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.

20

60

280

126

122

240

1060s

1070s

1080s

1090s

1100s

1110s

1120s

1130s

1140s

1150s

1160s

1170s

1180s

1190s

1200s

1210s

1220s

1230s

1240s

1250s

North lower west wall

Triple piers in south part of west wall for an interior that was taller than today, by altogether 6 courses, and the north wall raised at the same time.

Foundations and with a north to south direction as piscines become more elaborate

Chapel bases, and walls intending a huge building as seen in stone size and height of plinths; work continued possibly to above the sills with the chapel capitals and start of vaults [see "Templatemakers" 24-5]: an Add-a-Chapel scheme; stepped joints in walls to west of first column; alternation in piers; plinths and torus in one stone.

Straight east walls continued a little on chapel piers,

West bay with stairs and dado begun, to lower slot window..

Rest of NW corner staircase built in one campaign as all slot windows equal. Includes adjacent tracery windows; showing they intended wider and taller west end; most wall caps together and chapel vaults

North and south sanctuary raised to vaults

Choir arcade piers and capitals supporting pointed arches and preparation for a very tall building.

Triforium and clerestory; rebuilt western entry with stairs.