Fan Vault Collection

Cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral, late 14th century. The elaborate fan vaulting, the earliest example in Britain, is clearly visible

Kings College Chapel, Cambridge, 1864. Late Gothic edifice with a vast fan vaulted ceiling with ornate stained glass windows

Design for the Decoration of the Drawing Room at Eastnor Castle, Hertfordshire, ca. 1850

The New Houses of Parliament - the Peers Private Entrance, 1857. Creator: Unknown
The New Houses of Parliament - the Peers Private Entrance, 1857. Daylight is admitted by four windows from Old Palace-yard front...The floor is all of encaustic tiles

The New Houses of Parliament - Entrance-hall, 1857. Creator: Unknown
The New Houses of Parliament - Entrance-hall, 1857. The entrance-hall has its fireplace, and large five-light window enriched with armorial bearings

The New Houses of Parliament: The Peers Staircase, 1857. Creator: Unknown
The New Houses of Parliament: The Peers Staircase, 1857. This is an elegant approach to the Upper House, having two flights of steps...The ceiling is divided into nine parts, supported by four piers

View of the Nave and Choir of the Sint-Cunerakerk, Rhenen, Looking East, 1644. Creator: Pieter Jansz Saenredam
View of the Nave and Choir of the Sint-Cunerakerk, Rhenen, Looking East, 1644. The Cunerakerk (church of St Cunera) has stored the relics of Saint Cunera since the 8th century

Entrance Hall, Christchurch, Oxford, 1869. Creator: George Pyne
Entrance Hall, Christchurch, Oxford, 1869

Fan vault HKR01_04_160
Peterborough Cathedral, City of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Detail looking up at some of the cathedral churchs decorative fan-vaulting

Fan vault HKR01_04_055
St Albans Cathedral, St. Albans, Hertfordshire. Interior view of the chapel of Abbot Ramryge, adjoining the cathedral churchs presbytery

View in Fisheye perspective of a Hall with Columns and Cross Rib Vaulting, ca. 1610-20

The Octagon, from the south-east, from Graphic and Literary Illustrations of
STC156077 The Octagon, from the south-east, from Graphic and Literary Illustrations of Fonthill Abbey by John Britton, 1823 (engraving) (b/w photo) by English School

South End of St. Michaels Gallery, from Graphic
STC156065 South End of St. Michaels Gallery, from Graphic and Literary Illustrations of Fonthill Abbey by John Britton, engraved by M

Interior of St. Michaels Gallery, Fonthill Abbey, from
BCC18026 Interior of St. Michaels Gallery, Fonthill Abbey, from Delineations of Fonthill by John Rutter, 1823 (aquatint) by Finley, W

The Vladislav Hall at the Castle in Prague (oil on panel)
475560 The Vladislav Hall at the Castle in Prague (oil on panel) by Steenwyck, Hendrik the Younger (c.1580-1649); 52.8x61.7 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

The interior of St. Bavo s, Haarlem (oil on canvas)
701121 The interior of St. Bavo s, Haarlem (oil on canvas) by Nickelen, Isaak (1660-1703); 31.2x35.6 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; Netherlandish, out of copyright

The Divinity School, Oxford: built between 1445 and 1454, illustration from A Students History of England by Samuel R
LLM438697 The Divinity School, Oxford: built between 1445 and 1454, illustration from A Students History of England by Samuel R

Interior of St Georges Chapel, 1838 (colour litho)
STC156084 Interior of St Georges Chapel, 1838 (colour litho) by Pyne, James Baker (1800-70); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

The Conservatory at Carlton House from Pynes Royal Residences
STC102032 The Conservatory at Carlton House from Pynes Royal Residences engraved by Thomas Sutherland (b.c.1785), published in 1819 (engraving) by Wild

Interior of St. Michaels Gallery, from Graphic
STC156067 Interior of St. Michaels Gallery, from Graphic and Literary Illustration of Fonthill Abbey, by John Britton, aquatint by D

View of the Great hall, 1750-1770 (photo)
BAL2149 View of the Great hall, 1750-1770 (photo) by English School, (18th century); Strawberry Hill, Middlesex, UK; (add.info.: home of Horace Walpole (1717-97); ); English, out of copyright

The Conservatory at Carlton House from Pynes Royal Residences
STC102035 The Conservatory at Carlton House from Pynes Royal Residences engraved by Richard Reeve (b.1780), published in 1819 (engraving) by Wild

The Church of Saint Bavo in Haarlem (oil on canvas)
701060 The Church of Saint Bavo in Haarlem (oil on canvas) by Nickele, Isaac van (1633-1703); 100.3x74 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; Dutch, out of copyright

The Fan Vault of the Entrance Hall, and the Founders Window (b / w photo)
6011959 The Fan Vault of the Entrance Hall, and the Founders Window (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Fan Vault of the Entrance Hall)

The kitchen at Burghley, 1844. Creator: Unknown
The kitchen at Burghley, 1844. Interior showing the great kitchens at Burghley House, near Stamford, Lincolnshire. The house was built in the 16th century

Curious staircase, 1844. Creator: Unknown
Curious staircase, 1844. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were the guests of the Marquis of Exeter, at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire. The house was built in the 16th century

The kitchen of Lincolns Inn New Buildings, 1845. Creator: Unknown
The kitchen of Lincolns Inn New Buildings, 1845. Interior at Lincolns Inn, one of the Inns of Court at Holborn in London. The new complex was designed by Philip Hardwick

