Laon (Aisne, France) - Notre-Dame
- Disclaimer
The dating found here is based on the work of John James, and is meant on this site to serve as a starting point. James' dating is derived from a system that uses his interpretation of the development of capitals over time as the basis for chronology, among other factors. His goal is to refine the dating to within years rather than decades. I have not fully embraced James' methodology, and will be developing this page from its current state to one which is admittedly more conservative. The relative expenditure values found in the Timeline are also based on James' work, and I believe these to be reasonably reliable. They are intended only to give a sense of the amount of work involved in each decade.
I have added the idea of the "project" as a way of separating work in buildings. In my mind, a "project" is a discrete section of work in a building that resulted from the one-time acquisition of funding. "Projects" are generally separated by at least a decade where no work was being done. It is my view that it would have been unwise to start a "project" that could not be finished and protected from the elements, and as such a "project" usually involved a wing or multiple wings of a building, from floor to roof. Rural churches, which could only secure small amounts of funding at irregular intervals, often were the result of many small projects, while the great churches, which benefitted from relatively consistent funding, may have involved only a few large projects.
I have added the idea of the "project" as a way of separating work in buildings. In my mind, a "project" is a discrete section of work in a building that resulted from the one-time acquisition of funding. "Projects" are generally separated by at least a decade where no work was being done. It is my view that it would have been unwise to start a "project" that could not be finished and protected from the elements, and as such a "project" usually involved a wing or multiple wings of a building, from floor to roof. Rural churches, which could only secure small amounts of funding at irregular intervals, often were the result of many small projects, while the great churches, which benefitted from relatively consistent funding, may have involved only a few large projects.
- Timeline with Relative Expenditure (if available, in building units)
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- Project A - 1150s - Phase 1 - choir (b)
Probable layout for choir and footings, with round hemicycycle.
- Project A - 1150s - Phase 2 - choir (d)
Choir dado
- Project A - 1150s - Phase 3 - choir piers (a)
Choir pier caps
- Project A - 1150s - Phase 4 - choir walls (a)
Choir wall caps with aisle vaults
- Project A - 1160s - Phase 5 - choir (g)
Choir gallery
- Project A - 1160s - Phase 6 - choir (gw)
Choir gallery window caps and vault
- Project A - 1160s - Phase 7 - choir (t,c)
Choir triforium with arched lateral supports under the side roof; probable temporary roof at the level of the sills. .
- Project A - 1160s - Phase 8 - choir (cs)
Choir clerestory sills same time as south footings and 3 bays to west; here there is a pause in the works with decision to demolish the circular ambulatory and extend the choir to the east, entailing demolition of the whole of the hemicycle before the extension could be built: much material and sculpture was reused.
- Project A - 1160s - Phase 9 - choir (cw)
South start of entry, and south chapel dado
- Project A - 1160s - Phase 10 - s entry
North footings and 3 bays to west and chapel dado; the four designs for the piers in nave bays W2-4 could have been in a series of campaigns at this time.
- Project A - 1160s - Phase 11 - south e (d)
South chapel to capitals and vaults while north encasing walls raised to floor level
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 12 - nave 1-3 (d)
Nave 1-3 dado and bases and adjacent wall of south
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 13 - north e (d)
North dado
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 14 - nave 1-3(a)
First three bays of nave with confused pier plans that suggests a number of masters and a complex program in these bases
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 15 - south (a)
South doors and 2 bays on west side, with large 8-part rose in west wall
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 16 - south (av)
South aisle vault in three campaigns, north door openings.
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 17 - east (b)
East and west footings, east bays and W3-10 remain the most advanced
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 18 - north portal
North entry portal capitals.
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 19 - north (a)
North aisle vault in three campaigns from changes to profiles
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 20 - south (g)
South west gallery vaults; north gallery wall caps; wall of flat eastern end with internal buttresses.
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 21 - south (t)
South triforium
- Project A - 1170s - Phase 22 - nave 4-11(a)
East bays nave gallery and west of south gallery
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 23 - north (g)
North and two bays to west gallery caps on south side, and four bays on the north
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 24 - east, west (b)
East and west pier bases
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 25 - east, west (d)
East and west dado with Bronze corbels over passage through eastern buttresses
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 26 - south (cs)
South clerestory sills now level with earlier choir; north gallery vaults.
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 27 - east, west (av)
East and west aisle wall caps and aisle vault, drum piers in nave aisles bays 4-11, and to Salle Chapitre to south
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 28 - north (t)
South rose begun; north triforium.
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 29 - south (c)
South clerestory windows with external walkway in the Braine manner; north clerestory sills now level with earlier choir on this side.
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 30 - choir (cw)
Clerestory windows in choir continued in pace with the outer transepts, with simple flyers that were later replaced to match those in the nave.
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 31 - east, west (g)
North rose begun; east and west gallery caps.
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 32 - porch (b)
West porches, dado in west bays and porch bases with same arrangement and similar dimensions to the transept portals at Chartres, which were by Bronze.
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 33 - north (c,c+,w)
South roof cornice; north clerestory windows; east and west gallery vaults to pier W9
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 34 - nave (t,c)
East and nave 1-9 triforium arcade and clerestory capitals.
