The Nature of Architectural Geometry
All great churches in the mediaeval period were designed on a geometrical framework which is unique to each building. The study of the geometry of great churches therefore gives an insight into the creative process. It also reveals beauties which could otherwise be appreciated only unconsciously. The study of lines, figures and proportions is not a substitute for a response such as this written by George Pace after his first visit to Llandaff: "I was overwhelmed with the scale and majesty of the Nave arcades. No illustration I had seen had done the arcade even faint justice".1 The concise treatment of the Lady Chapel in this paper in no way replaces appreciation of its special beauty. Geometrical study is complementary to aesthetic enjoyment, and can only enhance our understanding of these buildings. It can also be of considerable archaeological significance.