I

IS"

9x<f

AN ANALYSIS
OF

GOTHICK AKCHITECTURE
DOORWAYS, WINDOWS,
AND

ILLUSTRATED BY A SERIES OF UPWARDS OF SEVEN HUNDRED EXAMPLES OF

ETC.

ACCOMPANIED WITH REMARKS

ON THE

SEVERAL DETAILS OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL EDIFICE.

By

EAPHAEL AND

J.

ARTHUR BRANDON.
ETC.

Authors of "PAnisH Chui.chks," "Open T.mheb Roora or the Middle AOES,"

ilfto

Jaiiition.

VOLUME
LONDON
''

DAVID BOGUE, 86, FLEET STREET, SOLD ALSO BY GEORGE BELL, 186, FLEET STREET.
MDCCCXLIX.

HA
IS

TO THE

MOST HONOURABLE THE MARQUESS OF NORTHAMPTON,

ETC., ETC.,
ETC.,

P.R.S.,

WHOSE DISTINGUISHED NAME

IS

SO JUSTLY ENDEARED TO THE

CAUSE OF ENGLISH CHUECH AECHITECTUflE,

THIS

WOEK
IS,

WITH PERMISSION,

MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,

BY HIS LORDSHIP'S GREATLY OBLIGED AND VERY OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANTS,

EAPHAEL AND

J.

ARTHUR BRANDON.

1847.

BEAUFOKT BUILDINGS,

LONDON.

PREFACE.
F
the numerous works recently called into existence by the

prevalent spirit of inquiry and research into the Ecclesiastical

Architecture of the Middle Ages, none has supplied such an

analysis of details as
is

absolutely essential, no less for the

art,

complete abstract elucidation of the principles of this great

their correct practical application.

than for

with a view to supply this

The present work has been undertaken deficiency, by presenting a series of good and

pure specimens of the various details which occur in Church Architecture, as they are exemplified in existing Edifices. The examples thus selected

commence with the

closing style of the Romanesque,*

and range throughout

the Gothick era, properly so called

The Authors, desirous

to adhere in every respect to their plan of pro-

ducing a practical rather than an historical work on English Church Architecture,

have purposely avoided

all

notice

and

illustration of the architecture

of the Anglo-Saxons.

Many

excellent treatises have been devoted to the

investigation of the style of building at this remote period,

and much of

both curious and valuable information has been

thus

elicited.

Saxon

Architectuie, however, though abounding in materials for interesting research

to the antiquary

and

historian, is at best

but rude and barbarous as a

architect of the present

constructive system,
it

and consequently by the

day

cannot be considered as a guide or authority.

* This term wan
first

And
on

indeed

its successor,

adopted by the Rev.

W. Guun,

iii

his " Inquiry

:

Grothic Architecture."

In a

note explanatory of this term, Mr.

calls

Gunn

thus

justifies its

analogy

" A

modem Roman,
city,

of whatever degree,

himself Romano, a distinction he disallows to an Inhabitant of his native

who, though long domiciliated

I consider the

yet from dubious origin, foreign extraction or alliance, he stigmatizes

architecture under discussion (Norman), in the

by the term Romanesco.

p.

same point of view,"

80.

vi

I'REFACE.
Anglo-Norman, haw but very few,
if

tlio

any claimH to our regard and

features in thcinsolvcs highly

jnl()|)ti(>n.

That

this

style

posHCHses

many

uu'.y'\U)v'umH,

we

readily admit; yet on the one hand,

we

trace in
its

it

all

the irnproHH of a lingering barbariHni, and on the other, true to

pn)t()tyf)o, it is

Roman

shackled even in
clannick

its

noblent efforts hy the characteri stick

honzonUdUy of
ancient

architecture.

Indeed we do not find Mediaeval

Architocturc to have been alwolutely set free from the inlluence of debased
princii)leH,

until,

with the complete establishment of the pointed

arch, the manifold elements of building

had undergone an

entire, althougli
style,

a gradual renovation.

It

was then
its first

that, in the

Early English

Cothick

Architecture attained to

decided development.

With the same view

in this work have
C()tlii(;k,

to their practical usefulness, the

examples given
Continental
spirit
:

})een entirely derived

it is

from English Churches.

with
it

beautiful as

in

itself

and influenced by the same

associated

with
each

one own, cannot

be

consistently

English
is

details

possesses peculiarly distinctive!

features,

which

impossible to blond

together without serious injury to both.

It

has also been a principal object of the Authors to collect their

exanii)loH

from J*arish Churches only; and to this determination they have

Cathedrals, and the larger

adhered with very few exceptions.

Abbey and

Conventual Churches, have been already amply illustrated, perhaps even

to the detriment of the art to

which

it

has been the object of such illustrations

advance

for,

from the want of proper information upon the subject of

considered with reference to Edifices of various designs
see in

ai'(!hitectural details,
!ui(l

nuignitudes,

we

many Churches
to

of comparatively recent erection,

numerous features
in

belongini;' essentially to

our Cathedrnls, ;uul contributing

the

very

highcHt decree

their

a))|)ropriate decoration;

but which,

from
effect,

the necessai-ily

diminished

pi-oportions

and general

incongruity of

appear iibsohitely lidiculous when introduced into the architcctui-al

composition of the snuiller Edifice.

Any
as the
to

remai'ks, therefore, that occur in the course of the work, as well

illusti-jitions

themselves, must, unless otherwise stated, be understood

have special reference to Parochial Structures.

PREFACE.
Tho
into
illustrative portion of tlio
:

vii

work
is

will

be found to have been divided

full

two sectionH

of these tho first

all its

devoted solely to a

exposition of

the mason's art in

various branches, while the second embraces a similar

elucidation of detail iu the important accessories of wood-work and metal-work.

In the execution of the plates, no

practical character of the

less

than in their

selection, the strictly

work has been uniformly kept

in

view

without

aiming at pictorial beauty, the object has been to ensure tho greatest possible to accomplish this, the authors have fidelity and accuracy of delineation personally visited every Church, from which examples have been drawn, and
:

have themselves taken tho admeasurements, made tho drawings, and engraved them on zinc. Two subjects only form exceptions, the one a floor-cross from
St. Patrick's

Cathedral, Dublin, which they have drawn from a

J.

rubfyinrj

kindly

sent

them by

K. Colling,

Escj.

and the

other, the diapers

of Sir Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, A.D. 1221, in

upon the shield the Church of Hatfield

Broadoaks, Essex, for a rubbing of which the authors are indebted to tho
kindness of the Rev. Charles Boutell
sincere
;

to

whom

they also have to

ofler their

acknowledgments

for

much

valuable assistance in the arrangement of

their letter-press description.

tised zincographers, they
artistick

Had

the plates been executed by more prac-

would doubtless have exhibited a higher degree of treatment, and greater beauty of finish but this, it was feared,
;

might have involved the

risk of

some

slight inaccuracy,

and thus have con-

siderably diminished the utility of the examples.

The liumble labours of the authors have been sweetened and rendered
dear U) them by the sincercst admiration for those noble monuments of piety and skill, our English Churches; which even now, cruelly mutilated and
dishonoured as they often remain, are still foremost among tho glories of our land and should their exertions in any way tend to encourage and enhance sentiments of interest in the matchless architecture of the Middle
:

Ages, their desire will be most fully accomplished.

INTROD
ERY

[JCTION.

shortly after the

commencement

of the second

thousand years of the

if

Christian era, the Ecclesiastical Architecture of this country, as

to the accession of

preparatory

Norman

dynasty, became assimilated to the peculiar form

the

of

Romanesque then

established in

Duchy

of

Normandy, and

at the

present day distinguished

among

ourselves as the

Anglo-Norman

style.

The

first

principles

of this style appears to have been introduced into England

possibly

by Edward

the Confessor, or

by Canute, and by them applied

:

to the construction of the

numerous Churches

erected during their reigns

so that the rapid

princes,

improvement
reality the

in

Church Architecture which

fairly

took place under the

Norman

was in

development of a system

established before the conquest.

That the Anglo-Norman

it

architects raised their style to the attaining,

is

very highest degree of perfection to which

was capable of

most evidently shown

it

by many of their works which yet remain

in its

still,

intrinsically excellent as
its

became, there was

very essence that which necessarily involved

suppression.

It appears, indeed, true that

:

Architecture shares in the general instability of things terrestrial

for

by the working, as
form of a

it

would seem, of some

no sooner arrives at

latent yet constraining law, one style, or one distinctive

style,

full

maturity, than

it is

gradually superseded by some other form or style,

essentially differing.

differing in a greater or less degree, yet

still

But besides the influence

of this inherent principle of change, the

classick architecture to
tions, the

admit of

its

Anglo-Norman retained by far too much of ancient permanent establishment The low and massive propor-

ponderous and self-supported walls, the rectangularly recessed arches, the square

abaci and pUnths,

and the

strictly superficial character of

every decoration,

these all spoke

rather of a grander style in a state of debasement, of

Roman
;

degenerated to Romanesque,

than of a great style rising upward from

its

foimdation

of the Architecture of the Middle

Ages preparing to measure

the

its

strength with the Architecture of antiquity.

And

again, in

Anglo-Norman the
;

essentially aspiring

and expansive character of Christian Architecture

Basilican in
it,

was wanting
from a

at the best, there

origin,

was something
itself

something not
Therefore,
in

far reinoved

Pagan

though not

actuaUy Pagan.
c

reviewing the

2
Transition

INTEODUCTION.
Period which intervened between the
final

close

of the

the

full

estabUshment of the Anglo-Gothick

styles, all regret for

Anglo-Norman and the passing style is more

its successor.

than overbalanced by joyous contemplations of superior excellence in

After

an Architectural struggle of unusually protracted continuance, during which the elementary

features
old,
its

of the

new

style

appeared blended with the established characteristicks of the

;

Gothick Architecture assumed a definite foi-m

superiority,

and

at

once gave

full

assurance of

in the

lightness,

the

elegance, the

loftiness,

and the spaciousness which

the author of the
in
itself,

distinguished

the Early English

style:

"a
it

style,"

observes

Manual
it

of Gothick Architecture,*

"so transcendently

beautiful, so perfect

that

may
the

well be questioned

if

ever a parallel to

has existed in any age or country, or

if

hands that reared or the minds that conceived the choirs of Ely and Lincoln Cathedrals,
the Abbeys of Whitby, Westminster, and Rivaulx, have not achieved that, which as unsurshall never see equalled again." passed by former ages, so future generations

As
novelties,

the

reign

of the third

Henry (AD.

1216-1272) approached

its

close,

certain

both of detail and combination, appeared in the works of Gothick Architects.

lancets, isolated

In place of distinct

by

strips of the

main wall

in

which they were pierced,

and yet combined by continuous dripstones and hoodmolds, windows of large dimensions and divided into several lights by muUions, were introduced and with the muUions came tracery;

bars, filling the

window-heads with various rich geometrical

figures

the

alternation of bold

projections
far

and deep hollows in the moldings gave way

:

more beautifully blended

to a system of grouping, richer

and
and

shafts ceased to stand detached, or

;

banded into

clusters,

became instead firmly compacted into a mass

being suppressed
:

the bands, no longer of any use, real or apparent,

foliage, ever
;

a favourite Gothick enrichment, appeared more closely studied

from the natural tree or plant

upward-tending
encircle the

and instead of waving

trefoils,

expanding from clustered and

stalks, the several leaves

were disposed in a wreath-like form, and made to

:

member which they adorned

more abundant and

diversified decoration

also,

several component members of a Gothick began to overspread the

finished richness to the whole.

Edifice, imparting

was that the Early English gradually merged into the Decorated, that most admirable style, which has identified with the Edwardian era (abounding as it does in matters

Thus

it

of high historick interest) the perfection of Anglo-Gothick art.

As

this style advanced, its

;

several peculiarities assuined a very clearly defined distinctness of character

while, at

tlie

same time, the geometrical precision of

flowing with graceful undulations.

its earliest

form yielded to a predominance of

lines,

tendency to direct
*

verticality,

placing itself

in,

perhaps, violent contrast with the

A Manual of Gothick Architecture,

page 230, by F. A. Paley, Esq., M.A.

Van

Voorst.

INTRODUCTION.
Romanesque horizontalism of the Anglo-Norman, had been
the special
characteristick

3
in the Early English Gothick,

of that beautiful style.

In the Decorated Gothick, the prin-

cipal lines of the composition verged pyramidically, rather than vertically or horizontally.

And

to complete the series of changes in this

fundamental principle, a third distinct period

lines, crossed at right

of Anglo-Gothick

was distinguished by the prevalence of perpendicular

angles by others of scarcely less importance than themselves.

This last gorgeous

style,

from

the position of
the Decorated

its

leading lines denominated the Perpendicular Gothick, gradually supplanted

as the mature, yet ever chaste

and harmonious richness of the Decorated

had

itself

succeeded to a supremacy before enjoyed by the

more youthful grace

retain

antl

elegance of the Early English.

that

For a whUe the new

style

was content to

much

was
:

characteristick of its predecessor, in combination with

this

what was more

Lancastrian)

especially its

own

and of

the

fii-st

(or,

historically

speaking,

the

period

of the

Perpendicular Gothick, although certainly wanting in the majestick beauty of the pure

Decorated,

it

would be

difficult

to

speak

in

terms of too high admiration.

With

the

depressed arch of the Tudors, however, came that multiplicity, profusion, and minuteness
of panelling,
in

and other ornamental

taste.

detail,

which but too clearly indicated a decadence

Ai'chitectonick

single

retrograde

movement
admitted,

in

Architecture

is

almost
entire

always

a
;

fatal

symptom.

Debasement,

once

speedily

pervades

the

system
revive,

and then a period of utter degradation

animated by
its

will intervene, before the art

can again

former exalted

spirit,

and capable of aspiring

to

even nobler

achievements.
It has

been thus with the Church Architecture of the Middle Ages

magnificent even in

decline, it spread over its last great

works those elaborately

of Gothick art
:

fretted vaults of fan-tracery, as

monumental canopies, not unworthy

and then speedily came on the long

and dreary age of Architectural debasement.

Taking thus a retrospective view of the history of our
Ecclesiastical Edifices, there is
:

much
it is

reason for associating with the past, both present congratulation and future hope

for

truly satisfactory to observe the existing recognition of the superior merit of Mediaeval

Ai'chitecture, as

Church Architecture, and the prevalent anxiety

and of
their practical application
;

to obtain correct views both

of

its

principles

and from the actual existence of such a

state of feeling
spirit,

it is

not unreasonable to anticipate that complete revival of the original Gothick

lead to an Architectm-al perfection hitherto
it is is

which

may even

unknown. But before advance

can become practicable,

firat

indispensable that there be a recovery from retrogression.

The

thing to be attained

the mastery of Gothick Architecture as

it

Juts

been practised-

It is accordingly the object of these

volumes, by conveying a clear and fuU exposition of the

exist

various

details

of

Church Architecture as they

in

our Churches, to contribute, in

4
liowcvcr humblo

NTK

DUCT

And

hcrc!

it

may

a dcgrctc, toward the attaiumcnt of thi all-important prfiliminary step. terms that undue importance must not be attached to the ho
r.;markcd,
as tliough I'erpendumlar Gothick,
tlujy

ICarly,

Decorated, and
in

denoted so

many

dutinct
t

MtylcM

Church Architecture,*

For convenience in studying, and also with a view

rtiinplify

invented and assigned, as the process of classifying details, these terms have been to certain Architectural fonns or periods the forms and periods themselvcH, distinctive
:

titles,

liowcver, arc niidly but modifications

is

and progressive era* of one and the same

they should be regarded.

style

and

it

most import,ant that

in

this light

As

it

hm been

already

observed, "the great princii)le8

unchangijd,
froiri

and essential characteristics of Gothic; Architecture remained

th(!

the

first

establishment to the final suppnissicni of

style

and hence,

Gothick Architecture have led to its subdivision into styles, though the several conditions of name; still, these minor styles must, in the first instance, a each
distinguished

by

pe(!uliar

bo regarded as mere subdivisions, or rather as the

more prominent

transition stages of the

that dates have been assigned Accordingly, notwithstanding and of Gothick Architecture, it is impossible to fix with absolute l,o these several subdivisions There where one stage of the art left ofi; and where another began. peromr)l-oiy .c.rtiiinty use in some parts of the kingdom C;an bo little .l..iibl, but that Eariy English was still in at the very to (lc|)art, as it were, from the scene of its many glorious triumphs) (iinwillitig

ne great

style, tlu;

Gothick."t

same time

that, in otlier localities,

niunner Dw^orated
pt-riod subse(iu(-,iit
.li.iilnr.

may

into existence; and in lik.complete Decorated was struggling a considerable be observed to have still lingered here and there for
is g(nierally

to the time that

considered to

mark the establishment of

Per]KTi-

The UHually received

Decorate.l,
.ui.l

dates, tiierefore, of the

commencement and

close of the Eariy

I^^i.glish,

in strict reality sei-ve only to indicate those P.-rpeiidicular Gothick,

several more imimri^ant periods of minor stages of transition which iutei-vened between the their utility is greatly this capacity they arc very useful Anglo-Got hick Architecture and in
: ;

with the reigns of successive sovereigns, increiwed also, from the circumstance of their ranging
for the association
ol'

Architecture with history

is

alway>

most

desirable.

In pursuing the study of Mtuliiuval Architecture,

it is

to pass ou from absolutely necessary

written and illustrated treatises to original examples themselves.

Gothick art can neither be

the pencil as to convey HO eom].letely described, nor ho illustraU(l by

Tl.iH uiMm...l,aMm, inkocluo.,.!

any adequate conceptions

1ms buon roUiuod by tbo Autliora, .vh boing in iteelf by Iho kto Mr. Hickman, of being >vbil. nt, tho Hain timo it i.omohboh tlio vory important advantage .umcionlly well mbii.t.,.1 to iU puri-oH., ..xit wbicb .'lonrly ..xplai.i tlu,nnd .n>a..rHl.,<..l. And, in lilc manner, whom w,.rd already gonomlly roo-gniHod ho Im boon adopted but ^vb..ro ud. U'vm. are wanting, free dill.ront d.lnilH of An.l,il..'tur.-, Uiry bavo uniformly
;

boon nuulo of the nonionolliluro of ibo Middle Ages revived by

I'rofeBHor WilliH.
Alban'.s

before the St. t Lectures upon English Cbnre.b Arcbiteeturo, delivered

tlio

Architoctnml Society, by

Uov. C. Houtrll, M.A., Secretary.

May,

18'I0.

INTRODUCTION,
of
itH

reality,

Jt

may,
i

therefore),

bo hold as an axiom, that pcraonal innpcction of the old

<;liurchc of

England

the only

mean by which

it

can bo possible now, (uther to appreciate

the genius of our mediojval architects, or to sympathize with the spirit which animat(;d them.

Hut in carefully studying early romaias,

it is

possililo

that even expericyiced olw<;rvcr8

may

sometimes be misled by a practice, the very existence of which can scarcely be cousidero<l to
have received a general recognition
:

the practice, that

is

to say, of occasionally assimilating

incom|)l(!te general design.
it

work

in a later style to

some already existing portion of an

This

is

a remarkable and highly important circumstance, lying, as

for restoration

does, at the very

basis of authoritative rules

it

of original

E<liflc(;s

by

ourselves.

And

indeed,

forms a strongly marked exception to the usual

of the Middle Ages,

i)ractice

for it

was a general

rule with the

art,

builders

never to

fall

hack upon a past era of their

Influenced by a
spirit,
;

even wh<!n
in these

engaged in completing structures of a by-gono oge.

times
it is

which
oix;

scarcely possible yet to understand, tholrsolc

;

aim

w;is

advancximent
frej^h df-sign

"

Master"

was ever anxious to suqtoss another

his

and each sought in any

to improvcj ujMjn

own

previous worka

It

would

S(;em that

when engaged

in repairbuj, or nuiking additions

adopt-e<l
:

to th(!ir Churches, the style then prevaiJing

was invariably and boldly

tho architects

of those days trusted in the beautiful

harmony which breathes throughout

their great art,

it.

and

which they well knew must necessarily exist tho same at any period of

But when they

had

to complete a design, left

from the

first imj)crfect,

they ajipear to have; been induced in

some instances

to

mold

their

work

in such

manner, as to maintain in the (jenend outline

some degree of uniformity throughout the whole.

The grand and vcncraUe Abbey Church of

St,

Alban preserves examples, no

"

less

remarkable for diversity than excellence, of the proceedings of the

Masters
;

"

of old

Tho

Nave, including tho

in the

triforia

and

clearstory,

was

originally

Anglo-Norman
It

i)lain

and mjissivo

extreme, yet strikingly majestick in

its

austere simplicity.

would appear that when,

after a lapse
alter the

of time, the Early English Gothick

tliat style,

was
it,

fairly (!stablished, it

was determined to

nave to

and thereby improve

Tho work

of renovation accordingly
first

commenced, began at the west, and tho design extended to the

north side, and tho three corresponding ones on tho south.
rejison tho

four arches on the

that for

We
with,

must

imagines

some
tliey

works were suspended, and that an interval of

:

siivoral y(!ars

elai>sed Ixifore

were again resumed

progressed,

for

when once more

proceetled

tho style hal

to

consideralJy

and

Ejirly English

Gothick was shortly to give

way

DwomU-A.

Two more
g(!neral

of

the

Anglo-Norman arches on tho south

side were rebuilt at this pcrio<l, their

design

while a partial diflcrencc being the same, tho strings, Ac, corresponding with the earlier work,
is

olwervable
;

in

the

moldings

and

other

oniamental

details.

Again were the works

discontinued

nor was any further

effort

attempted with a view to the reconstruction' of

INTEODUCTION.
Church, until
the

the

Decorated
perfection.

Gothick

had

attained

to

almost

the

very highest
the

degree of its beauty

assimilation.

and

And

here begins,

correctly speaking,

work

of

Since the

commencement

of these improvements,
:

Gothick Architecture had

certain that,

gradually undergone a remarkable change

architect been desirous of assimilating his

so that it

is

very

had not the

would have
effect.

work

to that of his

predecessors, he

adopted a design very different from that which has actually been carried into
is,

As

it

the general character of the

Early English pier-arches

is

here preserved, though

the

moldings of the arch heads, and the capitals of the piers are pure Decorated.

In the south

triforium also, the arrangement of both the arches and sub-arches of the arcade corresponds

with the similar members in the

earlier

work

shafts {though

no longer detached) are

placed in the jambs, and strings are continued above and below the arcade, in which the long
trails of

tooth ornament are

superseded by a series of the square flower of four leaves.

And

again, the walls of the clearstory (quite at variance with the practice of the time) are
:

pierced with lancet windows, in evident continuation of the original design

of these

the proportions
portion
of the
also,

windows

are precisely similar to those in the adjacent Early English

Church, but their moldings are beautiful and pure Decorated.

The

corbel

table
it,

beneath the parapet on the exterior,

is

continued

but in the latter portion of

to a series

the Early

English notch-heads are seen to have given

(valuable specimens
of the

way

of male
lions'

and female heads

peculiarly

head-dresses

of

the period)

and

heads,

Decorated ornament.
In Westminster
that in a

Abbey Church this same curious process appears also exemplified, and manner still more remarkable, in the Nave-piers and arches, triforia and vaidting.
Nave and
Aisles

The
the

eastern part of the

was

rebuilt

between the years 1269 and 1307 between the years

so

and

western portion was continued at

intervals,

1340 and

1483.*
in
is

The Early English Character, however, has been

well

preserved throughout, that

eye,

many

cases

it

requires a close inspection,

and that by an experienced

before

it

possible to detect

and authenticate the presence of Perpendicular work.

Thus, the windows

:

in the Aisles erected Ijy

Henry V.

are very decidedly of Early Decorated character

and

it

might,

indeed, be difficult to assign any reason, from the aspect of the

work

itself,

which would militate

of the

against their being classified as such, did not the customary octagonal

and molded cap

foliated members, Perpendicular period occupy the place of the corresponding circular and

which, had the windows really been erected some hundred years

earlier,

would assuredly

have surmounted the bowtels placed in their jambs.

is

An

equally characteristick distinction

eras
:

also observable in the plans of the Nave-piers

of the_

two

in

the

early

w^ork,

four

shafts stand clearly detached

from the main^body of the pier; but subsequently the pier

* Xeale's History of

Westminster Abbey.

INTRODUCTION.
was worked with eight
rKmraDicoLARNAVKi'im,

7
the
central

shafts,

all

equally attached

to

maas.

This

last,

though iu reality but a

is

trifling deviation

from the original plan,

in

nevertheless

indicative
shafts,

of

the altered fashion of the day,

which detached
discarded.

once such a favourite feature, were entirely

In the

Nave

of Westminster Abbey, as at
styles,

St

Alban's, in the

midst of this partial amalgamation of

one most important

member appears
Early English navb
pik.u

to

have invariably rejected the slightest symptom

its

of compromisc,
their

and maintained
find at

characteristick identity

for,

in

the

treatment of

Moldings we
all

that

the

architects

of

the fifth and sixth

Henrys

have

put

aside

attempt

assimilation,
It
is,

and

pursued

with

scrupulous

strictness the

molding system of their own times.*

indeed, truly worthy of remark

how

capricious these architects

seem to have been in

felt to

their adaptation,

jealous, apparently,

of retm-ning to

what was then

be an inferior

style,

yet at the same time anxious to

It

preserve and be guided by the conceptions of the original author of the general design.

must be noted

that,

when

introducing, for the general purpose of assimilation, a

style, the architects of

member

altogether foreign to their

own

the Perpendicular period disdained to

alone, that they cared to carry

copy exactly the model

out
;

it

was the original idea, and that idea

thus in the piers they worked the bands of the thirteenth centiuy with the moldings
peculiar
to

the fifteentL

The accompanying
show how
fearlessly

cuts,

both

drawn

to the

same

scale,

they departetl
size

not only from the outline, but also

Bakd to Nave Piers. KaKLY E.NtiLl^jH.

from the

of the

original

And
is

thus also in the

triforia,

the Early English

design
portions
differ

equally

apparent

in in

the
these
its

former

and

latter

of

the

work

but

the

moldings

respective

portions

essentially,

each being true to the style of

is

own

period.
;

And
in

again, although the groining

^'pERPE^'lacL^''

tolerably in keeping throughout

the

Aisles,

and

in the later portion of the vaulting, the original spring

and

while to the elegant acutely pointed lancet of the height of the ridge-rib have been preserved,
* It of place here to remark, that the architect in chief to our

may not be out

King Henry

V.,

and the probable

author of the assimilations referred to in the text, was Alexander de Bemeval, the builder of the later portion of the

Church of

St.

Ouen, at Rouen

in

which Edifice

is

still

preserved an Incised Slab of elaborate workmanship, the

memorial of his predecessor in that great and splendid work, as well as of himself.
interesting

The

effigies

depicted in this
;

monument
tomb
is

are figured in tlie Rev. Charles Boutell's Treatise

upon Monumental Brasses and Slabs

and
also in the description of the

and

the entire
of St.

represented

by Willemin

in his

Monuments

Inedits,

Church

Ouen by

Gilbert.

