Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1998. Vol. 2. Eger Journal of English Studies.(Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 26)

Studies - Endre Abkarovits: Teaching the Englishness of English Gothic cathedral architecture

attempt at breaking with the thirteenth century's discipline of right angles. (Pevsner: 138) As mentioned above, political, economic, and living conditions changed radically around the middle of the fourteenth century. It is almost symbolic that the Black Death put an end not only to the lives of half of the population, but also to the artistic period (Decorated), which meant possibly the climax of English Gothic arts. Though English Gothic remained innovative and influential during the next (Perpendicular) period as well, its decoration is felt decadent, too lush by many people. Some experts feel even the Curvelinear decadent, while others deny this. (Coldstream: 9) While Early and High Gothic showed a lot of similarities in Western European countries, Late Gothic was characterised by more national characteristics everywhere. But even in this period the various countries exerted strong influence on each other, and eg it is difficult to imagine the star and net vaulting of Germany or Spain without the English examples. In Lincoln ribs began to get separated from the vaulting long ago, and the English influence is felt as far away as in the Vladislav Hall in Prague Castle. (Martindale: 224) Although not completely Perpendicular, Gloucester is the archetype of Perpendicular. The choir was rebuilt in 1350 and a century later the Lady Chapel was added and it became one of the most important examples of Perpendicular. Fan-vaulting was also born here in the cloisters in the form of inverted half cones, but it was used for decoration in cathedrals only in the retro-choir of Peterborough and in the tower of Canterbury. The most famous largescale fan-vault, without pendants, is that of King's College Chapel at Cambridge. (Clifton-Taylor: 226-230) The future development of the vaulting designs is represented not by cathedrals, but royal chapels. (King's College Chapel, Cambridge; Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey; St. Stephen's, Westminster Palace; St. George's, Windsor Castle) The only exception is the pendant lierne-vault of Oxford cathedral. 'Structurally, this is a feat of extraordinary architectural ingeniuty, to which no Late Gothic buildings on the continent of Europe offer any close parallel.' (CliftonTaylor: 232) The cult of relics had been important for a long time. (Earlier they had been preserved in the crypts, but as the crypts caused structural problems, in several cathedrals they were done away with, and the relics were put on public display in the retro-choir. This was also important from the point of view of pilgrims.) In England they had never had as precious relics as the French or the Spaniards (Sainte- chapelle, Chartres, Santiago de Composiela, etc), which were connected to the life of Christ and his disciples. So, local 60