How were the Lincoln cathedral walls made?

Answer 1

Lincoln Cathedral as we see it today is the result of a very long period of building, repair, additional building and changes to the original construction. All this took many hundreds of years to complete.

The first stage was the Norman cathedral, started in 1072. The walls would have followed usual Norman building practice at that time: thin inner and outer faces of fine, dressed stone with a void between. This void was then filled with rubble, sand, rubbish, timber, mud and anything else that could be found - finally a type of cement was poured in to hold everything together. This made a solid-looking wall that was actually very unstable, particularly with additional weight and forces pressing down from above (such as a tower or the forces exerted by internal arches). See below for the results of this shoddy workmanship.

A fire in 1141 severely damaged the roof, leading to much restoration. The original flat timber ceilings were replaced with stone vaults. A carved frieze was inserted above the central doorway depicting the punishments that would be the fate of sinners. After more damage caused by the earthquake of 1185, a major reconstruction of the cathedral began.

Rebuilding started at the east end with an apse and five radiating chapels. The nave was built during the first half of the 13th century in the Early English Gothic style. Technological advances in architecture at this time made the most of pointed arches, flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting to allow larger windows. The double arcading (syncopated arcading) along the outer walls of the choir aisles is an unusual example of the Early English style. Against the wall are arches in relief with a second layer in front giving the illusion of a passageway along the wall. The remains of the Norman west end were incorporated into the Gothic west front we see today.

The collapse of the central tower in the 1230s (we saw that one coming, didn't we?) prompted another rebuilding of the east end. A suitable shrine was needed for St. Hugh Bishop of Lincoln and so the Angel Choir was built. This used high arches, fine, detailed carvings and huge expanses of stained glass to give an impression of light and richness. The European-style apse was extended into a Celtic-influenced square ended chancel.

In the 14th century the central tower was raised and topped with a lead-covered spire, making it the tallest building in Europe. The Choir Screen was also added at this time. Used then as a pulpit, it is in the Decorated style of dense, intricate carvings which would have been brightly painted.

The focus of new building in the 15th century turned to chantry or memorial chapels. The chapels next to the Angel Choir were built in the Perpendicular style, with an emphasis on strong vertical lines, seen most markedly in the window tracery and wall panelling.

So Lincoln, as in most English cathedrals, is a jumble of many different building styles and phases.

See link below for a 12th century illustration of a wall being built as described above: