Soissons, Saints-Gervais-et-Protais
SOISSONS

Building Data for Soissons, Saints-Gervais-et-Protais

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  • Type: Cathedral
  • Affiliation:
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  • Region: Picardie
  • Department: Aisne
  • Coords: 49.380, 3.3254
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  • Surveyed: 1969, 1977, 1980-83, 2003, 2009, 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.
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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 Soissons, Saints-Gervais-et-Protais 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 350
1170		 1540
1180		 550
1190		 1440
1200		 600
1210		 900
1220		 500
1230		 100
1240		 gray
1050 1170s 1180s 1190s 1200s 1210s 1220s 1230s 1240s 1250

Phases for Soissons, Saints-Gervais-et-Protais 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

1170

Phase 1 - 1170 [1177] - south (b) - 130 Units


The footings to the south transept and to the walls of the choir were set out probably in two separate operations: in the choir walls the north was ahead of the south by a few courses while the south was attached to one side of the old church and the choir followed around the outside; land donated for the south in 1176
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1170

Phase 2 - 1170 [1179] - south (a) - 220 Units


South aisle capitals and vaults
1180

Phase 3 - 1180 - south (gb) - 220 Units


South gallery bases and piers, choir wall bases in two campaigns, and first piers on south side of nave that included the four crossing piers and all in the W2,which would have intruded into the inside of the old church.
1180

Phase 4 - 1180 [1183] - south (g) - 220 Units


South gallery capitals and vaults with arches over aisles onto crossing piers and arcade to first bay of nave; rose in north-east end of gallery, choir aisle sills with vertical join against gallery.
1180

Phase 5 - 1180 [1184] - south (t) - 220 Units


South triforium string and capitals with a break by crossing
1180

Phase 6 - 1180 [1185] - choir wall (a) - 220 Units


Choir wall and window capitals
1180

Phase 7 - 1180 [1186] - south (c) - 220 Units


South clerestory string and capitals, start of vaults; the hemicycle aisle vault and aisle vault in WS1 together, from profiles; ES1 (c) shows decision to place crossing capitals at this height, implying a different design for the choir.
1180

Phase 8 - 1180 - south (cs) - 220 Units


South clerestory sill, choir aisle window capitals, with flyers built into walls; the encircling wall pauses at this point.
1180

Phase 9 - 1180 [1188] - south (cw) - 220 Units


South window capitals
1190

Phase 10 - 1190 [1190] - south (rc) - 220 Units


South cornice, roof and completion of hemicycle aisle vault: services could now be held in the south, so the old choir could be demolished and interior choir pier footings put in.
1190

Phase 11 - 1190 [1194] - choir piers (a) - 330 Units


Choir pier, capitals, arcade and the vaults.
1200

Phase 12 - 1200 [1202] - choir (t) - 360 Units


Choir and crossing triforium set out in 1200, with capitals with a much taller passage than in the south, indicating a clear decision to build the first "tall" design; in the WN the vertical joint is to the west of the WN2 shafts.
1200

Phase 13 - 1200 [1205] - choir (c) - 360 Units


Choir walkway, supports for flyers, and capitals with start of vaults; in raising the height the crossing capitals set higher, and older ones moved up to new location.
1200

Phase 14 - 1200 [1208] - choir (cw) - 360 Units


Choir window capitals, oculi
1200

Phase 15 - 1200 - sw crossing (t) - 360 Units


Triforium at SW crossing, one bay of transept and first in nave to stabilise this corner.
1210

Phase 16 - 1210 [1210] - choir (v) - 200 Units


Choir roof, vault and cornice with double window and oculus to south of WS1 pier
1210

Phase 16 - 1210 [1211] - stalls - 100 Units


The choir stalls could be completed by 1211 so the clergy could then move back into the choir
1210

Phase 17 - 1210 - nave (b) - 300 Units


Layout the nave walls west of the third piers to the entry.
1220

Phase 18 - 1220 [1220] - nave (a) - 300 Units


Nave aisle wall and pier capitals
1220

Phase 19 - 1220 - nave (t) - 300 Units


Nave triforium, possibly with the bases to north transept
1220

Phase 20 - 1220 - nave (cs) - 300 Units


Nave string, window sill and walkway.
1230

Phase 21 - 1230 - nave (c) - 120 Units


Nave clerestory and window capitals
1230

Phase 22 - 1230 - north (a) - 50 Units


North transept aisle walls and pier capitals
1230

Phase 23 - 1230 - nave (rc) - 140 Units


Nave cornice and roof
1230

Phase 24 - 1230 - north (av) - 50 Units


North transept aisle vaults
1230

Phase 25 - 1230 - nave (v) - 140 Units


Nave vaults
1240

Phase 26 - 1240 - north (t) - 100 Units


North triforium
Later

Phase 27 - Later


Work in the north continues, but slowly, and a long time before the north window and the high vaults are achieved.