This module considers the Gothic cathedrals of Western Europe as both an architectural monument and as a site of social and religious community. In addition to examining how and why these great soaring structures were constructed, it addresses the artistic culture of cathedral building, from the building plan, to masons' tools to life in the clergy. It will be pan-European in focus, beginning in France, but will also utilise local resources when available.
Through seminar discussion and independent reading as well as written formative and summative assessments, students will develop key transferable skills such as analytical reasoning and argument development, oral communication abilities, and research techniques.
Module learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Gain an in-depth understanding of the formation of Gothic architecture, tracing its development through France and into Western Europe
Discuss major works of architecture related to cathedral building
Be familiar with key debates surrounding the ‘invention’ of Gothic
Understand the multi-functional role of the cathedral as part of the medieval city
Consider the contribution of Gothic architecture to later architectural movements
Debate the merits and current controversies of conservation/ historical preservation of cathedrals
Demonstrate university-level reading and writing skills (including vocabulary for persuasive arguments, crafting a cogent thesis statement and engaging in research)
Locate and use appropriate reference materials, including primary source material
Generate critical questions for debate based on readings
Develop interpersonal skills through seminar tasks and group discussion
Assessment
Task
Length
% of module mark
Essay/coursework Essay
N/A
100
Special assessment rules
None
Reassessment
Task
Length
% of module mark
Essay/coursework Essay
N/A
100
Module feedback
The tutor will give regular individual verbal and written feedback throughout the module on work submitted. The assessment feedback is as per the university’s guidelines with regard to timings.
Indicative reading
Paul Binski. Gothic Wonder: Art, Artifice, and the Decorated Style, 1290–1350 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2014).
Sarah Brown. 'Our magnificent fabrick': York Minster: an architectural history c1220-1500. Swindon: English Heritage, 2003.
Michael Camille, Gothic Art: Glorious Visions (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996).
Nicola Coldstream, Medieval Architecture (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2002).
Jackie Jung, The Gothic Screen: Space, Sculpture and Community in the Cathedrals of France and Germany. Yale, 2012.
Macaulay, David. Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction (Boston: Houghton-MacMillan, 1973).
Scott, Robert A. The Gothic Enterprise: A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003.
Wilson, Christopher, The Gothic Cathedral: The Architecture of the Great Church, 1130-1530, with 220 Illustrations (London: Thames and Hudson, 2004).