Witney, Thomas of

views updated

Witney, Thomas of (fl. 1292–1342). English mason. He was engaged on the first building of St Stephen's Chapel, Westminster, in the 1290s, but by 1311 was living in Winchester, Hampshire, and working on the Cathedral. He carried out alterations to the eastern arm of the church (presbytery) before being called to Exeter Cathedral in 1313, where he was in charge by 1316, completing the crossing, building the nave, and creating the reredos and sedilia (1316–26) as well as the pulpitum, all of which are in an advanced Second Pointed style. The piers and other aspects of the architecture at the presbytery of Winchester resemble the style of the works at Exeter. He may have designed the Lady Chapel and associated parts of the retrochoir at Wells Cathedral, Somerset (completed by 1326), and the crossing at Merton College Chapel, Oxford (1330–2). He was one of the most outstanding architects of the period.

Bibliography

Harvey (1987)