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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture > Doesn't it depend on the position of the choir? If the choir is wholly in > the eastern arm, then the laity could well use the south transept as an > entrance - I would expect this to be the case at York, although Jon Cannon > may well correct me! > > If the choir is under the crossing, I wouldn't expect the laity to use the > transept entrances - except for pilgrims gaining access to a shrine at the > east end. Dear John, Good point. At Chartres Cathedral, the choir was wholy in the eastern arm, and the crossing was a very public place, once full of images and ex votos. The major shrine, the Sainte Chasse, was associated with the high altar. There was certainly no ecclesiastical impediment to lay entrance through the south transept. I'm not sure how much access the public may have had, however, to the area north of the church. > > As for the western entrance(s), doesn't that mostly depend on whether there > are side portals opening into the aisles, leaving the central door as the > processional entrance? Another good point, and one which may be quite relevant to the situation at Chartres Cathedral, which did not have such side portals. All three western portals were clustered into the central nave bay since, rather curiously, the bases of the west towers functioned as monumental entrances to the crypt, through long passages under the nave aisles. Cheers, Jim Bugslag ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html