Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Lady Chapel

The town of Brycgstow already existed at the beginning of the 11th century and was given one of the strongest castles in southern England under Norman rule. In the 12th century it became an important harbour town, especially for trade with Ireland. A new bridge was built in 1247 and the town expanded considerably. It became a county in 1373. Bristol developed into the centre of shipbuilding. Until its dissolution in England under Edward I, the Knights Templar used Bristol as the main harbour for pilgrimages and for exporting wool to the continent. In the 14th century, shortly before the arrival of the plague in 1348, Bristol was the third largest city in England after London and York, with a population of around 15,000 to 20,000. The plague caused a long-lasting population decline. However, the population remained stable in the 15th and 16th centuries and totalled between 10,000 and 12,000 inhabitants. In 1497, Bristol was the starting point of John Cabot's voyage of exploration to North America. In 1542, Bristol was granted city rights and the former Abbey of St Augustine became a cathedral. During the Civil War from 1643 to 1645, Bristol was occupied and devastated by royal troops. With the establishment of the English colonies in America in the 17th century and the slave trade in the 18th century, Bristol grew again. Alongside Liverpool, Bristol became the centre of the slave trade. From 1700 to 1807, over 2000 slave ships called at the harbour, transporting over half a million people from Africa to America. St Mary Redcliffe is located on an island on the River Avon in the Redcliffe district. Smaller predecessor buildings from Anglo-Saxon and Norman times already existed on the site of the present church. The present church was built largely on the initiative and with the financial support of the town's merchants and traders between 1292 and 1370. In 1446, lightning struck the stone spire, causing considerable damage to the building when it collapsed. The building suffered considerable damage during the English Civil War (1642-1649). The church, built on a Latin cross plan, has three naves and a transept with three portals. The lack of a crossing tower is unusual; instead, the tower rises above the western bay of the side aisle, making it part of the façade. Both Decorated Style and Perpendicular Style elements can be found, particularly on the windows and the vaults of the church, which are stabilised on the outside by buttresses. The vaulting of the Lady Chapel

Today's Christchurch dates back to an Anglo-Saxon settlement in the early Middle Ages. It was first mentioned in documents in 900 in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as Tweoxneam. The town was fortified to protect it from Viking raids. The Domesday Book counted the settlement as part of the Crown Estate. A monastery was also built here in Anglo-Saxon times. The construction of a new monastery, Christchurch Priory, began around 1094. Parts of the previous building were integrated into the monastery church, while the remaining buildings were demolished. The new lord of the manor, Baldwin de Redvers, handed the site over to a predecessor order of Augustinians around 1150, who replaced the existing 24 secular canons with monks. In around 1100, Christchurch Castle was built to the north-east of the monastery complex in the form of a motte and bailey. In 1148, it was besieged and captured by Walter de Pinkney during the Anarchy. Its fortifications were subsequently strengthened, around 1160 a constable's house was added on the banks of the Avon, and after 1300 a keep was built in place of the motte. The castle only played an insignificant role in military conflicts and was mainly used as a residence. After the English Civil War, the castle was demolished following a decision by the English Parliament in 1651. Christchurch was granted a number of individual privileges during the Middle Ages and thus developed into a minor town. An existing weekly market, held on Mondays, was first mentioned in 1150. The associated market rights were held by the monastery. In the 12th century, permission was granted to hold a fair on Trinity Thursday, and in 1257 another in autumn on the feast day of Saint Faith. Christchurch has had a mayor since at least 1486. Christchurch's economic situation was considered poor, with numerous reports emphasising the poverty and low importance of the town and its surroundings, which were sparsely populated and off the main transport routes. The town's harbour was only important for local fishing. The reason for this was its poor accessibility Christchurch Priory is a former priory church that has long been used solely as a parish church. The history of the Priory dates back to at least the middle of the 11th century. According to the Domesday Book of 1086, there was a priory here with 24 secular canons at the time of Edward the Confessor. The priory is located on the site of an earlier church dating back to 800 AD. In 1094, Ranulf Flambard, then Dean of Twynham (= Christchurch), began building a church. By 1150, there was a simple Norman church consisting of a nave, a central tower and a chancel extending eastwards from the crossing. At this time, an Augustinian priory was founded here. Large parts of this church (e.g. the nave and the north transept) have been preserved. When the founding family died out around 1300, the priory initially passed to the royal family, then from 1330 to William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury. The nave of the church was newly vaulted around 1350. The chancel dates from the 15th century, which connected the church with the Lady Chapel, which had already been built around 1400. The current bell tower was built between 1470 and 1480. After the dissolution of the English monasteries in 1539, the remaining monastery buildings were demolished. The floor plan of the 91 (!) metre long, three-aisled church with a transept corresponds to a Latin cross, the layout of the Norman nave is three-storey basilica with galleries; the flat-closing late Gothic choir, on the other hand, has only two storeys. The Lady Chapel, added to the eastern end of the building in the 15th century - - the Gothic vault

