Canterbury Cathedral (Gothic Choir)

Timeline

1. 1170–1174Canterbury Cathedral · KentAfter Becket's martyrdom and canonization, the Romanesque east end could no longer hold the pilgrim crowds; the 1174 fire destroyed the choir, forcing the church to rebuild the liturgical space with an entirely new structure.
2. 1175–1178Canterbury Cathedral choir · KentWilliam of Sens rebuilt the choir following early Gothic practice of the Île-de-France, using pointed arches, sexpartite rib vaults, and thinner clerestory walls, making Canterbury the first English cathedral to systematically adopt Gothic skeletal structure.
3. c. 1179–1184Canterbury Cathedral · KentLocal craftsman William the Englishman took over and completed the main body of the choir, and began extending the Trinity Chapel eastward to house Becket's relics and a circular pilgrimage route.
4. 1184–1220Trinity Chapel and Corona Chapel · KentThe new east end combined Gothic space with the cult of Becket, making Canterbury England's most important pilgrimage destination, with its choir practices serving as a model for later cathedrals.