[Illustration: CHOIR.]
Great works were commenced between 1194 and 1206; they extend over a
large part of the cathedral. First, there is the doorway, early Lancet,
leading from the south aisle of the nave to the cloister, near the
north-west corner of the south tower; and near here, on the south wall
of the nave, are several consecration crosses of Marshall’s date. Then,
passing round or through the cathedral to the north side, there will be
found buttresses of very early character, heavy, low, and of few stages:
(1) at St. Edmund’s chapel, to the north-west of the nave; (2) to the
north porch; (3) on the north side of the nave. We may conclude then,
that the works included the addition to the nave of a south-east doorway,
St. Edmund’s chapel, and a north porch, and possibly the remodelling of
the clerestory of the whole nave. But what is more important, the choir,
instead of being three bays long plus an apse, was now made eight bays
long. The Norman apse was pulled down, the three bays of the Norman choir
seem to have been allowed to remain. This work, especially the eastward
extension of the choir, represented a great amount of building. The
new eastern bays of the choir were finished, at any rate as far as the
springers of the vault; for it has been found that the present vault of
the choir incorporates the lower part of the ribs of Marshall’s vault;
this, of course, would be of simpler character, and was designed to be
four or five feet lower than the present one. Similar great eastward
extensions were going on all over England in the thirteenth century;
especially the building of Lady chapels: there seems to have been quite
an outburst of Mariolatry at this time.