Today's Christchurch dates back to an Anglo-Saxon settlement in the early Middle Ages. It was first mentioned in documents in 900 in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as Tweoxneam. The town was fortified to protect it from Viking raids. The Domesday Book counted the settlement as part of the Crown Estate. A monastery was also built here in Anglo-Saxon times. The construction of a new monastery, Christchurch Priory, began around 1094. Parts of the previous building were integrated into the monastery church, while the remaining buildings were demolished. The new lord of the manor, Baldwin de Redvers, handed the site over to a predecessor order of Augustinians around 1150, who replaced the existing 24 secular canons with monks. In around 1100, Christchurch Castle was built to the north-east of the monastery complex in the form of a motte and bailey. In 1148, it was besieged and captured by Walter de Pinkney during the Anarchy. Its fortifications were subsequently strengthened, around 1160 a constable's house was added on the banks of the Avon, and after 1300 a keep was built in place of the motte. The castle only played an insignificant role in military conflicts and was mainly used as a residence. After the English Civil War, the castle was demolished following a decision by the English Parliament in 1651. Christchurch was granted a number of individual privileges during the Middle Ages and thus developed into a minor town. An existing weekly market, held on Mondays, was first mentioned in 1150. The associated market rights were held by the monastery. In the 12th century, permission was granted to hold a fair on Trinity Thursday, and in 1257 another in autumn on the feast day of Saint Faith. Christchurch has had a mayor since at least 1486. Christchurch's economic situation was considered poor, with numerous reports emphasising the poverty and low importance of the town and its surroundings, which were sparsely populated and off the main transport routes. The town's harbour was only important for local fishing. The reason for this was its poor accessibility Christchurch Priory is a former priory church that has long been used solely as a parish church. The history of the Priory dates back to at least the middle of the 11th century. According to the Domesday Book of 1086, there was a priory here with 24 secular canons at the time of Edward the Confessor. The priory is located on the site of an earlier church dating back to 800 AD. In 1094, Ranulf Flambard, then Dean of Twynham (= Christchurch), began building a church. By 1150, there was a simple Norman church consisting of a nave, a central tower and a chancel extending eastwards from the crossing. At this time, an Augustinian priory was founded here. Large parts of this church (e.g. the nave and the north transept) have been preserved. When the founding family died out around 1300, the priory initially passed to the royal family, then from 1330 to William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury. The nave of the church was newly vaulted around 1350. The chancel dates from the 15th century, which connected the church with the Lady Chapel, which had already been built around 1400. The current bell tower was built between 1470 and 1480. After the dissolution of the English monasteries in 1539, the remaining monastery buildings were demolished. The floor plan of the 91 (!) metre long, three-aisled church with a transept corresponds to a Latin cross, the layout of the Norman nave is three-storey basilica with galleries; the flat-closing late Gothic choir, on the other hand, has only two storeys. The Lady Chapel, added to the eastern end of the building in the 15th century

Twenty years after Pope Leo IX had asked his nephew Count Adalbert of Calw to rebuild the ruined abbay St. Aurelius, this abbey got a young abbot. Wilhem von Hirsau (aka "William of Hirsau"), educated at St. Emmeram in Regensburg, a very well known "thinktank". Immidietly tried to gain independence of all secular powers for the abbey. At that time, he was probably influenced by the idea, that had spread from Gorze Abbey in Lorraine. He was a strong supporter of the Pope during the Investiture Controversy. Already in 1082 he commissioned the building of a new monastery on a nearby high plateau. In 1091 the abbey church, modelled on Cluny II and dedicated to Peter an Paul, got consecrated. The convent followed 1092 and moved into a monastic compound designed according to the Plan of Saint Gall. Wilhelm´s friend Ulrich (aka "Ulrich von Zell", "Ulrich von Cluny"), a schoolmate from St. Emmeram, had made carreer in Burgundy and was an advisor to Abbot Hugh of Cluny. So the Cluniac reform found their way into the Black Forest. Based on them Wilhelm wrote down the "Consuetudines Hirsauginenses". Known as the "Hirsau Reforms", the adoption of these rules revitalised Benedictine life throughout Germany - and were followed by far more than 100 monasteries. Based on a thriving economy most of the romanesque buildings (but not the church!) were demolished and got replaced by gothic style structures. Shortly after that, the Reformation put an end to the abbey in 1536, when the monks had to leave - and a Protestant school was opend here (just like in Maulbronn!). The "Duke of Wuerttemberg" replaced the old abbot´s house by a posh hunting palace around 1590. During the Nine Years' War (aka "War of the Palatine Succession") the infamous General Ezéchiel de Mélac burnt the abbey down (like he did with Heidelberg, Worms, Speyer..). The ruins were used as a quarry - and so there is not really much left of this great and important abbey. As the ruins of the large Gothique cloister are dominating the area, the are seen on the most photos taken here. The Lady Chapel in the back got renovated and rebuilt late 19th century and since then serves the Protestant parish.