Dereham

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Dereham, or Durham, Elias of (fl. 1188–d. 1245). A Canon of Salisbury and Wells, he may have designed the shrine of St Thomas à Becket (c.1118–70) in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent (completed 1220), which, by all accounts, was of great magnificence. He seems to have been involved in the building of Salisbury Cathedral, Wilts., from c.1220, where he was described as being the director of the new fabric, and supervised at least the building of the Lady Chapel (1225) and the eastern arm of the Cathedral (1237). In 1233 he was in charge of the King's Works at Winchester Castle, Hants. Reading between the lines he was probably an informed amateur, a forerunner of the C18 dilettante architect, perhaps a kind of C13 Burlington.

Bibliography

J. Harvey (1987)