| Summary : Christ Church Cathedral Priory. Excavations have found features of Romano-British date which included a street and timber structures and yards dating to the 1st to the 3rd centuries. There was some evidence for earlier activity in the area but no structures were found. The first cathedral was constructed in the style of other early Kent churches and set at a marked angle to the Roman streets. Re-used Roman stones were used in its construction. It has been suggested that this was the first church built soon after the arrival of St Augustine probably in 598. The second Anglo-Saxon cathedral was much larger and comprised a nave, flanking aisles, a squared western annex and a possible central tower. The style of construction together with documentary accounts suggests a date of construction during the early years of the 9th century probably by Archbishop Wulfred (circa 808-13). Flint nodules were used as well as Hythe stone. There is evidence of later rebuilding in keeping with documentary evidence for extensive repairs between 942 and 958 carried out by Archbishop Oda. The final form of the Anglo-Saxon Cathedral saw the addition of a major western structure (incorporating a western apse, flanking hexagonal stair turrets) and porticus/towers towards the eastern ends of the nave aisle some time between 1011 and 1067 before the cathedral was destroyed by fire. The remains of this building were demolished and the cathedral entirely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077 under Lanfranc. This began with the nave and western towers and presbytery and chapels off the transepts. St Anselm replaced the small east end with a huge choir raised upon a splendid crypt. This was destroyed by fire in 1174 and rebuilt in 1184. Between 1377 and circa 1475 the nave and western transepts in Perpendicular style were rebuilt on Norman foundations. Finally there was one further major refurbishment in 1787. Dependencies: Dover, Oxford, Monks Risborough, and Thanington Hospital. |
More information : [TR 151579] Christ Church Cathedral [TU]. (1)
The Cathedral Priory of the Holy Trinity or Christchurch, Canterbury. Founded 598, apparently a collegiate foundation, although another version maintains that it was at first monastic, becoming collegiate circa 833; refounded 997; after the suppression a collegiate chapter was constituted for a dean and twelve prebenderies. (2-3)
See map diagram for details of Priory Buildings. (4)
Christchurch Cathedral, Grade A. The original church on the site was one built for Roman Christians. St Augustine reconsecrated this church in 602AD. The present building is a mixture of building styles from the C11 to the present day. The exterior is built mainly of Caen stone. On the east side some Romanesque arcading is visible though most of the stonework dates from 1175-84, built by William of Sens and William the Englishman, or from the late C14 to mid C15r ebuilding. The south-west tower was built in 1424-34, the north-west tower is a replica of this built in 1832-41.
The central "Bell Harry" tower of brick faced with stone was built between 1494 and 1503 and is one of the first brick structures. 7 bay Nave with clerestory, built between 1378-1410.
Choir and Corona built by William of Sens and William the Englishman. Very fine early Romanesque crypt of 10 bays and Chapel of Our Lady of the Undercroft. (5)
Additional references. (6-64)
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