theonlyD800inthehameau
Photography by theonlydeadheadinthehameau
Thursday Doors: Chartres Cathedral
Posted on April 13, 2017
As promised, this week we feature some of the mightily impressive doors of the great cathedral of Chartres, often said to be the most beautiful cathedral in France and certainly a high point of French Gothic architecture dating from the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries.
As you would expect, the principal entrances seek to impress:
As I recall, my second-ever contribution to Thursday Doors was this mouse’s-eye view of one of the main entrances:
It’s worth seeing from the inside too:
This is the entrance to the crypt:
And finally, this qualifies as a door, I think, although technically speaking it’s actually a reredos – a screen that once stood behind the high altar, but is now just propped up against a wall:
Next week we’re back to the usual diet of tatty secular doors.
Thursday Doors 13 April 2017
Tuesdays of Texture: Sculpted Saints
Posted on April 4, 2017
Lots of texture in this detail of a selection of saints to be found at Chartres Cathedral:
More submissions to Narami’s weekly challenge can be found here
C is for Ceiling
Posted on March 10, 2017
The fresco on the ceiling of the Collègiale church in St Junien is very faded, so you’re not missing much by seeing it only in monochrome:
Thursday Doors: St Junien – Open to the public
Posted on February 16, 2017
For this third instalment of the doors of St Junien, as a change from the doors of private residences I’ve confined myself to some of the public buildings of the town.
To begin with, the old municipal offices which still stand opposite the new Mairie and admin block:
The main church of St Junien is a Collègiale. To be honest, the interior isn’t particularly impressive in my opinion, although the main doors are worth a look. As it’s now surrounded by newer buildings, it’s difficult to get a complete view in one shot (well, it is with the lenses I’ve got), but this close-up gives you the general idea:
To the left of the main entrance of the Collègiale is this unloved gate:
This is the Salle des Fêtes; in the UK it would probably be called the Assembly Rooms or something similar. The large ‘cartouche’ above the windows tells us that it was built between 1898 and 1900, following a vote of the local council in 1897. There then follows a long list of the members of the municipal council who approved the construction. Fascinating.
And finally, on a much smaller scale, is this unpretentious construct that sits in the middle of a roundabout on the main road through the town. Open to all passing birds, presumably.
Thursday Doors 16 February 2017
Tuesdays of Texture: Look Up
Posted on January 24, 2017
Take a moment to look up as you enter St Mary’s church in Beverley and you’ll see some intricate carving – as well as some pretty scary faces.
Tuesdays of Texture
Thursday Doors: Lesterps (Part 1)
Posted on December 22, 2016
Lesterps is yet another of those charming old villages that surround Tranquility Base at a distance of an approximately twenty-minute drive. It’s best known for its very large 11th century church (more specifically, it’s an Abbatiale, which means there must once have been an Abbey there), which dominates the village, to the extent that it’s virtually impossible to get a proper photograph of the whole edifice. The image from Google Earth at the bottom of this post gives some idea of its relative scale.
This is the main door:
and this is one of three substantial archways, which I think qualify as doors for this purpose:
This walled up doorway on a building just acrooss the road from the church could well be a remnant of the accommodation of the monks who must once have lived here:
Elsewhere, this house (also opposite the church), with its massive beam, looks like it might once have been a byre, housing livestock:
We visited Lesterps last weekend for the Marché de Noel, so here’s something in the Christmas spirit. You’re welcome.
And this is quite possibly the smallest door in the entire commune. It’s at about head height but it certainly doesn’t look like a shutter, and I can’t imagine it’s the meter cupboard:
Next time, more from Lesterps – including some very strong contenders for Ramshackle Door of the Year.
Thursday Doors 22 December 2016
PS here’s that screenshot from Google Earth:
Thursday Doors: Gargilesse
Posted on October 20, 2016
Not far from Nohant (assuming that your coach driver doesn’t get lost, like ours did – and not for the first time that day) is the picturesque village of Gargilesse, where George Sand had a smaller house, which was subsequently home to her daughter and husband for many years.
As well as a medieval church – of which this is the side door – with a remarkably frescoed crypt, the village also has a fair few, more interesting, doors.
There are doors in there somewhere, trust me:
These are rather easier to see. The first one is my favourite of this batch:
More from Gargilesse next week.
Thursday Doors 20 October 2016
52 Weeks Photo Challenge: Week 9 – Patterns
Posted on October 3, 2016
The Girl That Deams Awake has set the topic of ‘Patterns’ for this week.
Most stained glass windows display overtly religious images. However, this example, to be found in the crypt of the medieval church in the French village of Gargilesse, is an interesting exception.
The geometric patterns remind me of Celtic designs (Celtic knots?). I’m also reliably informed – by Madame the quilter (a.k.a. The Best Girl Ever) – that there are very similar quilting patterns.
In another departure from tradition, the colours are far more subdued than in typical stained glass windows.
“And his wife made this”
Posted on September 30, 2016
The impressive architecture of St Mary’s Church in Beverley, East Yorkshire includes these graceful curves, which, to judge by the words carved on the little bust (“And his wife made this”), show a feminine touch.
Tuesdays of Texture: Paint
Posted on September 27, 2016
This door – of a church on the island of Burano, in the Venetian lagoon – could really do with a fresh coat of paint.
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