first cathedral (now gone) were quite small by the standards of the churches at Dublin and Kilkenny. It was built between c. 1230 and c. 1270.
Form and Function
Cashel Cathedral was the cathedral church for the archdiocese of Cashel. It’s a cruciform building with a very long choir, a short nave and transepts of equal length. The crossing tower is the only vaulted part of the building. There are no aisles, and the building is lit by lancet windows in the choir and transepts. Because the building is tight up against Cormac’s Chapel on its south side, the windows on that side are only at the western end of the nave, beyond the chapel. On the opposite wall, the windows are at the eastern end of the wall so that end of the choir can get light. It’s an odd arrangement in terms of the balance of the design.
Technique
The choir is built in sandstone and is the earliest part of the building. Much of the detail in the carving has been weathered away due to this choice of stone. The tower and transepts are built in limestone, which has fared better over the years. The building is constructed with cut stone. Skilful masons carried out the decorative work.
Figure 27.8 The cathedral at Cashel dominates the rock, dwarfing the other buildings on the site.
Crossing tower
Cormac’s Chapel
Choir
Figure 27.9 The south-eastern pier of the crossing tower at St. Patrick’s Cathedral at Cashel, Co. Tipperary.
Decoration
Most of the decoration is very high up, on the ends of the hood mouldings over the windows in the choir. Human faces with downturned mouths and animals from the bestiaries seem to warn of evil. The capitals of the pillars at the crossing are decorated with small human faces among stylised leaf patterns, not quite like the more natural ones in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Again, this decoration is so high up it is difficult to see from the ground.
