© P.E. Blanche 2002

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© P.E.Blanche 1998 Photo taken from under the Bell Harry Tower inside the Cathedral

Always one for taking the easy way out, I find the view of the Bell Harry Tower from The Green Court places a lot less strain on the neck than from underneath it. After all, it's a long way to the top, 235 feet, in old measurements. The original Norman Tower was destroyed in the fire of 1174 but it was not until the 15th Century that work really began on the construction of a new Tower (they must have had committees in those days too!). It was completed in 1498, so this year (1998 when written), is its 500th anniversary.

Despite the facade of Caen stone which blends in with the rest of the building, the main construction is made up of the very ordinary "common or garden" brick. In fact, some 500,000 "common or garden" bricks were used in the two stages of construction. (I have seen different esimates of between 480,000 and 500,000 but then who is going to argue about a mere 20,000 bricks at this point). The total cost of the second part of this upstairs addition was given as 3,035 pounds, 17 shillings and threepence, three farthings (all in low denominational coins of the realm). Even at this time the largest portion of the total cost was labour at approximately £505.

The thing that is often missed by visitors to the Cathedral is the beautiful fan vaulting underneath the Bell Harry Tower which can be seen from the steps leading from the Nave up into The Choir. The picture on the right hand side of this page really can't do justice to the intricate work.