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Durham E-Theses An Archaeology of Sensory Experience: Pilgrimage in the Medieval Church, c.1170-c.1550 WELLS, EMMA,JANE How to cite: WELLS, EMMA,JANE (2013) An Archaeology of Sensory Experience: Pilgrimage in the Medieval Church, c.1170-c.1550 , Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7735/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Emma J. Wells An Archaeology of Sensory Experience: Pilgrimage in the Medieval Church, c. 1 170-c. 1550 ABSTRACT Using a methodological framework built upon principles of recent socio- anthropological and archaeological analyses on the sensory culture of the past, this thesis provides an original interdisciplinary socio-sensual approach to illustrate how the medieval ‘pilgrimage experience’ was socially constructed for and by three separate participatory groups - royalty, laity and a parochial society - at four major English cult churches. The tapestry of evidence used is woven together to create invented narratives from past visitors, highlighting the differences in perception and lived experience, in opposition to studies which have provided only impersonal analyses of structures as revealed through archaeological excavation. Thus far, studies have failed to consider how developments - whether initiated by the church, external patrons or visitors’ needs - transformed the physical aesthetic of church space and how this affected the experience of the medieval pilgrim. This thesis seeks to remedy this deficiency. Not only does it mark a departure from the ‘traditional’ practice of buildings archaeology, but the principal original contribution of this work is that the conclusions provide a fresh understanding of how and why the churches were built for and around the inherent cults and, accordingly, how pilgrims - of all statuses - developed and manipulated the decorative and architectural schemes of such buildings for their own needs and ideological agendas. The research considers a church building not only as a complete sensory structure, but also how its construction was intended to impact/encourage devotion towards the resident cults as a continuation of ritualised practices: for example, how specific materials were chosen for their tactile qualities, shrines for their ability to allow bodily engagement with the holy, or galleries added for amplification. Significant research questions include: Were experiences created to suit different social groups and, if so, how did they impact on the archaeological record of the church building? Did the common layman have some influence on how cult churches were built and embellished? What imprint did these transient and ephemeral visitors leave? And, most importantly, how did pilgrims experience them differently? An Archaeology of Sensory Experience: Pilgrimage in the Medieval Church, C. 1170-C. 1550 Two Volumes Volume I Emma J. Wells Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Durham University Department of Archaeology 2013 Table of Contents Abstract i Title Page ii Table of Contents iii List of Illustrations vii Statement of Copyright xi List ofAbbreviations xii Acknowledgments xiii Dedication xvi Volume 1 Chapter 1. ‘Sensing’ the Medieval Church 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Research Context and Aims -1 1.3 Objectives 3 1.4 An Archaeology of Pilgrimage: A Research Context 5 1.4.1 An Explanation of Pilgrimage 5 1.5 The Ritualistic Customaries of Saintly Veneration 7 1.5.1 The Origins of the Cult of Saints 7 1.5.2 Relics, Saints and Architecture 12 1.6 Key Terms 18 1.6.1 Royal Pilgrimage 18 1.6.2 Feretory 19 1.6.3 Foramina-type shrines 20 1.6.4 Votives, Souvenirs and Ampullae 20 1.7 Organisation of Thesis 21 Chapter 2. From Theory to Methodology: An Archaeology of Sensory Experience 2.1 Introduction 23 2.2 Theoretical Approaches to the medieval pilgrimage church: a background 24 2.2.1 Structuralist/Post-Structuralist approaches 24 2.2.2 The Power of Epistemology 28 2.3 The Ideology of Pilgrimage 30 2.4 ‘Smells and Bells’: Theorising ‘sensory’ aspects of devotion 33 2.4.1 The Medieval Senses 33 2.4.2 An Archaeology of the Senses 37 2.5 Research Methodology: An Archaeology of Sensory Experience 40 iii 2.5.1 Phenomenology 41 2.5.2 Synaesthesia - the interplay of senses 44 2.5.3 Display 48 2.6 Case sites 49 2.6.1 