The Road to Hell..

[endlessrarities]

A strange juxtaposition of subjects today...  I'm gathering together the material for my next prehistory post - I've gone from chambered tombs onto henges and the next one will be Grooved Ware, since henges and Grooved Ware go hand in glove.

My strict exercise regime has fallen by the wayside thanks to the juvenile sweet pea avalanche.  Unfortunately, there's only twenty-four hours a day and a vicious workout or fifty minutes on the turbo-trainer doesn't sit well with forty minutes' gardening after my return from work.  Next week, I'll be returning to normal, I hope.  Give or take a few field surveys....  In the meantime, I can feel my fitness levels steadily decreasing.

But I digress.  After the weekend's pagan post, I'm going to return to medieval matters and return to Wells.  Today's photographs are dedicated to the Chapter House.

Here's a view of the doorway:-

 

And a picture of the fan vaulting, which is particularly lovely:-

 

And one last photo, which closes the door on Wells Cathedral:-

 

It's a lovely (and I daresay very rare!) example of a medieval timber door with the most exquisite ornamental ironwork.  When I first spotted it, I'd just completed a metalwork report which included a number of clench nails (with a huge flat head at one end and a plate hooked into place at the other - they're used on structural timbers, like door timbers or boat-timbers).  Similar nails are used here, to keep the ornamental scrollwork in place.

A pile of nails in a pit is boring.  When you see them like this, in their original context, they're gorgeous!
 

Comments

[subtly-strange.livejournal.com]

Oh my, that door! I think I would almost swoon over it!

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

I did swoon over it.

And eyebrows were raised amongst the worthy lay-folk of Wells, who didn't quite expect someone to be so enraptured by their medieval door!

[bellakara.livejournal.com]

That door is gorgeous! And the fan vaulting too.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Isn't it? It's one of my all time favourites Doors (Along with the late Jim Morrison, the still-going strong Ray Manzarek, etc.).

I'm sorry. I couldn't resist that...

[medievalmuse.livejournal.com]

OMG, that DOOR!!!! Well, the other images deserve their due of gushing as well. The fan vaulting is an amazing feat of decorative form.

I could very well come to the UK and be in la-la land forever.

On on a sidenote: I've not worked out in nearly a month and I feel it. Sad how easily the body gives up muscle tone and stamina, isn't it?

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I think I spend most of my life in la-la land...

Get back to your workouts you must (the Yoda-ism just slipped out). You'll feel better for it. I'm still at the mega guilt-trip stage...

[writeonq.livejournal.com]

Serious door envy!!! Absolutely gorgeous...

[apollinaris.livejournal.com]

Grooved Ware: I look forward to this. I'd appreciate too your observations on the movement north to south of this, and if it relates, as you suggest here, to henges.

On the medieval and church architecture, have you heard of the Three Hares motif? This (also) moved, but from China to Britain, along the trade routes, where it appears in churches/cathedrals.
http://www.threehares.net/

[faerie-writer.livejournal.com]

Oh, that door is just marvellous!!!