roof cornice. This could have been the same master returned two times before.
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1160

Phase 20 - 1160 [1166] - lantern (v)


The decision for an 8-part vault may have been made here, or earlier. Completed the lantern vault and window head and Beauvaisis cornice.
1180

Phase 21 - 1180 - nave (b)


Nave floor slopes from east to west. Erected the nave bases, dado and sills to the side walls. Also the W-w door and wall.
1180

Phase 22 - 1180 - nave (a)


Nave aisle capitals and arcade arches. The tilted joint through windows meant that the W-w windows could not be started until here.
1180

Phase 23 - 1180 - nave (av)


Wall above arches and aisle vaults to the triforium openings and clerestory caps in W1. Includes the start of the vault and clerestory window sills. Work continues to step down to the west.
1180

Phase 24 - 1180 - nave (t,c)


Nave openings into roof area, clerestory, heads of windows, flyers and completes vault.