INTRODUCTION.
earlier groining,

an obtusely pointed arch has been preferred

which consequently

it

has been

necessary to stUt.

Eaflt English Arcade, Westminsteh Abbey Church,

Peepkndicclar Akcade, Westminster Abbey Church.

In the arcading
the process

also,

under the windows, we find another striking

illustration

of

we

are describing.

In the Early English portion of the Church, this arcading

feature,

was made such a prominent

the Perpendicular work
:

that
find

it

was not deemed advisable

to

omit

it

in
;

accordingly

we

it

has been continued quite round the Church

since been disused,

and although

this

mode

of decoration

had long

new system of panelling, still in this instance, in its main features made closely to assimilate to the earlier portion. On examining
we
again perceive

and supplanted by the it has been revived, and

the moldings, however,

how

rigidly the distinctive peculiarities of the Perpendicidar style have

Section or Cap at D.
SEf-rioN

ow Line N N.
Section of Cap at C.

Section on Line A A.

Westminster Abbey Church.

been adhered

to.

This

is

especially to

be remarked in the two capitals of which

we

append cuts

the one a beautifully molded specimen of Early English work, the other an

equally good and

pure Perpendicular example.

The

stilted

and octagonal base of the

Perpendicular shaft contrasts very forcibly with the low and unpretending Early Enghsh
base, each indicative of the prevailing spirit in the Architecture of its respective age.

INTRODUCTION.
One more notable
instance of assimilation

may

be mentioned

we

refer to the

Church

of Fotlicringluiy, Northamptonshire.
l)uilt

The

choir of this Church

is

supposetl to have been

by Edmund of Langley,

fifth

son of

Edward

III.

and

in

1435 (13th of Henry VI.)

Eichard

Duke

of York, his son's nephew, signed

by commission a contract with William

Parish Church on a scale,

Horwood, freemason of Fotheringhay,

for the rebuilding of the

and

in a style exactly corresponding to those of the choir.*

This contract, which

is

still

preserved, states that the said William

Horwood

"

graunta and undertakes to

mak up

new

body of a Kirk joyning to the quire of the College of Fodringhey, of the same hight and brede that the said quire is of," and that in "eche Isle shall be wyndows of freestone,
accordyng in
at
all ;"

all po)Tits

unto the wyndows of the said quire, sawf they shal no bowtels haf
"
aither of the said Isles shal have six

and
;

also that

mighty botrasse of

fre-stone,

clen-hewyn

and every botrasse fynisht with a

fynial, according in all points to the fyniala

of the said qwere, safe only that the botrasse of the

body shal be more

large,

more strong

and mighty than the botrasse of the said qwere."

expressly states that in building the
existing
is

Now

here

we have a document which

new body

of the Church, the Decorated choir already

;

to

form the guide and be exactly copied

and yet William Horwood, we must

imagine, was so entirely imbued with the Architectural spirit of his day, that even with
these positive injunctions before him, he
still

let

the Perpendicidar architect be visible in

builders should not merely
style, is

almost every portion of his work.

Truly, that our ancient

have limited their practice to one

able

style,

but actually to one period of that

connected with the

remark-

even among the

:

many

extraordinary facts

Architecture of the

Middle Ages
they arrived.

such being the case,

It is in
;

how can we wonder

we may

at the astonishing perfection at

which

the piers that

observe more particularly the assimilation to

a plan of an earlier period they
is

those of the choir

as in Westminster

Abbey Church, with

:

combine an arrangement essentially Perpendicular

plinth

such

the stilted base, and octagonal

and

capital,

with the intermediate continuous moldings, so

choir

common about
aisles,

this period.

Indeed when we remember that the then existing

understand that
if

had two

we can

easily

uniformity of design was sought

after, it

would be so more

especially

in

the piers and arches, as they form in a Parish Church the most striking internal features.

The arches

in the nave are

pointed,

and of good proportion, and were probably made

conformable with those already existing in the choir.

From

these

examples, therefore,

it

is

clearly
it

evident that in reconstructing certain

practice with the mediaeval

portions of the fabrick of the larger Churches,

architects

was an occasional

to

assimilate

new work
;

to old, so far as
it is

would tend to carry out the general

uniformity of an original design

this

and

researches will show highly probable that further

at

practice

to

have been
*

far

more extensively adopted, than

present

is

imagined.

Memoirs of Gothick Churches, published by the Oxford

Society.

10

INTRODUCTION.
it

Whether
questions

was

also

followed

small village Churches, and

if

so to

what

extent,

are

deserving a close and searching investigation.*

Possibly

many
as it

features

which

occasionally present themselves,

and which

it is difficult

to reconcile with the style in which

they occur,

may

result

from some such an arrangement.

Be

this
arise

may, one thing

this practice of

appears sure and invariable amidst whatever of uncertainty

assimilation
;

may

from

and that

is,

that the assimilating process never extends to the moldings.

earlier portion of

To

however great an extent the

an Edifice

may have

been subsequently copied,

these important

members were always worked

in strict conformity with the ordinary system

prevalent at the time of their construction

and thus they wiU be found guides of the

greatest possible authority, as well for detecting

the application of this principle of assimilation,

as for determining
tures,

the date of

those

Struc-

or parts of Structures,

which maintain
Such,

throughout an architectural consistency.

at least, is the conclusion fairly deducible

all

from

the instances, which the authors of these

volumes have examined.

Before adverting to their analysis of more
strictly Architectural details, the authors here

remark

that

monumental

brasses

may

fresatis-

quently be studied by the architect, with

factory

and

beneficial results.
is

The arrange-

ment

of
;

the

canopies
in

in

these interesting

memorials

almost invariably elegant and

effective

while,

some examples, they display designs of most elaborate magnificence.

is

The annexed

illustration

from the

brass,

in

Westminster Abbey Church, of Alianor

de Bohun, Duchess of Gloucester,

* Mr. Paley, in his manual
rebuilt after the
(p.

who

died in 1399.

214), mentions that

;

"now and

then the arches on one side of a nave were

model of the other

side

as at Little Casterton

Church, Eutland, where there are semi-circular arches

of the fourteenth century, evidently suited to others of the twelfth."

AN

ANALYSIS
OP

GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.
SECTION I.-OF MASONRY.
1.

WINDOWS.
be justly regarded as a peculiarly distinctive

TRACERIED window may

characteristick

of

Gothick Architecture,

its

own grand
the

conception,

and

most beautiful enrichment.

Well
artistick

aware

of

its

remarkable
skUl,

suitableness

for

display

of

both
to

and

constructive
in

the
as

Mediaeval
it

architects

delighted
all

exemplify in
versatility

this

one

member,
their

preference
art.

would

seem

to

others,

the

and the power of

great

Hence the astonishing

its

diversity in their

tracery,

its

almost invariable grace and elegance,

effect.

just

harmony of

proportion,

and

imposing richness of

It

is,

however, most certain, that Gothick windows are far

:

from being specimens only of mediaeval genius, most admirable as these specimens are
for,

upon a

critical

examination,

it

becomes evident that they are regulated by certain

general principles of design, as well as of composition; and consequently, the apparently

capricious
ramifications

and undulations of the stonework, are in

same fundamental
laws.

reality

no other than

variously modified applications of the

In

now

sketching out the origin of tracery in

shall

the heads

of windows,

its

gradual

developement and successive changes, we

endeavour to
it

illustrate
;

the several more

prominently distinctive forms which at different periods

assumed

previously to entering

upon an examination of the

been governed.

rules

by which

its

construction

may

be considered to have

12

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTURE.

Possessing several important features, and being also characteristick of certain periods,

windows

altogether

devoid of tracery are the

first

to present themselves to our notice.

In the early Norman Edifices, and particularly in the small village Churches, the openings
for the

windows were small and remarkably narrow,

slits

indeed

but

little

more than

plain,

round headed
massive walls.
"'"""su^ssExr""""'

pierced,

at as great a height

as

possible

above the ground, in the

Steyning
Norfolk

Examples occur in Southease Church,

Nately Church,
entire

and

Church,
;

Sussex,

Hampshire,

and Stow Church, two and three

in

which

the

window openings

are between

feet high,

and in width

do not exceed a few inches.

splay,

These windows have a considerable internal

is

but externally their glazing

set

almost flush with the wall-face.

Class, however,

being at that period an object of considerable scarcity in

of

Oil

England,
'
I

many

these

early

windows

do
;

not
as

appear

to

have been

font

constructed with a view to their being glazed

may

be seen at

Waltham

Abbey Church, Essex) and Darenth Church, Kent, where evidently no provision was A shutter, probably, was designed to close originally made for fixing panels of glass.
upon the
rebate,

which sometimes may be seen worked externally in the masonry

Sussex.*

as at
;

Southease Church,

These windows merely

resulted

from

absolute

necessity

and, accordingly, but slight attempts were

purposes.

made

to render

them subservient

to decorative

Many

examples are absolutely devoid of aU ornament whatsoever.

is

In Nately

Church, the east window of the apse

dripstone;
arch.

perfectly plain

on the

outside,

without even a
the

and internally a very

slightly

indented saw-tooth molding appears over

The very

early round-headed triplet at the east

end of Darenth Church exhibits

of the

a few rude and imperfect attempts at zig-zag and billet work about the heads
lights

on the exterior (Section

but
as
its

1,

Norman,

plate 2)

over one light a dripstone

result

may

be

noticed,

occurrence here would seem to be the

rather of accident than

of

design,

the

two other

lights

are

without
is

it.

These lights are slightly splayed

externally,

and

in the interior their splay in

very wide.
(Section
1,
;

The windows
Plate
3),

the south
early,

aisle

of

Waltham Abbey Church

Norman,
and in

though stiU very

exhibit

a considerable advance in decoration

feature presents itself
it

their construction also, a

is

new and important

The window-opening
slight external splay
;

no longer flush with the outer wall, or withdrawn from

opening
is

by a

here the

and

capitals,
* In

and ornamented with jamb-shafts, having bases a dripstone worked with which carry an arch molded with the chevron
regularly recessed,
:

Clymping Church, Sussex,

retain the

all

the windows in the Chancel, including the east triplet, are rebated inter-

nally,

and

hooks on which the shutters hung.

II.

plan and two views of this Church are given in the

"

Parish Churches," Yol.

page 75.

WINDOWS.
billets
is

13

also

appended,

and

this

member

is

continued from window to window by

horizontal returns similarly ornamented.

in
size,

These windows are themselves greatly increased

and particularly

in

width as proportionate to their height.

is

Beneath them runB

enriched with the saw-

a string, which in the interior

tooth.

simply molded, but externally

is

As

the style advanced the windows increased in both size and richness
shafts

the arches

were recessed in two or three orders, additional

of the

were

added, and a profusion

lights,

most elaborate carving ornamented the heads of the

in

some cases ex-

tending to the jamb-shafts and completely covering the innermost order of the masonry.

In a window in Stourbridge Chapel, Cambridgeshure, (Appendix, Plate

the

1),

the surface of

arch

is

richly

diapered.

Iffley
;

Church, Oxfordshire, presents some fine specimens of

recessed

windows with jamb-shafts

the

and here the chevron

either side.

is

continued from the archothers,

head,
Castle

down

jamb masonry on
and

Amongst many

the Churches
as

of

Rising, Norfolk,
rich

Beaudesert, Warwickshire,
of

may

be

specified

containing

some
will

and valuable examples

windows of

this style.

Other admirable specimens

St. Cross,

also

be found in that most interesting Edifice, the Church of

near

Win-

chester.

In the clearstory than those of the

it

was a common
as in

practice to construct
;

windows having
where the

larger openings

aisles,

one foot only from jamb to jamb

to about 2
ft.

while

Steyning Church, Sussex

aisle-lights

measure

in the clearstory the

same admeasurement amounts

in.

Internally,

these clearstory

windows (themselves

a single light) commonly opened into an arcade of three arches

stilted.

the

consisting each of

centre one

being

This

arrangement displays a passage pierced

in

the thickness

of

the waUs,
It

which traverses in front of the clearstory windows, and forms an upper

occurs
in

triforium.

Waltham Abbey Church (Appendix,

Plate

1),

in

the Cathedrals

of

Oxford,

Winchester, and Norwich, and elsewhere.

the transition or semi-Norman period
:

This same feature was continued throughout

thus, at

Eomsey Abbey Church a

precisely similar

arrangement appears, with pointed, in place of semi-circular headed arches.

Triplets,

although occasionally introduced, are not characteristick

beautiful, position

of

Norman work

their

most usual, as weU as most

;

would be

at the eastern

end of the

Building

and

as

the

common
is

termination

of

Norman Church toward

for.

the east was

are not

apsidal, their rare occurrence

without difficulty accounted

Circidai'

windows

unusual
arches.

as,

indeed, appears but natural in a style expressly distinguished

by

its

rounded

In the earlier period they are mere openings, simply moulded, or perhaps ornacharacteristick

mented with the chevron and other equally

circular

carving.

series

of such
;

windows

constitute the clearstory lights to the nave of Southwell Alinster

and

14
again in

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AKCHITECTURE.

Waltham Abbey Church,
same
;

the

original

arrangement appears to have been the

although at the present time, in consequence of subsequent

alterations, it is difficult to

determine whether the existing remains

were once actual openings, or merely sunk panels.

front of Iffley Church, a Perpendicular
in this

In the west
inserted
:

window has been

window
;

same position the remains of a

may, notwithstanding, be

circular

of consider-

able size

distinctly traced

and again,
of St.

part

of a similar

window yet remains

small but perfect

in

the west front

Botolph's

Priory Church, Colchester.

example,

simply ornamented
of St.

with a band of nail-head,

in

occupies the eastern gable of the Church

Cross

and

Chichester Cathedral

and

New Shoreham

Church

are

other good

examples,

though

both partake of a transitional character.

At

a late period of the

Anglo-Norman

style,

it

was usual

to

divide the

openings

of circular

windows with small

shafts, radiating

from a common

centre.

Good specimens
*

of this usage occur in the Churches of Barfreston and Patrixboume, both in Kent.

From
style,

the

time of

its

first

introduction

until

the

final

close

of the

Anglo-Norman

the

pointed arch differed from the semi-circular headed arch merely in form

the

general

characteristicks, details,
It

and ornamental
practice,

accessories

of the

two arches remaining

the same.

was

also

common

anterior to the Gothick period, to introduce

the two forms of arch in close connection the one with the other, in the same Building,
or part of a BuUding.

Thus, in Chichester Cathedral three pointed lancets appear arranged

under a single large semi-circular arch.

In the

triplet at the east

end of Castle Hedingham

:

Church, Essex, the arches externally are pointed, while internally their heads are rounded

and again in Barfreston Church, a pointed window

is

placed side

by

side with one that is

rounded, and the two are connected by a string continued between their dripstones.
circular

Semi-

headed and pointed windows are

Cathedral
:

also

inserted indiscriminately in the clearstory

of Oxford

in

aU other

respects,

however, the details of these windows are

precisely identical,

and

essentially

Anglo-Norman.
exigencies
of construction,''" of the
it

Forced

into

existence

by

the

considerable

space of

time elapsed before the peculiar faculties and beauties

appreciated or even discerned
* It
is
:

pointed

arch were
in

duly

and consequently, we find

to

have been

frequent

highly remarkable that these windows, thus divided, and bearing so close an approximation to tracery,

do not appear to have originated the idea of a traceried window-head.

Bristol, is a curious instance of a near,

The

circular

window

in St. James's

Church,

but

still

purely accidental, approach to a complete piece of tracery.

first

t There can be
constructive form.

little

doubt but that

it

was in vaulting that the pointed arch was

introduced as a necessary

WINDOWS.
use,

15

merely with a view to produce an agreeable variation from the more general rounded

form.

The pointed arch thus used, may be distinguished as the pointed Norman Arch,
this
is,

and
that

period

may

also be

correctly indicated

intervening between strict

Norman

by the term semi-Norman the period, and pure Gothick in which the grand
:

feature of the

coming

style

appeared in association with the general characteristicks of

that already in

its decline.

Fine specimens of the transitional character of this Semi-Norman period exist in the
ruined

Churches of Buildwas Abbey, Salop, Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire, and Croyland

;

Abbey, Lincolnshire

in the chapel, also in ruins, of St. Joseph at Glastonbury

;

in the

Church

of the hospital of St. Cross, near Winchester

and

in the conventual

Churches of Malmesbury
its

and Romsey.

From

the circumstance, however, of the exact period of

its intrinsick

construction

having been recorded by a cotemporary writer, aa well as from

merit, the eastern

part of the choir of Canterbury Cathedral justly claims a pre-eminence in value and interest

over

all

other remains of this period.

Here,

in

the clearstory windows, a remarkable

is

deviation from both the pointed and semi-circidar form

observable in the head of the

trefoiled

window-arches

the actual openings of

these

windows have
this

heads, each
its

one
close

circumscribed by

a semi-circular arch.*

But

new

form,

notwithstanding

approximation to the heads of the lights in pure Gothick windows, clearly had no real
influence in the formation of tracery
design, produced nothing
:

its

introduction, whether fortuitous or residting from

led directly to

more than another form of window-arch, and

no more

important results.!

In the smaller Semi-Norman Churches, the windows appear to have frequently been
pointed, but in other respects constructed

and ornamented

after the

Norman

style.

Several
:

good examples of

this

arrangement remain in the Chancel of Bloxham Church, Oxfordshire

and

at the east

end of the Chancel of

Bamwood

Church, Gloucestershire,

is

a single-light

window (from
a

its

great width scarcely to be called a lancet) with

It

plain molded jambs,

pointed arch, and dripstone ornamented with chevron-work. |

other examples of these transition

appears unnecessary

to refer to

windows

we, therefore, here recapitvdate the

style
:

more prominent features of the windows of the Anglo-Norman

(1.)

They were

small, each consisting of a single-light semi-circular in the head,

and

placed as highly as possible above the ground.

* The trefoil-arch
is

also

observable in the heads of doorways of this period.

See subsequent article upon

Doorways.

+ Professor WiUis, in his admirable history of Canterbury Cathedral,

A.D. 1175 and 1178; William de Sens,
t See "Parish Churches," Vol. II.
architect.
p.

fixes the date of these

windows between

71.

16 In the

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

(2.)

earlier

examples the splay was entirely internal, and in

many

cases

no
to

preparation for glazing appears to have been

made

later in the style the

windows began

be recessed, jamb-shafts with quaintly carved capitals were introduced as the supporters
of richly ornamented arch-moldings,
(3.)

and the openings were considerably elongated. No decided indications of tracery had yet appeared the wheel-windows of even the
:

Semi-Norman
tracery,

period,

though possessing what might have been regarded as the germ of

were discontinued when the Early English Gothick became positively established.
the
first

On

establishment of the Gothick style,

little

essential difference,

beyond the

invariable adoption of the pointed arch,

was apparent

in the design

and proportions of the

windows, but as the style advanced, the development of Gothick

the windows gradually increased
in proportion to their height
;
:

details

and

accessories in

the openings of the lights became, in most cases, narrower

new and

peculiarly characteristick principle of construction

:

was introduced
several distinct

in the heads of window-arches

and, after a while, the juxta-position of

tracery.

windows brought on the general use of muUions and

At

its first

introduction, and throughout the continuance of the Semi-Norman

in

period,
single
is

the pointed arch was very obtuse, rarely becoming equilateral, and perhaps
instance acutely-pointed.

no

In the Early English Gothick, on the contrary, the equilateral

the usual form of the

window arch

while in some cases, and more particularly in the

Cathedrals and larger Churches,

we

find the

windows most acutely-pointed,

as at Lincoln

and Southwell Minsters.

first
its

The

single-light

Early English lancet, in general use during the

;

Gothick period, was of the simplest arrangement

peculiar charm.

its

very simplicity constituting

In these windows the glass was generally brought within three or

(See
plans.

four inches of the outside face of the wall.

1

Section
;

I.

Early English, Plates

in walls

and

4).

In the interior the openings were widely splayed

and consequently,

of great thickness, this splay caused the width of the jambs to be, in most cases, four or
five times the

width of the

light.

Now,

if

the arch of the

window had been allowed

to

widen

inside with the jambs, besides the unsightly appearance

it

which would have been produced,

would have necessitated a much greater height in the walls of the Church than was

considered desirable by the Early

EngKsh

architects

and hence arose a peculiar treatment

of which general arrangement

of the interior of windows, the

consisted in having totally distinct arches inside

and out: the

outer adapting itself to the peculiar character of the window, but the inner being almost invariably a segmental pointed or drop-

arch;

the point of which, in

many

examples, was considerably

below that of the window

itself,

as in the south aisle of St. Alban's

Abbey Church.
is

It

wUI

be observed, in this mode of construction, that the head of the lancet

cut out of a mere

WINDOWS.
slab a few inches in thickness,

17 meets the
of the

which

is

carried

up

internally

till

it

soffit

drop-arch.

(See Section
to

I.

Early English, Plate 11.)

The

effect

also of this treatment

of their lancets was

throw the light dovm into the Church, and

leave

the valley of
for

their high-pitched roofs in a state of semi-obscurity,

in their interiors.

an object they so evidently sought

So characteristick was
shortly after
its its

this

arrangement consideral, and also so peculiarly

it

effective in itself, that

introduction

was generally adopted even

:

in

windows

so placed as not to require

constructive advantages

thus, in gable-triplets, the

combined
I.

windows were very commonly

English, Plate
15)
;

finished in the interior with drop-arches (see Section

Early

and, again, the same arrangement appears in the tower of Brockworth

I.

Clmrch, Gloucestershire (Section

segmental,
indeed, of
is

Early English, Plate 11), where the interior arch, though

This last-named circumstance
is,

actually concentrick with the arch of the light.

rare occurrence in those positions, in

by no means

which the drop-arch was

intro-

duced, rather as an essentially characteristick feature, than a necessary constructive application.

As a matter
siderably as

of construction, this drop-arch

is

by

far

more secure than an arch sloping so conand

exterior arches been concentrick.

would have been

requisite

had the

interior

We may

here observe, that this arrangement, variously modified, continued to be in use in the

construction of

windows throughout the Gothick

style.*

(See Section

1,

Decorated, Plate 2.)

In some early examples

we meet with

a simple segmental arch inside,

connected with the lancet-head

by rough

and

iiTcgular

masonry,
!

without any

effort of

design or systematick construction.

The proportions
gree
;

of Early English lancets vary to a remarkable de-

the lights being, in height, iu some instances, as

in

much

as eleven

times their width, as

the

Churches

at

Oundle and
(see Section

Clymping
I.

CLmraio cbvicb. sona.

1, 4, 7)
;

or ten times, as at

Shome Church

Early English, Plates

while, in other examples, as at Brockworth

and Great Caaterton, the height

Eight, or perhaps nine

of the lancets does not exceed five times their width.

times their width

may

be regarded as a

fair

average for the

height of these

lancet-windows when in their greatest perfection.

The
Mantoit ChURCBj rutlanbshihe.

instances are rare in which

its

we

find a

Church

stiU retaining the original

arrangement of
that
in

lancet- windows
in

but in such cases we

may

generally remark,

the

gables and

the

north and south walls of the

Chancel they

are of
*

more slender proportions than

in the other parts of the Edifice.

contrivance of this kind was not necessary in the Anglo-Norman Churclies, the windows being almost

invariably of

much

less height,

and the walls

in

some instances comparatively higher.

Where

there

was

sufficient

height, even in the Early English period, in

some examples the exterior and

interior arches of the

windows were

concentrick, as in the North transept of

York Cathedral.

18

ANALYSIS OF GOTHIGK ARCHITECTURE.

The reason
for this is obvious
:

were the narrow proportions of the Chancel lancet

aisles,

preserved in those placed in the less elevated waUs of the

the light thus obtained

general rule, that

would be altogether

insufficient

and hence appears to

arise

the

the

width of Early Enghsh lancets varies mversely in proportion to their height*

English lancet-windows occur either singly, or in groups of two, three,
five,

Early
;

and seven

but combinations of four and six lancets are rarely to be found.

furnishes

Repton Church, Derbyshire,

the east
single

an example of
St.

this

latter

arrangement
affords
;

of

the former,

end of the
is

Chapel of
rarely

Mary's Hospital,
at

Leicester,

an
nor

instance.
is

A
similar

lancet

very
less

placed
in

the

east

end

of a

Chancel

window much
at

uncommon

a
is

western

elevation.

The

eastern
:

gable

of the

Chancel

Llanabar,

Merionethshire,

pierced with a single lancet

and

at Little

Casterton Church, Rutland,

Single lancets also appear

and Tangmere Church, Sussex, are

single lancets to the west.t

in western towers, in the Churches of Stan wick, Ringstead, and Etton, in Northamptonshire. J

The usual
and

position of single lancets

is

in the north
aisles.

and south walls of Chancels and Naves,

in the east

and west extremities of

In a small country Church, the arrangement of two single lancets

is

tall

and narrow,

productive of the most beautiful

efiect.

This arrangement

is

sometimes seen to the

east of a Chancel, as at Great Casterton Church, Rutlandshu-e,

and Tangmere and Ports-

lade
well,

Churches, Sussex
Cambridgeshire.

and commonly to the west, as at BarnCouplets

of
lancets in

occur

in

the

aisles

of Churches,
Little

more frequently than

any other

position,

as

at

Wenham
I.

Church, Sufiblk, and Stoke Pogis Church, Bucks

English,

(Section
this

Early

Plate

1),

and

Hythe Church, Kent;

light,

probably results from the same desire to obtain

the
single

which
proporis

caused

lancets

in

aisles

to

have a

gi-eater

tionate width

than in other

positions.

lancet couplet also

commonly found
South Newton chiikch, Wilts.

in the side walls of Chancels, as in the Churches

Suff"olk,

at Great

Weuham,

and Hartley, Kent (Appendix, Plate

retains the

2).

The

beautiful little
;

Church of
but in the

St. Michael's,
aisles

Long Stanton, Camhridgeshire,

Chancel lancets in

nearly their original state

the original windows have been altogether destroyed.

Clymping Church,
Parish

Sussex,

may

also
II.,

be specified as containing most valuable examples of Early-English lancet-windows.

page 75.

Churches, Vol.

f See Parish Churches, Vol.

I.,

p. 1.

X Single western lancets sometimes

in a

may be

seen in Semi-Nomian Edifices, as at

is
I.

Manton Church, Eutland

and

Church of

similar character at

Bamwood,

Gloucestershire,

a single eastern lancet.

See Parish Churches, Vol.

II., p. 34.

See also Section

Early English, Plate 13.

WINDOWS.
The
triplet,

19

at once the

most chaxacteriatick and the most beautiful arrangement of

lancet- windows, generally appears to the east in the gable of the Chancel,
safely considered as its original position.

and

this

may

be

Here

its

impressive symbolism

is

most appropriate,
.

and

also in

most exact accordance with the

spirit of

the Early Gothick aga

Instances,

however, occur, which authorize the introduction of the triplet into every possible position in the

waUs of a Church, without

in

any degree infringing the general rule of

its

peculiar applicability for the eastern extremity of the ChanceL

Lancet-triplets exist in the

west front of the Church, at Werrington, Northamptonshire (a small picturesque Edifice,

having a double boll-gable over the Chancel-arch,

west end of the
aisle, at

but without any west door)

I.

at the
;

Tinwell Church, Rutlandshire (Section

;

Early English, Plate 20)

and

at
is

Warmington Church, Northamptonshire

it

appears at the east end of the

aisle,

and

also four times repeated in the south wall of the south aisle.

