“It will also be noted that here, as in the nave, an addition was made in the way of a range of later ‘Perpendicular’ windows superimposed over the original Norman triforium, which was blocked up.”—(C. H. B. Q.)
The south transept projects under the central tower.
Next follows the Chapel of St. Mary the Less (Fourteenth Century) projecting southward, then the circular Chapel of St. Luke (Norman), very peculiar in form, with two rows of arcading.
The north side is well viewed from the Bishop’s Gardens. It differs little from the south side, except in the fact that it has been less restored. The chapel corresponding with the Chapel of St. Luke is the Jesus Chapel, and is also circular. Here we find Perpendicular windows inserted in the Norman work.
“The nave on the south side can be seen well either from the upper or lower Close, and can be better examined in detail from the interior of the cloisters. Its elevation consists of fourteen bays divided by flat Norman buttresses. In height it is composed of what, at first sight, appears a bewildering confusion of arches, arcades and windows. Over the aisle windows, hidden by the north walk of cloisters, comes a Norman wall arcading; and over this the Norman triforium windows blocked up, and again, above the later Perpendicular triforium, superimposed on the old, and finished with a battlemented parapet. Behind this come the triforium roof, and then beyond the original Norman clerestory, each bay with a triple arch formation, the centre arch pierced for a window. And then above all, the lead roof over the nave vault.
“The radical changes that have taken place since the nave was built by Bishop Eborard (1121-45) consist of the insertion in the aisles of later ‘Decorated’ traceried windows in place of the original Norman ones, and of the superimposition, before referred to, at triforium level, of a whole range of ‘Perpendicular’ windows over the old Norman work, which were blocked up at this period. The battlementing, too, over the clerestory to the nave is later work, to correspond with battlementing over the triforium windows. It will be noticed that the two bays next the transept in the triforium are higher than the others, in order to throw additional light into the choir.
“Also on this same south side, in the seventh and eighth bays from the west end, two very late windows occur, inserted in the Norman arcading under the original triforium windows; these were inserted by Bishop Nykke to light the chapel he built in two bays of the south aisle of the nave.
“The curious raking of the lead rolls to the nave roof is noticeable; the mediæval builders did this with a view of counteracting the ‘crawl’ of the lead.”—(C. H. B. Q.)
Norwich Cathedral is famous for its magnificent interior. A noble view is obtained on entering, for the great Nave reaches 200 feet to the choir-screen; and if the organ on the latter were removed, the view would be longer, for the extreme length of the Cathedral is 407 feet. The perspective is splendid, as it is, and very largely is it so because of the lierne vault of Perpendicular days, which relieves the severity of the Norman work below.
The nave consists of seven double bays (fourteen compartments) from the west end to the transepts. The main piers are, of course, large, and the arcade arches are ornamented with the billet. The triforium arches are decorated with a chevron or zigzag. Over it is the typical Norman clerestory and above all spreads the handsome lierne vault (Perpendicular). This splendid vault (72 feet), built by Bishop Lyhart (1446-1472), after the Norman roof had been destroyed by fire in 1463, is of great value to the student. There are 328 carved bosses at the intersection of the ribs, the subjects of which are taken from Biblical history.