later alterations irretrievably transformed the exterior of the church into a Gothic building
with 13th-century tracery, gables, flying buttresses, and 15th-century central tower.
Despite stylistic differences, both Gothic and Romanesque portions conform to a high
degree of ornamentation. On the exterior, late 13th-century Gothic work sheaths parts of
the Romanesque west towers, and two false blind portals frame the three actual portals
that lead into the nave with double side aisles. Only the center portal directly introduces
the visitor to the longitudinal space. Cluster piers and subtly molded round-headed arches
delineate the six bays of the nave, vaulted with early 13th-century quadripartite rib vaults.
Large Gothic clerestory widows illuminate the richly carved surface of the Romanesque
arcade: tooled reticulated work covers the entire surface of the walls with complex
interlacing, interwoven and overlapping patterns, a variety of arch moldings, and molded
architraves with figural and fantastic subjects. Framed figural sculpture, of bishops and
nonwestern characters, resides in isolation in the spandrels.
A balustrade with arcade provides a visual transition between the round-headed arcade
below and grand lancet windows at clerestory level. Later 13th-century transept arms
support a 19th-century tower, reconstructed to avoid total collapse. In the south transept,
the Gothic portal tympanum displays the life of St. Thomas Becket. The 13th-century
choir has an ambulatory, radiating chapels, and extended chevet. Here, engaged shafts
extend from floor to clerestory, where each shaft springs into transverse and diagonal
ribs. Medallions pierce the surface of the spandrels throughout the choir arcade, and
figural sculpture features Old and New Testament scenes along with the
Bayeux, Notre-Dame, nave.
Photograph courtesy of Whitney S.
Stoddard.
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