Medieval Period - Westminster Abbey the History

Medieval Period - Westminster Abbey

The history of the Westminster Abbey in London stretches back to the Early Middle-ages. The edifice was constructed circa the turn of the 7th century (Mason, 1996). Although the accounts vary, the monk, Sulcard's description of Westminster Abbey's is given some weight by historians. According to Sulcard's history, the original structure's erection was commissioned by King Aethelbert of Kent (Mason, 1996).

Due to the fact that timber was the building material used for most structures during the Early Medieval period, it is likely that any edifice built prior to the 11th century was made out of wood (Stalley, 1999). Furthermore, the early Christian churches were often built upon preexisting pagan temples or Roman basilicas. These buildings were designed to be used according to different practices than what we have come to associate with the Christian use of churches. Pagan sacrifices were conducted outside of temples. Christians, however, congregate and hold services inside of building serving as a church. Therefore, when renovating pagan structures, the emphasis placed upon the aesthetic enhancement of the inside of the edifice.

Since it was a customary practice during the Early Middle-ages, it is likely that the original structure assumed the form of a pagan temple or Roman basilica, out of which Christian cathedrals were later erected during the High Middle-ages. It was not until the 11th century that the original edifice was that King Edward the Confessor commissioned the building of the cathedral according design principles associated with Norman architectural practices (Jenkyns, 2004). The church was finally consecrated on Holy Innocents Day in 1065 (Jenkyns, 2004).

Westminster Abbey

The cathedral was added onto during the centuries following the construction that was commissioned by Edward the Confessor. The founding of the cathedral took place in a period of transition from Romanesque architecture to Gothic architecture. Therefore, characteristics of both design patterns are evident in the cathedral's facade. For instance, the windows of the cathedral possess the Romanesque characteristic of a single arch. Windows of these types are observable in Romanesque designs. Additionally, however, the cathedral possesses a large glass window in its center. The use of large glass windows, which allowed sunlight to poor into the inside of the cathedral is a trait associated with Gothic architectural design.

Classical Period - St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral was built between 1675 and 1710 after the cathedral that had previously stood in the spot was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. The cathedral was built in order to display various public rituals, such as royal weddings, state funerals, and, on occasion, the edifice has been used for open preaching over the courtyard (Newbolt, 1828). St. Paul's is the largest classical building in England. While the picture above makes the edifice appear to only embody a classical design, other portions of the building reveal Gothic influences.

From this picture, one can detect the Gothic influences still present in this primarily classical design. The tower, for instance, is an aspect that is attributable to Gothic architecture. This aspects of the design that deviate from the classical appearance of the edifice are probably attributable to England's overall reluctance to adopt the classical design, preferring, instead, Gothic and Baroque architectures (Curl, 1992).

St. Paul's Cathedral was built during the Classical period of English architecture. This style of design treated each part of the structure to be a unique and individuated part, whose form could be appreciated on its own, in the absence of other interpenetrating parts.

This style of architecture was prevalent during the Renaissance: a period of Western history during which intellectuals looked to the practices of antiquity as a source of knowledge that could be reapplied in later neo-classical projects intended to provide an alternative to medieval conventions (Curl, 1992).

In the photograph above, one can see the side of the structure that faces the courtyard: the area where congregants gather for open-ceremonies performed by the Church of England. The neo-classical style provides an appearance that is conducive to events that are held either on the inside or the outside of the edifice (Newbolt, 1828).

Victorian Period - St. Pancras Station

St. Pancras Station was built during the 19th century in Victorian England. This was a period when there was a backlash to the rather austere designs associated with the neo-classical period. England, in particular embraced the neo-Gothic style of architecture, because England was slow and reluctant to adopt classicism as an architectural style. The neo-Gothic architectural style, however, does not attempt to restore the exact practices associate with Gothic constructions. Rather, neo-Gothicism combines the influences impacting Gothic design along with the building techniques and materials that are associated with the Industrial Revolution.

Victorianism, as a consequence, embraced a neo-Gothic architectural style whose resulting structures were constructed with modern materials such as steel, giving the facades appearances that combined Gothic form with industrial colors. As one can see in the photograph below, the structure has a cathedral-like appearance. However, the structure appears to be primarily made out of bricks, giving the facade the color and tone that connotes associations with the Industrial Revolution. The structure was designed to both hold a train station in addition to other amenities, such as a hotel, which helps to explain why the structure is so enormous.