Fig. 14.—Glastonbury Abbey: Plan of the Chapel of Our Lady, built A.D. 1184, on the Site of the Church of Joseph of Arimathæa.
Fig. 14.—Glastonbury Abbey: Plan of the Chapel of Our Lady, built A.D. 1184, on the Site of the Church of Joseph of Arimathæa.
Fig. 14.—Glastonbury Abbey: Plan of the Chapel of Our Lady, built A.D. 1184, on the Site of the Church of Joseph of Arimathæa.
The plan lies in a hexagon. Its measures are based upon the standard British foot of 12 inches. The breadth between the faces of the central buttresses is 37 feet, in harmony with the general scheme of measures found in the Abbey. The length of the vesica is approximately 64 feet, and its points touch the outer faces of the end walls. External to this is another vesica embracing the plinth-course (see plan). The interior shows a third, marking three-quarters of its length. Each vesica contains a rhombus of two equilateral triangles. Their measures are symbolic and explanatory of the sacred geometry of which the "Gematria" of the Greek scriptures is illustrative. Thus, the solid rectangular area of this building is 37 by 64, or 2,368 square feet, by Gematria the equivalent of ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Jesus Christ) or Ὁ ἉΓΙΟΣ ΤΩΝ ἉΓΙΩΝ (The Holy One of Holy Ones). The rhombus contained has the area 1,184 square feet, very possibly designed to record the date (A.D.1184) of the erection of the Chapel. It will be noted that William of Malmesbury alludes to the "sacred enigma" believed to be concealed in the triangular and other figures on the floor of the Chapel.
The plan lies in a hexagon. Its measures are based upon the standard British foot of 12 inches. The breadth between the faces of the central buttresses is 37 feet, in harmony with the general scheme of measures found in the Abbey. The length of the vesica is approximately 64 feet, and its points touch the outer faces of the end walls. External to this is another vesica embracing the plinth-course (see plan). The interior shows a third, marking three-quarters of its length. Each vesica contains a rhombus of two equilateral triangles. Their measures are symbolic and explanatory of the sacred geometry of which the "Gematria" of the Greek scriptures is illustrative. Thus, the solid rectangular area of this building is 37 by 64, or 2,368 square feet, by Gematria the equivalent of ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Jesus Christ) or Ὁ ἉΓΙΟΣ ΤΩΝ ἉΓΙΩΝ (The Holy One of Holy Ones). The rhombus contained has the area 1,184 square feet, very possibly designed to record the date (A.D.1184) of the erection of the Chapel. It will be noted that William of Malmesbury alludes to the "sacred enigma" believed to be concealed in the triangular and other figures on the floor of the Chapel.
"Stones carven and yguilded—ne spirit, I wot. How could these things stand in the day of wrath? Pride! Ostentation! Much glory and much tinsel; but ne worship, ne humbleness, ne object for us to continue more.... So passe old tymes away."Q."But how was that 22 feet length arrived at?"A."A cloyster from ye Nave to ye Lobby, and four steppes unto ye Transept floor, and from ye lobby, on ye west, ye Chappell."Ne Chappell but ye Cloyster in ye corner of ye grete Church. Claustrum to ye Chappel along ye aisle—then ye lobby and ye Chappel west of hym."
"Stones carven and yguilded—ne spirit, I wot. How could these things stand in the day of wrath? Pride! Ostentation! Much glory and much tinsel; but ne worship, ne humbleness, ne object for us to continue more.... So passe old tymes away."
Q."But how was that 22 feet length arrived at?"
A."A cloyster from ye Nave to ye Lobby, and four steppes unto ye Transept floor, and from ye lobby, on ye west, ye Chappell.
"Ne Chappell but ye Cloyster in ye corner of ye grete Church. Claustrum to ye Chappel along ye aisle—then ye lobby and ye Chappel west of hym."
Fig. 15.—The North Transept, showing the "Claustra" along the Aisle, then the Lobby, with its Four Doors, and the Loretto Chapel to the West.
Fig. 15.—The North Transept, showing the "Claustra" along the Aisle, then the Lobby, with its Four Doors, and the Loretto Chapel to the West.
Fig. 16.—Glastonbury Abbey: Complete Plan, showing All the Principal Features mentioned in the Script.
Fig. 16.—Glastonbury Abbey: Complete Plan, showing All the Principal Features mentioned in the Script.
This statement is now sufficiently explicit. It is possible to form a plan (see Figs.15and16). The little cloister alongside the wall of the transept forms a western aisle to the same, covering one bay, whose width is known to have been 22 feet nearly. At this point it merges into a lobby or vestibule, at or near the foot of a fair-sized turret which stands at the north-west angle of the transept. This lobby has doors on all sides—(1) south, from the cloister communicating with the nave; (2) north, to the upper garth, and the path used by Camel the Purser, who lived in High Street; (3) east, and up the steps through the transept wall, into the transept itself; and (4) west, into the short corridor of 10 feet leading to the Loretto Chapel.
A final question was asked, and the result is interesting, as the question was a mental one, asked by F.B.B., not written nor communicated to J.A. by any ostensible means. F.B.B. formulated the question in his mind thus: "What was the surname of the Paduan architect Francesco?" Answer: "Vecchi.—Francesco di Vecchi."60
This not being quite as clear as was wished, the question was repeated, and the reply came as follows: "Vecchidi Torcello in Italia."
PLATE V.CONJECTURAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTH TRANSEPT, WITH THE "CLAUSTRUM" ATTACHEDOn the left, under the turret, is the open vestibule, leading to the Chapel of the Loretto (on extreme left).To face page 154.
PLATE V.
CONJECTURAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTH TRANSEPT, WITH THE "CLAUSTRUM" ATTACHEDOn the left, under the turret, is the open vestibule, leading to the Chapel of the Loretto (on extreme left).To face page 154.
To face page 154.