At Great
at

Casterton,

Rutlandshire,

the

side

of

the Chancel

contains

a triplet

and

Stanton Harcourt,

Oxon, two

triplets

are

pierced in

either side

of

the Chancel.
in

In the Cathdrals and

the transepts, and also

larger Churches,

triplets

were placed to the north and south

;

in a continued series In the clearstory

frequently two, and sometimes even three, were

as

placed successively one above the other in gable walls,

at Whitby.

In

triplets

it

was customary
tional height,
factorily

to

mark with
in

greater importance the central light,

also
;

by giving

to

it

addisatis-

and

most cases increased width

this modification

may

be

deduced from the form of the gable, in which, as we have already remarked, the
without doubt were originally placed.
(Section
I.

triplets of lancets
4,
7,

Early English, Plates

1,

9,

12,

15,

and

20).

Where, on the exterior

wall, lancet-triplets are

;

surmounted

by

dripstones, each lancet has its

own

distinct dripstone

though, in most cases, the three

dripstones are united

by

short strings traversing between the fights.

These strings are gene;

rally placed at the springing of the archcS of the

two outer

lancets

and consequently

either
1.

the dripstone of the central light

is

stilted, as

St.

Bartholomew's HospitaJ, Kent (Section-

Early English, Plate 15)

ing string
Is

or In

some

Instances, as at Stanton Harcourt,

Oxon, the connectto join

Interrupted

by perpendicular

returns,

and again continued horizontally

the central dripstone at the springing of

Its

own window-arch.

In some examples the three

;

windows of a

lancet-triplet are placed within a dripstone

forming a single arch

and thus,

though essentially and

three-light

really distinct

from

It,

they bear a strong general resemblance to a single

is

window.

The

glass. In these

combinations of lancet-windows,

usuaUy placed

near the outer face of the waU, in the same manner as in single lancets, and Internally
the three

windows

are widely splayed

In this last respect,

no

less

than when placed under

a single dripstone, they produce a general efiect closely approximating to a single

of three lights.

window

This

efiect

is,

in the greater

number

of instances, considerably enhancetl

20

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

fiUets of the wall

by the narrow

which intervene between the splays of the windows, being

In both single lancets

faced with bold shafts, from which rise the combined hood-molds.

and
is

triplets,

and

also in

aU other combinations of
trails, in

this beautiful

window, the tooth-ornament

frequently introduced in long

:

the molding of the window-arch, or of the hoodaisle of St.

mold

fine

examples of this characteristick enrichment occur in the south

Albau's

Abbey Church.*
,

In Cathedral and other very large Churches, four or more lancet- windows of the same
combination.

height and width, were occasionally introduced in

In the

less

important

Buildings, and also, in many instances in the larger ones, the lancets in combination are of an uneven number, and are generally arranged after the same system as the triplet, the

central

window, that

is,

having both the greatest width and height, and the exterior window
pair.

on

either side the

group being smaller than the inner

In these combinations of lancets,

exceeding three in number, the several windows are commonly surmounted by a single
dripstone, as in the Churches at Etton

and Oundle, Northamptonshire (Section

I.

Early

English, Plate
rarely occur
:

7),

where

five lancets

form the group.

Seven lancets similarly arranged but

examples, however, exist in the Churches of Blakeney, Norfolk, and Oakham,

Surrey.

In place of the customary simple arch-head, in some examples of lancet-windows, the

head of the light

the Chancel
is

is

foiled

at

Great

Wenham

Church,

Sufiblk,

the

eastern

end

of

This form of

by a triplet of this character. (Section I. Early English, Plate 1.) window-arch was in common use at an early period and in this, with its first
pierced
;

modification, a foliated lancet (see in the

same

Section, pi. 4, the example

so called.!

from Hangleton

Church),

we

see the

germ of cusping, properly

pi. 2),

At Winnal Magdalen Church,

near Winchester (Appendix,

the lancets display early and rude specimens of foliation

or cusping, in its primitive condition.

To

this style of cusping the distinctive title of soffit-

cusping has been applied, from the circumstance of the cusps springing from
the
soffit

of the arch,

and

not, as subsequently
arch-side.
;

was the invariable

This soffit-cusping

practice,

from the chamfer or slope of the

may
it

be
is

regarded as a sure indication of early work

characteristick of a transition

and in most instances

from Early to Decorated Gothick.

is

In early cusped
here the
*
foils

circles,

a similar distinctive peculiarity

observable in the cusping

are produced from the inner curve, without rising at all into the chamfer,
on the
exterior in
;

and

The tooth-ornament
I.

also appears

some lancet-windows,

as in the triplet in Tinwell Church,

Rutlandshire (see Section

Early English, Plate 20)

and in Warmington Church, Northants.

from a compound archway, of which the
first

t Professor Willis derives the idea of

simple, and the second a foiled arch.

a foliated arch

order

is

WINDOWS.
thus no eyes whatever arc formed
fered,
;

21

or

the

foils

themselves are cham-

but the eyes are imperfect

outer

their chamfer being restricted to

foilfl
*.

their
is

curves (B).

Another marked peculiarity in early

that,

in place of being segments

all

of intersecting curves, they are formed from a scries

of distinct circles, which Tracery, in

cut a larger circle inscribed within them.

is

the

cuspiug of which any of these peculiarities occur,

invariably of an early,

when not

actually of a transitional period.

The two

windows
10, 11,)

in

Mcopham Church, Kent,

also the

(Section

1,

Early English, Plates

Leicestershire, illus-

and

windows of Evington Church,

trate this early cusping.*

From the combination and cusping

muUions and tracery derives
trace,
its

of distinct lancets, a single

It is

window divided by
to

origin.

no

less

remarkable than interesting

as

we

are enabled to trace in existing examples, the gradual development of this

grand Gothick conception.

were
in

Thus, as in Glapthome Church, Northamptonshire, two lancets

the

first

instance placed side

by

side
their

in

closer

proximity than heretofore

pierced
exhibits
No.

was customary, and the spandrel between

shaped opening
;

heads was

by a simple
the
3.

oval-

a
No.

second window
1.

in

the
No.

same Church
2.

lancets

more

Olapthormk Ohurcu.

acutely pointed, with an opening of a lozenge shape in place of the previous oval,

and

the whole enclosed

cided

within a

common

dripstone

and in a third window a more dethe lancets remain the

advance
has

is

apparent, for in this composition, while

circle

same,

the oval

been superseded by a
1

with soffit-cusping forming a quatrefoil, and

These three windows
:

the plain space in No.

has been converted into sunken spandrels.

occur in the south side of the Chancel of this interesting Church

in a

and they exemplify,

manner perhaps unparalleled

in

in

any one

similar Structure, the idea of tracery being

in

conceived

the
in

artist's

mind,

and gradually worked out

is

three

successive

designs.

The window

Belgrave Church, Leicestershire,

:

another good specimen of this period

(Appendix, Plate 3)

it is

somewhat

richer in moldings, but does not exhibit

any advance-

* In Arreton Church, Isle of Wight,

is

window with

this description of cusping,

where a stone ring connects

and intersects the foils (Sharpe's Decorated Windows), thus

illustrating in construction the formation of the foliations.

22

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

in design.

ment

The windows

in

Houghton Church, Durham,

are of precisely the

same

character, with a very peculiar arrangement of dripstone.*

The idea
character,

of several

distinct

lights

with

minor

compartments
fairly

of

an

ornamental

constituting

a single window,

was no sooner

recognised, than examples

variety.

of

its

practical application rapidly increased in both

number and

The peculiar

aptitude for modification

and variety which distinguished a window divided by mullions

first

and tracery, appears from the very

in
this

to

have convinced the Gothick Architects that

member

the essentially pliant character of Gothick Architecture might be most

signally displayed.

Hence the almost

countless multiphcity of designs

and modifications
after

of each

design,

which were so speedily produced in the windows erected

the

first

introduction of tracery.

two-light
seen,

window with a
first

quatrefoilcd

circle

at

the head of the lights

was, as
It

we have

the

decided

step towards

the

adoption of regular tracery.

was

a natural and easy advance to place two such windows in combination, and to pierce with
a
larger
circle

the

space

enclosed by

a dripstone
:

forming

single

arch
a

above

them

both

here
its

appears,

therefore,

four-light

"window with

geometrical tracery.

Then one

of

the lights would, no less naturally, in

some instances

be suppressed
trary
nature,

while under circumstances of a con-

a
;

fifth

or

even a sixth light might

of

be introduced
Aldwinkle Church, Northamptonshire.

and
the

in each
./

these

cases
./

some
ensue
:

alteration

in

tracery

must

necessarily
fresh

and, again, every such alteration

would lead to the introduction of

variety,

and

thus illustrate the facility with which window-tracery admits of change, even whilst fetIn tered by geometrick forms, without diminutioD either of beauty or of consistency, t
the
to
first

instance,

in these early \vindow8, the

cusping was for the most part restricted

the

geometrical tracery, the heads of the lights

remaining plain

but after a while

a similar enrichment was introduced at the heads of the lights, to the great improvement
of the entire

composition

even examples, however, remain which show that,

large

*
Billing's

Durham.
(Parish Churches, Vol.
I.

t Etton Church, Northants.

p.

13,)

a pure Early English Structure, affords

some excellent specimens of eJwly

plain circle,

tracery.

The windows
dripstone
:

in the aisles consist of

two lancet

lights,

surmounted by a

and

all

inclosed within a

common

those in the Chancel are of the same design, but a trefoil

of soffit-cusping enriches the circle.

At Oundle the
In
St.

addition of a third light, and two head circles to a similar

composition, produces a three-light window.

result of the

Alban's Abbey Church, a very fine three-light window

is

the

same arrangement.

WINDOWS.
windows of many
original
lights,

23
Tlie circle,

cusping was occasionally omitted altogether.*

itself

the

fonn of tracery,

trcfoiled

and

quatrefoiled,

was soon modified by

became the central

distinct

(^uatrefoils

and

trefoils

and

in

many

instances a reversed trefoil

figure of

the tracery in two-light windows, and sometimes, as at St.

Alban's, in three-light windows.

is

In

trefoilcd circles

also,

the
1,

trefoil

formed by the cusping

frequently reversed, as at

Meopham

Church,

(Sect.

Early English, Plate 10.)

:

The

trefoil

appears to have been

its

a favourite arrangement of early cusping

into single
lancets,

two beautiful examples of

introduction

with a view to impart to them a traceried character, are given at

Plate
is

Section

1,

Early English,

8,

from the Chancel of Raydon Church, Suffolk.

In

Plate 13 of the same Section

engx-aved

a singularly beautiful two-light window, also

from that Church.

Dui-ing

the progress
in

of the

development
itself
;

of

window

tracery,
is

change gradually

becomes apparent
the
first

Gothick Architecture

and the observer

its

led to discover that

great period of the style

has merged into

successor.

In

thus passing on

from Early English to Decorated Gothick, the only sure criterion

for deciding

upon the
being
lose,

windows

of

either,

lies
tlie

in

the

moldings
executed

combined with

the

cusping.

It

a
in
;

necessary result

that

works

during a transition
of

period

should

a greater
such

or

a lesser degree, the general characteristicks

an

established
are)

style

works
;

must be
or
then-

either

regarded
to

(as

in

strict

reality

they

as

transitiontd

specimens

assignment

one or other

of

the

successive
in

periods

betwet-n
detail.

which
Thus,

they appear, must depend altogether

the
general

upon
of

peculiarities

matters of

design
if

of

two
of

windows

geometrical

tracery
rejected,
less

may
the

be

precisely

identical,:

and

yet,

the

idea

transition

windows be

one

may
the

Ijc

correctly assigned

to

Early English, and the other with no

the

accuracy to Decorated
or because
in

Gothick
there

because of

moldings

being
in

essentially

different,

one
fit)m

may

appear

soffit-cuspiug,

while

the

other

the

cusping

may expand

the

chamfer of the window-arch.

I.

For example, the windows in Stoke Albany Church

17,)

(Section

Early English,
their

Plate

in their general

aspect

might be reckoned pure

Decorated
English

soflit-cusping,

however, more correctly

in

classifies

them with the Early

choir

period.

And
Alban,

so

also

the
is

clearstory

over

the

of

the the

Abbey
mold-

Church

of

St.

the

composition

altogether

Early Enghsh,
character.t

but

ings partake
sition
*

more of a Decorated than of an Early English

it

In this translight.s,

period

was customary

to

construct

many windows

of

more than two

See in Sharpe's Windows, an example from Grantham Church.

It
is

perhaps, impossible to consider these

style.

windows otherwise than

as transitiunai, from the

want of any

decided peculiarity of

24

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTUEE.

tlio

Laving no other tracery than would be produced by

in the

intersection

of the

mullions
later,

window-head

a practice which was in some instances continued considerably

of a

and forms the

basis

numerous

class

of Decorated

windows.

In

some

examples

of this arrangement
plain,

the

intersections

are

cusped, but very frequently

they are entirely

and consequently produce

a meagre
is

and unsatisfactory
result,

appearance.
intersections
trefoils,

Very
of

different,

however,
are

the
in
:

when

the

the

midlions

filled

with

quatrefoUs,

and other enriched forms of tracery

effect
is

in these case's the

general

singularly beautiful

and

elegant, as is

shown
in
DuNTON
Basset, Leicestershire.

by the examples from the Churches

at Southfleet

and Heme,
I.

Kent, and at Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, (Section

Plates 20, 29.)

Decorated,

But, before entering upon the direct consideration

of of

Decorated Gothick windows,

the

one

peculiar

kind of tracery,
of the

common

to

the

close

Early English
:

and the

commencement
to

Decorated periods,
the

demands

to be

particularly noticed

we

refer

that in which,

contrary to

usual practice,

the

general

design

is

indicated

by

foliations,

and not by
the

foliated geometrical figures.

This arrangement
early

may

be distinctly

referred

to

trefoiled

arches,

adopted by the

Gothick

Architects

from their
Church,
aisle

Anglo-Norman
Suffolk
(see

predecessors,
I.

and

is

exemplified in the east triplet at Great

Plate
1).

Wenham

Section

Early English,

The windows

in

the ^south

of

Northfleet Church, Kent, are instances of considerable merit

(Section
I.

Decorated, Plate 1)

other examples occur in the

Abbey Church of St. Alban (Appendix, Plate 4), and in Wooton Chiirch, Northants.* As Gothick Architecture advanced, this foiled tracery was almost abandoned, appearino

only in occasional specimens, and then perhaps resulting rather

from accident than design

fine

late

example

may

be

chcechdown church, GLoocEaTERSHiuE.

mentioned as existing in a Perpendicular window in Churchdown Church, Gbucestershire.

Neither

may we

here omit to notice the remarkable evidences which yet remain in

windows undoubtedly constructed during this transition period, of the manifold experiments which were tried and rejected before the perfect Decorated window was produced.
Thus,
at

RickenhaU Church, Suffolk,! the

window
is

east

window

of

the

south

aisle,

which

is

* This

figured at p. 125 of Paley's

St.

Manual

of Gothick Architecture.
4,

t The windows in the Lady Chapel at

Alban's, Appendix, Plate

show the two kinds

of tracery

combined

in the

same design.

% Parish Churches, page 45.

WINDOWS.
decidedly of the same date with the
other
:

25
I.),

windows (temp. Edward

main

exliibita

almort

every peculiarity of Perpendicular tracery

the

lights are ciuquefoiled,

and the window-

head

comprises
;

batement-lights,

super-mul-

lions, &c.

all

features directly at variance with

the general custom of the time.

At Evington
aisle are

Church, Leicestershire, in the north

two windows

still

more curious
1)

of these, the

western window (Fig.

as a fine

might be regarded
it

specimen of flowing tracery, were

its

not for
of early
it

softit
:

cusping

the invariable test

work

the ornaments also, with which

are

is

richly

studded,

a mixture of

the
EvMorov Chvbch,

Decorated ball flower, with the dog tooth and

Lncamniu.

Fio.

1.

masks of the Early English

period.

The composition of the

:

east

window

is

even more

remarkable, and indeed contradictory (Fig. 2)

of equilateral-headed arches springing

it

consists in its general design of & series

from small

shafts with delicately carved foliated caps of pure

Decorated character,
tracery
into
is

and the upper part of the

divided by super-muUions and transoms

octo-foliated squares

two

and a row of

tre-

foliated batement-lights. Thus, in these

two windows,

evidently both of the same date, are displayed peculiarities

characteristick of the three

;

great periods
soffit-

of Gothick Architecture

the Early English

cusp, the Decorated foliated cap,

and the PerpenSuch

:

dicular super-muUion

and tracery-transom.

ev,notok chuwjh, lictiihi.

rio.j.

phenomena
first

afford

ample scope
Perpendicular

for conjecture

shall

we say

that

William of
its

Wykeham
in

introduced

tracery,
I. ?

when we

find

every one of

essentials

window
in

of the time of

Edward

Shall

we not

rather conclude,

that

their

endeavours to arrive at perfection in tracery, the

early builders, in the course of their experiments, actually invented

Perpendicular tracery,
peculiarities,

proceeded to a partial development of

its

and

finally rejected it as

unworthy.
of the
principle

With the decided establishment

tracery,
it

of

windowrecess
Capital >'kuH
i.^

became a recognised constructive arrangement to

the mullions from the face of the wall in which the window-arch
I

was pierced

and the

26
fine effect thus

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

produced was, as the art advanced, speedily enhanced by the introduction of
of mullions,

distinct

orders

and by recessing

certain

portions

of the

tracery from
distinct

the

face of the primary

mullions and their corresponding tracery-bars.

The

planes

of tracery and mullions thus

produced, constitute one of the most beautiful features in

Gothick windows

four of these planes are well exemplified in the

I.

window from Heme

;

Church, figured at Plate 20, of Section

the mullion and traceiy-bar plane;* the eyes of the cusping.t

Decorated

here are,

first,

the wall-plane

second,

third,

the tracery-plane;

and fourth, the plane of

.

This last plane, sometimes, coincides with the plane of the tracery

and again,
tracery-bars

in
:

some examples there are primary and secondary planes of both muUions and
aU these modifications appear in the beautiful window of the north
(Section
I.

aisle of

Sleaford Church, Lincolnshire. J:

Decorated, Plate 26.)

varieties, Geometrical,

Decorated window tracery has been generally divided into two chief

and Flowing
figures,

the former so called, from strictly consisting, as

its

name

implies, of geometrical
;

such as

circles, curvilinear triangles, lozenges, trefoils, quatrefoils, &c.

still

while in flowing

tracery these figures, though

these

existing, are gracefully blended together into

is

one design.

Of

two

varieties, the

geometrical

the earlier

though

it

appears to have been retained in

use subsequently to the introduction of flowing tracery, and in

many instances both

in the

forms were

used indifferently in windows of the same Edifice, and these erected at the same period.
Indeed,
position
its
:

the two varieties of tracery are not unfrequently exemplified

for tracery, like alnjost every other feature of

same com-

Gothick Architecture, passed through

changes with such

extremely gradual progress, that in

many

cases

it

is

absolutely

impossible to carry out any complete rule of classification.

In

its

most perfect

state,

geometrical tracery

invariably exhibits

some large

figure

of distinct

and decided
figure
is

character,

which occupies the entire upper part of the window

head

this

generally either a circle, itself foliated and cusped or subdivided by

smaller geometrical

figui-es, in

most cases similarly enriched

the
central
light
in

or

it

is

formed by tracery-bars
as
to

diverging

from the head of

such a

manner

resemble the

upper portion of the window-arch inverted, and containing ornamental work of the same

Tracery-bars are those portions of the masonry of a window-head, which mark out the principal figures of the
:

design
title

from

these, the

minor and more

of the strictly decorative parts

stonework

may be

distinguished under the

of Form-pieces.
,j^

See Willis's Nomenclature.

t For 'want of
the

better,

the

term ey. has been adopted by the authors, to indicate

small triangular space,

whether pierced or not, which intervenes between a cusp and

it.

the curve that circumscribes

*^il

We

occasionall}--,

however, meet with instances where, probably from the great scarcity

A. A. the eyes uf a quatrefoil .

of freestone, the mullions liave been brought flush with the outer walL

WINDOWS.
character as the large circles.*

27
circles

In some other designs three

or three curvilinear
enriche<l

triangles (Scption^LJDecorated, Plate 2) of equal size, are introduced,

and variously

and modified.

And

again, in other win-

dows the geometrical

forms are subor-

dinate to intersect-

ing curves (Sect.

I.

Decorated, PI. 20)

SAWBUDonronTa cbdioi, hbt.

or the entire tracery consists simply of one geo-

metrick figure (Section

I.

Decorated, Plate

8).

To
CorriHOHAH Chdrcu, Nobthauptonshirc.

enter into a full de-

scription of even the chief of

the manifold variety of designs which appear in the

windows of the
:

Decorated period, would greatly exceed the limits of this work

is

and

this

imm
8ooTHn.KiT, Knrr.
;

especially the case in

windows of

flowing-tracery, which comprise

It

almost every possible modification of almost every possible design.

must

suffice
it

to refer,

in

general

tferms,

to the

more

distinctive peculiarities in tracer)-

leaving

to the illustrations to explain the details of

upwards of one hundred specimens,

which are pro-

selected from aD the principal varieties

fusely scattered over the country.

In 'two-light windows, the Early English arrange-

ment, frequently varied

and enriched, was

for a
;

long time continued as in

the
beautiful

specimens
at

from
nmo9Ti=ADCnrRcn,Noi.TnAMProN8e,.i

the

Churches

Northflcet

and Roydon,

figured in Plate 5, of Section

I.

Decorated.

In other two-light windows in which the tracery-

bars diverge from the mullion, describing curves similar to those of the window-arch, the

heads of the two lancets thus formed are

Plate
class
*

filled

with various tracery (Section

I,

Decoratetl,

3).

Others, again, are of a character so very peculiar, aa to form an absolutely distinct

from any we have yet noticed.

They occur

in

the purest period of the Decorated York

Billinborough, Lincoln
;

See in Sharpc's Windows, specimens from

;

the Churches of Eudaton,

;

Howden, York
Cathedral, &c.

Exeter Cathedral

Fishtoft, Lincoln
3.

Trent, Somerset

"Wellingborongh, Northants

Ripon

Also Appendix, Plate

28
era,

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

and are characterised by a remarkable angularity and abruptness of outline
:

such are

the windows in the Chancels of Chartham Church,

Kent

(Section

I.

Decorated, Plate 22,)

Belgrave

Church,

Leicestershire,

and
is

Lyddington
different

Church,
each

Berks,

(Appendix, Plate

"
4.)

The

tracery

in

of these

examples, but they agree in being dissimilar from

all

other Decorated

windows
light
St.

of the

same date."*
filled

In other examples the heads of two:

windows are
varieties in

with flowing tracery

species

so endless, indeed, are

Alban's Abbey Cuurch.

the

this

of

decoration,

that

we

are

as

much

astonished at the great effort of imagination which could, in a comparatively short space
of time, produce such

numerous

designs, as

we

are gratified with the exceeding beauty

and

appropriateness of the designs themselves.

Larger windows of three, four, and a stUl greater number of

lights,

were produced by repeating with certain modifications, the

as

same designs
windows.
In

were introduced in a simple

of these large

state

into two-light

many

windows a

fine effect is

produced
:

by
in
sodihfleetchcrch, Kent.
i_

the primary muUions and tracery-bars being very richly molded

some examples,

as at

Bottisham Church, Cambridgeshire, (Section

Dccoratcd, Plate 27,) the rich moldings of the muUions are concomposition.

tinued throughout the

shafts,

entire

The mullions

also,

in

many

instances,

have

with bases and capitals characteristically molded and enriched.

also,

In some specimens
effect,

the baU-flower

is

introduced with admirable

stud-

ding the hollows of both muUions and tracery in rich profusion.

(Sect.
I.

Decorated, Plate 38.)t

Specimens of some
tracery, are

of the

most beautiful forms assumed by flowing

I.

given in Section
29.

Decorated, Plates

6, 7,

11, 12, 18, 26,

To

these

may

be added, as ranking amongst the finest

class

windows
Sawbridgeworth Church, Herts.

of the

same

in

England, the east window

in

in Carlisle,

and the west window

York

Cathedrals. J

Eemarks on the Principles of Gothiok Architecture,

as applied to

ordinary Parish Churches; by the

Eev. J. L. Petit.
See also Bloxam's Gothick
plate representing

Architecture, Ed.

8,

p.

217; and Sharpe's Decorated Windows, where

the ruined

is

one of

th'e

windows in the north

aisle of

Abbey Church

of

Whitby, which contains

tracery

somewhat of the same character with that

I.

at

Chartham.

+ See Parish Churches, Vol.

Herefordshire
;

p.

67

also

Sharpe's

Windows,

part 6,

window from Leominster Church,

and Britton's Gloucester Cathedral.

I 'See Sharpe's Windows.

WINDOWS.
A
fails to

29
in

class

of

windows

are

occasionally

met with

the

more

magnificent of our Churches, of which the rich and elaborate design

entirely satisfy the eye,

owing

to the inelegant arrangement

of the tracery bars.

We

refer to such

windows

aa those in the N.

transept of Sleaford Church, in the S.

of Heckington Church, in Selby

transept and

E.

of Chancel

Eedgravo Church,

Siifiblk.

Abbey Church,* and in the Chancel of The diagram A represents the primary curves

of

the

window
that

of seven lights in Heckington Church, where

intersecting

we may

notice

two

and

irregularly shaped ogees

form the principal

detract
7iine

feature

in

the design, and by their

awkward combination

from the merits of an otherwise beautiful production.

light

In a
B,

window,

on the

contrary,

as

shown

in

diagram

this

arrangement might be well carried out and create a very fine

for here the

efiect,

main
all

lines

throughout the composition would be equally balanced.

Amidst

the surpassing beauty of Decorated tracery, anomalies sometimes present

it

themselves to our notice, for which, while

is

difficult

to assign

any reason,

it

would

be
at

still

more

difficult

to

find
is

admirers.

For example, in the

fine

conventual Church

Dorchester,

Oxfordshire,

that curious

and contradictory composition known as the

its

Jesse-window, in which the real use of tracery, and consequently

lost

beauty, are together

are

sight

of

and where the mullions, branching out

tree

into

various shapes,
is

made

to represent the

of Jesse, t
of canopies

Again, scarcely

less

reprehensible

the introduction
themselves,
to

into

window

tracery

and

pinnacles,

however beautiful

in

and
an

however

richly

they

may

be

decorated.

These

members

are

designed

form

external protection,

and

at the

same time

in their proper position to enhance the beauty

itself.

of

window

tracery,

but not to be interspersed amidst the tracery

fine

Examples of

this

arrangement occur in the otherwise

St.

east

windows

of

Merton College Chapel,

in the west

Oxon,|
of

Alban's

Abbey Church, Barnack Church, Northants, and

'

window

Henry Vllth Chapel, Westminster. One other kind of tracery, very common
the

in

windows
not

of every variety of dimension

to
last

throughout
to

Decorated

period,

we must
its

omit
to the

notice

before
three
its

passing
periods

on
of

that

great

change,

which has given

:

title

of

the

English Gothick Architecture

to the meshes of a net.

we

refer to the net-tracery, so

named from

resemblance

This,

when

double-cusped, as in the cloisters of Westminster

t See Addington's Dorchester Church.

Sliarpe's

Decorated Windows.

X See Britten's Antiquities, Vol. V.

30
Abbey,
is

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

productive of great richness of effect
in
:

though at the same time, and particularly

lights,
it

windows comprising more than three

rather

almost

invariably presents
to the

the

appearance

of

diaper cut

shape of the mndow-arch, than of tracery specially

it is

designed to fiU the head of the arch within which

contained.

This appearance results in part from the want

in

of variety

the

several

subdivisions

of the

design,

but

more
whkathampstrad Church. Hants.

particularly from those portions of the tracery

which

comc

lu coutact with the curvcs of the wiudow-arch, being

cut off abruptly, instead of curving upwards to adapt themselves to their situation.
It also appears requisite here to refer to

one other peculiar species of flowing tracery

common

in continental Gothick

Buildings, but very rarely indeed

to

be found in this country.

the
flame-like

From
tions

undula-

of its tracery-bars
this

and
has
Section of Jamb and Sill.

form-pieces,

tracery

been distinguished as Flamboyant.

In England this term Flamboyant

;

is

restricted to

form

or

design in tracery

but,

on the continent the same ex-

pression denotes not a peculiar style of window-tracery alone,

but the entire range of Gothick Architecture at a period

commencing with
England.
1

the

decline

of

Decorated
hardly

Gothick
be

in

The

term,

however,

can

correctly

From a Desecrated Church at Rouen.

applied to English
like*

windows, inasmuch that however flame-

their
if

tracery

may

be,

they are stUl to be referred

to the purest period of

Gothick Art,

we have

recourse to that unfailing test, the mold(of

ings

whereas in the real Flamboyant of the continent,

which we append an

illustration

from a desecrated Church at Rouen) the moldings show at once the debasement that has
taken place.
Mullions finishing with an arris are perhaps never met with in Decorated

work, though they harmonize weU with the general angularity of the Flamboyant.
* That

we should meet with many Decorated windows

is

in our

resembling Flamboyant,

in

no ways remarkable,

if

we

consider

own country having flowing tracery, closely this last named style in the light of a debased
all its

Gothick, in which flowing tracery alone was preserved tolerably pure amidst the general debasement of
other parts.

Indeed, tracery
:

itself
all

soon shared in the total wreck of good

consistency in construction,
it

taste,

which took place

earlier

on the

continent than with us

losing

became distorted and unsightly.

WINDOWS.
Towards the
to
close of the reign of

31
the outline of window-tracery began

King Edward
to

III,

show a tendency
oflf

to

adapt

itself

the vertical

bearing of the mullions, instead of

branching

from them in flowing undulations.

to

This, the

death-blow to flowing tracery,

and with

it

Decorated Gothick, gave

rise

to

a new variety, at present known, in

it

common with
dicular.

the period of Gothick Architecture during which

prevailed, aa

Perpen;

Here however, as in the previous changes, the

at
first,

alteration

was very gradual

con-

sisting

rather of the introduction

here and

there

of a perpendicular

member

into

compositions in other respects strictly flowing in their cha-

racter,

than of any decided verticality in entire dcsigna

Thus

in the east

windows of the Churches of Houghton-le-Spring, DurMary, Stratford,

S.

ham, St

Sufiblk,

Charlton-on-Otmoor,

Oxford,
'

W<%
v;>V.i
\fjfji^.f.i

and in the
is

Aisle of Tunstead, Norfolk, a perpendicular tendency

I.

fvVhV

apparent in parts of the tracery (Section

S.

Decorated, Plate

9).

i^\

tfS5!

SKK %::

The N. &
also, are-

windows

in the Chancel of

Wheathamstead, Herts,

tomstead chucm, NoRroLK.

curious examples

of the gradually progressive influence of the vertical principle.

is

In

the

Church

at

King's Sutton, Northants,

another

window

of transition tracery.

The

earliest

examples in which the leading principle of the

are,

new

style of tracery is completely

carried

out

probably, those of William

of

Wykeham
the

in

the nave of Winchester

Cathedral, and

the

corresponding windows in

Church

of St.

Nicholas at Lynn,
curves of the arch.
all

Norfolk

here the mullions rise through the window-head into the

is

This continuation of the vertical bearing of the mullions

tracery
:

the basis of

Perpendicuar

and though,

as

the

Perpendicular period advanced,

the application of this fun-

damental principle was carried to such an excess as to degrade tracery into mere panelling,

and almost to destroy the

a while
interest
it

characteristick

qualities

of the

mullions themselves
features

still

for

must be admitted that Perpendicular windows possessed

beauty.

of great
is

and

In

these

earlier

specimens

of

this

style,

the window-head

generally divided

by

tracery-bars rising direct from the mullions into the arch,

off"

and

also

by other

similar

members branching
of the

from the same mullions and describing curves

corresponding with those

are again

main arcL

The

principal

compartments thus formed

subdivided by form-pieces, variously arranged and modified, but for the most

part having a vertical tendency.

These members, from their bearing and position denorise

minated

super-mullions, generally
;

alternately

from the heads

of

the main-lights,
into double

and from the actual mullions

and thus they divide the head of the window

the lower part
(Section
I.

the

number of
16, 18,

lights

contained in

Perpendicular,

Plates
;

5, 13,

23,

&c.)

The heads of the main

lights are almost invariably an^we/oiZec?

whereas in the Decorated period the trefoiled heading of the lights was so prevalent

32
as to

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

constitute

a characteristick of the
are formed
is

style.

Above each

exterior

light,

or

of those

main subdivisions which

arch,
cui-ve,
is

by tracery-bars following the curves of the window-

a compartment of tracery

produced by a minor tracery-bar following the same

is

while an inverted arch,

foliated,

placed within

the

space thus

formed.
:

This

a no less beautiful than pecidiar feature of the finest Perpendicular tracery

it

prevails

in

William of Wykeham's work in Winchester Cathedral, and

is

also

exemplified in the
of

beautiful

windows
College
St.

in

the

south transept of Beverley Minster,* in the north transept

Merton

Chapel,

Oxford,t in Ashborne

Church,

Derbyshire,^

Headcorn Church,

Kent, and

Mary's Church, Oxford.

The
period,

transom, which

had

been

occasionally

used

during

the

Decorated

Gothick
lights

and then generally consisting of a simple horizontal mullion, crossing the

at

right

angles,

speedily became

a regular com:

ponent

of

perpendicular windows

this

member
:

dividing the lights into an upper and lower series

and the heads of the

similarly
foliated.

lights

in either series being

Instances

are

frequently

met

with in which the transoms are embattled, as in

the

Church of
:

St.

Mary Magdalen, Wiggenhall,

also

Norfolk

this

Church

exemplifies the use of

tracery.

an embattled transom in the

specimen
Section
I.

For another

of

an

embattled

tracery-transom, see

Perpendicular, Plate 18.

effect

A rich,

though

perhaps a scarcely legitimate,

A,HBv
ST. LEa.B-B

was sometimes
series

CHUKCH, NoKTH.PTOKSH,E.

produccd by cuspiug thc lights of the upper

at the foot as well as at the head,

and vmiting them with those of the lower

series,

without

any intervening transom-bar.

the panelled

A modification of this

arrangement appears to have produced

windows

at the west of

Winchester Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey Church.

from an early period after Perpendicular tracery continued to degenerate in character

its

first

introduction, until its utmost effort appears to have been the production of the
possible
possible
all

largest

window
of small

containing, in lieu

of tracery

rightly

so

named, the greatest

number
devoid of

pierced

panels.

Nothing can be more monotonous, or more

beauty or

eff'ectiveness,

than this glazed panelling.

* See Britton's Antiquities, Vol. V.

+ See Ingram's Memorials of Oxford, and Bloxam's Gothick Architecture.

J See Bloxam's Gothick Architecture.

See Oxford Glossary, Vol.

II.

WINDOWS.
With the

33

progress of the Perpendicular period, a remarkable change took place in the

:

form of the window-arch

its

and indeed long before other parts of Perpendicular Structures was

felt

destructive influence, the four-centred arch

in general use in the formation of winif

dows.*
richness

In the tracery of windows constructed with the four-centred arch,

any degree of

was attempted,
of

it

became a general practice to carry

Possibly

it

considerably below the

springing

the the

arch.

from

this

arrangement,

idea

of

tracened-trauaoms

+ might have been derived.

In this

period

many windows were

size, as entirely to fill

con-

structed of such

ample

the

end of that portion of the Edifice in which they

were placed
&c.
(in
:

as at Winchester, York, St. Alban's>

This vast extent of

window was produced

blacb<ct cbohcb, nobfol..

accordance with the laws of Gothick Architecture) not so

of the lights, as

by adding

to their

number

thus, the

much by increasing the size west window of Henry the Seventh's

St.

Chapel contains
lights.

fifteen lights,

and those at Winchester,

Alban's,

and York, each nine

Nearly every possible variety of arch appears to have been used in the construction of
window-heads.

As we have already

seen, the pointed arch

was the
;

almost invariable shape adopted in the Early English lancets

sionally however, as in

occa-

Thanington Church, Kent (Aptrefoiled

pendix, Plate 2),

lancets.

we meet with square-headed

illustration
is

The accompanying

the north

lychnoscopickj
Sussex.
Farndisb Church, Bedfoedshiri;.

window from Westhamptnet Church,

in

The one from Thanington Church occurs

the north side of the tower.

VmBAMFrXR
CBaBCB, Suffolk.

We occasionally meet with Decorated

is

windows with four centred

in

arches, as in

Deopham Church,

Norfolk.

+ This arrangement
those erected during

not

uncommon

Decorated windows, though by no means so frequent as in

1,

the closing years of the Perpendicular period; see Section

Decorated, Plate 13; also

the beautiful window figured by Sharpe, from Billingborough, Lincoln. Evington, Leicestershire.
J

Other specimens occur at Heme, Kent, and

The term lychnoscope has been applied

:

to a very peculiar

window, to be found in Gothick Churches of

all
is

the different periods

generally brought

most frequently

it

is placed at the south west or north west of the Chancel,

and the

sill

much

nearer the ground

than in

any of the other windows.

I.,

Temple

Balsall

Church

affords

an

example of one to the south west (Parish Churches, Vol.

page

15).

It is still

more frequent that both the north

1,

west and south west windows are of this description, as in the Churches of Westhamptnet, Eaydon (Sect

E.E.)

34

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTUKE.

At
the close of the Early English, and throughout the Decorated Gothick period, the
equilateral
;

window-arch in most frequent use was the

beautiful form.

and

this

is

always

the

most

Other window-arches which occurred during the Decorated period, were the
acutely-pointed, the obtusely-pointed, the ogee, the segmentalpointed,

and the segmental-circular. The

is

ogee arch

not of frequent occurrence,

:

nor

is it

often productive of a good effect

is

the segmental-circular
Brandon Church, Norfolk.

very

rare.

The
SOUTHrLEET CUUROU, KENT.

square headed arch was very generally in

use at this period

all

the windows to the south aisle of Leckampton Church are of this

II.,

description (Parish Churches, Vol.

page 65).

The

tracery in these
as in

windows

is

sometimes

very

good

and

rich,
6),

Harbledown Church, Kent

(Sect. I.,

(Appendix, Plate

and Roydon Church, Essex

Decorated, Plate 13).

sionally to be

Triangular-headed windows are occa-

met

with, but they

are defective both in grace of outline

Bicker Church, LiNcoLNSHiEt.

and soundness of construe'

(-f/v\A/(>i
I

tloU.

The BXamplc frOm KeymCr

the

|>\aaX/1 Ketmer Church, 8V8SEX.

1

r/v\/vi

(fXXXXH*-,
1 I
1

Church Sussex,
ment, in
its

is

another curious instance of

never-ceasing search

after

improve-

course naturally producing

fit

some such extraordinary designs

It

as the present,

which

is

not instanced as a

example for imitation.

may

be considered as a link
it

between the several successive changes in Gothick Architecture,

square-headed

comparing

with the

window from

Southfieet,

we can

clearly

identify

it

as a modification of the

Plate 8), and Clymping (Parish Churches,

Vol

II.,

page 75).

Very

rarely are

windows in other parts of the Church

I.,

thus treated.

Aldwinkle Church, Northamptonshire (Parish Churches, Vol.

aisle.

page 51)

may

perhaps furnish an

example of one at the west of the south

Sometimes a separate opening iu the wall was expressly provided, as

in Crick Church, Northamptonshire, where

we

find a

quatrefoiled

circle

or

in

Bishop's

Lydeard Church,

Somersetshire (Parish Churches,

Vol

II.,

page 63), where the wall of the south Chapel, which apparently was

subsequently added,

is

splayed so as not to block

up the lychnoscope.
the walls of the Chancel
is still

The

real use of these curious openings in

(for,

as

we have

seen, they are almost

:

exclusively to be found in this part of the Church)

a " vexata qusestio

"

among

Ecclesiologists

of the various

uses to which they have beesi supposed to have been devoted, such as confessionals, openings to watch the Easter

Sepulchre, lepers windows, &c., none seem to adapt themselves entirely to the different peculiarities of the case

at

any
is

rate

we

feel that

no apology

is

necessary for not entering into a discussion, which, though highly interesting,

no ways in accordance with the nature and objects of the present work.

We would

refer to

some very

instructive

notices of this subject in the "Ecclesiologist," Vol. V., pages

164 and 187, Vol. VI., page 40, and Vol. VII.,

page 65.

WINDOWS.
former,

35

by the omission of the two

:

spandrels.

Triangular windows were comparatively rare,

except in clearstories

the

example from Cottingham Church, Northamptonshire, occurs

aisle.

at the west end of the south

All

these

arches

were

continued,

with

the
in

exception the Perof

perhaps of
pendicular
four-centred

the
era,

acutely-pointed and

the

ogee,

with

the

important
late

addition

also

the
laat-

arch.

In
label*

very

windows,
took
the
in

of

this

named
pointed

style,

sometimes
;

place
case,

of

a
the

diipstonc

or

hood-mold

and

this

spandrels, as at Monksilver Church, Somersetshire, were occasionally

pierced

and

glazed.

Square-headed

windows were

COTnaoam chokch. KoBTHAim.

:

in constant use in the Perpendicular, as well as in the preceding periods

of these several

specimens are appended.

is

Circular
in

windows

also occasionally appear,

but this beautiful form

by no means common

Gothick Edifices in this country.

CLEARSTOEY WINDOWS,
Which
rare

are

almost
at

essential

features
period.

in

Perpendicular Edifices,

were of comparatively

occurrence

an
the

earlier

The

Anglo-Normans

used

them

much more
:

frequently than did

thus,
at

architects

of either the

Early English or the Decorated eras

Steyning
;

Church,
they

Sussex,

we

observe
at
St.

Anglo-Norman
Margaret been
at

clearstory

windows
and

placed
Peter's,

singly

while

form

arcades
as

Clifie,

Kent,
the

St

Northampton.
are
circular.

At Southwell,
In

has

already

remarked,

clearstory

windows

Early English

Churches

the

clearstory but

rarely

formed

a part of the design, except in the Cathedrals and other large Structures.
Ely,

Salisbury,

Lincoln,

and

St.

Alban's,
find
this

have

Early English clearstories

consisting

and

in

Warmington

Church, Northants,
Clearstories
in

we

feature

of a

series

of

two-light

windowat
lightetl

the

smaller

Churches

of

the

Decorated

period

were

usually

The term Label (borrowed from Heraldry) exclusively denotes a horizontal

severally refer to

string with rectangular returns

and the terms dripstone and hood-mold,

openings.

exterior

and

interior strings

which enclose arches or

These terms are often, but most incorrectly, used indiscriminately.

I. p.

+ See Parish Churches, Yol.

17.

36

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

series

by a

of quatrefoiled

circles.

Examples of

this

arrangement occur at Meopham,

Kent, Fnby, Norfolk,* and Great Milton, Oxfordshire.

circles

At Garsington,

in Oxfordshire, the
circles,

have

six foils

and

at Stanton St.

John, ia the same county, in place of

the

clearstory lights are triangular

and with

five

foils.t

In

the exquisite Decorated Gothick Church at Cley, Norfolk, the

clearstory
consists of double-cusped cinquefoUed circles, alter-

nating with single lancets.

shire,
scaUcf-fut Meopham Church, Kent

a series of finely
'

At Bottisham Church, Cambridgemolded two-light clearstory windows

*--*

One fiot
FiLBY, Norfolk,

more nearly

to

the subsequent periodthe Perpendicular.

introduction

occur: and at Eaunds, Northants, a similar series approximates '

J
its

From
was
the

the

of Perpendicular Architecture to
into
all

decline,

the

clearstory
(to

almost
great

invariably

introduced
their

new Churches
to

and

very

frequently

detriment of

beauty) was added

constructed.

those

Edifices

which
Church,

had

been

previously
is

Bishop's

Lydeard
a

Somerset, Structure
two-light

one

of

the
this

rare

examples

of

Perpendicular
Chiirches,

devoid

of

feature.

In the

smaller

and
in

three-light

clearstory
as
at

windows,

with

square

heads,

were
;

common
similar

use,

Humberstone Church, Leicestershire

pointed, as
at

^
-^
)

and

windows segmental

Histon Church,

Cambridgeshire.

As

the

period advanced,

clearstories

became
which

Humberstone Church, Leicestershire.

mUch mOrC important mCmbcrS

and the
several

of the COmpOSitioUS intO

they were introduced

windows being

placed in

close

connection the
of
glass

one

with

the

other,

they frequently exhibited a

considerably

larger

surface

than

actual

walling.
Suffolk,

Of
afford

this

arrangement

the

Churches
:

of

Lavenham

and

Long

Melford, in

truly magnificent examples

in other Churches,

however, of
its
is

about the same date, the clearstory destroys the whole beauty of

the

BuUding by
nave

monotony and apparent

pierced

insecurity.

At Long Melford
which are

the

clearstory over the

by twelve
transepts.

large three-lights windows,

also

continued round the north

and south

* See Parish Churches, Yol.

I.

p. 37.

t See Oxfordshire Churches.

J See Parish Churches, Vol.

I. p.
I.

69

also

Northamptonshire Churches, Vol.

I.

p. 59.

See Parish Churches, Vol.

p. 63.

37

BELFRY WINDOWS,
In

Norman
:

Structures, generally consisted of a doubled semi-circular arch divided

richer
designs,

by a

shaft

or

in

parts

of

the

panelling

were

Devizes. pierced for this purpose, as at St. John's Church,

Another
Iffley,

not
;

unfrequent

arrangement
panels
are

is

exemplified

at

Oxon.

where two

formed
of

upon each

face of the tower

by two external

strips

masonry and
single arch
.

one central

strip,

and a recessed window of a

occupies each of the panels.

In Semi-Norman towers the

is

double arch with a central shaft

ton, Northants,*

retained, as at

Dudding-

and Repps, Norfolk.

The same arrange-

ment was continued throughout the Early English Gothick as the new style demanded period, with such modifications
examples occur in the
Northants. t
foliage

Churches at Etton and Barnwell,

New Batik Crobch,

Boaacx.

In the last
tooth.

named

Edifice, the belfry

windows

are richly ornamented with

and dog
a

In the more important towers of this period, a pierced arcade

was

also

common

arrangement, as at Raunds, Northants. J

And

again,

in

this,

and

also in the succeeding period, the

foiled circles,

bel&y windows consisted of a

St.

series

of small quatre-

one pierced in each face of the tower, as at

I.

Mary's Cray, Kent, and

Lindfield Church, Sussex (Section

Early English, Plate

4).

In the Decorated period,

a single two-light
at

window

in each face of the tower

was the most usual arrangement, as

Gothick
tower
of
Southfleet

Badgeworth, Gloucestershire.

In

the

fine

Decorated

Church, Kent, the belfry lights are four single lancets, each trefoliated at the head.

At
;||

Heme
and
stage
in

Church, in the same coimty, two similar lancets occur in each face of the tower
the
large and magnificent
into

church of

St.

Mary, Redclyffe,
a
fine

Bristol,

the

upper

is

divided

three

compartments, each containing

belfry

three-light

window
pre-

In

Perpendicular

Gothick

Edifices, the

windows
is

differed

from those of the

* rarish Churches, Vol.

in Norfolk
:

I.,

page

5.

The tower

at

Eepps

one of the circular

flint

Structures so

common

in this example, however, the flint-work is headed

by an octagonal

stage of ashlar, forming an arcade

which

is

pierced towards the cardinal points with shafted double belfry windows, of strictly Semi
I.,

Norman

character.

t See Parish Churches, Vol.

X See Parish Churches, Vol.

pp. 13
p.

and

31.
I., p.

I.,

69
19.
7.

and the Churches of Northamptonshire, Vol.

53.

See Parish Churches, Vol. See Parish Churches, Vol.

I., p.

II

I., p.

38

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

detail,

ceding period rather in points of

size,

than in general design.

In Churches of moderate

a two-light belfry window in each face of the tower was the usual arrangement

while in

more important

Edifices

two windows* were similarly

placed.
rising

In the latter

case the general effect

was considerably heightened by a buttress

and being crowned by a
George,
at

up between each

parr of belfry windows,

light

and

lofty pinnacle.

The towers
and
at

of

the

Churches of

St.

Doncaster,

of

St.

Margaret,

at

Leicester,
series

Bishop's Lydeard, Somersetshire,t are

belfry

good examples, each containing a

also

of double

windows

and

similar

series

occurs

in

the

noble

tower of

Magdalen

College Chapel, Oxford.

The towers
deserving

of

many Churches
It lights

in

Norfolk and

Suffolk contain
;

a peculiar

window

of notice.

the floor of the ringing loft

or
I.

and usually
figure.

consists of a

square enclosing
this

a foliated

circle,

some other geometrical

Some specimens
and

of

window

are given in Section

Perpendicular, Plate 22.

of this

In the Early English towers

is

of Northamptonshire, a circular
is

window

same description
in the

also

very frequent

it

used for the same purpose.

Examples occur

Churches of Barnwell and Aldwinkle.J

Similar

windows of the same period appear

in the

Church towers of
5, is figured

Leicestershire, as at

Humberstone Church.
situated
:

At

Section

I.

Semi-Norman, Plate

window

curiously

it

is

pierced through the south

and

east

buttresses of the tower of

Clymping
round
pro-

Church,
the

Sussex

the

detached

chevron, which
richness
to

is

carried

opening,

imparts

considerable
in

its

pleasing

portions.

The window
is

the west of the

tower of Hunworth
:

Church, Norfolk,

of a very singular
it,

design

it

is
it

exceedingly
presents the

difficult to assign a date to

and

at first sight

appearance of a very early gable Cross, built into the wall of the
'

"^

'^"'4J|

tower
that

'"''/''*"'

;||

the rough

terminations of the four arms, however,

tlic

show

Hunworth chcroh.

tliis

was not

casc, tliougli

it

is

morc than probable that

a gable Cross suggested the idea.

*

Windows
belfries.

of three lights, 50 frequently occurring in the body of the Church, appear to have been sparingly

used in

In towers of great magnificence, two double lights under one arch was a more usual arrangement, as

in St. Mar<;aret's Church, Leicester.

t See Parish Churches, Vol.

i See Parish Churches, Vol.

II

I., p,

63.

Also see Bloxam's Gothick Architecture, Ed.

8, p. 236.

I.,

pp. 31

and

59.

See Parish Churches, Vol.

II., p. 75.
I.

See gable Cross from Edith Weston Chui-ch, Eutlandshire, Section

E.E., Plate 16.

39

TURRET LIGHTS.
No
part of an ancient Buikling, not even the minutest detail,
:

waa considered by the

Builders of old as unworthy of their attention

for lighting

accordingly

we

find that these small openings

in

a turret staircase frequently displayed considerable elegance

little skill

design,

and no

in

their construction.

Early examples are of rare

archit<.'(;-

occurrence, for, during the continuance of

ture, a staircase turret
^

Norman and Early English

to the

was by no means an usual adjunct

In that of the
the
lights

towers of Parish Churches.*

St.

Norman tower
are

of

Martin's
slits
;

Chui-ch,

Leicester,

mere squareangle of the

Edific

headed
Achurch Church, NURTUAMPTONSmUK.

whde

in

the turret at the

N.W.

tower of Achurch Church, Northants, an Early English

of great beauty,
is

a very graceful arrangement for admitting

light to the stairs, consisting of a series of small lancets with gabled canopies-

Early in the Decorated period lancet openings continued in use for turret
lights
;

as

in a turret to the N.E.

of the

choir of St.
this

Alban's

Abbey Church, t

At

same period narrow cruciform openings

this

were also in use for

pmpose, as in
St.

the conventual buildings at Ely (Appendix,

WiNTERTON ChTRCH, NORFOLK.

Plate
3).

7),

and

Waltham

AuaiTi Abbst

Abbey

Church

Cmmca.

(Section

I.

Decorated, Plate

Subsequently, and during the Perpendicular Gothick era,

small

circles, squares,

or triangles, were

more generally adopted

I.

and these

for the

most part

were enriched with various cusping and tracery (Section

dicular, Plates

Decorated, Plate 36, and. Perpen-

13 and 22).

*
is

Even during the Decorated period we

;

occasionally meet with towers in

which the only ascent

to the belfry

by means of ladders

such

is

the tower of Weekley Church, Northamptonshire (Parish Churches,

is

VoL

IL,

p. 84).

In Perpendicular Churches the turret t The Xewel in this

of invariable occurrence.

stair-turret is encircled

by a

spiral molding,

admirably adapted to the grasp of the hand.

40

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SPIRE LIGHTS
In their general features did not
except that in consequence of
differ

materially from other

peculiarity
;

windows

in the

same

Edifice,

the

of

their

position,

they were

somewhat

narrow in proportion to their height

the ground line, they rose like

and

also,

being generally set at right angles to

sides

dormer windows from the

of

the

spire,

and were

surmounted by acutely pointed canopies, which most frequently terminated in beautifully

designed Crosses.

In some early

spires,

however, the lights were merely quatrefoiled openings

lying in the same plane with the spire, as at Fleet Church, Lincolnshire,* and Humberstone

Church,

Leicestershire.
;

Canopied
as at

spire

lights

occur singly, as

at

Newington Church, and Duddington

;

Oxfordshire

or in

two rows,
is

Leckhampton Church,

Gloucestershire,

Church, Northants, which

spires,

an early specimen of such an arrangement

lights

while in other

three

and even four rows of

have been introduced, as in the Churches of

Warmington, Northants,t and Ewerby and Grantham, Lincolnshire.

lowermost
tier

The

lights

of the

were of course invariably placed upon the cardinal sides of the

spire, the

upper

rows sometimes alternated, but very frequently continued on the cardinal

sides.

ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRACERY IN WINDOWS.

From
into the

a review of the chief varieties of Gothick windows,

geometrical formation.
It is

we

proceed to examine
for

principles of their

impossible

any person to

have observed with the smallest degree of attention any number of Decorated windows,
without becoming aware of the constantly recurring combination of the equilateral triangle.

With very few

exceptions, the window-arches of the Decorated Gothick period are actually

figure, or

founded upon that

upon a very

close approximation to

it.

The
is

greater

number

of
I.

the heads of Early English Gothick lancets are similarly formed, aa

shown

at Section

Early Epglish, Plates

and

7.

In Plate

1,

from Great

Wenham

Church, where the lights

of the triplet are trefoiled, the system of equilateral triangles has been, nevertheless, kept in

view, as

is

shown

in

Diagram

(B.),

where the centres

for the curves are at the several

points of the triangle,

* See Parish Churches, Vol.

I., p.

51.

+ See Parish Churches, Vol.

13, 31, 51, 55, 57, 59, 61, 69,

I.,

pp.

65 and

17.

Also for other specimens of

spire-lights,

see

pp.

11,

and

77, &c., of the same volume.

See also, Northamptonshire Churches.

ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRACEKY

IN

WINDOWS.

41

A minute examination of numerous specimens of tracery, collected from all parts of England,
has led us to fonn the conclusion that this same principle of the equilateral triangle constitutes
in

them

all

the basis of their formation

in very

many

caaes

its

truth

is

undeniable, and

it

will not invalidate this

which (assumed) constructive law that in some others, examples occur

strictness

do not in mathematical

comply with

its

requirements

for it is both easy

and just

to imagine that occasionally the design

may have

been duly prepared

from the fixed

the work,

i-ule

of the equilateral triangle, and yet in executing

may have

been slightly altered or modified, to suit some

particular circumstance or taste, or even as a

mere

practical experi-

ment.

Thus, for instance, the annexed illustration of a window from

Southfleet Church, Kent,

wiU be seen

to have been both designed

;

and executed upon

strictly equilateral principles

the window-arch

is

socrHn-Mr choich, kt.

equUateral, so also are the heads of the

two

lights,

above which

is

placed a quatrefoiled circla

In Shorne Church, at the east end of the north Chapel, occurs another
similar desigri, but in the execution of which

window

of precisely

we may

perceive that

the architect has allowed himself to deviate slightly from the precision

which characterises the window at Southfleet

still

he can

scarcely

on

this account be regarded as

working in absolute variance

this

from the principles which determine the formation of

of window.

style

Such a deviation
;

is

but an instance of the legitimate

modification of a general rule

to furnish

it

does not in the slightest degree tend

its
is

an argument calculated to disprove

existence.
left

So

in

SBOKKt CaOBca,

Km.

Classick Architecture, to the discreet architect

the privilege of slightly varying from

its

the exactly-defined relative proportions of the column and

entablature, without his being

thereby rendered obnoxious to the charge of impugning the proportional laws-which have

been established.
In the window from Northfleet Church
(to

resume the

illus-

tration of two-light windows), it is distinctly evident that the architect

had

in

view the same principle which produced the Southfleet

it

window, though he chose to depart from

in

practice so widely,

by unduly increasing the win serve

to

circle in

the window-head.
to

These examples
the correct

show

that,

in

endeavouring

ascertain

principles of formation in dififerent varieties of windows, a satisfactory

result
ticular

cannot be obtained by experimentalising upon any one par-

NoBTHrLxrr Cbcbcb, Kbct.

specimen
is

on the contrary, the only course calculated to lead to a really accurate

to classify Gothick

conclusion

first,

windows

in general,

and then

to search

out frx)m

42

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTUEE.

class (as, for

a variety of specimens of each

example, from a variety of two-light windows

having a

circle

in the window-head), the existence of

some particular principle by which

their formation

may have been

regulated.
class of
is

For

ourselves,

having carefully proceeded with such an investigation from one

windows

to another,

we have been

led to adopt the opinion that the equilateral triangle

;*

the basis of all Decorated Gothick tracery

establish the accuracy of that opinion,

and now we

desire to justify,

and

if

possible

by

adverting to a diversity of examples in every class,

into

which that important member can be divided, during the Decorated Gothick period.
In some windows
it is

difficult,

or rather scarcely possible, to discover the existence

of the

equilateral

principle of

formation, except

by

actual

admeasurement;

in

others,

a comparatively sHght examination will render that principle clearly

apparent;
all

and again

in

other examples,

it

is

at

once obvious to
last

beholders.
will

Commencing with windows

specimen

of

this

character,

we
^' ^'co^HB^TEr"'

adduce a

from the

Church

of

St.

Nicholas, at
class
:

Colchester,

which

may

be fairly regarded as a type of a

is

here

the

principle of

formation

distinctly evident

we

easily

perceive
all

that the equilateral triangle

centres for the tracery
;

ABC
for
is

subdivided into four similar figures, wiU give

the

B, C, being severally the centres for the window-arch, and

the
arches of the tracery.

e, e, e,

the centres

In Plate 2 of Section
;

1,

Decorated,
of the

a similar example from Northfleet Church

is

and in Plate 8

same subdivision,

figured another elegant variety of this style

of window, from Capel St. Mary, Suffolk.

Hingham Church,

Norfolk,

giL
Plate

^
4),

)iQ affords

an

example of a three-light
is

window

of like character (Appendix,

lights,
:J

and in Trinity Church, HuU,

in

one of a similar design with six

also

The
as

circular

window

Leek Church,

Staffordshire, is

remarkable specimen
||

are
east

likewise those in

the Bishop's Palace, Southwark, and

St.

Chichester Cathedral.
is

The

window

of the

Church of

John, at Staunton, Oxon,1f again,

a curious example, and at

:

the same time a most valuable witness in favom- of this principle of the construction of tracery

The term Tracery must,

to a certain degree, be restricted to the

windows of the Decorated Gothick period

inasmuch as in those of the succeeding period, the window heads

pierced panel-work.

for the

most part degenerated into a species of

+ See Sharpe's Decorated Windows.

X See Bloxam's Gothick Architecture, Ed. 8, p. 220.

II

See Britten's Antiquities, Vol. V. See Britten's Antiquities, Vol. V. See Architectural Antiquities in the neighbourhood of Oxford,
p.

225.

ON THE CONSTKUCTION OF TRACERY

for here,

IN WINDOWS.
worked

43

what

in other cases

must have been the formation

lines, are

into the design,

and the tracery consequently

consists of intersecting lozenges which, if subdivided,

would

naturally produce a series of equUateral triangles.

The example from Harbledown Church,

Kent, could hardly be the result of any other than of a system of triangulation.

We
which

pass on to the second class of windows, in the tracery of

this principle of formation,

though existing,
are

is

not so manifest
varieties
:

as in the preceding examples.

first,

Of these there

two chief

those with intersecting

tracery, as in the

two light-windows

at Stoke

Albany (Section
Suffolk
(Section

I.

Early English, Plate 17), and Little Early English, Plate 5); in three-ligh*
I.

Wenham,

I.

V
u,

*
10
;

windows, at Meopham, and Heme, both in Kent (Section

Early Eugiuiii,

I'latc

and Decorated, Plate 20)

(Section
it
I.

and

in

windows of
In
all

five

lights at

Trumpington, Cambridgeshire

Decorated, Plate 29).

these windows, whether of

two or more

lights,

will

easily

be

seen

that

the

outer arch

being

equilateral,

all

the subdivisions of

the

window-head,
necessity

produced by tracery bars following

be
equilateral
also.
is

the

curves of
style

the outer

arch,

must of

Many windows
formed by
with
is

of this

have

no further

attempt at tracery than that which

this

intersection
:

of

tracery-bars

continuous

the mullions

and even where further enrichment

added,

it

is

always of a secondary character, and

leaves the original formation of the

more important
Such

members

of the

window-head

distinctly visible.
circles,

enrichment usually consists of

metrical
to
figui-es,

or other geo-

which must of necessity be tangent

sides

the

four

intersecting

of
;

the
or,

compartment
sometimes
foiling
it

within which
extends

they are
further

inserted
to

SOOTHILICr Chorcb, Keft.

no

than

the

mere
all

the several

compartments.

With

these

intersecting

windows may be

classified
"

two-light windows, in which tracery-bars diverge

;

from the head of the muUion, and describe curves similar to those of the window-arch
in
fact,

these

tracery-bars,

if

produced, would intersect the sweeps of the arch, within

I.

which they are contained.*

(See Section

Decorated, Plate 3.)

of

The second subdivision of

this second class

windows comprises by

far the greater

*
is

No

two-light

window can be

said to have intersecting tracery, except

upon the

principle here laid

down.

It

upon

this principle, therefore, that

is

the tracery in the windows of the Churches at Stoke Albany and Little

Wenham

said to intersect.

44
part of that

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTUEE.

manifold variety of designs which
is

exemplified
net-tracery

in

the

window-heads of

the

Decorated
than

Gothick
in

period.

In windows of
flowing

we

detect,

more

readily

perhaps
principle.

any

other

variety of

tracery,

the

working of the equilateral

the figure
is

It is true, indeed, that in

is,

examples of this

class the angularity of

which governs the formation

line

in

execution,
is

altogether
:

suppressed

not only

every

a curve, but also every curve

practical

made
is

to undulate

nevertheless,

upon examination,
a diagram,
net-tracery,

the
it

influence of this

figure

speedily recognised, and in forming

will

almost involuntarily be reproduced.

St.

Thus in two-light windows of

as at

Margaret's, Herts.
other,

(Section
of

I.

Decorated, Plate

8), three equal circles

tangent
of

to

each

the

centres

which must of necessity

be

the

three

angles

an

equilateral

triangle,

determine

the tracery of the

result

window

and the undulations of the

circles.

main curves of the tracery

constructing
to
set

all

from the apposition of other similar

six

In

a a

three,

four,

five,

or

light

window

of

this

class,

we have only
centres
to
for
set

out

proportionate
curves.

number
admirable
is

of

triangles, in

order
this

to

find

the

aU
out,

the requisite

An

modification
in

of

tracery,

so easy

and of such great beauty,

(see

exemplified
;

the door of

Holbeach Church, Lincolnshire

is

Section

I.

Decorated, Plate 10)

rule,

here the apparent capriciousness of the design

brought within the simplest

as

shown

in

the accompanying diagram.

One

series

of equilateral triangles determines the centres of the larger circles, of similar

while a second series In the

and equal
of

triangles gives the smaller

I.

and inner

circles.

window

figured

in Plate 5,
is

Section

Decorated, from Northfleet Church,

this
:

principle of formation

shown

to determine the

construction of a totally different design

6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18,

the same

is

the case as

regards the subsequent specimens, in Plates

or less from one another.

and 26, aU

differing

more

Nor

will this principle be

found applicable only to tracery of windows.

The

beautiful

mosaick pavement in the Chapel of Edward the

Confessor, Westminster Abbey,
*4
is

a most remark-

able example, of the not always observed but ever

active influence of the equilateral triangle in

aU the

purer designs of the Middle Ages, and also of the

earnest desire to assign to that figure a distinct

and

prominent
applicable

position.

The same remark

exquisite
St.

is

equally
great

to

the

diaper

in

the

Flemish Brasses at
pavemunt
IN we,stm,steb

Alban's, Lynn,

and Newark.
equi-

ABBEY.

Thc

lateral triangle,

pcculiar geometrical

its

easy subdivision into similar triangles,

the part

properties of the
it

takes in the forma-

ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRACERY

tion of the hexagon
to

IN

WINDOWS.
therefore

45
best

(the

most compact of

all

form the basis of tracery)

these

figures,

and

the

adapted
satis-

points
factory

are

more

than sufficient to furnish a

for

reason

our

finding

this

triangle
all

the
is

governing principle in the formation of

that

most beautiful in the most beautiful style of Architecture.

With
to

its

geometrical
the
:

value also,

we may

not

fail

associate

remarkable

symbolism of

the equilateral triangle

a qualification of no slight

importance in the sight of those

so
effectively
;

who employed

it

as

we

needs must infer from their

its

evident anxiety visibly to impress

form upon their

works, as well as to employ

in

it

as a governing principle

the formation of them.

The very elegant

tracery
11.

in the spandrel

from Bottisham Church (Section

Woodwork,

Plate 14) illustrates in a striking

:

manner

the desire both to use and to show the equilateral triangle

is

the construction of the design

evidently

a combination of such triangles,

and in the form and arrangement of the

;

decorations
is

we

perceive throughout the prevalence of a similar figure

trefoils.

even the hexagon

subdivided into
is

So

also
:

in

window
window

tracery,

the

same studious display of

Church, represented in

triangularity

constantly

apparent
2,

the

in

Northfleet
lights,

Section
triangles,

I.

Decorated, Plate

comprises three trefoiled

trefoiled,
is,

surmounted by as many
the intervening

each of which

is

doubly

while single trefoils occupy

in

spaces.

This remarkable triplicity

indeed,

a greater or a

lesser

degree

inherent
I.

iu

all

pure Gothick work.

is

In

Plate

25
;

of the
for

Early English portion of Section

the

this triplicity

even unusually apparent

in

Cross engraved on a coped coffin

consists

stone at Barnwell, Northamptonshire,

leaves.

the entire

design

of a

series

of trefoiled

But

let

us return to the

more

direct

consideration

of the subject,

from which we
of Sleaford

have permitted ourselves thus widely to

digress.

In the four-light window

Church (Section

I.

Decorated, Plate 26)

we

are led, without

any great

difficulty, to detect the

influence of the equilateral principle.

Here the main bars of the tracery

of
net-traceiy of

display,
:

somewhat
though
it

modified,
is

the

outline

of

window

two

lights

only

and

not actually struck from the angles of an equilateral triangle, but has the central figure
in order to impart a greater degree of elegance
it

slightly elongated,

to

the

second order
in all

of tracery with which

similar specimens,

is

fiUed

stiU

it

cannot be doubted that in

this, as well as

that

same principle of formation was

o

carefully kept in

view.

In the

46
other

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

window from the same Church, which
is is

figured in Section

I.

Decorated, Plate 18,

:

the deviation from the outline of net tracery

here
it

carried to a far greater extent

but even

would

be

difficult

to

maintain

that

the

constructive

principle

of

net-tracery

had

not, in the first instance,

been used as the ground-work of the design.

And

once
7)

more,
is

the

four-light

window from

Holbeach

Church (Section

I.

Decorated,

Plate

another instance of a somewhat similar departure from a strict rule with a view to suit

the circumstances of a special case, or to gratify peculiar ideas of the beauty of a traceried

window.
In the woodwork of the porch of Bradwell Church,
Essex, (Section
II.

"Woodwork,

Plate 13) are instances of two perfectly different designs of tracery, though both

formed

upon the same

basis.

In the same plate

is

another

specimen,

in

which an attempt has

been made to produce net-tracery from the intersection of squares instead of equilateral
triangles
;

but the
still

effect

thus
so,

produced

is

singularly distorted

and unsatisfactory, and

would appear
is

more
the

were the design continued over a larger space.

is

How
is

difterent

the result

where

triangle

the principle of formation

then

all

consistent,

harmonious, and elegant.

Finally, with

reference to

those

windows,

in

which the equilateral principle, though

certainly
circular

existing,

cannot be

discovered

without a
is

more

searching

examination

the

window

in

Waltham Abbey Church

I.

a truly wonderfid specimen.

4,
it

By refemng

to

the

diagram in Section
of
equilateral

Decorated, Plate
will

will

be seen that the intersection

of every,
is

of a

series

triangles
It

give the

centres

even the minutest,

merely fortuitous
:

curve in the entire figure.*

rather
it

cannot be that such a circumstance

argues the

window

to

have been the work of a profound practical geometrician,

who produced
Section

his design,

compass in hand.

similar instance occurs in the crowning

ornament over the

I.

doorway into the cloister of the Abbey Church of St. Alban's (see Perpendicular, Plates 1 and 2,) the curves for eveiy portion of the design

may
is

be proved to have been described from centres determined by the angles of equitriangles (See Plate 2).

lateral

In these and like examples, indeed, a careful investigation

principle of
is

necessary

in order to discover the

formation,

to reproduce,

as

it

were,

the original design.

But then that principle

investigation

thus to be detected, and, in like manner,

similarly careful

wiU not

fail

to

show

that,

throughout the purest period

of Gothick art,

the

equilateral triangle

was the great principle of general design and

by
this article

* It does not appear necessary to increase the space occupied

reference to

upon windows by a further

any of the other

plates

stiU less because in nearly all the specimens of

windows the centres

lesser

of the tracery have been laid down,

degree,

and the existence of the

equilateral principle, in a greater or a

made

apparent.

ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRACERY IN WINDOWS.

formation,
itself

47
in the

and

also

was, in

very
its

many

cases,

made prominently apparent

work

when

executed.

Hence,

equilateral triangularity

may

l)e

pronounced an

cflsential

characteristick of Gothick Architecture.

In the outline of the canopied windows, doorways,

aud niches of a Decorated Gothick Structure, and in the prominent position assignwl
to
its

buttresses
its

and pinnacles, we may recognise

traceries

this

characteristick

no

less

than
It

in
is

the

form of

and

diapers,*

its

pavements and

carved ornaments.
it

true that

some examples of windows t may be adduced which

to
class

would be
which

difficult,

if

even

possible,
;

in

common with any

of

the varieties

we have

now

examined

but, in

an age in which the love of novelty in

architectiire

was ardent and

almost universal,

when every endeavour was

;

constantly directed to

the improving what

already was of surpassing beauty

of talent
scarcely
less

in

an age in which there must have been gradations

the
diversities

multifarious

than

in

taste

in

such an

age the

existence of
it

some anomalies cannot be reckoned

in

any degree extraordinary, or rather

anomalies been found.

would indeed be most extraordinary had no

observed,
therefore,

such
a

As we
Grothick

before

in

our

search

after

governing
examples,

principle

of

formation,
practice. J
*

we must be

guided,

not

by

individudl

but

by

the

general

very beautiful diaper on this principle occurs in Canterbury Cathedral.

special reference to

See Willis's account

The statements here made with

Edifice.

windows, extend with equal justice to the other

members of a Gothick
J

The lodge
tlie

in

Eushton Park, Northants, exemplifies the

practical to

application of

equilateral triangle in a

manner too remarkable

an equilateral triangle.
;

be

here

altogether unnoticed.
ail

The plan
into

is

The
and in

roof on

three sides is divided

three equilateral gables

detail,

the windows and from

them to every minutest

the same principle

has been carefully kept in view.

We

subjoin a cut. of one of the windows

of this curious building, a full account of "

which

will

be found in the

BuUder," Vol.

III.

Window

in

Rushton Lodcc

48

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

MOLDINGS.

treating

of

the

Moldings

of

Mediaeval

Architecture,

we propose

to

notice
are

separately the
associated

more important of those members with which they

;

usually

for

we hope

to

be
to

better enabled

by

this

than

by

any other
science

system

of

arrangement,

produce

practical

analysis

of the

of Gothick

Moldings, without at the same time being in

any degree induced to depart from that conciseness and brevity which the general plan
of
this

w^ork
to

renders
great

imperatively necessary.

It

appears
is

requisite,

however,

first

to

advert

the

and

remarkable

difference

which

apparent
;

between

Gothick

Moldings and the corresponding members of Classick Architecture

alike to their outline, grouping,

a difference extending

and

position.

Thus, the entire collection of moldings

;

in

ancient examples

comprises but a few different forms

into certain positions,

and these

definite

in

their
:

character,

and introduced
in

and

in accordance with established rules

whereas,

Structures
of
of

of

the

Middle Ages,
themselves,
style.

variety

of

outline

is

no

less

essentially
is

characteristick

the moldings the

than the frequency of

moldings,
indeed,
piers

their

occurrence
in

characteristick

Gothick
:

Gothick

appear

almost
to

every conceivable position

ribs of the fretted vaults

from the bases of piers

sustain,
this

and the

themselves
is

the

which they

scarcely a

member

occurs which

incapable

of receiving consistent decoration that

in
this

by

most elegant method.

And

it

may
to

be added
are

multiplicity of molding-work, the almost only combinations which

are

not

commonly found

such as would have appeared to assimilate

to,

or

have been

derived from, classick authority.

Such being the practice of the Masters

to

of

Gothick Art, we are disposed rather

assign

to

themselves the invention and development of their

its

own

admirable system

of moldings, than to seek

origin from another source.

It

is

no argument whatever

in support of the opinion that Gothick Moldings are derived from Classick Architecture,

that

in

buildings

of

the

Anglo-Norman
especially in
distinct

style
:

a rude
for

resemblance

to

certain

ancient

moldings

may
is

be traced,
altogether

bases

the

Anglo-Norman being a form of

Neither does the same
of outline
in

Romanesque,

from Gothick Architecture.

the fact
of a

supposition acquire
* Tlie authors feel

much weight from

mucli pleasure
Treatise
in

casual similitude

availing

themselves of this opportunity to express

lately published

thus publicly
rare

their high opinion of the

upon Moldings,

by Mr. Paley, which possesses the

combination of being equally valuable to the professional architect and the amateur student of architecture.

MOLDINGS.
few instances, between
to

49
or

Roman and Gothick Moldings;

to

from a close approximation

examples.
tran-

the

attic

base,

occasionally

be

observed in some

few Early Gothick

This

resemblance

to a

regular classick

member only
:

existed during a
final

sitional,

and

necessarily

an imperfect, period

with the

abandonment of the

circular arch, a

sudden change appears

to have taken place in the moldings of bases, as well as of

other

members

and, in place of a modification of the attic

base, a widely different composition

was introduced.
2
its

In the

annexed figures No.

No.
1.

is

the attic base. No.

is

Early

No.

2.

No.

3.

English imitation, and No. 3 a base which

if,

found to have immediately succeeded

to the latter,

indeed,

it

was not

in use at the

same time.
origin,

Leaving to others a further investigation of their

more
occiir

direct

consideration
to

of

mediaeval

moldings.*
in

These

we now proceed to the members most frequently

in
capitals
positions.

in

the jambs

windows and doorways,

strings,

pier-arches,

and

bases,
first

in

cornices,

vaulting ribs,
These,

basements,
earliest

and in some other

of

And
are
for

of

Jamb Molds.

in

the

examples

Norman doorways,
slightest

tEe

most part simply squared back from the walls without the

attempt to enrich
Recessed

the surfaces with moldings, properly so called, as at Fritwell Church, Oxfordshire.

jambs were, however, introduced

continued in favour, both
in

at a very early period of the style

until

and

this

arrangement

windows and doorways,

the
it

most perfect period of

Gothick
to

art.t

In

Norman jamb molds when thus

recessed,

was the prevalent habit

in this

place

detached shafts in each nook or interior angle,

and

case the several

recessed orders,

and sometimes the jamb

shafts also,
;

were often enriched with the pecvdiar

S.

though diversified surface-carving of

St.

the style

the

doorway of

Mary's Church,
;

Easton,

Hants, furnishes

good example of
I.

shafted jambs
Plates
1,
;

and other specimens are figured

6.

in Section
in

Norman,
of

4,

These jamb shafts

occur

a great
yet

variety

rr

U
^^^^
;

forms
their
this
St.

most frequently, indeed, they are

is

circular,
I.

occasionaUy
4,

form

octagonal, or twisted, as at Section

is

Norman, Plate

or slightly pointed

last-named variety

restricted to late specimens,

5,)

as in the Chancel

arch at Codford

Mary's
*

(Section

I.

Semi-Norman, Plate

and again,
many

at "Weald, in Essex, in the S.

The moldings of the Anglo-Nomian

it

stj'le

being in so

Edifices

associated

with their Gothick

successors,

has been considered expedient here to give a place for the consideration of these latest developments

of Eomanesque work, in connection with Gothick moldings.

f It will be borne in mind that the jambs of Norman windows

the doorways
;

differ

but very slightly,

if at all,

from those of

in fact, in

most

cases they are precisely identical, except in use

and

position.

50

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

is

doorway, another curious form of jamb shaft

shafts

exemplified.

In some arches the customary

were either entirely dispensed with, or restricted to the sub-arch only, whUe the
of the recessed orders in the jambs were
richly ornamented,
as at Iffley

difiierent faces

Church, Oxon, and Malmsbury Abbey Church.

Before proceeding any further,
different planes occur in

we must remark
lie
:

that in

jamb and arch molds,

three

which the moldings

is

these have been distinguished

parallel

by Mr.
-wall
;

Paley as the Wall Plane, that

u
^

any plane (A A)

with the main

the Soffit
the

Plane*

or any plane (B B) or such a plane

at right angles

with the wall plane

and

Chamfer Plane,

(C)

as

is

generally,

but by no means

invariably, placed at an angle

of 45 with the

two planes before mentioned.

always worked in the wall

In the Anglo-Norman style the jamb molds were almost

r

and

soffit

planes

and

this

continued to be the general arrangement throughout

\.
c

the Early English Gothick period, although

we

occasionally (as in Section

plane.

I.

Early

^Mkv
be
;

English,

Plate

3)

find the

jamb molded on the chamfer

and
soffit

During the
still

earlier portion

of the Decorated Gothick period, the wall

planes

continued

to

plane

most generally used, but then in tolerably frequent connection with the chamfer which at this time was in most cases worked exactly at an angle of 45 with

the wall

and

soffit

planes.

Perpendicular moldings are generally characterised by then-

lying in the chamfer plane, which

was no longer usually true

to the angle of 45

and

as

the style advanced towards the era of decided architectural debasement, the moldings shared
in the prevaUrng desire to produce a meretricious effect, without of composition
;

any reference

to correctness

accordingly

we

find that in
I.

many

late examples, as in
7,)

the west doorway

of

Lavenham Church,

Suffolk, (Section

Perpendicular, Plate

the moldings, besides the

in

debasement of their contour and grouping, appear hardly to

lie

either of the proper

molding planes.
/

jamb molds in the Early English Gothick period, the door-jambs continued most frequently to be worked in a series of rectangularly recessed orders, with
But
to return to the
:

detached shafts of cylindrical form and comparatively slender proportions placed in every nook.

An elegant deviation
doorway of
St.

from the

common and

simple form of this arrangement occurs in the

I.

S.

Martin's Church at Leicester, (Section

is

Early English, Plate 23,) where a

In this period,
also, as in the
;

secondary series of shafts

introduced with excellent

effect.

preceding style, some door-jambs occurred in which shafts took no part in the design
least in

or at

which
:

(also as before)

they only appear as supporters of the sub-arch of the compound

archway
*
its

in these examples, however, the angles of the several orders

term
is

which the Norman

Tliis

scarcely correct,

when

applied to

jamb molds

still, it

has been here retained in consequence of

general accuracy, and to avoid the introduction of

new

terms.

MOLDINGS.
arcliitecta left

51

untouched, their successors iuvariably chamfered off

filled

and the chamfers thus

produced were frequently hoUowed out and

with the beautiful tooth ornament, or they

were carried up plain to the impost of the arch, and there terminated in some elegant
device (see Section
I.

Early English, Plate 21).

In the Decorated Gothick period the de;

tached shafts were entirely abandoned, in door-jambs as well as other positions

in doorways,

however, shafts were

still

retained, but so far altered in their character as to be almost

It

invariably attached to the mass of the Structure.

that

may
if

here be remarked as a general rule

when

shafts,

engaged or otherwise, were used, the moldings they carried were placed on
the rectangular planes
;

but

the shafts were dispensed with and

the jambs were continuous with the arch, then the moldings were

worked on the chamfer plane,

Ditton Church, Cixmbridgeshire.
trated iijlvl
iu
I.

aa in the

priest's

doorway, Fen
is

This arrangement

well

illus-

the

N.

doorway

of

Swatton

Church,

Lincolnshire,

(Section

Decorated, Plate 23,) where part of the

jamb mold
;

is

on the chamfer plane, and part on the rectangular planes

former
is

the

continuous with the arch mold, the latter has a shaft

series of arch

j:

jjjjy

with cap and base, and carries a perfectly distinct

moldings.
Fen Ditton, Cambridoeshirc.

Perpendicular jamb molds being, perhaps,

plane,
'

invariably

worked on the chamfer

were therefore much more often

continuous with the arch mold than produced by shafts.

The arrangement of the window-jambs during the

iu close accordance with that of the doorways.

successive

periods was generally

In the richer examples small shafts were intro-

duced, (after the fashion of the

Norman

architects) which, rising

up
all

to the springing of the

window, carried one or several orders of the arch moldings.

used

At

times these shafts were

;

much more

frequently in the interior of the

window than on

tHe outside

a window in

the south transept of Wissendine Church, Rutland, however, has a magnificent arrangement
of triple
St.

jamb

shafts externally, resting

on a steep and weathered

sill.

The south

aisle of

Martin's Church, Leicester, has some excellent examples of the use of this

member

internally.

Other instances of jamb shafts in windows will be found in Section

Plate 13, where they are placed outside
;

I.

Early English,
I.

and in Plates

10, 12, 15, 17,

and 20, and Section

Decorated, Plate 29, in

It

all

of which they occur on the insida

must, however, be borne in mind that though most exquisite adornments, moldings
:

are not nevertheless essential accessories

tion
fleet,

many windows with

and

tracery of the richest descrip;

have their muUions and jambs composed of simple chamfers

Section
I.

see the

windows

in

North-

Decorated, Plates 2 and

5,

also those given in Plates 13

and

15.

52

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

Arch Moldings, even when
not continuous, partook of the same general arrangement as
:

those in the jambs, with greater richness of detail

o-roups of moldings

thus,

when shafts were

emploj^ed, they carried

still

more elaborate than those of the jambs, though

doorway of North

falling
I.

upon the
Decorated,
it

same planes
Plate 25.)

as in the west

Mimms

Church, Herts.

(Section

During the continuance of the Norman, Early English, and Decorated periods,
practice, in the case of arches dividing the

was the invariable

Chancel from
its

nave from the

aisles,

or the

adjoining chapels, to keep

:

them

entirely distinct

from the piers on which

they were carried

these latter were frequently simply circular, or octagonal, while the arches

were most elaborately molded or enriched, as in

New Shoreham

Church.

(Section

I.

Semi-

Norman, Plate
examples in
St.

3.)

Even when both members were equally ornamented,

as in the magnificent
;

Patrick's, Patrington, their separate characters

were nevertheless preserved

while in Perpendicular, on the contrary,

we may

perceive a
I.

much

closer connexion to exist

1 4,

between them.

The

piers

and arches given

in Section
;

Perpendicular, Plate

show the

arrangement generally adopted at this period

shafts placed at the cardinal points of the pier

supported part of the arch moldings, the remainder being continuous and

common

to both

members.

Capitals were either

molded

or carved

with

foliage,

animals,

&c.

they always,
strictly

however, consisted of three distinct parts, which require to be most

kept in view,
feature.

if

we would

preserve the peculiar character of this important

These three divisions of the capital

hell B,

may

be described as the head

mold A, the

and the nech mold

C.

9....

In

Norman

capitals the

head mold was, almost without exception, square

;

on plan, and consisted of a few simply arranged moldings

examples this member was adorned with some of the innumerable sculptures
period
:

in the

richer
at that

common

(see

Section

I.

Norman, Plate
bells,*

5.)

In this same plate are represented different

quaint.

examples of ornamented

some of them very

The peculiar form of

capital

which occurs in Waltham Abbey Church, has been distinguished by the name of cushion
capital
bell
;

it is

usually a

mark

of early work.
elaborate,

At

other times, and especially in late work, the

beautiful, sculpture
;

was carved with the most

and sometimes most

geometrical
figures,

and interlaced patterns, and even

foliage, flowers,

rude representations of animals and

human

entire legends, occupied the

whole

space.

Such endless variety

is)

in

design would

excite our surprise,

were we not to

reflect that it

was (and indeed

many cases

in the spirit of Gothick

* This term, borrowed from classick Arcliitecture,

is

in

scarcely appropriate

yet

it is

so convenient,

and

its

moaning withal

is

so well understood, that

it

has been considered advisable to retain

it,

rather than add

further complexity to the architectural nomenclature

by the introduction of a

new

term.

MOLDINGS.
architecture to

08
faith or legend,

embody

in its sculpture
;

any matter of

which were thus traoBto

mitted from one generation to another

even passing events,

the olden times, at once, and almost imperishably

we may imagine noted down with the chisel

Norman

have been, in

Could we but

read them,

how much

of historical lore might not these old

capital,

sculptures reveal to ua.

;

The neck mold, the lowest portion of the

never assumed an important position

and during the Norman period generally consisted of a bead, or a square with the angles
taken
off.

In the succeeding styles these three parts of the capital, though always existing, were
less

prominently marked

and indeed

it

has been a very

common

practice in the revived

bell,

Gothick moldings to lose sight of the distinct existence of the head mold and

which have

accordingly merged into one, and the character of the capital been thereby entirely destroyed.
In the accompanying cuts,

is

a capital from St. Alban's

Abbey

Church, and

B shows how

the separate parts of the head mold and the

projection of the latter,

beH, if lost sight of

by the undue

become

converted into one.

Now

a close examination of ancient examples

win

establish, as

a general rule,* that the head mold was the most

;

projecting

member

then came the beU, falling back a

little

from

it

and

lastly the

neck mold, which receded stUl further from the face of

the beU.

In other words,
:

we might

regard a Gothick capital as consisting of three circular

;

pieces of stone

the lower one a thin slab, out of which the neck mold would be produced
first,

the second, a thick block projecting considerably over the

lastly,

would form the

bell

and

another slab at top, somewhat thicker than the

first,

and projecting the most of the

three, out of

which would be cut the head mold.

in

The heaviness observable

this simple

some modern

capitals

is

principally

owing to the neglect

of

arrangement.

The
part,

bell,

when not

foliated,

generally consisted of a group of moldings in the upper

which were united to the neck mold by a beautifully undercut and gracefully curved
;

outline

or occasionally,
different groups,

and the

effect is

extremely beautiful, the

bell

was double, consisting

3,

of

two

the one receding from the other, as in Fig.

Fig. 2, Decorated, Plate 35.
it

Section

I.

Early

English, Plate

24

and

The neck mold of the Gothick period

;

did not acquire more importance than

or

had during the Norman

it still

consisted of a bead

some other simple molding.

Finally,
capitals,

we would remark

that while a genei-al squareness

of outline

marked the Norman

the Karly English and Decorated were distinguished

by being
*

circular,

and the Perpendicular by being octagonal.

work
in

Examples

are occasionally found in old

which

this principle has not

heen followed, but their rare

occurrence in no

way

affects the general rule.

54

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

Bases
consist of

two

distinct parts,

the plinth and the

ho.se

moldings: the former

periods
;

member was most apparent during

The Norman
square,

the

Norman and Early English

it

in the sub-

sequent styles, though always to be found,

plinth, in conformity with the

was, nevertheless, at times hardly discernible.

capital,

head mold of the

was almost invariably

and usually consisted of a plain unmolded mass of

:

stone,

on which rested the base

result

moldings

these latter took the shape of the pier,

and the blank spaces which

foliage,

from

placing a circle or octagon upon a square,

were enriched with

3.)

animals,

or other

ornaments.

(See Section

I.

Semi-Norman, Plate

Frequently the plinth was double, in

I.

which case the lower member was generally chamfered, as at Orpington (Section

Scmi-

Norman, Plate

or

molded, as in the

triplet

from the Chapel of

St.

Bartholomew's

Hospital (Section
plinths are

I.

Early English, Plate

15).

In Early English, double and even triple

(Section
I.

commonly met

with, as at Clymping,

Early English, Plate

5,)

and

from the richness of the moldings with which they are ornamented, assume frequently
considerable importance
:

see
12.

a base

from Westminster Abbey Church, Section

the

I.

Early
of
in

English, Plate
its

24, Fig.

During

Decorated period, the

plinth

lost

much
it

prominence, in fact the entire base M^as generally a

:

less striking feature

than

was

the preceding style

instances, however,
I.

may

be found of triple plinths, as in

;

Hingham
in

Church, Norfolk (Section

Decorated, Plate 33, Figure 10)

and Tunstead Church,

the same county, furnishes an example of a quadruple arrangement of this member.

The
triple,

Perpendicular plinth grew to a most exaggerated height, was constantly double or

and from the number and richness of

it

its

parts, requires

a close examination to separate

Margaret's

from the base moldings.

fine specimens

The tower
style.

piers

to

St.

Church,

Westminster,
I.

have

of this
9,)

Sometimes, as in the
consisted
solely of

sedilia at

Cobham, (Section

Perpendicular,

Plate

the base

a plinth, the base moldings being

still

entirely omitted.

In plain Churches of the Early English, and

more

so of the Decorated to

period, a chamfered plinth of a few inches projection

was the most usual termination

the nave piers.

Shortly after the introduction of the Early English, the plinth began to adapt
to the

itself

form of the pier which

as

it

supported

the change, however, was gradual

the square

became an octagon,
foliage
fill

in Westminster

Abbey Church, where

delicately carved

knobs of

up the spaces which occur between the octagonal plinth and the

circular base

molds

finally,

the plinth assumed the form of the base moldings and bent in and out
pier.

with the outline of the

It is

very singular that after a lapse of time the plinth should

still

once more have become octagonal, though the base moldings

retained the circular form

and in Perpendicular
wrought
in

it

was frequently the case that both plinth and base molds were
leaving only
the

octagonal faces,

upper molding of the

latter to follow the

MOLDINGS.
shape of the
shaft.

55
it

In Churches of Perpendicular date

was customary

for

the

base

moldings to encircle the shafts only, while the plinths, on the contrary, were carried round
the whole pier, as in Lindfield and

Lavenham Churches,
little

Section

I.

Perpendicular, Plate 14.

Base moldings admit but

of

variety of form or arrangement.

very
it is

common Norman
not a
style
little

base molding consisted of a hollow and quarter round, and

singular that the resemblance to the attic base did not occur tiU the
;

was considerably advanced

in fact

it

was during the Early English period

that this resemblance

became complete.

Base moldings were also extensively used round the walls, buttresses, and towers of
Churches.

Those of the Early English period were generally very plain and unimportant

The

beautiful little

Church of Skelton, near York,

though

is

enriched inside with moldings of the

most

elaborate

description,

externally the walls

and

buttresses have

merely

chamfered table.*
Plate 6) has

The tower of Fen Ditton Church, Cambridgeshire (Appendix,

eflfective

Fig. 1,

a plain but

arrangement of moldings.

In

many

of the Decorated
essential portions

and Perpendicular towera, the base moldings became highly ornamental and
of the

design

those

in

Hingham Church

are

peculiarly

magnificent,

and are panelled

is

with a great variety of beautiful designs, t

rich

The tower of Worstead Church,

the combination of the panelled

an equally

example of a somewhat

later period

flint

work and

the sunk quatrefoils has a very good appearance.

of the

The neighbouring Church of Tunstead

carefully

same

date, has also

some

excellent

and

wrought moldings.

(Section
is

I.

Decorated, Plate 30.) Generally in Decorated work

judicious that even

the

grouping of the moldings

so

when

left

unenriched by tracery, they stiU present a pleasing, and in

effect.

some

instances, a

grand and imposing

Perpendicular basement moldings were

Suffolk,
flint

much

more frequently panelled.

In Norfolk

and

panelling

is

a very

common

enrichment, and, indeed, a volume might be devoted to the illustration

ever varying devices which abound in theSe counties.
as a
St.

of the elegant and

Mary's, Stratford,

may

be cited

most

pei-fect

specimen of this style of workmanship.

In this instance an inscription

,ppears

on the basement moldings, by which we learn that that part of the Church (the

north

aisle)

was erected
flint

in

1430;

see Section

I.

Perpendicular,
"

Plates

11,

19,

and 20..

In producing these
of the design

enrichments the

"
it

on the

stone, then sinking

;

modus operandi consisted in tracing the outline a few inches, and afterwards filling up the sunk
was used.
such as

parts with small flints

or where the cavities were very minute, a kind of black pigment

* Table appears to have been the general term for any horizontal
corbel table, crest table,

member

in

Gothick Architecture

skew

table, water table, &c., see Willis's Nomenclature.

t
is

L'his

interesting

and pure specimen of a Decorated Church was erected between the years 1316 and 1359.
in

It

illustrated

by two views and a plan

Vol

T.

of the Parish Churches.

TT"

IHii"

56

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTUEE.

Stringcourses and Dripstones are so frequently
identical, the

one being can-ied on

Strings perform

and forming the

other, as to render it necessary to

examine them together.

"

no insignificant part in the general design of the Budding,

graduated and rectangular heights
;

Sometimes rising abruptly in

;

sometimes carried over a doorway or round an arch

it

now dying

into the wall

it,

now

as

were passing into some interrupting projection and,

;

nothing baffled by
label

re-appearing on the other side

now

starting aloof into

;

window

and playing the most

fantastic tricks before it again descends

a stringcourse at once

relieves

naked masonry and binds into a whole the seemingly detached portions of a rambling

and

"* irregular construction.

The most
windows
;

usual,

and perhaps the

essential position

of the stringcourse of the

is

under the

which are thus divided from the more

especially

solid parts

basement.

The greater
period,

number

of Churches,

those

of the Early English and Decorated

;

were

adorned with this apparently insignificant member

and in most

cases

where

it

was omitted,

the walls present an unfinished and naked appearance.

carried

corresponding string was generally

at

round the inside of the Church, under the windows and over the doorways, as

Southfleet Church, Kent.

Norman

strings

were usually heavy in their outline, and rarely displayed any particular
beauty of arrangement
frequently
:

they were, however, very

much

enriched with the ornamental sculp-

ture of that period, as in

Waltham Abbey Church,

Early
English

and

in

St.

Peter's,

Northampton.

strings,

on the contrary, were remarkably light and

elegant,

and displayed a great amount of

:

taste

and and

judicious treatment

freed from the restraint

horizontality of the previous style, they delighted in

closely attaching themselves to those
GOSOKOTE Chdkcb, Northants.

members which

they were intended to adorn

sill

accordingly
to

we

find

them now

rose

up

close

under the

of the

window, and then suddenly dropping

rising

accom-

modate themselves to the arch of a low doorway, and again

under the adjoining window
rally carried
:

to run

immediately

at this period the strings

obstacle, such

were genea
buttress,
side,

round an intervening
it

as

rather than dying against

to re-appear

on the other

and

such became the most accustomed treatment in the following

TicHMAKSH chdbch, northants,

style.

Dccoratcd strings were frequently of great beauty

is

in these

and

in all

other moldings of this period, there

*

a gracefulness of outline and a finish of

p. 69.

Paley's Gothick Moldings,

MOLDINGS.
execution, that

57

we

look for in vain in any of the other styles.

The very

interesting

Church

of Bottisham in Cambridgeshire,

may

be mentioned as peculiarly rich in moldings of the

till

most exquisite workmanship.

stones were

In opposition to the practice,

distinct
devices.

then prevalent, the drip-

most usually quite

from the stringcourse, and terminated in heads,

Occasionally, however, the hoodmolds were con-

flowers, animals, or

some quaint

tinued on from one

window

to the other, of

which arrangement the Chancel of Chartham

(Section
I.

Church, Kent,

ofl"ers

a most pleasing example.

Decorated, Plate 22.)

In the

beautiful Decorated Chapel of St. Etheldreda in Ely Place,

Holbom, the continuation of the

hoodmold between each window,

rises

up

into gables enriched with flowing tracery.

little

Perpendicular strings difiered but

from the Decorated, except in their outline

this period,

which partaking of the general character of the moldings of

became more angular

and
often
ever,

distinctly marked.

Their use was less frequent than waa previously the case, and
erected
entirely

the

small village Church was

without them.

Dripstones,

how-

were generally retained, and in most cases were simply returned at the springing of

the arch, instead of finishing with terminal heads and flowers, such as were used by the

Decorated Architects.
squares, pentagons,

In the richer BuUtlings,

initials, shields

bearing the Sacred Monogram,

and octagons, sometimes with small

(Sect.
I.

flowers in the centre,

and innu-

merable other devices were freely introduced.

Perpendicular, Plate 27.)

^^-^

Cornices are not

Architecture
;

essential features in

Gothick

in fact,

when used they might more

rightly be considered as enlarged stringcourses.

They occur

principally under parapets, or at the

:

eaves of roofs and spires

of the important part,

however, which they perform in the open timber

roofs

of Norfolk

and

Suffolk,

we

shall

treat

hereafter.

In Norman, and some Early English

Buildings, the cornice

was formed by the

St.

Haktui's Cbchcb, Liicestkb.

projeccorbels,

tion of the upper part of the wall,

which was supported on brackets or

and hence

termed the corbel

table.

This arrangement was susceptible of and frequently received consider-

able enrichment; at Bicker Church, Lincolnshire, this

table assumes the appearance of the heraldick nebul6
line
;

by an easy modification the

trefoiled,

circles afterwards

became

and sometimes ornamented with

as at

dog tooth in the

is

soffit,

Romsey. The spire table

ii

deserving of considerable attention, for in a great

x\

measure the beauty of thespire depends on its judicious

B.a.CHri. l.oo.h..

58

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTURE.

Its projection

junction with the tower.

from the wall was in

all cases

very inconsiderable.

In

the Early English Structures a series of small trefoiled arches corbelled out from the wall,

commonly met with the beautiful spires of St. Mary's, Stamford, and Ketton, Rutland, have exare
;

amples of a very elegant arrangement

and a

single

hollow studded here and there with ball flower or

heads,

was

also introduced

with excellent

effect.

The hollow, more properly termed the casement

which holds a prominent position in most
Oadby Church, Leicestehshire.

cornices,

was generally o j

filled

with heads, flowers, or running o

ornaments

we may

notice that the flowers in Decorated cornices usually spread over the reI.

mainder of the moldings, (Section

Decorated, Plate 37,) while in the Perpendicular examples

(Section
I.

they were most frequently confined to the casement.

Perpendicular, Plate 12.)

positions
in

Having now reviewed the arrangement, knd the most ordinary

which

moldings occur, we will examine the subordinate parts of which they are composed.

The

earliest

molding found in Norman work appears to be the circular bowtel, worked out
This formation
is

of the edges of a recessed arch.

clearly

shown

in

many

instances where the

bowtel only commences some few inches above the springing of

the arch, as in Sandridge Church, Herts. t

A bowtel

alternated

with a hollow forms the principal arrangement of

ings
SiNDRiDOE Church, Herts.
;

Norman mold-

their great richness

was rather the

result of a profusion of

sculpture, always

wrought on the rectangular

its

planes, than of mul-

tiplicity or

beauty in the moldings.

The chevron and

Architecture, and in

almost innumerable varieties were

their formation

conspicuous ornaments in

Norman

some instances

was so

complex as to require no

little

attention to disentangle the

maze of stone-work. This beautiful

It

ornament continued

in use long after all others of the

same date had been discarded.

was of

constant occurrence in Semi-Norman, and

may

even occasionally be traced in Early English work.

Norman

stringcourses partook of the heaviness of the moldings of that period.

They

* Willis's Nomenclature.

+ It

is

a peculiar characteristick of pure Gothick, that all moldings, panelling, or sculpture were always sunk

from the face of the work.

Such an arrangement

is

the natural result of a style, a distinguishing type of which was

;

only to introduce ornament as an embellishment to construction

pier,

thus a capital would naturally be corbelled from the

subdivision into headmold, bell, and neckmold
surface,
;

the better to carry the superincumbent weight

hence

its

panelling resulted from a desire to enrich that

which would otherwise be a plain

and consequently was

wrought out of the face already existing j a row of dog tooth generally exemplifies very well
were worked out of the block.

how ornaments

also
.

As

the debasement gradually crept

in,

we

find the contrary to have taken place.

MOLDINGS.
had very
little

59

variety in fonn, frequently consisting of projecting ledges with one or both

off.

sides chamfered

few sections of the most

6.

oft occur-

ring varieties are given in Appendix, Plato

The adjoined

Semi-Norman example occurs

of Bapchild Church, Kent,

internally in the north chapel

in the original
is

and

coloured blue and yellow.

in the Early

The hollow soon

after its introduction

became more and more imdcrcut, and

English style was frequently carried to such an extravagant excess, as to materially affect the
durability of the moldings.

During the continuance of the Semi-Norman, a new member

made

its

appearance, the pear-shaped or pointed bowtcL

We

can easily trace

its

formation from the circular mold already noticed, by leaving the arris of the
original square block uncut.

From

this

pointed howtel most of the subsequent

it

Gothick moldings wUl be found to be derived, for by an easy transition

one, two, or three
fillets
;

became a bowtel of

all

of which, with their numerous varieties, performed important

parts
period.

in

the molding system of the purest

The example

in the appended

cut

was common
work, and eventually gave
it

in Early English

and Decorated

rise to

the

wave molding

that most elegant of Gothick moldings

fillet

%
That
;

having become usual by this time to gently round the

into the bowteL*

this

wave

mold

derived
;

its

origin

from the

filleted

bowtel

is

\ singularly

clear

for at first

we meet with

instances,

as in

the doorway of
the
fillets

St.

Margaret's Chapel, Herts, with only one of

rounded

and shortly afterwards in the Chancel windows of

Fleet Church,t

Lincolnshire,
still

we

find

both

fillets

rounded

si.

off,

though

jukoa^ciuu
the Decorated

the molding

preserves its character of a filleted bowtel.

it lost

As
its

period advanced,

more and more of

fillet

its

resemblance to

prototype

the

curve which at
Lincolnshire.'

first

gently united the

to the bowtel, gradually

it is

assumed more
its

importaucc at the cxpcnsc of the latter

state,

and

not a

little

singular that in

ost

complete

and when Decorated had arrived at

its

highest degree

f perfection, the formation of the wave mold appears to have been from
the three points of an equilateral triangle.

A group

of

two or more wave

beautiful Deco-

molds, with intervening hollows, was a

rated arrangement.

common and most

This mold was also of frequent occurrence in Perpendicular, though

belonging more especially to the former period,

* This
fillet

gradually became smaller and smaller, until at last

it

was reduced almost to an

4, Fig. 37.

arris,

t For a drawing of one of these windows, sec Appendix, Plate

is illustrated

The Church

itself

in the Parish Churches, Vol.

I.

page 51.

60

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

The
ogee, the

most generally used perhaps of aU moldings, may with equal certainty be

traced to the same source as the

wave mold.

It is in fact a half of the fiUeted

bowteL

The

double ogee, formed by the junction of two ogees, was introduced

towards the close of the Decorated, but became a more constant

-

and

characteristick feature of the Perpendicular period.

A remarkDouBix Ogee.
its

ably early instance of this molding (probably fortuitous) occurs in the central
shaft of the double

beU gable of Skelton Church, Yorkshire

formation
filleted bowtels.

appears the result of an arrangement of four clustered

One more molding remains

to be noticed,

and though
:

last it is

perhaps

the most characteristick and essentially Gothick of any

scroll

we

allude to the

mold.

Here again we may

with one

certainly refer to the bowtel for its origin.

partially developed, and, as

It is in fact a bowtel,

fillet

might be

expected,
Skel-ton Church,

its

first

occurrence

is

traced to

shortly before

yorkshike.

the close of the Early English period.

architects treated
it

Agreeably with
as they
at last

their ideas of beauty, the Decorated

filleted

had the
it

bowtel

we

find its angular outline gently softened,

and

assumed the appear-

ance so peculiar to the 14th century.

other,

This mold was more extensively used perhaps than any

and

its varieties

became so numerous

as almost to defy classification.

capitals,

It entered

abundantly into the formation of

bases,

hoodmolds, and

strings

:*

it

was rarely used

in Perpendicular work.

I
The sunk chamfer

Before leaving this subject, yet one other variety must be mentioned.
is

simple in

its

construction, yet generally efi"ective in execution.

Its

production

may have
it

\been
^

the result of cutting

away the
it

projection from a fiUeted bowtel, though

is

perhaps easier to imagine that

effect.

was simply sunk from the plain chamfer with

it
is

a view of gaining more

Sunk Chamfer.

In the muUions and tracery of windows,

of particularly

happy

introduction.

To resume
observe that the

briefly the various peculiarities in

moldings at the difierent periods.

;

We

Norman hardly

got beyond the alternating round and hollow

that the

Early English, extending the example set them by the architects of the Semi-Norman period,
hollowed their moldings to an extravagant degree, and that the hoUows until then divided
individual members of a group, but that in Decorated the hollows only divided the complete
* It is occasionally, though very rarely, found in vertical groups of moldings, such as door
It occurs in

and window jambs.

Wootton Church, Beds,

in the north

doorway

in such instances, however,

it

should rather be consi-

dered as a partially developed hlleted bowteL

reversed
;

At

other times, and more especially in bases, this mold will be found

these, however, are exceptions to the general practice,

and can hardly be sanctioned by correct

taste.

DOORWAYS.
groups;*
that

61
the

while

Early

English

moldings,

from

irregular section of

their hollows, present

more the appear-

ance of having been drawn

"

libera

manu," Decorated on the

;

contrary were remarkable for geometrical precision

Perpendicular, the

that in

hoUow was converted

into

the

shallow

casement, the character of the moldings suffering in

common
;

with

all

other parts, from the general debasement of Architecture

and

lastly, that
all

the

many

beautiful moldings,

which at various times made their appearance, may

origin, the

be distinctly

traced to a

common

bowtel

thereby clearly showing

how

little

was derived from

Classick Antiquity in the formation of Gothick

art.

and gradual perfection of these most lovely adornments

DOORWAYS.
Norman doorways
in design.

are generally remarkable for excessive

richness

and elaborateness

On, perhaps, no other part of their Buildings did the architects of those days
;

bestow such care and attention

that
it

they seem to have considered no detail so minute, but

liberally

was capable of receiving further decoration, which was

an unfailing
source, t

supplied from

apparently

Their

usual

arrangement

consisted of

two or more
practice

recessed arches, with a corresponding nimiber of shafts in the

jamba

A
Such

common

was to place a stone lintel from jamb to jamb, thus forming a square-headed door with
the

spandrel under the

St.

arch

generally

enriched with sculptvire.

I.

is

the

example

from

Mary Magdalen's Church (Section

Norman,

Plate

4).

