Editing Fan vault

{{Short description|Form of vaulting}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
[[File:bath.abbey.fan.vault.arp.jpg|thumb|Fan vaulting over the nave at [[Bath Abbey]], England: made from local Bath stone, this is a [[Victorian restoration]] (in the 1860s) of the original roof of 1608]]

A '''fan vault''' is a form of [[Vault (architecture)|vault]] used in the [[Gothic architecture|Gothic style]], in which the ribs are all of the same curve and spaced equidistantly, in a manner resembling a [[fan (implement)|fan]].  The initiation and propagation of this design element is strongly associated with [[England]].

The earliest example, dating from about 1351,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.britannia.com/church/studies/glosarch.html |title=Britannia: Architecture of Gloucester Cathedral |access-date=2006-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130072100/http://www.britannia.com/church/studies/glosarch.html |archive-date=2018-11-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> may be seen in the cloisters of [[Gloucester Cathedral]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk/default.asp?Document=1.C.2.2.1.4 |title=Pevsner Architectural Guides fan vault design |access-date=2006-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927235052/http://www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk/default.asp?Document=1.C.2.2.1.4 |archive-date=2007-09-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The largest fan vault in the world can be found in [[King's College Chapel, Cambridge]].

The fan vault is peculiar to England. The [[Lierne (vault)|lierne]] vault of the cathedral of [[Barbastro]] in northern Spain closely resembles a fan vault, but it does not form a perfect [[conoid]]. [[John Harvey (historian)|John Harvey]] (1978) suggests [[Catherine of Aragon]] as a possible source of English influence in [[Aragon]].<ref name="harvey"/>

==Birth of the fan vault==
The fan vault is attributed to development in [[Gloucester]] between 1351 and 1377,<ref name="harvey">
{{Cite book
  | last = Harvey | first = John
  | title = The Perpendicular Style
  | publisher = Batsford
  | year = 1978
  | location = London
}}</ref> with the earliest known surviving example being the east cloister walk of [[Gloucester Cathedral]].<ref>[[David Verey]], ''[[Gloucestershire]]'', [[Yale University]] Press, New Haven, Connecticut, USA (1976)</ref> [[John Harvey (historian)|Harvey]] (1978) hypothesises that the east cloister at Gloucester was finished under Thomas de Cantebrugge from the [[hamlet (place)|hamlet]] of [[Cambridge, Gloucestershire]], who left in 1364 to work on the [[chapter house]] at [[Hereford Cathedral]] (also thought to have been fan vaulted on the basis of a drawing by [[William Stukeley]]).<ref>
{{Cite book
  | last = Aylmer  | first = Gerald
  | title = Hereford Cathedral : A History
  | year = 2000
  | publisher = The Hambledon Press
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NFXdQLOR_XIC
  | page = 62
| isbn = 9780826436283
 }}
</ref> The other three parts of the cloister at Gloucester were begun in 1381, possibly under Robert Lesyngham.

Other examples of early fan vaults exist around Gloucester, implying the activity of several 14th century master masons in that region.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}

== Structure ==
The ribs of a fan vault are of equal curvature and rotated at equal distances around a central (vertical) axis, forming the conoid shape which gives rise to the name. In between sequences of conoids, flat central [[spandrel]]s fill the space. According to Leedy (1980), the fan vault was developed in England (as opposed to France and other centres of [[Gothic architecture]]) due to the manner in which English [[rib vault]]s were normally constructed.<ref name="leedy"/> In an English rib vault, the courses are laid perpendicular to the ''rib'' while in France they are laid perpendicular to the wall.

