Senlis, Notre-Dame
SENLIS

Building Data for Senlis, Notre-Dame

  •  
  • Type: Cathedral
  • Affiliation:
  •  
  • Region: Picardie
  • Department: Oise
  • Coords: 49.206, 2.5859
  •  
  • Surveyed: 1969, 1977, 1980-83, 2003, 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 Senlis, Notre-Dame 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 1080
1150		 700
1160		 gray 90
1180		 100
1190		 100
1200		 gray
1050 1150s 1160s 1180s 1190s 1200s 1250

Phases for Senlis, Notre-Dame 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

1150

Phase 1 - 1150 [1154] - church (a) - 140 Units


Probable foundations from documents in 1154, though chapels were set out by at leas two team; the buttresses were designed for flyers, though earliest on north is aligned slightly east of the centre.
1150

Phase 2 - 1150 [1154] - west block - 100 Units


West 12-14 piers by Westblock Master
1150

Phase 3 - 1150 [1155] - east piers (a) - 140 Units


Eastern aisle piers capitals, 2-rib design in chapels intended, 4-rib installed.
1150

Phase 4 - 1150 [1156] - west portal (b) - 140 Units


West portal plinths
1150

Phase 5 - 1150 [1156] - east walls (a) - 140 Units


East walls aisle all capitals and vaults with tas-de-charge.
1150

Phase 6 - 1150 [1157] - nave (a) - 140 Units


West aisle capitals
1150

Phase 7 - 1150 [1158] - nave-s - 140 Units


West portal lateral door capitals, and tympani and those on the inside of the south door. as they are so similar.
1150

Phase 8 - 1150 [1159] - w portal (a) - 140 Units


West portal capitals and sculpture (though could have been carved earlier); the front capitals have been replaced with care, but the small ones in between are mostly original; the carvers may have come from working on the choir and &quot;intruded&quot; into the realm of the Westblock Master.
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1160

Phase 9 - 1160 [1160] - choir (g) - 140 Units


Gallery to pier 11, capitals consistent in Fleurine manner.
1160

Phase 10 - 1160 [1161] - west (g) - 140 Units


West gallery capitals by Westblock Master.
1160

Phase 11 - 1160 [1162] - choir (c) - 140 Units


Choir clerestory with remaining capitals, and presumably vaults.
1160

Phase 12 - 1160 [1162] - west (c) - 140 Units


West clerestory
1160

Phase 13 - 1160 [1163] - towers (c+) - 140 Units


Tower base clerestory
1180

Phase 14 - 1180 - tower I - 90 Units


West towers 1
1190

Phase 15 - 1190 - tower II - 100 Units


Tower II
1200

Phase 16 - 1200 - spire started - 100 Units


Spire
Later

Phase 17 - Later


Completing the spire, rebuilding the clerestory after fire, opening centre for transepts, new south facade.