In other examples the

lintel is

slightly arched to gain a little additional height, or perhaps merely to

produce

an

effect of greater lightness, as in

Middleton Stoney Church, Oxfordshire, and Essendine,

carved on
its

Rutland.

This lintel became afterwards enriched by having

soffit

three

Paley's Mouldings, p. 34.

facility of

+ The extraordinary power of invention and

I- architects

execution displayed in the ornaments of the

Norman
them
in

are perfectly surprising.

The

entire succeeding periods of Gothick architecture failed to equal

versatility of design,
1

however superior they may have been in chasteness and elegance of form.

Many Norman
on paper

designs are of such exceeding intricacy that

or board
;

we must

entirely reject the idea of their having been projected

artificers,

thoy must be considered as the productions of clever

designed and

set out

on the stone

itself,

and

possibly censidcrably modified as the work proceeded.

62
ornaments like

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

pellets,

as in

Weald Church,

Essex.

This device

may

possibly

have suggested
I.

the idea of a triple arch, such as

Plate
1),

we

find in Nately Church, Hants.

(Section

Norman,

and in Bibery Church, Gloucestershire.

without shafts, the arch moldings being continuous occasionally occur fine example of this kind as in Iffley Church, Oxfordshire; a very

Norman doorways

down

to the ground,

occurs in

where the wide bowtels which run down the Malmsbury Abbey Church, Wilts,
at this period, to project that part of the

bases.* jambs terminate in

It

was a common practice

waU through which

the necessity of protecting this projection, the the doorway was pierced, and hence, from
as in Merrington Church, Durham, or Sempringham Church, doorways became gabled, Plate 6) is surmounted by a Cross (Section I. Norman, Lincolnshire, the latter of which

occurs in St. Germain's Church, Cornwall. a magnificent example of the same description at top in lieu of being gabled, as at Sometimes the projection of the waU was weathered
Ifiley,

and

in

other examples, the

as

an ornamental accessory.
Structure
of

an object of necessity, was retained gable no longer In St. Margaret's, at Cliffe, near Dover, a valuable and
character,
is is

interesting

pure

Norman
shafts.

a doorway of this description once

string,

recessed, with one set of rising

jamb

The gable

formed by an ornamented

which

the complete

from the springing of the arch, terminates in a kind of trefoil. which occurred between the close of the Norman and During the transitional period architecture, we meet with many extraestablishment of the
Early English

of the Edifice. in the designs of doorways, as weU as in aU other parts ordinary arrangements and are merely interesting in showing Such arrangements are by no means to be adopted, after having been used in the with what reluctance the old style was finaUy abandoned,
erection of a greater

than were caUed into magnificent and costly Buildings In the doorway of of Gothick Architecture, t existence in any of the subsequent periods arch enriched with the chevron, between Little Snoring Church, Norfolk,| we find a pointed a constraction would almost indicate two circular arches, the outer one being stilted such

number

of

of the newly introduced form of arch. that they were fearful of trusting solely to the strength is pointed and enclosed within a circular the south

In Northleigh Church, Oxon,

doorway

arch.

and careful workTransition doorways, however, were sometimes of elegant design Plate l), The west doorway of Orpington Church, Kent (Section I. Semi-Norman, manship.
*

Engraved in the Antiquarian

Itinerary.
first

t Between the Conquest and the

priories,

year of

Henry

III. there

were founded and re established 476 abbeys and

and 81

alien priories.

Tanner's
Part

Notitia Monastica.

+ Britton's Architectural Antiquities. of Oxfordshire, Antiquities

II., p.

163.

DOORWAYS.
is

63
trail

an excellent specimen of good proportions, with a delicate

effect.

of dog tooth and a boldly

stoup,

undercut chevron, which produce a beautiful

has

bcnatura or holy water

been rather awkwardly introduced against one of the shafts, as shown in the plate,
em-iched examples of
the

Highly

Norman doorways

occur in
;

Ketton Church, Rutlandshire,

latter

and

in

priory Church of St.

shafts.

Leonard's, Stamford

this

has an almost unique

arrangement of double jamb

Both these are flanked on either side by blank arches

on a somewhat smaller
to the general design.*

scale,

partaking of the character of arcading, yet belonging esscntiaUy

Early English doorways are distinguished by their usually great beauty and purity of
detail,

yet they are

by no means

so

numerous as those of the preceding

style, in part

no doubt,

owing to the general custom of preserving the older examples.

They may be

classed under

the various heads of shafted, continuous, discontinuous, banded, foliated, and double arched.

The

large doorways,

when

shafted,

commonly

preserve the deeply recessed

Norman

character

bold and effective arch moldings, often

carried on the detached shafts,

enriched with trails of dog tooth or flowers, are

different

which very frequently were of

stone from that

for the

used in the rest of the doorway.

purpose,

Purbeck marble was most generally employed

and was in great

this

requisition during the entire duration of this style.

The immense
surprising.

consumption of
It

costly

material

in

Westminster Abbey Church

;

is

truly

probably never was employed without being highly polished

those, therefore,

who have

seen the restored purbeck piers in the Temple Church, London, can form an idea of what

must formerly have been the

of dazzling brightness.

effect

of this magnificent

Abbey Church with

its

vast masses

A
effective

fine

example of a shafted doorway from the south

given in Section
is

aisle

of St, Martin's Church,

Leicester, is

L Early

English, Plate 23.

In this case a beautiful and

arrangement

obtained by using a double row of shafts, the inner ones being

arch,

engaged.

The moldings of the

however, are of a somewhat poor character

and

though lying in the rectangular planes, the four orders of which they are composed have
lost

considerably of the rectangularity of outline

so

characteristick of that epoch,

by being

in

two instances subdivided into secondary groups.

Dunstable Chiirch, Bedfordshire, retains

five

in its west front a magnificent,

though sadly mutilated example, with

;

detached shafts

alternating with as
are
*

many

others that are engaged

the arch moldings, as

may

be imagined,

of very great

beauty and are enriched, among other ornaments, with a very elegant
in all parts of the country of
its

The very frequent occurrence

this feature,

Norman doorways,

evidences the estimation in

It appears to

which

however plain in

design,

was generally held by the Gothick

architects.
all

have

been the custom to spare these interesting works of the early builders, even when
taken

the rest of the Church was

down

to

make way

for the

more magnificent Structure

in the then prevailing style of building.

64
of the

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

dog
tooth.

variety

In the example from Barnwell Chm-ch (Appendix, Plate

7,)

the moldings are of two orders, very rich, with

two rows of dog

tooth.

Here we may
:

observe a feature, borrowed from

the Normans, and extensively used during this style

we

refer to the
;

band which occurs midway, and which became a necessary constructive

Early English shafts was so small, that without some
possible to have effected a durable joint in

arrangement

for the diameter of the

it

such contrivance,
their length.

would hardly have been

In Felmarsham Church, Bedfordshire,

is

a fine doorway with detached and engaged

jamb

shafts,

and with an arrangement abeady noticed in Norman works, namely, an arcade

In the present instance two trefoiled

on either side in continuation of the central design.*

panels or orhs,f with a quatrefoil above, are enclosed in a pointed arch springing from the

same

level as the doorway.

The

interior

arrangement of this example wiU be found illustrated

at page 75.

The

foiled

doorways introduced by the Normans were preserved and

Architects,
it

still

further enriched

by the Early English

occurrence.
foiled, as in

and during the continuance of

this style

were of frequent

In large examples

was most usual

for the first order of

moldings only, to be
I.

the beautiful specimen from

Warmington Church,

(Section

Early English,

Plate 21,) a very perfect illustration of a pure Early English doorway, where the jambs are

composed of four detached

arrises

shafts placed in a corresponding

number

of square recesses,

whose
in

are chamfered,

and while the two outer chamfers are simply hollowed and terminate
;|:

delicately carved trefoil flowers,

the centre one

is

richly

ornamented with dog

tooth.

The arch moldings members characteristick

and the
fiUeted
filleted

are all placed on the rectangular planes,

and exhibit most of the

of the style

among
not

others are the pear-shaped or pointed bowtel,

bowtel.

The quasi
order,

bases, resting

on the capitals and terminating the

unobserved, though they
are
features

bowtel of the

first

must

pass

belonging more particularly to the succeeding periods.

early

We may

notice in the capitals the

dripstone.

appearance of

the

scroll

mold, which

is

also

repeated in the

Other

examples of foiled doorways occur at Merstham Church, Surrey, which has one row of
shafts

and

is

enriched with dog tooth

at

Woodford Church, Northamptonshire, a singularly

beautiful composition with the inner order of moldings trefoiled, the others as well as the
*

The west

front of

tliis

interesting Building is well

worthy of an attentive examination

this

it is

a beautiful

and

pure specimen of Early English.

II.
p.

Four views and a plan of

Church

are given in the Parish Churches, Vol.

96.

+ WUlis'a Nomenclature.
i See Section
I.

Early English, Plate 26.

II.
p.

Parish Churches, Vol.

99.

DOORWAYS.
dripstone being circular
foiled
:

65

and

at

Higham

Fcrrars Church, where the priest's doon'ay has a treis

head in this charming

little

specimen, the dripstone, as was generally the custom,

it

simply

pointed, and in each of the spandrels which occur between

and the

trefoiled head, is

sunk a

carved

rose.

Illustrations of these

two

last

mentioned examples
all

will be

found in

"The

Chvu:ches of Northamptonshire."'

In other foliated specimens

the moldings follow the

form of the
cinquefoiled
;

foliations, as in the

doorway

in the cloisters of Salisbury Cathedral,

which

is

even in this case the dripstone in accordance with natural construction, follows

the sweep of a pointed arch instead of the outline of the several curves.

The doorways of

this period

were not always pointed; under certain

restrictions

a
to

square-headed form was introduced, and in

the beauty of the general design.
entrance, or to turret

many

instances added an increased

charm

Their use was however chiefly confined to the priest's

and other small doorways,

Church, Kent, and

A
is

good example occurs on the south side

I.

of the Chancel of
English.

Meopham
is

illustrated in Plate 3, of Section

Early

Westminster Abbey Church furnishes

continued
all
is

many

instances of its introduction, in the

walls.

narrow passage which

all

round the Building in the thickness of the

produced, by the
lintel

In

these cases a trefoUed appearance

:

being carried on two projecting

corbels

this

form

is

generally distinguished as the square-headed trefoil

first

During the Early English Architecture the double-arched doorway

ance.

made

its

appear-

This magnificent feature, however,

is

almost entirely confined in

rarely

its

application to

Cathedrals and
Edifices,

Conventual Buildings.

Though very
fine

met with

in

the

smaller

we
St.

are enabled to mention

Cross, near Winchester.

two

examples
is,

the one at

Higham
two

Ferrars,

and the

other at

The former
;

in fact, almost
its

distinct doorways,

under one large arched recess or porch

each having
:

own

distinct

jamb molds, which

are

continuous round a segmental-headed arch

both entrances are richly sculptured with

foliage,

and between them rises a slender shaft, which in a most elegant manner bursts forth into
foliage at the top
;

forming a pedestal for a figure,

now

destroyed-

The space between these

two arches and the large circumscribing one, is diapered with circles containing scriptural The pseudo porch, within which this double doorway is contained, is very general subjects.*
in the

more important Churches and

also at

in these parts

we

find

it

in the immediate neighbom-hood

lofty spires, so

at Eaunds.t

RothweU.

The immense weight of the

numerous in
in

the Midland Counties, required proportionably thick walls to sustain

them

and

North-

amptonshire, in

many

instances, advantage has been taken of this thickness to

all

form openings,

which, while they present

* This doorway
is

the appearance of deeply recessed archways, have at the same

" very faithfully represented in page 25 of the Churches of Northamptonshire," a valuable

and elegant

serial

work,

now

publishing.
II. p. 69.

+ Parish Churches, Vol.

66

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

;

time the convenience of porches

or otherwise enriched.
feature in this

the

soffit

being generally diapered (as in

of the

Higham

Ferrars)

The gabled doorway

style
:

Norman
it

period continued a favourite

and the following

excellent examples of

abound

in the middle counties,

where, indeed, they are more abundantly met with than elsewhere.*

Loddington Church, Northamptonshire, has a very curious doorway in the west of the
tower, the gable of which projects considerably

and

is

carried on

two brackets placed

at the

springing of the arch.

The very

beautiful Early English

Church at Uffington, in Berkshire,

has a good gabled priest's doorway, also a very excellent gabled entrance on the east side of
the south transept
tion to
;

a most unusual position, but which, in this instance, from

to

its

approxima-

an Altar, appears

have been reserved for the

sole use of the priest.

Decorated Pooeways
abandonment of detached
(Section
I.

are distinguished from those of the former periods, by the gradual

shafts in their jambs.

The gabled doorway from Milton Church

In this instance,

Decorated, Plate 14), presents a rare example of their retention.

of projecting the

the

Norman method

jambs has been adopted, without however obtaining the

originally intended advantage of increased depth.

for the gable

An

apparent

effect of projection is

obtained

by the

set-off in the wall of the tower,

which takes place above the string

* This frequent occurrence of certain features in particular districts, to the almost total exclusion of them in others,
is

a very remarkable fact in the history of English Church Architecture.

We

can readily conceive that a

difference in the supply of building materials

may have

regulated to a certain extent the designs of Churches erected

in parts where such a difference existed

for instance, that in the stone-bearing counties of Northants, Lincolnshire,

Leicestershire, &c., the spire, gracefully tapering,

by a bold

display of masonick art shall attain a most daring elevation;

while, on the contrary, in the

woody

districts of the southern counties, the timber and shingle-covered spire will be seen

modestly peeping over the woodland scenery.

peculiar facilities or wants
;

But the

distinctions to

which we refer had

clearly

no connection with
it

neither did they any

way
:

result

from alterations in the

to

style, for so

long as

lasted, that

remained singularly uniform throughout the land

and yet there appears

have been very often a

local

method of

treating one particular part of the Building, the style being identical

and the material the same.

of Somersetshire
;

Let any person

observe the characteristick towers of Kent, and compare

consist of the

them with those

both examples
turret, yet

may

same number

of parts,

both have buttresses, embattled parapets, and a staircase

how

essen-

tially different are the

two designs.
collect

So

also in the

arrangement of the eaves of the roofs

;

in

some

districts,

parapets

were invariably constructed to

and carry away the water

while in other parts, such as Norfolk and Suffolk,

Churches, even of the richest description, were most frequently erected without them.
gather, that while the style itself

From

these facts

we would

was in the hands of an experienced body of men, and by them jealously guarded and

gradually improved
influenced

still,

that in the execution of any particular Church, the design of its several details was greatly

by that of the neighbouring Cathedral, or most important Conventual Establishment.

Skelton favours this supposition, for "there can be
little

The

beautiful little

Church

at

doubt, from the close similarity which

many

of

the details of its architecture

bear to similar parts in the transepts of the Minster (York), that some of the same
also concerned

hands that were employed upon that magnificent building were

but not
less beautiful little

in the erection of this

more humble

Church."

Evan

Christian's Skelton Church, p. 3.

DOORWAYS.
course.

67
probably partook of that trefoiled

The termination

to the gable,

now broken away,

this period.*
bell.

form so common to the gabled buttresses of

In the capitals to the shafts,

we

may remark the somewhat unusual feature but are so much decayed that their correct
bowtel which originates in the jambs,
intricacies of the panelled gable,
is

of a double

The

bases have been very plain,

outline can no longer be ascertained.

carried

The small

round the arch and winds through the

its

adding considerably to
is

richness
flint

and good

effect

The

tower in which this doorway

junction
of the
flint

is

placed

a fine specimen of
is

work, and in the Plate, the

with the dressed stone

Decorated style advanced, crockets and foliage

in its Architecture
;

shown with minute accuracy. As the became more frequently and abundantly used

and

these,

combined with a more studied and harmonious arrangement of

Cley
of

moldings, opei-ated considerably in promoting the greater splendour of the doorways.

Church, Norfolk, a complete study in

itself

of the richest

and most

perfect

details

Decorated Gothick, possesses a west doorway of such great magnificence, and with such
beautifully

and

carefully executed parts, that it

size.

is

probably unequalled by any other occurring

in a

Church of a similar

Section

I.

Decorated, Plate 39.

In the abrupt, and perhaps

awkward, manner in which the arch moldings join on to those of the jamb, we may trace a
lingering indication of a past era.t

Possibly

it

was

felt

that these arch moldings were too

minute and delicate rounded

ofi"
:

for the exposed position of the

jamb, which was consequently simply

but even then, one cannot help wishing that a more perfect and studied junction

had been

practised.
criticize

However, the

artificera

of those days thought otherwise, and

is

it

iU

becomes us to

such minute points, when the whole

itself all

so surpassingly elegant

This single specimen almost comprises in

occur in doorways of this period.
(ogeed, although the arch
is

the several characteristicks which

finialled dripstone

We

have the beautifully crocketed and

;

pointed, a peculiarly Decorated feature)

the exquisitely carved

;
'

drip terminations, in this instance, crowned heads (probably indicative of royal benefactors)

the well molded arch of two orders, the inner one becoming cinquefoUed, and each foU again
trefoiled
capitals,
;

the leafy cusps and richly carved spandrels

the quaintly wrought foliage in the

;

and
;

delicate finish to the chamfers in the

last

jambs

the double-plinthed bases

the
:

stone sUl
all

and

though not

least,

the original and richly ornamented ironwork of the door

these

features, each highly

worthy of observation, combine together to form a most

magnificent and characteristick Decorated doorway.

The stone
is

sill

was frequently used during

I.

this

and the preceding

period.

An

example
;

given of
it

it

in Section

Decorated, Plate 23, the doorway in Swatton Church, Lincolnshire

and

occurs also in the priest's doorway at

Fen
I.

Ditton.

(See page 51.)

In the arch mold-

* See buttresses from Holbeach Church, Section t See arcade from

St.

Decorated, Plate 17, and also those in Plate 19.

I.

Alban's Abbey Church, Section

Early English, Plate 28.

68

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

we may
observe, that those

ings

which come over the engaged

shafts, lie

on the rectangular

planes, whereas those

which

are' continuous are

on the chamfer plane; thus illustrating and

strengthening a remark

we have

already had occasion to

soffit,

make

in the chapter

on moldings.

The

beautiful roses

which stud the inner

although not very conspicuous in a geometrical

drawing, nevertheless add considerably to the general richness, and are themselves well
displayed and set off by the elegant moldings over which they are placed.
of the arch a head occupies the place of a rose.

Under the crown

The Church
doorway.

at

North
I.

Mimms

offers

an example of a plainer but equally characteristick

25.)

(Section

Decorated, Plate

We may

here again notice that the arch

planes.

moldings carried on the engaged

beautiful

shafts, lie

on the rectangular
in the hollows

They

are very

and

effective,

and the flowers placed

add not a

little

to the elegant

simplicity of this specimen.

its

The

foliage of the capitals is of

a very peculiar character, and in

bell

arrangement essentially Decorated, rather twining round the

it.

than rising up

stiffly

against

The bases
;

are extremely plain,

and in

this respect
is

they agree with those in the

MUton doorway
this period.

the square return of the dripstone

not the most usual arrangement of

Gabled doorways were stiU very commonly introduced, occurring, as did those of the
previous style, more frequently in the south of Lincolnshire and those counties that
diately surround
fine
it,

imme-

than elsewhere.
;

Ewerby* has a very

though not
of the

example of

this description
is

it is finialled,

crocketed, which

a peculiarity observable in

many

details of this Church.

In the gable there has been, as at

:

Milton, a small niche for the statue of a saint

it

has been

blocked up and is

now hardly discernible.

;

The inner order of

foil

moldings forms a trefoiled arch

ogeed, as at Cley Church.

the upper

being slightly
fills

Some very

elegant foliage

up

two of the hollows.

At other times the gable was ogeed and

and
finialled, as in
:

richly crocketed

the priest's doorway at Crick Church,

in this case the head of the
it

Northamptonshire
I

doorway

is
is

also a flat ogee,

filled

and the space between

foliage.

and the gable

with very beautiful

The moldings

are con-

tinuous and on the chamfer plane.

Ewerby Church. Linculnshire.
soTthId^orway.
is

Byfield Church in the

same county possessess two very

fine

examples

that in the

south of the Church

a niche, and ogeed, terminating in a bunch of foliage which supports

* For a further Vol. II. p. 77. description of this beautiful Building, see Parish Churches,

DOORWAYS.
ia

69
is

flanked by pinnacles, crocketecl and finialled

the other at the west

of

the same

description, but without the niche.

Doorways with continuous moldings occur very frequently

though the
effect
is

in Buildings
is

of this period,
for without

rarely satisfiictory

the absence of shafts

severely

felt,

them

the

springing

of

the

arch,

which

should always be well

defined,

appears un-

determined.

The doorway from Holbeach Church (Section

I.

Decorated, Plate 10,)

example, with a door of the same date very rich and perfect.

a good plain The framing, and the " setting

is

out" of

its

tracery will be found fully explained in the plate.

;

The jamb
or

shafts

have molded

caps and bases

these latter are of a very unusual

It is curious to observe,
left

character,

perhaps, rather of no

particular character.

even in works of considerable richness, how

frequently the bases were neglected and

very plain, as in the examples from North

as in the present instance
;

Mimms

and Milton

or presented

some extraordinary anomaly,

or seemed

to lack a sufficient projection, as in the

doorway from Heckington.

In truth, good moldings

:

in

any position were much more

rare in this style than in the preceding one

in

many

cases

simple chamfers were used throughout the entire work.

In the arched monuments and in

the smaller details of the Church, such as the sedilia and piscina,

we

are

more

likely to

meet

with minute and exquisitely wrought moldings. above and illustrated in Plate 23 of Section
I.

The doorway from Heckington

Decorated,
is

referred to

a beautiful example with three

rows of shafts having foliated caps, and with excellent arch moldings.
terminates the
condition,

The

finial

which

dripstone

is

not
that

quite
it

perfect,

and judging from

leaf

its

present

mutilated

we should imagine

had had another

on either

side lapping back.

lie

Here
on the

we may once more remark,

rectangular planes.

that shafts being used in the jambs, the arch molds

Circular-headed doorways were occasionally introduced, but must be considered rather

as instances of the caprice of the builders, than as features appertaining to this style. rich example occurs in

very

Badgeworth Church, Gloucestershire

the moldings are continuous,

of extraordinary merit,

and profusely studded with

of the

ball flower.*

Towards the
spandrels
filled

close

Decorated period, the label over the pointed arch and

with rich carving, gradually gained ground.

Worstcad Church, Norfolk.t

and Deopham
feature
:

in

the same county, both present instances of the introduction of this

new

in the latter the label is embattled.

In the doorways to turret staircases, almost

I.

window from

this

Church
;

is

illustrated in Section

Decorated, Plate 38, the moldings of which closely

identical.

resemble those of the doorway

in fact the

two dripstones are

II. p. 67.

A plan and

two views of the

entire

Building are given in the Parish Churches, Vol.

t Parish Churches, Vol.

I.

p. 35.

70

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

:

any shaped arch was equally applicable

sometimes ogeed,

and accordingly, we find them sometimes pointed, or

now

square-headed, or again, as in the example from Aldwinkle Church,

partaking of the character of aU.

ticularly interesting
:

The priests' doorways are frequently par-

those already mentioned, in the Churches of Crick

;

and Heckington, are beautiful and rich examples that at Oadby, Leicesand the one in Brandon Church, Norfolk, tershire, has a traceried head
;

(Section

I.

Decorated, Plate 12,)

at Sutton at

is

commendable
I.

for its simple elegance.

The example

Hone, Kent, (Section

Decorated, Plate

1,) is

an instance of continuous moldings occurring on the rectangular planes.

1

mi^^W-^li

-^ solitary case

hke

this,

however, can hardly militate against, but should

I^H

V*'f\,

rather be considered as an exception from a general rule, which, for the

greater convenience of study

we would attempt

to establish, without at all

Aldwinkle Church,
Northamptonshire.

presuming to put

it

forth as the one

by which the masters

of old worked.

Indeed we cannot readUy conceive that such rules as these were then
is

natural construction which wanting, for they are but the necessary results of that

so

remarkably displayed in

all their

works.

If shafts
lie

are used, as a consequence almost, they

;

would be placed in square

recesses,

and hence

on the rectangular planes

and

their capitals,

projecting from these planes,

for arch

become naturally

so

grouped as only to be consistently adopted

molds that

also

he in similar

planes.

At

the present day,

when

the student in
its

Mediaeval Architecture has before him such exquisite specimens of the art in

matured

phase

when
it is

period,

he can turn at once to the truly graceful compositions of the Edwardian his mind is directed to the perhaps mainly as a matter of curious inquiry that
;

minute steps by which such excellence was gradually accomplished

and yet the investigation

its

must assuredly enable him to

while
it will

arrive at a

more refined appreciation of

eminent beauties,

also forcibly illustrate the great

advantage resulting from close application to the

to labour in the

study it
same
field,

will

show how master minds, through many generations, continued

each generation receiving with reverence the bequest of its predecessor, and invariably
it

striving to advance
as

on the road to

perfection.
rate,

This research

may

be the more useful, inasmuch

Gothick Architecture, at present at any

soars above rule

will prove it to

yet

can scarcely be reduced to precise laws

its spirit

often

when

it

may wear

the appearance of caprice, close investigation

:

have been guided by purest

taste

it

must be studied in the

spirit in

which

it

was conceived, and pursued with ardour and constancy. The ancient architects devoting the of building, were every way qualified to energies of their powerful minds but to one style it more and more worthy of its develop the manifold graces it is capable of, and thus render
high purpose.
Yet, however great the excellence thereby attainable,
it

can hardly now be of

his sole and undivided attention to the frequent occurrence that an architect should devote

DOORWAYS.
study and advancement of one particular style out of the
each of which has
sideration after all
its
is

71

ardent votaries
of

the

many which arc in full practice, and more especially when we consider (and the con-

some weight) how dLsproiwrtionate would be the encouragement he would probably meet witli. But be that aa it may, as regards Gothick Architecture, the day is surely coming when it will no longer be studied aa a dead as an art which a
language,
(it is

gulf

ah-eady appreciated) its admirers will boldly strike out anew the track in which our ancestors laboured, and, armed with their principles, will advance it to a climax of To beauty unknown even to them.
return to the subject more immediately under our consideration.

of nearly four centuries divides from us

once well understood

In

Perpendiculae Doorways, the constant use of the

styles,

label

characteristically dis-

tinguishes them from those of the preceding

feature

though, as
;

we have

already observed, this

may

occasionally be found in Decorated

work

in Perpendicular, however, its appear-

ance

is

in keeping with the then

prevailing fashion, which dehghtcd in the contrast of

horizontal

and

vertical lines.
St.

In the example from

Alban's

Abbey Church
cloisters,
is

(Section
find

Perpendicular, Plate 1) the

entrance into the south aisle from the

excellencies.

we

combined many beauties and

is

The

interior elevation,

which

the one represented in the plate,

flanked by

two niches with

whole forming a very grand and imposing composition, adapted of course only to a very Church and in so far, perhaps, not large consistently occupying a in the present work, were it not for the place which it many valuable
pedestals, the
;

points

possesses,

peculiar to the

doorways of this period.