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 35 - porch (a)
West portal sculpture, capitals, westmost aisle bays and vaults
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 36 - west-w(g)
North roof cornice and roof; east and west triforium to W8, gables over west porch and gallery over west portal.
- Project A - 1190s - Phase 37 - east, west (cs)
East and west clerestory sills, now level with roof over earlier choir.
- Project A - 1190s - Phase 38 - east, west roses
North high vaults; east and west rose windows begun to same design with interior walkway and corbels by Scarlet.
- Project A - 1190s - Phase 39 - east, west (cw)
East and west window caps
- Project A - 1190s - Phase 40 - east, west 9rc)
East and west cornice
- Project A - 1190s - Phase 41 - east, west roof
East and west roof
- Project A - 1200s - Phase 42 - east, west (v)
East and west vaults
- Project A - 1200s - Phase 43 - s tower I
South tower 1, north is a few years later
- Project A - 1200s - Phase 44 - s tower II
South tower II, north is a few years later
- Project A - 1210s - Phase 45 - w towers I
West front external arcade and towers level 1; south tower III, north is a few years later
- Project A - 1220s - Phase 46 - w towers II
West front tower II
- Project A - 1220s - Phase 47 - n portal
Insert portal into north tower
- Project A - 1230s - Phase 48 - w towers III
West front towers III
- Project B - Later - Phase 49 -
Rebuild southern rose and commence rebuilding in the north.
- Primary Sources for Dating
1134/45 ca. - 1174 - LAON
Work in progress.
Work in progress.
He dedicates to the church of Laon two dorsal coverlets in which the 12 months and the 12 signs are finely embroidered. He dedicates to the new works at Laon 100 livres as well as 20 livres for the works at the beginning of each year.
1158 - LAON
By Bishop Gautier
By Bishop Gautier
…dedicates for stalls to be fashioned proceeds from the sale of meat and fish and other sales…
1158 - LAON
Also the rights and justices which we and the castellan have in the street before the church where the stalls had been and the aforementioned street next to the door of the cloister where the stalls are…
1159 - LAON
Service for contributors to the foundation
Service for contributors to the foundation
As the church of Laon had begun to come to life…the chapter considered whether to order that a common and solemn service should be done for the canons, priests and others who had contributed to the foundation…
1159 - LAON
Land donated by Hugo de Bosco
Land donated by Hugo de Bosco
All of the land which is to the right of the market stalls is conceded by Hugo de Bosco and his descendants in perpetuity for 30 sous…
1173 - LAON
The progress of the construction
The progress of the construction
The ruined houses of Laon were also repaired. The chapels of Saint-Nicholas and Saint-Jacques were founded and constructed [and] given two chaplains in perpetuity…and towers were also raised in the fortification walls…
1177 - LAON
Two candles for the high altar
Two candles for the high altar
…two candles burnig perpetually…high altar.
1178 - LAON
Garnerus bequeathed his house to the Chapter
Garnerus bequeathed his house to the Chapter
After his death they will destroy each of the houses near the church in order to create a plaza before the doors of the church.
1180 - LAON
Destruction of house to west of cathedral
Destruction of house to west of cathedral
1179 - February. On the destruction of the buildings which the people of Notre-Dame had extended over the plaza before the church of Laon… 1179 - A building which had been extended over the plaza before the church of Notre-Dame.
1202-1203 - LAON
Clearing space to the west of the church
Clearing space to the west of the church
Concession of the place before the church, and interdiction from holding the market there…
1205 - LAON
Donation of quarry at Chermizy
Donation of quarry at Chermizy
Jean of Chermisy dedicates in alms in perpetuity to the church of Notre-Dame at Laon, with the approval of Gertrude his mother, land for excavating and pulling up stones for the work and offices of the abovementioned church.
1208 - LAON
Alms given to the church
Alms given to the church
…we will give alms to the church of Notre-Dame at Laon in the amount of 40 sous per year…
1214, January - LAON
Clearing space to the west of the church
Clearing space to the west of the church
…over the rights to the plaza in front of the church and all of the plaza which is formed from a ring fixed in the wall of Saint-Martin…perpendicular to the church of Saint-Remy and all the way to the house of Baselardus which is beyond the roadway…
1222 - LAON
Clearing space to the west of the church
Clearing space to the west of the church
In the aforementioned plaza made by a straight line extended from a ring which is fixed in the wall of Saint-Martin perpendicular to a ring in Saint-Remy on the opposite side, and all the way to the aforementioned house of Baselardus that is beyond the roadway and it is permitted neither to build nor attach nor to place any other hinderance…
1226, May - LAON
Reference to new portal on north side
Reference to new portal on north side
A house was built and the construction began on the new door of the church in front of the hospital of Notre-Dame right up to the remaining tower of Saint Thomas of this church of Laon…
Undated, 4 June - LAON
Alexander, dean and canon, left 40 libras for the roofs of the church and cloister
Alexander, dean and canon, left 40 libras for the roofs of the church and cloister
June 4 - Donates forty sols to the rebuilding of the mother church and forty for the roof of the cloister.
Undated, 4 June - LAON
Alexander, dean and canon, left 40 sols for the roofs of the church and cloister
Alexander, dean and canon, left 40 sols for the roofs of the church and cloister
…to repair it [the church], because of the storms which had in part uncovered it, and forty sols for covering the cloister…