|
|
Home
Pearsall Surname Project
Number of Pearsalls By Location
Maps by Family
Surname
History and Genealogy
of the Pearsall Family in England
and America:
Volume I
Front Cover
Inside Front Cover
The Motive
Thanks
Illustrations
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Appendix I
Volume II
Volume III
|
|
William, Duke of
Normandy, and the bishops of the province. Of this building, however,
notwithstanding what is said by Ducarel and
other authors, it is certain that nothing more remains than the part of
St. Romain's tower, and possibly two of the
western entrances; though the present structure is believed to occupy the
same spot. St. Romain's tower is the square tower,
which is low and comparatively plain. It is the work of the twelfth
century. It is itself more ancient than would be supposed from the character
of its architecture; but it occupied the place of one of still greater
antiquity, which was materially damaged in 1117, when the original spire
of the church was struck by lightning. This first spire was of stone, but
was replaced by another of wood, which was also destroyed at the
beginning of the sixteenth century. The spire then raised,
the second of wood, but the third in chronological order, is the one
which was in existence at the time of the world war. This cathedral is
the work of so many different periods, that it almost contains within
itself a history of pointed architecture. [Account of a Tour in Normandy, by Dawson
Turner, vol. 1.]
On
the northern side of the cathedral is situated the cloister-court. On y a
few arches of the cloister now remain; and it appears, at least on the
eastern side, to have consisted of a double aisle. Here we view the most
ancient portion of the tower
of Saint Romain.
There is a peculiarity in the position of the towers of this cathedral
not observed elsewhere. They flank the body of the church, so as to leave
three sides free; and hence the spread taken by the front of the edifice,
when the breadth of the towers is added to the breadth of the nave and
aisles. The circular windows of the tower which look into the court, are perhaps to be referred to the eleventh
century; and a smaller tower affixed against the south side, containing a
stair-case and covered by a lofty pyramidal stone roof, composed of flags
cut in the shape of shingles, may also be of the same era.
The
northern transept is approached through a gloomy court, once occupied by
the shops of the transcribers and calligraphists, the libraries of
ancient .times, and from them it has derived its name. The court is
entered beneath a gate-way of beautiful and singular architecture,
composed of two lofty pointed arches of equal height, crowned by a row of
smaller arcades. In the farthest of the chapels, upon the south side, is
the tomb of Rollo, first Duke of Normandy; in the opposite chapel, that
of his son and successor, William Longue-Epee,
who was treacherously murdered at Pecquigny, in
944, during a conference with Arnoul, Count of
Flanders.
Note:-The
reader will of course understand that this was written before the close
of the recent world war, at which time we were entirely dependent upon
the old records as they existed before the tides of battle swept through Rouen. As our
family interest in this country ceased at the time of the Norman conquest
of England
it has been thought best to let the text stand as originally written.
The
effigies of both these princes still remain placed upon sarcophagi, under
plain niches in the wall. They are certainly not contemporary with the
persons which they represent, but are probably productions of the
thirteenth century. At the same time, they may possibly have been copied
from others of earlier date. Even imaginary portraits of celebrated men
are not without their value; we are
|
|
