Sir, – Peter Murtagh’s article in his series on the Carl Clancy memorial ride (News Features, April 6th) does a wonderful job of introducing the magnificent Chartres cathedral and does full justice to the joys of eating in France.
While the grandeur of the edifice is evocatively described, it is worth adding that the cathedral’s awesome nature was both a tribute to, and an embellishment for religion, it was also constructed to communicate the absolute dominance of the church. This dominance is particularly well represented by Chartres, located in the flat plains of the Eure-et-Loir it rules the visual landscape for many miles, just as its bells ruled the soundscape and its physical and spiritual presence dominated the town and surrounding areas.
This fascinating aspect of cathedral architecture as a means of imposing the church’s greatness through an array of sensory mediums can add greatly to appreciation of why as well as what, was behind the construction of such awe inspiring buildings. Precisely the manufacture of awe. Peter Murtagh’s American tourist had it just right. – Yours, etc,
FERGUS ROBSON,
Larkfield Gardens,
Kimmage,
Dublin 6W.