This is great for lots of reasons, but also for understanding the scale and construction of the oft-misunderstood octagon and its lantern https://twitter.com/GeoffRobinson49/status/1337402129510707205

all of this is basically timber. that's the point. you couldn't do this in stone

G.G. Scott criticised James Essex's interventions in the 1750s removing the lantern's flyers, but if the diagonal stays hadn't been added the structure wouldn't have survived

It was in a terrible state by the 18thc because, basically the curved timber ribs in the original design didn't transmit the weight of the lantern properly to the walls.

medieval masons weren't always right that's all im saying

the octagon lantern is so weird to track what happened to it. but anyway

Daniel King (lol), 1650s; J.W.M. Turner, pub 1833 but presumably made 1794?; Buckler again printed 1816 but presumably made earlier; William Anslow, 1813