Abstract
Fan vaulting is much more than a decorative ceiling, it is a marvel of medieval engineering that enhances the experience a person has while in the space. The evolution of stone masonry and construction came to a head with this uniquely English Gothic architectural feature that performs a variety of functions depending on the physical space and the desires of the designers and patrons. Many scholars have studied fan vaulting within the context of the overall individual sites, and in recent years, from a structural engineering perspective. There has rarely, however, been a focus on the contextual issues and vaulting type as a whole. This paper will discuss the structural qualities, design and decoration, and historical and social conditions focusing on patronage of the Chantry Chapel of Edward the Confessor and Bell Harry Tower in Canterbury Cathedral, Henry VII’s Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey, and the great hall staircase in Christ Church College, Oxford. This research suggests that fan vaults were used to appeal to and showcase the importance of patrons in the late Gothic era in England, regardless of structural and aesthetic qualities.