At Norwich, in Norfolk, in many of the churches but especially the cathedral, the earlier, southern, style of Romanesque architecture (aka Byzantine) competes with the later, finer, often spectacular northern Gothic for the visitor’s eye.
Attenuated columns, delicate fan-vaulting, stained glass windows set in perpendicular tracings, all typical of the English take on Gothic architecture. It so bedazzles the visitor’s eyes, the rest goes unnoticed. Photo 8th Nov 2017
But take a step back, in space and in time . . . those arches are undeniably Romanesque. Photo 8th Nov 2017
As for this, the south entrance (beside the cloisters) could have been lifted from Southern Italy. I’ve found those same carved motifs on several of the parish churches southeast of Norwich. Photo 8th Nov 2017
A view only possible from within the cloisters . . . no delicate traceries, no flying buttresses, all solid Romanesque architecture—except for the pinnacles that stand guard on the Gothic-style spire. Photo 8th Nov 2017. And yep, it was a typical November day: wet!
Norwich was my home-town, I grew up in the shadow of this. Which might explain my almost-obsession with the Norman period of history. But it’s a fallacy to believe the Normans introduced the style, just because only their buildings remain; the English (Anglo-Saxons) were erecting abbeys in the Romanesque style for at least half a century before then.
crispina kemp 
That last view is especially familiar. 🙂
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You remember the labyrinth too? I remember feeling distinctly disoriented at the end, probably because of the sun beating down. And then you asked me the speed of a swallow’s flight. Am I right?
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Spot on!
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See, I was paying attention despite the disorientation. On my visit earlier this month the grass was so grown the labyrinth was barely visible. Could only be seen from one direction. I take it that’ll be remedied the grass starts growing again in the spring.
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