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.

125

140

104

40

1060s

1070s

1080s

1090s

1100s

1110s

1120s

1130s

1140s

1150s

1160s

1170s

1180s

1190s

1200s

1210s

1220s

1230s

1240s

1250s

Apse, crossing and chapels to aisle vaults in five campaigns, starting with eastern plinths, bases and shafts to apse, chapels, S-e wall but not N-e.

Rest of bases, west crossing for a square plan as may have decided at this stage to have a lantern.

Apse and chapels to window sills (1 course lower); wall steps down S-s to under window slope and continues at that level into nave, to west; and to the north drops lower with stairs; this joint in the north lies alongside north face of NE2 shaft, virtuallapse and chapels to window sills (1 course lower); wall steps down S-s to under window slope and continues at that level into nave, to west; and to the north drops lower with stairs; this joint in the north lies alongside north face of NE2 shaft, virtually full height, so later work is constantly being butted to shaft.

Aisle capitals and start of vaults and the transept windows to W1 with joint 1 course below sill; there are confusing joints alongside both transept window jambs.

Big campaign to over eastern aisle vaults (discernable in stairs) and the nave aisle capitals on the north and to W2 windows on the south with a joint just above drip.

Apse clerestory and start windows, vaults; set over the chapel roof cornice.

Nave aisle south capitals and imposts, and all nave aisle vaults, and nearby in the S-s passage under rose with arcades intended on end walls.

Apse window heads, completes vault and starts arch over transept rose

East roof and cornice

West crossing capitals and imposts with start of crossing arches; lantern intended with a single shaft in corners; the transept window heads taller than in east.

Ribs squeezed into slots for crossing and eastern arch thickened on west side to raise crossing vault.

W1clerestory vault with flyers; south roof cornice.

Complete transept vaults with rose windows.