Saint-Quentin (Aisne, France) - Saint-Quentin
- 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 - 1170s - Phase 1 - west porch
West porch
- Project A - 1180s - Phase 2 - ambulatory (a+)
ambulatory lower aisles
- Project B - 1200s - Phase 3 - ambulatory piers
Ambulatory aisles
- Project B - 1210s - Phase 4 - ambulatory (v)
Ambulatory vaults
- Project B - 1220s - Phase 5 - choir (a) 1-3
Choir aisles 1-3
- Project B - 1230s - Phase 6 - choir (c) (s)
Choir clerestory sills
- Project B - 1240s - Phase 7 - choir (t)
Choir triforium
- Project B - 1240s - Phase 8 - nave (a) 1-5
nave aisles 1-5
- Primary Sources for Dating
1225 May 23 - S-QNTN
Indulgences granted in relation to translation of relics
Indulgences granted in relation to translation of relics
…the body of the glorious martyr Saint Quentin who lies secure in the church, placed honestly and decently, their exhortation to raise and to translate…
1228 - S-QNTN
Boson, treasurer to the Chapter, ceded income to chapter from land occupied by the church
Boson, treasurer to the Chapter, ceded income to chapter from land occupied by the church
…as much the new work as the old.
1228 - S-QNTN
…because of all the offerings, in gold as in silver,… and all of the rest which pertained to us and to Werricus, our chaplains, inside the walls of the church of Saint-Quentin, now as the new work pertained to the old, we gave our assent to Werricus…to the fabric and the work of the church…
1256 - S-QNTN
Donation by Gilles le Brun to the ongoing construction
Donation by Gilles le Brun to the ongoing construction
…for the construction of said church…
1257, September 2 - S-QNTN
Saint Louis transfers relics from the old basilica to the new
Saint Louis transfers relics from the old basilica to the new
…translated the bodies…from the old church to the new fabric,…