The Divinity School, Oxford, 1844. Creator: Unknown
The Divinity School, Oxford, 1844. In the Divinity School, was read, by Robert Wheeler Bush, M.A. scholar of Worcester College, the Theological Essay, for which the prize was awarded

Design for Ceiling with Two Portraits and Fan Supports at Corners, 19th century

La Halle aux Bles, Interior View, ca. 1810. Creator
La Halle aux Bles, Interior View, ca. 1810

The Cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral, 1898. Creator: Unknown
The Cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral, 1898. Great Cloister of Gloucester Cathedral with fan vaults, designed between 1351 and 1377 by Thomas de Canterbury

Chapel of Notre Dame of the Immaculate Conception, Nantes, France, late 19th century. Interior view of the church which was dates from 1470

Architectural drawing: view of organ screen and antichapel, 1833-1834, (1906). Creator: AWN Pugin
Architectural drawing: view of organ screen and antichapel, 1833-1834, (1906). Drawing by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, from the book of designs for a college made in 1833-34

St Georges Chapel, Windsor, 1910. Creator: Unknown
St Georges Chapel, Windsor, 1910. The well in the floor through which the remains of his late majesty will be lowered. The interior of St Georges Chapel showing the burial place of King Edward VII

Entrance to King Henry VII.s Chapel, (1881). Creator: Unknown
Entrance to King Henry VII.s Chapel, (1881). The Henry VII Lady Chapel, at Westminster Abbey in London, was begun by King Henry VII in 1503 and completed in 1516, nearly six years after his death

The Crypt of Gerards Hall, 1897. Creator: Unknown
The Crypt of Gerards Hall, 1897. Fan-vaulted ceiling under Gerards Hall in Basing Lane, City of London. From Old and New London, Volume I, by Walter Thornbury

The Church of St. Faith, The Crypt of Old St. Pauls, from a view by Hollar, (1897)
The Church of St. Faith, The Crypt of Old St. Paul s, from a view by Hollar, (1897). St Faiths was a parish church attached to the old St Pauls Cathedral destroyed in the Great Fire of London of

Fan Vaulting, (1931). Artist: Charles Henry Bourne Quennell
Fan Vaulting, (1931). Perpendicular architectural style, Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey in London. Illustration from A History of Everyday Things in England - Done in two parts of which this is

Cloisters, Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucestershire. The cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral date from the 14th century. The elaborate fan vaulting, the earliest example in Britain, is clearly visible

Cloister of Gloucester Cathedral. The elaborate fan vaulting, the earliest example in Britain, is clearly visible

The staircase of the Hotel de Bourgogne, Paris, 1882-1884. The Hotel de Bourgogne was the Paris residence of the Dukes of Burgundy until the 16th century

St Faiths Church in the crypt of old St Pauls Cathedral, London, 1657 (1892). Artist: Wenceslaus Hollar
St Faiths Church in the crypt of old St Pauls Cathedral, London, 1657 (1892). An illustration from A Short History of the English People, by John Richard Green, illustrated edition, Volume I

Proscholium to the Divinity School, Oxford, 1836. Artist: John Le Keux
Proscholium to the Divinity School, Oxford, 1836. Part of Oxford University, the Divinity School was built between 1427 and 1483

Staircase to the Hall, Christ Church, Oxford University, 1833. Artist: John Le Keux
Staircase to the Hall, Christ Church, Oxford University, 1833

The Divinity School, Oxford, 1837. Artist: John Le Keux
The Divinity School, Oxford, 1837. Part of Oxford University, the Divinity School was built between 1427 and 1483. A fine example of Perpendicular style architecture

Interior, Oxford University, c18th century, (1870). An engraving from The Arts of the Middle Ages and at the Period of the Renaissance, by Paul Lacroix, (London, 1870)

Fan Vaulting in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England, 20th century. Artist: CM Dixon
Fan Vaulting in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England, 20th century. Canterbury Cathedral is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England

Illustration of a fan vault

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The fan vault is a stunning architectural marvel that has graced various historical structures throughout the centuries. One notable example can be found in the Cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral, dating back to the late 14th century. This intricate design showcases an exquisite display of intersecting ribs forming a mesmerizing fan-like pattern. Moving forward in time, we encounter another remarkable implementation of the fan vault at Eastnor Castle in Hertfordshire around 1850. A design for the decoration of its drawing room demonstrates how this unique feature adds elegance and grandeur to any space. Kings College Chapel in Cambridge stands as a testament to the enduring beauty of fan vaults. Built-in 1864, it boasts an awe-inspiring ceiling adorned with elaborate tracery and delicate ribbing, creating a breathtaking visual spectacle. Exploring further examples, we come across captivating photographs capturing different perspectives of halls adorned with columns and cross rib vaulting from around 1610-20. These fisheye views provide a fresh take on how fan vaults interact with their surroundings. Venturing into other parts of Europe, Prague's Castle presents us with the magnificent Vladislav Hall. An oil painting captures its splendorous interior where majestic arches meet intricately designed fan vaults, transporting viewers back to medieval times. Haarlem's St. Bavo's Church also embraces this architectural wonder within its walls. An oil painting immortalizes its interior ambiance as light dances upon graceful curves formed by interlocking ribs. Even Oxford's Divinity School proudly exhibits a splendid example of fan vaulting built between 1445 and 1454. Illustrated in Samuel R. Gardiner's "A Student's History of England, " this digitally enhanced image allows us to appreciate every detail meticulously crafted by skilled craftsmen centuries ago. From Gothic cathedrals to castles and churches worldwide, these glimpses into history remind us why the fan vault remains an enduring symbol of architectural brilliance.