In his latest column, David Hughes from the Arts Society Glaven Valley talks about Norfolk's grand Anglican cathedral, and a well-educated society member.
Living in North Norfolk means a short drive to Norwich, the city that has two cathedrals, a castle on a mound in the middle, walls and towers, a medieval centre with winding alleys and 35 medieval churches.
Building began in 1096, by Bishop Losinga who had vaulting ambitions - and a matching budget - to create a nave bigger than Canterbury and a tower that was the highest in the world in its day.
What we see today is little altered from the original flint and mortar building as completed in 1145.
The interior is wonderful - described by Simon Jenkins as “a masterpiece of counterpoint, between Norman arcades and gothic roof, the eye lifted by pier shafts that run from floor to roof”.
The vaulted ceiling is marked by over 200 medieval bosses, among the thousand that appear in the cathedral as a whole. Take a pair of binoculars and study these amazing carvings.
Standing quietly in the nave, you can only wonder how this glorious building was designed and constructed, and who were the craftsmen capable of building such a dizzyingly high building decorated with the finest of detailing in stone and timber.
Our next lecture at the Arts Society Glaven Valley on Tuesday, March 21 at 2.15pm will answer some of those questions.
Imogen Corrigan, the author, will tell us about the master masons who both designed the buildings and ran the site.
They commanded everything - sourcing the vast quantities of wood and stone, recruiting the workforce and knowing enough about their various trades to be able to create heaven on earth out the cacophony of thousands of chisels and hammers.
These men were charismatic leaders. They were real people who got into trouble with the law, who occasionally cheated on contracts, who liked to start a job but not to finish it.
On the other hand, their creations remain to this day, breathtakingly beautiful in their exquisite detail causing us, centuries later, to stand in the nave at Norwich and wonder.
Thousands of years before then, across the Mediterranean in Egypt, similar master builders and craftsmen were building great temples and tombs, with tools that may have looked similar to those used at Norwich millennia later.
Our society study day recently was about ancient Egyptian death rituals, including their astonishingly decorated coffins.
This was a talk by curators from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and organised for us by our member Dr Lucilla Burn.
Lucilla is one of the small team of very enthusiastic volunteers who plan our rich programme of arts lectures and studies. Lucilla studied classics at Cambridge before gaining her doctorate in classical archaeology at Oxford.
She worked at the British Museum on the Greek and Roman collections, then at the Fitzwilliam, where, until her recent retirement she was keeper of antiquities and assistant director for collections.
A fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, she is a published author on Greek myths, aspects of Greek and Roman art, and the history of the Fitzwilliam.
Our arts society is fortunate to have Lucilla’s great knowledge and experience of the classical tradition and the history of museums and display.
She brings a sense of enjoyment and fun even to esoteric art themes and makes an energetic contribution to our yearly activities.
Lucilla said: “The arts society nationally and locally in north Norfolk is a wonderful way for members to develop their interests and passions in art and to broaden their interests.
"I enjoy the opportunity it gives me to carry on learning, as well as helping to provide a varied and stimulating programme for our members.
"Our recent special interest day on the ancient Egyptians' rituals for death was a fascinating example how archaeology, history, science and art appreciation can lead us all to new understandings of the past."
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