Page:An Elementary History of Art.djvu/156

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126 Architecture in Great Britain. The ground-plan and nave of Peterborough Cathedral (Figs. 56 and 57) are Norman. The nave retains its original appearance, except for the substitution of white- wash for the colours with which it was painted. The side-aisles are vaulted, whilst the nave retains the flat roof of the earliest basilicas. A great part of St. Alban's Abbey, as it now exists, is Norman. The nave, one of the longest in England, consisting of no less than thir- teen bays, was extended by Paul, the first Norman abbot, during the latter years of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth century. This Abbey has been recently restored. By the beginning of the twelfth century the Norman style had become generally adopted in England, and had assumed an entirely national character. Durham Cathedral is a fine example of this, as it differs entirely from any- thing on the Continent. It is, moreover, one of the finest ecclesiastical buildings in England. The galilee, or chapel, is an extremely elegant and characteristic example of Anglo-Norman work. Durham Cathedral was commenced by Bishop William de Carilepho, about 1093, in the form of a Latin cross, and additions were gradually made till about 1500 ; so that the changes of style which took place between these dates can be well studied in it. Amongst other ancient monuments, it contains the tomb of the " Venerable Bede," who died a.d. 735. It is impossible, in a work like the present, to enumerate all the cathedrals of England containing Norman features ; but enough has, we trust, been said to enable students to recognise them for themselves ; and we would urge them to take every opportunity of visiting and studying the abbeys, cathedrals, and parochial churches scattered over