The Gothic Cathedral

by Christopher J. Wilson

The Gothic Cathedral focuses on the interaction between design and the requirements of patrons, following the creative processes of architects by reconstructing the problems and opportunities which faced them. Christopher Wilson presents the essential facts on such aspects of chonology, structural techniques and stylistic developments; and then goes further, seeing the story as a sequence of choices from which new solutions - and still greater challenges - arose.

Illustrated with carefully chosen photographs and specially drawn diagrams, The Gothic Cathedral has already established itself as a definitive introduction to the subject. For this paperback edition, the author has incorporated the results of the most recent research and added new bibliographical material.

Genres: Nonfiction, Architecture, History, Art, Medieval, Reference, Read For School

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Christopher J. Wilson Dip Eco (Cork), FZS is the great nephew of Dr Edward A. Wilson, who died with Captain Scott and his party on their return from the South Pole in 1912. He is widely travelled, having spent time on all the continents of the world and has completed eight full seasons in Antarctica having first travelled to that Continent in 1999 on the Antarctic Circumnavigation.

Born in the UK, he was educated in both UK and Africa, was a London policeman for 16 years and moved to Ireland in 1981. He completed a Field Ecology Diploma at University College Cork in the mid 1990s. Currently he is self employed as an Environmental Consultant based in County Wexford, Ireland specialising in field survey work (particularly birds).

A highly respected ornithologist with over thirty-five years of bird ringing experience, in Ireland, UK and Australia, he includes in his scientific accolades the organisation of staff and volunteers in numerous ornithological surveys of national and international importance. Before taking early retirement in 2007, Christopher worked for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, for 16 years, serving as warden of Ireland’s premier wildfowl reserve, ‘Wexford Wildfowl Reserve’. In 2000, Christopher spent a year working for the Wildlife Service in South Australia where his expertise in Goose Management, Bird Ringing (including Cannon Netting experience) Bird and Butterfly Survey work were useful attributes to the job he was involved in.

Christopher currently has his only weekly newspaper column and a regular slot on local radio. He regularly contributes to a wide number of wildlife magazines, makes radio and television programs and featured in a half-hour television wildlife documentary on his work as a wildlife warden. He has two web pages, the first www.snowysheathbill.com relates to his Antarctic wildlife work and the second www.wildside.ie relates to local news, views, comment, opinion and wildlife sightings in his home County, Co. Wexford. He is an accomplished photographer contributing to numerous wildlife books. His own publications include: ‘High Skies – Low Lands, An Anthology of The Wexford Slobs and Harbour’ (1996); ‘Wildfile – A Guide to Irish Wildlife’ (1997); ‘Wildlife Quiz and Amazing Facts Book’ (1999) - with a second edition (2002); ‘Edward Wilson’s Nature Notebooks’ – published in November 2004;‘The Lepidoptera of County Wexford’ (2009) and ‘Edward Wilson’s Antarctic Notebooks’ (2011).

Christopher lectures extensively on birds and wildlife and is the current chair of the Wexford Naturalists’ Field Club. He states that his personal motto of “Birds are my Passion, Wildlife my Nature” actively describes his interest, love and passion for our environment and its biodiversity.

Reviews

[Sitatunga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically, the best there is on cathedrals, by far, like the solvent applied to the cracked, ageing varnish of an old master, probing with forensic accuracy, fetching out in coruscating detail the hitherto unappreciated subtleties in the vastly complex designs of the medieval great churches, exploring the aesthetic, liturgical, social and practical/structural considerations that may have informed each and every individual mason and craftsman’s decision. A tour de force and highly readable with it. The selection of illustrations is judicious and the captions so informative as to stand alone, a book in themselves.

[Andy Bittner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I have been fascinated by Gothic architecture since I was a child, but did not go the scholastic route about learning it. That's because most scholarly books about Gothic architecture seem overweight and exceptionally dry to me.

This book, The Gothic Cathedral, was definitely not a dry textbook. Sure, the subject matter is still the development of an architectural style that came and went in a few hundred years, and, if you're not into that kind of stuff, this book might still seem dry.

For me, and to the contrary, I found this book VERY readable. I found the lines of development in the style clearly explained and wonderfully exemplified by very helpful photos and drawings. This book informed my knowledge of the Gothic architectural style for many years. What I learned, over time, was that the overview provided by this book provided me with enough understanding of the subject that formerly overweight and dry textbooks became readable.

[Jessica]

I've just glanced over the handful of reviews of this on Goodreads, and it was interesting to see a range between those who found it exceptional (and accessible?!) and those who wanted something else. I may as well get out of the way that this book is not for you if you don't already know a good bit about the subject. I know a little bit about the subject, and I was looking to build that little out into a more systematic grasp of gothic cathedral architecture. Instead I got a semi-narrative, semi-descriptive account of how particular buildings informed the development of gothic cathedral architecture, including who/what influenced where. There's a diagram of major interior design features in the back, and a short appended glossary, but you had better already know the difference between a shaft, a pier, and a respond than rely on that. The book simply took for granted a lot of knowledge that I didn't have; it did not contain the standard academic apparatus, but I would say it is an academic book, aimed at those seeking to add an upper storey or extension to a sturdy knowledge base. I'm also moved to say it was exhaustively researched, and truly, the pan-European scope staggers the mind and warrants the praise this book has received. I'm not qualified to rate it, though, so long as my eyes glaze over in the reading. NB: I did expect more England here, and I found myself, first, skimming, and then, entirely skipping over the majority that did not relate. If you want a book that goes into depth about the English gothic cathedral, it isn't this one.

[Tom Bantle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I only read the portions of the book having to do with the English Cathedrals I will see on my upcoming tour Cathedrals of England.

The well-illustrated book strives to chart the history of Gothic cathedrals, which had innovations, which borrowed elements that had worked well elsewhere. It fulfills that mission.

But that's not really what I was looking for: more of the social history in each community, what it took to build a massive edifice in these not very large communities, from whence the funding and what didn't get funded because they were built

[Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

for Gothic Architecture

My prof. said this is the most basic book on the subject, but it still confused me. Maybe architecture is not my forte. Wilson may be too opinionated for his own good, at least, not good for a textbook. However, very thorough, covers most regions of Europe.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my gothic architecture class--very readable, especially for those of us who have zero art history background...

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book on the architecture. The glossary and "map" of the terms is awesome. I would have liked to see more on the history of the period and why these great cathedrals were built.