==Buildings with fan vaulting==
===Medieval and Early Modern===
*[[Gloucester Cathedral]], cloisters, earliest fan vaulting begun 1373 by Abbot Horton
*[[King's College Chapel, Cambridge]], the world's largest fan vault (1512–1515)
*[[Bath Abbey]], Somerset, nave and chancel (1860s restoration; originally by [[William Vertue]])
*[[Brasenose College, Oxford]], Chapel ceiling – a spectacular example of plaster pendant fan vaulting
*[[Canterbury Cathedral]], crossing tower by [[John Wastell]], Henry VI's chantry chapel
*[[Christ Church, Oxford]], staircase to the great hall
*[[Church of St Andrew, Mells]], Somerset, porch<ref name="leedy"/>
*[[Church of St John the Baptist, Axbridge]], Somerset, crossing<ref name="leedy">{{Cite book|first = Walter|last=Leedy|year=1980|title=Fan Vaulting: A Study of Form, Technology and Meaning|publisher=Arts+Architecture}}</ref>
*[[Church of St Peter and St Paul, Muchelney]], Somerset, under the tower<ref name="leedy"/>
*[[Church of St. John the Baptist, Cirencester]], Gloucestershire, porch and north chapel
*[[Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick]], Dean's Chapel
*[[Convocation House]], Oxford
*[[Corpus Christi College, Cambridge]], main gateway
*[[Ely Cathedral]], [[John Alcock (bishop)|Bishop Alcock]]'s chantry chapel
*[[Eton College Chapel]] (the vault dates from 1958)
*[[Hampton Court Palace]], Great Gate and oriel window in the Great Hall
*[[Henry VII's Lady Chapel]], [[Westminster Abbey]], London, 1503–1509<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.artandarchitecture.org.uk/images/conway/92eafb11.html |title=''Art and Architecture'' fan vault example from Henry VII Lady Chapel |access-date=17 November 2006 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923174122/http://www.artandarchitecture.org.uk/images/conway/92eafb11.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> (with [[Pendant vault|pendants]], by [[William Vertue]])
*[[Lincoln's Inn#Chapel|Lincoln's Inn Chapel]], undercroft<ref name="Teller2004">{{cite book|last=Teller|first=Matthew|title=The Rough Guide to Britain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AOt1Hb8MOQUC&q=%22fan-vaulted%20open%20undercroft%22&pg=PA114|access-date=7 August 2014|year=2004|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=978-1-84353-301-6|page=114}}</ref>
*[[Manchester Cathedral]], under the tower
*[[Milton Abbey]], Dorset, crossing (by [[William Smyth (architect)|William Smyth]])<ref name="harvey"/>
*[[Peterborough Cathedral]], Cambridgeshire, retrochoir
*Red Mount Chapel, [[King's Lynn]]
*[[Sherborne Abbey]], Dorset, quire c. 1430, nave c. 1490 (by [[William Smyth (architect)|William Smyth]])<ref name="harvey"/>
*St Andrew's Church, [[Cullompton]], Devon, south aisle
*[[St Bartholomew's Church, Tong|St Bartholomew's Church]], [[Tong, Shropshire]], chantry chapel<ref name="leedy"/>
*[[St David's Cathedral]], Wales, Trinity Chapel
*[[St Mary Aldermary]], London (by [[Christopher Wren]])
*[[St Mary's Church, North Leigh]], Oxfordshire, Wilcote chantry chapel<ref name="leedy"/>
*St Mary's Church, [[Ottery St Mary]], Devon, aisle
*St Stephen's [[cloister]] at the [[Palace of Westminster]] (1529)<ref>[http://www.englishheritageimages.com/low.php?xp=media&xm=1177814 Westminster Palace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710193239/http://www.englishheritageimages.com/low.php?xp=media&xm=1177814 |date=2011-07-10 }} – English Heritage images</ref>
*[[St. George's Chapel, Windsor]], crossing, Urswick chantry chapel
*[[Tewkesbury Abbey]], cloister (only one bay remains)
*[[University College, Oxford]], gatehouse vaults
*[[University Church of St Mary the Virgin]], Oxford, porch
*[[Wells Cathedral]], crossing (by [[William Smyth (architect)|William Smyth]])<ref name="harvey"/>
*[[Winchester Cathedral]], Beaufort and Waynflete chantry chapels
*St. Mary's Church, Putney, Bishop West chapel

