Today I want to take a look at how Norwich Cathedral grew into one of the finest Norman buildings in Europe. It is amazing to think that everything was built by hand, using the skills of medieval craftsmen more than 900 years ago.
Work on Norwich Cathedral started in 1096 under the direction of Bishop Herbert de Losinga. Building a cathedral on this scale was a massive undertaking and it would take many years to complete. Every stage had to be carefully organised, they needed to obtain the stone and shape each block and then lift it into position.
The finest limestone was brought from Caen in Normandy by ship before it travelled inland to Norwich. Builders also used local flint, which can still be seen in many parts of the cathedral today. The abundance of flint in Norfolk meant it was used to build many medieval buildings, giving the county a lot of its distinctive historic architecture. The combination of these materials created a building that was both strong and beautiful.
Construction was started at the eastern end, where the choir was built first. This allowed the monks to begin holding services even before the rest of the cathedral had been built. Hundreds of workers cut the stone, built scaffolding and carefully put each piece into place. This gave many families a steady income and helping the local economy to grow.
By 1101, the choir was ready to be used. Over the following years, the rest of the cathedral started to take shape. The main building was largely completed by the early 12th century. Later features were added, including the impressive stone spire that was added in the 15th century, it still dominates Norwich’s skyline today.
More than nine centuries after construction began, Norwich Cathedral still shows the power and influence the Normans had on the city.
Next time, we’ll step inside the cathedral to discover what everyday life was like for the Benedictine monks who lived there.
What amazes you most about medieval cathedral building?
