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Hey, we are in luck. It's a sunny Monday for our day trip out to Salisbury where we'll continue our peek into mediaeval architecture. As the mediaeval world developed more political stability and wealth, its style of architecture changed. Instead of that thick-walled fortresses and fortress like churches of the early mediaeval period, a lighter, more graceful style evolved. The key was the new pointed or Gothic arch. You see, in a Romanesque building, with round arches, the weight of the roof sits squarely on the walls, so the walls need to be thick. Gothic architects learned if you point the arches up, the weight of the roof now goes out, and to support the building, you need buttresses rather than thick walls. If a Romanesque church falls, it falls down; for Gothic church falls, it collapses out .
Salisbury Cathedral, an easy day trip from London, is a perfect place to study Gothic. This 13th century wonder was part of a movement which saw communities all over Europe competing to build ever higher and lighter Cathedrals. With the Gothic arch and buttress system, designers could think of walls as window holders. They could build towers which seem to reach to heaven. Salisbury spire rises a dizzying 404 feet. This without the benefit of steel. It's built right to its physical limit. The bases of the marble pillars near the entrance to the choir are buckling from the strain. The flying buttresses supporting the tower both inside and out were added to ease the problem. And 700 years later, it still stands.
But architecture wasn't the only thing changing during the Gothic period. The Magna Carta, the Great Charter of English liberties was written just 5 years before they began construction here. This man, William Longsby carried a copy of the document back to Salisbury. One of the few originals still in existence, it rests in the Cathedral's chapter house. The cloisters are the largest in England, peaceful and pleasant. And we can make our own brass-rubbings. For a small fee, you get supplies and instruction. Then you choose which long dead knight or lady you want to rub. When you finish, you have a suitable for framing Gothic souvenir.
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buckling/buckle: vi扣住, 扣紧
flying buttress n 拱扶垛，飞拱
brass-rubbing n. 拓印
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