{{centre|{{gallery|width=145
|File:Bath Abbey, South aisle.jpg | [[Bath Abbey]]
|File:Cambridge King's College Chapel ceiling 003.jpg | [[King's College Chapel, Cambridge]]
|File:Canterbury Cathedral, fan vaulting of the crossing.jpg | [[Canterbury Cathedral]]
|File:Cirencester Church (St. John the Baptist) (29380064254).jpg | [[Church of St. John the Baptist, Cirencester]]
|File:Cullompton, fan vaulting in St Andrew's church - geograph.org.uk - 858632.jpg | [[Cullompton#St_Andrew's_Church|St. Andrew's Church, Cullompton]]
|File:Gloucester Cathedral cloisters.jpg | [[Gloucester Cathedral]]
|File:Milton Abbey church (St. Mary, St. Michael, St. Sampson and St. Branwaleder) (48646274233).jpg | [[Milton Abbey]]
|File:OxfordCathederal.jpg | [[Oxford Cathedral]]
|File:Christ Church, Oxford, Staircase ceiling.jpg | [[Christ Church, Oxford]]
|File:Peterborough Cathedral fan vaulting.jpg | [[Peterborough Cathedral]]
|File:Sherborne Abbey (vault).jpg | [[Sherborne Abbey]]
|File:Deans Chapel.jpg | [[Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick]]
|File:Westminster abbey16.jpg | [[Henry VII Chapel]], [[Westminster Abbey]]
|File:Winchester Cathedral chantry chapel fan vault.jpg | [[Winchester Cathedral]]
}}}}

===Gothic Revival===
*[[Centre Block]], Parliament of Canada, [[Ottawa]]
*[[Eastnor Castle]], drawing room
*[[Grand Theatre Leeds|Grand Theatre]], [[Leeds]]
*[[Harkness Tower]], [[Yale University]], New Haven, Connecticut, US<ref>[http://www.library.yale.edu/mssa/exhibits/building/part2/page10.htm Harkness Tower Memorial Hall]</ref>
*[[House of Lords]] lobbies, committee staircase, in the [[Palace of Westminster]]
*[[John Rylands Library]], baconcy, Manchester
*[[Middlesex Guildhall]], Westminster
*[[Palau de la Música Catalana]], Barcelona
*[[San Sebastian Church (Manila)|Basilica Minore de San Sebastián]], Manila, Philippines
*[[St John's Church, Edinburgh|St John's]], [[Edinburgh]]
*[[St Mary's Church, Wellingborough|St Mary's Church]], Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
*[[St. Patrick's Church (New Orleans)|Saint Patrick's Church]], New Orleans, Louisiana, US (apsidal fan vault)
*[[Strawberry Hill House|Strawberry Hill]], Twickenham, London
*[[Unitarian Church in Charleston]], South Carolina, US
*[[Washington National Cathedral]], Washington, DC, US (Children's Chapel)
*[[Wills Memorial Building]], University of Bristol
*[[Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King]], Hamilton, Ontario

{{centre|{{gallery|width=145
|File:St. John's Church, Edinburgh (HDR).jpg | [[St John's, Edinburgh|Church of St. John the Evangelist, Edinburgh]]
|File:Grand Theatre (6a).jpg | [[Grand Theatre, Leeds]]
|File:Architecture of Canadian Parliament.jpg | [[Confederation Hall]], [[Canadian Parliament Buildings]], Ottawa
|File:Strawberry Hill House, Greater London (26764231163).jpg | [[Strawberry Hill House]], Twickenham
}}}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Architecture}}
{{Commons category|Fan vaults}}
* [[List of architectural vaults]]
* [[Gothic architecture]]
* [[Gothic cathedrals and churches]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Architecture of England}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fan Vault}}
[[Category:Arches and vaults]]
[[Category:Architecture in England]]
[[Category:Medieval architecture]]