The Impact of Social Changes on Pilgrimage 52 2.6.2 York Minster and Canterbury Cathedral 53 2.6.3 Durham Cathedral-Priory 56 2.6.4 St Neot, Cornwall 57 2.7 Evidence - Data and Sources 60 2.7.1 Research Strategy 60 2.7.2 ‘Thick Description’: Method of Approach for Data Collection 62 2.7.3 Fabric 63 2.7.4 Documentary Sources 66 2.8 Presentation of data 70 Chapter 3. ‘A Cult of Magnificence’: Great Shrines through the Eyes of the King 3.1 Introduction 72 3.2 Context 73 3.3 Methodology/Sources 74 3.4 Architectural History of the Cult Sites 76 3.4.1 Canterbury Cathedral 76 3.4.2 York Minster 78 3.5 Integrated Space 79 3.6 Stained Glass 81 3.7 East End 84 3.8 Decorative Aspects 89 3.8.1 Royal Emblems 89 3.8.2 Screens and Gates as Gateways 93 3.8.3 Pavements as Places and Pathways 99 3.8.4 Masonry 102 3.8.5 Chapels 104 3.9 Offerings 106 3.10 A Synaesthetic Experience 110 3.11 The Sensorium: Reconstructing theMedieval Pilgrimage Experience 120 3.12 Conclusion 123 Chapter 4. A Great Shrine though the Eyes of the Lay Pilgrim 4.1 Introduction 126 4.2 Context 126 4.3 Methodology/Sources 127 4.4 East End 128 4.5 Galilee Chapel 134 4.6 Stained Glass (and other visualelements) 141 iv 4.7 Shrine 150 4.8 Masonry 159 4.9 Screens 163 4.10 Altars 170 4.11 The Sensorium: Reconstructing theMedieval Pilgrimage Experience 173 4.12 Conclusion 176 Chapter 5. ‘Devotion by Design’: A Local Shrine through the Eyes of a Parish Community 5.1 Introduction 178 5.2 Context 179 5.3 Methodology/Sources 180 5.4 East End 181 5.4.1 Architectural History 181 5.5 Shrine 184 5.5.1 Architectural History 184 5.5.2 Wall Painting 186 5.5.3 Easter Sepulchre? 189 5.5.4 Sensory Aspects .197 5.6 Decorative Aspects 201 5.6.1 Roof Bosses 201 5.6.2 Stained Glass 204 5.6.3 North Chapel 209 5.6.4 History of the Shrine’s Use 211 5.7 Screens 215 5.8 Integrative Interior Space 219 5.9 A ‘Constructed’ Pilgrimage 221 5.10 The Sensorium: Reconstructing the Medieval Pilgrimage Experience 235 5.11 Conclusion 239 Chapter 6. Conclusion. ‘Kings, Commoners and Communities’: An Experiential Examination 6.1 Introduction 241 6.2 Pilgrimage art and architecture and developments in the Medieval Church 242 6.3 The Cult of Saints and the construction of the sensory experience 251 6.4 Epilogue. Pilgrimage and Sensory Experience: Conclusions and implications for further research 254 Appendices I. Data Records of Case Sites: Cult History & Pilgrimage 264 II. Sensory Inventories 273 v (ILi) Canterbury 273 (Il.ii) York 275 (Il.iii) Durham 277 (ILiv) St Neot 279 Volume 2 Illustrations and Plates (reconstruction drawings) 280 Bibliography 353 List of Illustrations All photographs attributed to the author unless otherwise stated in captions. Fig 1.1 The Lincoln Pilgrim 280 Fig 2.1 Exterior view of Durham Cathedral 280 Fig 2.2 Exterior view of York Minster 281 Fig 2.3 Exterior view of Canterbury Cathedral 281 Fig 2.4 Exterior view of St Neot parish church, Cornwall 282 Fig 2.5 Map showing location of case sites 282 Fig 3.1 Plan of Canterbury Cathedral showing cult sites 283 Fig 3.2 Stained glass panel showing image of Becket’s tomb, Trinity Chapel, Canterbury Cathedral 283 Fig 3.3 Stained glass panel allegedly depicting image of Becket’s shrine, Trinity Chapel, Canterbury Cathedral 284 Fig 3.4 Pilgrim badges allegedly depicting Becket’s shrine 284 Fig 3.5 Alleged image of Becket’s shrine. Nave, St Mary’s, Nettlestead, Kent. 285 Fig 3.6 Drawing allegedly showing Becket’s shrine, BL. MS Cotton Tiberius E.viii, f.278v 285 Fig 3.7 Reconstruction drawing of Becket’s shrine by Sarah Blick. 286 Fig 3.8 Plan of York Minster showing site of St William of York’s original tomb site and other notable cult sites 286 Fig 3.9 Surviving fragments from St William’s shrine, now in Yorkshire Museum 287 Fig 3.10 Reconstruction drawing of St William’s later shrine by John Hutchinson 288 Fig 3.11 Central section showing Edward IV and royal family, NXXXVIII, North window, north transept, Canterbury Cathedral 288 Fig 3.12 Panel depicting holy oil of St Thomas, NXXXVIII, north transept, Canterbury Cathedral 289 Fig 3.13 North transept, Canterbury Cathedral 289 Fig 3.14 The Great West Window, Canterbury Cathedral 290 Fig 3.15 Richard II and his wives’ arms, tracery, Great West Window, Canterbury Cathedral 290 Fig 3.16 Interior of Canterbury Cathedral showing ascents to east end chapels.