The very

beautiful effect produced

by the doublebe observed

the primary

cusped arch, carried in front of

in

and

distinct from, the first order of moldings,

may
all

many examples of a similar date.

off,

In the present instance, the terminations of

lion's head.

singularly beautiful crowning ornament exhibits a of that very early specimen distinguishing Perpendicular decoration, the strawberry leaf, combined with much that belonged to the stage of art

cusps are broken

with the exception of one representing a

The

which had just closed

afready commented

on

its

geometrical formation, which

is

exhibited in the plate,

we have

in p. 46.

The door

itself is

a very rich and well preserved specimen,

found illustrated more at large in Section II. Woodwork, Plate 4. roundlets with which it is studded seem to have been suggested by the
of the Decorated era.
spandrels.

and

will be

The small
ball

flower
in the

The arms

of

England and those of the Abbey are placed

The doorway from

Coltishall

Church (Section

I.

Perjwndicular, Plate 20),

is

a very good

type of the general arrangement of the period at which

we have now arrived. It is placed at the west end of the Church and in the tower, and exhibits the combination of both label and
;

dripstone

the horizontal part of the former

is

continued through, and

is

carried

round the

72 tower as a string.*

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTURR

Above
it is

placed a very

ricli

band of
I

flint

and stonework, consisting of

John the Evangelist.
is

shields in octofoiled circles, alternated

with the crowned

for St.

The

same device occurs

in the base

moldings of the tower, and his symbol, the Eagle,

second string course encloses the band of

carved in

the spandrels of the door.

circles,

and im-

mediately above
fashion
;

is

a three-light window.

This arrangement had then become the prevailing

;

a west doorway and window might almost be considered as forming one design
it

we
The

meet with an early instance of

in the Decorated tower of

Worstead Church, Norfolk, t

jamb molds

of the ColtishaU doorway are on the chamfer plane,

and

consist of

an exaggerated
in the arch

two casements, leaving two wide, plain chamfers, which have a kind of wave mold sunk from the face.
fiUeted bowtel between

The west doorway in the tower of Towcester Church, Northamptonshire,

rich

is

a singularly
It is

and

beautiful specimen of this style.

very deeply recessed, and has a crocketed and

finiaUed dripstone within a

group of moldings
label.

which follow the outline of the

The

slen-

der octagonal bowtel, rising from the ground and

at top spreading into a small

pedestal for the

reception of a statue protected

by a crocketed

canopy,

is

a rather unusual but beautiful feature.

lie

The moldings aU

on the chamfer plane, into

which they die at the bottom.

In the tower of Lavenham Church, Suffolk
(Section
nificent,
I.

Perpendicular,

Plate

6),

is

magin this

though very

late specimen.
is

Even
still

instance, the two-centered arch

retained,

with the addition of an ogeed dripstone beautifully

crocketed,

which,

interpenetrating

the
part,

string-

course, appears again

on the upper

and was

with a finial. originally terminated

are of very poor character
:

The moldings

in the desire for rich-

ness of appearance, the usually wide, and someTOWCESTEB ChCRCH, NOBTHAMPTONSHIRe.

times effective, casement has been abandoned, and

;

groups of moldings have been formed

* This arrangement was a very

but by their not lying in either of the usual planes.

and
is also

common

practice,

observable in windows
II., p. 71.

see

window

in north

Chapel of Barnwood Church, Gloucestefshire, Parish Churches, Vol.

t Parish Churches, Vol.
I., p.

35.

DOORWAYS.
they produce au effect at once confused and unsatisfactorj'.
various groups arc composed of very minute members, divided

73
In the arch hcml, especially, the

by

large

and plain hollows

very different from

together.

tlie

previous and purer practice,

when

all

was so

beautifully blended
;

The
it

peculiar shape of the middle shaft in the

jamb should be noticed

many

instances of

may

be found in Perpendicular work, and

it

would appear to be a corruption

of the Decorated fiUeted shaft.

in their construction as the

AU

the caps have double bells, but are otherwise as irregular

moldings of the arch and jambs.

They

are all octagonal,

and

in

the principal ones, small square flowers of four leaves occupy the place of the beautiful foliage
of former times.

In the bases
;

we may
is

notice the then prevalent fashion of their being ex-

ceedingly stilted
shaft in height.

the outer base

exaggerated to such an extent, as to be nearly equal to the

shafts

The

buttresses

and

which flank the doorway, however elegant they

as instances of a debased taste,

may appear
more
decoration.

at first sight,

must be considered

which sought

after meretricious effect

Still

than correct and consistent

is

the design

so rich

and

attractive,

and

the base moldings

and the

buttresses to the tower are all

in such excellent keeping, that

we

are iuduced to overlook

the imperfections of the details, in our admiration of the

composition as a whole.

The door
is

itself

has been a rich

and beautiful design, but

now

so

much

decayed, that the

moldings and smaller portions of the tracery are no longer

discernible.

The
;

flint

work
it is

of the tower

is

remarkably

weU worked
Islip

a portion of

shown

in the Plate.

Church,

Northamptonshire,

possesses

very
There,
;

good
as

illustration of a small Perpendicular

Coltishall,

doorway.

at

we

find both label

and dripstone
ogeed,

the

latter

and

both

uniting

and

carried

on on
Isup Church, NosTiiAitrTONsaiBS.

small shafts, resting

the

base

moldings

of
fills

the tower.
drels,

Some

well carved tracery

up the spanfine,

which, with a deeply sunk casement, produces a

effect.

bold

The

string round the tower

is

lowered, to
:

allow of the usual accompaniment of a

this is a simple, yet pleasing example.

window

altogether

The west doorway

a plain village

of Shorne Church, Kent,

Shorni Church, Kent.

is

well adapted for

Church.

It is

flanked by buttresses, which are judiciously

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

introduced into the composition
moldings.
It
;

and in

either
;

jamb

is

a shaft carrying a single gToiip of

notice a peculiarity,

has no dripstone nor label

and

this leads us to
I.

which
in

we may

also observe in Basingstoke

Church, (Section

Perpendicular,

Plate 3,)

and

Chesham Church,

(Plate

17,)

namely, that in some cases, especially in the more advanced

essential part of
;

and fuUy established Pei"pendicular, the spandrels to the doorways form an

the composition, and would exist whether a label were thrown over
others,

them

or not

whereas in

and principally the

earlier examples, the span-

drel

is

the immediate result of using both label and

dripstone, as in the

doorway from

Coltishall

and

it

would appear probable that on the

di-ipstone

becoming
position

gradually obsolete, the spandrel assumed

as

its

an actual portion of the doorway, and was enclosed

of the jamb.
frequent, but

by the outer molding

ings were

Continuous moldeven in small ex;

now very

amples they were very deficient in beauty

and when

employed on a

large scale, as
efi'ect

at Potterspury Church,

Northamptonshire, the
unsatisfactory.

was altogether poor and

Perpendicular
Craksley Church, Northamptonshire.

priest's

doorways

were

usually

plain

and

uninteresting.

The

example,

however,

from Basingstoke
date of
its

is

remarkable exception, and particularly valuable from having the

(Section
I.

execution carved on a shield in the head.

spandrels are carved
shields,

Perpendicular, Plate

3.)

On

the shields in the

the

monograms

of

Our Saviour and of the

unintelligible,

blessed

Virgin

other

with

inscriptions

now become

terminate

the label.

In the arrangement of these doorways

portunities

we have

frequent op-

of

remarking instances

of

that

unbounded freedom,
Does a window occur

so characteristick of this style of building.

"l-

just

where

it

was wished

to

have placed a doorway,

with
;

the
or,

'f utmost
does
;^ ',.

1)oldness

they are both incorporated into one design

buttress

present an apparently insurmountable obstacle to

is

the doorway's being placed in a particular position, it

at once

made

to

expand on either

side,

and by a clever contrivance the

it
;

desired

doorway

is

pierced

through

or

again,

we may have
been overcome,

R-'
leir Church, LEICK3TERKI11BE.

to admire the ingenuity with

which the

difficulty has

of both erecting a buttress,

and adding a porch

to

an already existing

DOORWAYS.
doorway.

75

Throughout every minutia of Gothick Architecture,

we

shall ever fiad that construction

and design go hand in hand, and that anything

actually required

by

the

former, instead

of being concealed,
is

immediately and

gracefully

made sub-

servient to the beau-

ty of the
priest's

latter.

The
in

doorway

Merstham
Surrey,
graceful
tion
TRUKCH
ClirlurM, ^'(lK^ol.K.

Church,
a

exhibits

combinathe jambs
OKurauBCBOB
Cmnicii, Korfoui.

of

with the base moldings, by which the fonnt-r

are altogether brought forward

stoiie is also

from the face of the wall

the arrangement of the

dri[-

commendable.

The

interior of the
is

doorways frequently shows how a

necessarj-

constructive feature
into

converted

a highly ornamental one.

entrance, where

In an arched
the door
is

placed considerably

nearer the outer than the inner

face of the wall, it

becomes ne-

cessary to
Mebmtham Church, Suhret.

stilt

or give a different

form to the inner arch, so as to

;

allow of the door opening

hence the constant use of

the segmental pointed arches on the inside of doorways.

In Section

I.

Perpendicular, Plate

7, is

shown the

verj-

arch of the elegant arrangement of the inner

the tower of

doorway
of wliich

in
is

Lavenham Church,

the

soffit

richly panelled with quatrefoils.

The Early English

also very graceful,

arch-

ways in Felmarsham Church* are

with
FcLMiiisaAM Chdrch, BIPFaRD^'nIR^.

slender shafts carrying a beautiful group of moldings.

*

See Parish Churches, Vol.

II. p. 95.

76

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

fine

Trumpington Church, Cambridgeshire,* has a singularly

interior arch, with a

hood mold
capitals.

and bold moldings

carried, as in

Felmarsham Church, on slender

shafts with

molded

The

priest's

doorway

in

Higham

Ferrars Church presents a good example of internal

;

arrangement

a few moldings

on the

face of the arch, with the stringcourse

continuing as a hoodmold over

all

it,

are

that are required to produce a very

satisfactory effect.
shire, Lincolnshire,

In Northampton-

and other

counties,

where stone
opening
is

spires

abound, a

small
in

most usually contrived

one of the faces of the spire to give

access to the parapet
;

these openings
Wekkley Church, xortramptonrhire.

are

generally well
as

managed, and oc-

casionally,
features.
II IGBAM

in

Weekley Church,

are

made ornamental

FeRBUIS Church, NORTMAUPTONSIIIRE.

PIERS AND ARCHES.

Chancel Arches.

With such

rare exceptions as in

Ewerby, Lincolnshire, Raunds and

it

Higham

Ferrars,

Northamptonshire, and some few other Churches,

of the nave

was

an universal

practice to

mark the termination

and the commencement of the Chancel, by

other.

an arch thrown across from one wall to the

separation
is

In

early

Norman

Buildings

this

occasionally indicated

by a

triplet of arches,

an arrangement very frequently met

with in the village Churches of Sussex, as in Piecombe Church, and Ovingdean, near
Brighton.
the

Though sometimes occurring of extreme simplicity, as in Keymer Church, Sussex, those in the Churches Chancel arch of this period was in general highly enriched
;

of Adel

and Bubwith, in Yorkshire, are beautiful examples.

;

The Semi-Norman

architects

followed closely in the footsteps of their predecessors

the substitution of a pointed for

effected.

a circular arch being

t-he

most important change which they

In the Church of
I.

Codford
Plate

St.
:

Mary
the

is

a good instance of a transition Chancel arch (Section

shafts

Semi-Norman,

5)

outer

are

slightly pointed
;

on plan,
side,

and the cap, band and base on

the
contrary,

moldings are considerably undercut

*

on the east
is

the

shaft
p. 53.

is

An

exceUent engraving of the interior of this doorway

" The Churches of Cambridgeshire," given in

PIERS
simply
circular,

AND ARCHES.
It
is

and the arch recessed but not molded.

it

said

that during

some

repairs that

have recently taken place,

was discovered that the outer portion of the

arch
it,

had been remodelled and converted from Norman into Semi-Norman by jwinting
style then
its

and making the other members somewhat to partake of the new

vogue
:

coming

into

but that the inner or east side had been

is

left

almost in

original state.

Certainly the east elevation

\vill

very plain and simple, compared with the west, but this

be found to be almost always the case in

strike

Norman work

the

parts

that

would
left

more immediately

the

eye are very richly ornamented, while the others are

comparatively unadorned.

This

we

find

to

be particularly the case with Chancel and

nave arches

iu

New Shoreham
are
richly

Church, for instance, the arches dividing the Chancel

elaborately
sides

from

the

aisles

molded and
while

carved with
face

foliage

on the
aisles

sides

which

open

into

the

Chancel,

those
is

which

the

Chancel

are

almost without moldings, and the foliage

altogether omitted.*

That such a practice

was due
which
portions

to

some received idea of beauty

seek

in composition,

and not

to that contemptible spirit

would

only

to

decorate
sight,

those

more immediately
from
the
of

in

we may
which

gather

extreme
the

care

with

every
In

part

Building

was

finished.

this

very Church of
lights

New

Shoreham, the

window which
roof and

the

space

between the
aisle,

the vaulting over the Chancel

and which naturally could hardly ever be

is

seen,

nevertheless

richly

ornamented inside with

while
is

moldings
enough)
plain
;

and
outside,

dogtooth, the

(curiously

opening

perfectly

being simply once recessed.

6.)

(See

Ap-

pendix, Plate 1, Fig.

A
practice,

favourite

and

elegant

Early English
teali tf I-

was to carry the inner rim of the

other moldings

^J..t

Chancel arch on corbels, the

T)eing

actos bokkkx, shbopbhir^

most frequently continued down to the ground.

;t

Such

is

the arrangement at Acton

Bunnell
*

a small foliated shaft carries the inner order of moldings, while the outer order
in
;

The arches

Felmarsham Church

are also richly

molded towards the nave, while the

sides in the aisles are

simply chamfered
t

see Parish Churches, Vol. II. p. 95.

We are

indebted to the kindness of C. Hansom, Esq., Architect, for the use of some very accurately measured
elegant example.

drawings of

tliis

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

dies into a broad chamfer, whicli
is

continued
is

down

to the ground.

The Chancel arch

in

Barnwell Church, Northamptonshire,

similarly managed, but with a corbel of far greater

beauty

the

shafts

are

detached and carried on

effec-

a group of notch-heads, which are singularly

tive.

In Warmington Church, in the same county,

corbelled
shafts

slender
quisite

with foliated caps of exare

also

workmanship,

introduced

and

indeed, in this instance, form quite a peculiar feature

in the internal decoration of the

Church, for they

are

employed to support the springers of the groined

In
is

roof
order

Clymping

Church,

Sussex,*

the

inner

carried on

a corbel,

and the jambs of the

archway have small nook

shafts, indicative of their

rule.

very recent emancipation from Norman

In

Whitwell

Church,

Rutlandshire,
is

the

arrangement

of the Chancel arch

yet more simple, the corbels

being dispensed with, and the inner moldings dying

into the

jambs on
other

either side.t.

In

instances,

and

more particularly

as

the style advanced, the arch was carried on a regular

cluster of columns,

properly capped and based, as

:

in

Skclton

Church, Yorkshire

a hah" octagonal

pier is a very ordinary arrangement,

Barnwell Church, Korthamptonshire.

which continued

in practice until the termination of the Decorated

period.

of treating the Chancel arch,

is

well illustrated

and always effective method in the example from Long Stanton Church,
This, a simple,
little

Cambridgeshire.^

Preston Church, Sussex, a pure and simple

(Section
I.

Early English Building,

5.)

has a very good and characteristick arch.

It
is

Early English, Plate

not a

little

singular,

such however, that in very rich and splendid Churches,

an important feature as the Chancel arch should so frequently have been left devoid of The arch in Raunds Church, Northamptonshire, a Decorated addition to ornament.
* See interior of this

Church

in

Parish Churches, Vol.

II, of

II., p. 75. p.

+ See view of the Chancel arch, in Vol.

+

Parish Churches,

85.

carried on beautifully clustered shafts, having Hartlepool Church, Durham, has a richly molded Chancel arch,

head molds. very early foliated caps with square

See BiUing's Durham.

Parish Churches, Vol.

I., p.

33.

PIERS AND ARCHES.

the Building,
is

7'j

ornamented with a double row of

:

ball

flower,

but this forms quite an

exception to the general rule

arch, is far

a few simple moldings, or even a recessed and chamfered

more frequently met witL

alteration in

Even

the Perpendicular examples do not exhibit

:

any particular

the

mode

of treatment

the

moldings and details were of

itself,

course accommodated to the

new

fashion,
style.

but the Chancel arch

did not aasumc

more importance than in the preceding

To resume,

then,

we may remark,
its

that in

most cases the Norman Chancel arch

rich

was distinguished by
carried
if

quaint ornaments and

sculpture,

and was very

usually

on shafts

in recessed

jambs

that the Early English was generally, and especially

corbels,

the inner moldings were carried on

of considerable
;

elegance, though

carved

ornaments were
arches

then

but very rarely introduced

while Decorated and

either

Perpendicular

were of

great simplicity, with the moldings

to

supported on semi-piers or
gradual introduction
these
latter the

continuous
of rich

down

the

ground.

It

is

not improbable that the

the
builders

and

costly screens of

wood induced
existed,

to transfer to

decorations which, had they not

would have been lavished on the former.

As

regards their proportions,

belfry,

it

is

with the Chancel arch, as with those of the nave, the

and

all

the other arches in the Church, scarcely possible to lay

down any
it

positive

ndes

every variety of size and shape

may

be met with, and in each case

Besides,
:

appears to
easily

have been mainly influenced by other parts of the Structure.

conceive that
east
it

we can

many
as

circumstances would influence

its

proportions

an unusually handsome
;

window

or roof would naturally induce the builder to heighten his arch

or,

when

was intended,

was very frequently the

case,

to paint the Last

it,

Judgment over the

west face, he possibly might be inclined to lower

display of the
artist's

so as to give a wider field for the

talent.
tlie

In some Churches the height of the Chancel arch piers

nave, in which case the moldings are
at

corresponds with those of

as in

generally identical,

Weekley Church, Northamptonshire;

is

other times,

and much more frequently,

the springing of the Chancel arch

quite independent of

any

other.
earlier Buildings,

Norman
great
size
,

piers

were generally circular or octagonal, and in the

of

and of massive proportions.

those
in

Such are the octagonal

Church, Herts, also

piers

at

St.

Nicholas,

Harbledown, Kent:
better
is

Sandridge

octagonal,

are

of

much
which

and more graceful

outline.

In Polstead Church,* Suffolk,

we

find the pier,

rather a late specimen, subdivided into parts, and considerable efiect produced

by the
are

introduction of engaged
frequently,
as
in

nook

shafts.

Early English

piers,

octagonal and circvdar,

Feknarsham, counterchanged in the same Building.

Other examples

are of extraordinary beauty, with complex arrangement of shafts.

* See Appendix, Plate 6.

At Boxgrove Church,

80
Sussex,* those

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

on the north are

most daringly detached from the central

for their reception
:

pier,

while

on the south, small channels have been sunk

marble,
richly
polished,
is

in both cases

Purbeck

the

material

employed.

Eaton Bray Church, Bedfordshire,

furnishes

an example of a somewhat similar grouping, and

has well carved foliated caps.

At

St. Alban's,

the piers are

magnificently clustered, with four detached and twelve engaged

shafts.
Jj

Even

in Early

English work, however, the shafts

:

\ ,^

were not always detached

in

St.

Martin's,

Leicester,*

we

find four small shafts engaged, between four other

ones,

and

larger

which we may observe are

face of the

filleted.

This

fillet

applied

to the
eatos bra^I^fobdshibe.

principal shafts,

became an established
in the examples

feature in Decorated piers.

We may notice it

from Bottisham and Trumpington (Plates 16 and 27), and elsewhere.

Morton Church,

Lincolnshire (Plate 21), has a simple and elegant pier, the plan being produced
half circles applied to the several sides of a square.
beautifully foliated.

by four

All the

caps in this

Church are

The
the
piers,

occasional

absence of molded work in this style, frequently extended

itself

to

which were simply octagonal,

and carried plain chamfered

arches,

even in

Buildings whose details in

other respects, testify simplicity of the

the care that was bestowed upon them.

The exceeding, yet

were
little

beautiful

piers

and arches in a Decorated Church,

in accordance with the taste of the Perpendicular architects,

it

who

consequently

very rarely copied them, though

a more appropriate substitute.

can scarcely be allowed that they replaced them by

:

great sameness pervades the piers of this period

the

most usual form

Church, Sussex.
the plan

is

shown

in Section L, Perpendicular (Plate 14), a

pier from Lindfield

Afterwards, and especially

towards the close of Gothick Architecture,

assumed more of a diamond shape, by being made considerably wider from

north to south than from east to west, as in

already

Lavenham Church,

Sufiblk.

As we have
and

had occasion

to

observe,

a peculiar characteristick of
all

Perpendicular piers,
in

one which distinguishes them from

previous

examples,
arch.

consists

the

moldings of

which they are composed, being partly continuous from the

Arcades were
their use

generally employed as decorative features to the lower parts of walls

interior,

was principally confined to the

Parish
Churches.

but they are not very commonly met

with in

The Norman

architects

however

delighted in

extensively

introducing
their towers.

them
In

in their works,
St.

and frequently enriched with them the outer walls of

the Church with the

Alban's, a small cloister formerly connecting

*

See Appendix, Plate

6.

PANELLING.
Abbey
buildings,
is

81

enriched

with an arcade, the details of

quaint

which are very carefully

wrought,

with

capitals

remarkably
from

and

variously

carved.

Two

examples

of

Semi-Norman
Norman, Plate

character,
2.

New Shoreham

Church, are

given in

Section

L Semi-

The Chancel of Stone Church, Kent, a deservedly well-known Early

English Structure, has a very beautiful arcade both on the north and south sides which,
in
this
case,

appears to answer the purpose of the customary wooden

;

stalls

that were

afterwards used
height
similar
for a

for it is

placed immediately over a stone bench table, of a convenient

the arcade
St.

seat.

In Westminster Abbey Church (see page 8)

to

occupies a

position with regard

I.

the bench table.

The example from

is

Alban's
;

Abbey
it

Church, given in Section

Early English, Plate 28,

is

rather late in the style

has

very beautiful moldings, and

highly

eflFective.

Polebrook Church, Northamptonshire,

;

contains some very good arcading in the north transept

other instances of

its

applica-

tion internally in Churches of this date will be found at Histon Church, Cambridgeshire,

and

Thurlby,

Lincolnshire.
of

In

the

Chancel of

Merstham

Chiirch,

Surrey,

capital

and a portion and

an arch

may

yet be traced, built

up with the Perpendicular

Early English arcade

additions
is

alterations.

At All

Saints'

Church, Stamford, an

carried

externally round the greater part of the Church.

Arcading was frequently a decorative

;

adjunct to the towers of this period, as at

St.

Mary's, Stamford

Ketton, Rutlandshire
generally

and Raunds, Northants.

and was
increased
at
last

In Decorated architecture the arcade was

omitted,
rapidly

entirely superseded

by the introduction
eagerly

of

panelling,

which

during the

Perpendicular era, and was

introduced in the

Buildings

then erecting.
of receiving
this

There was no portion of the wall but what was considered susceptible

new enrichment

buttresses,

parapets,

soffits

and jambs of doorways,

windows, and archways, and especially basement moldings, are found profusely ornamented
with
it.

The

Abbot's

tower

at

Eversham

is

completely

covered

with

panelling,

from the basement moldings to the parapet.

a

Tichmarch Church, Northamptonshire, has

effectiva

double

row

of

panels,

very

rich

and

Those

from

Lavenham
and
in the

Church,
centres

given in Plate 8 of Perpendicular, are of a very unusual

of
several

character,
clothier,

of

them

are

the

initials

and

mark

of

the
flint

Thomas

Spring,

the

munificent founder of this noble Structure.

referred,

In the

work
in

to which

we have

already
as
at

foliated

panels are

abundantly introduced
in

or

their

stead

we

find,

Coltishall

and Hunworth Churches,

Norfolk, the

crowned

initial

letter of the

patron

saint

or a cypher, as in Kenninghall Church.

periods, a beautiful

During the Early English and Decorated

surfaces
pattern.

method of diapering

plain

was very

prevalent.

This diaper usually consisted of a small flower or geometrical

its

We may

notice

appearance even in z

Norman work,

as

over the

window

82

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

I.

in Stourbridge Chapel (Appendix, Plate

Fig. 2),

and in the gable of the weat doorway

such as
Chichester

of St.

Margaret's,

at

Cliffe

but

it

is

in

Early English Buildings,

Cathedral and Westminster

of this enrichment
:

the last
is

Abbey Church, that we may first remark the extensive use named Edifice contains many beautiful and varied designs. In
;

Dunstable Church

it

used externally over the doorway

its

Beverley Minster

may

also be

mentioned as an instance of
given in Plate 19 of Section
I.

external application.
foiir

Four Early English examples are

and

of Decorated date, in Plate 24.

The elegant and well

known specimen

at Canterbury, is illustrated in Professor Willis's History of the Cathedral.* as they are also important,

Buttresses are distinguishing,

ture.

members

in Gothick Architec-

They do not occm* very frequently

buttress being a

in

Norman work,
strip of wall,
it

the most usual resemblance to a

is

narrow

which

generally flush with the

recess rather

corbel table

so that in fact

was the wall that was made to

than the buttress to project.

The tower

of St. Peter's Church, North-

ampton, has some very curious angle buttresses, somewhat resembling on

plan a cluster of three engaged shafts
;

they diminish gradually in stages.

At

the east end of the Chancel and under the

buttress, semi-circular

window

is

another small

Norman

on plan, with a conical

cap.

The Semi-

Norman tower

of
;

Clymping Church t has some good examples with

they are divided
as below.

weathered heads

midway with

a string, but have the

same projection above

In the small Early English village Structures, the buttresses stiU remained
but secondary features in the design
;

their projection

was very

slight,

and

they were rarely divided into more than two stages.

Very frequently their

I.

heads were gabled, as at Little

Wenham

Church, Sufiblk (Section

Early

EngKsh, Plate 14)

4_

or a small gablet rose from the weathering,

and was
the

sometimes enriched with cusping, as in Raydon Chm-ch,

Sufi"olk (see

same

Plate)

or with incipient tracery, as in Achurch, Northamptonshire.

curious variety occurs in

;

Raydon Church, on the north

side of the

Chancel

it is

triangular on plan, with a sloping head.

(Also illustrated in

the above Plate.)

buttresses

In larger Buildings of the same date,

we

find the
J

more fuUy developed.

Good examples occur

in

Felmarsham

^^i
St. marqarkt's, leicestoe.

ChuTQh

in the Chancel they have a very slight projection, but at the west
St.

end thcy stand out boldly, and are well proportioned.

Margaret's,

* Also Architecture. beautifully engraved in Bloxani's admirable Principles of Gotliick

t See Section

I.

Semi-Norman, Plato

5,

and Parish Churches, Vol IL, page

75.

J Parish Churalies, Vol. II., page 95.

BUTTRESSES.
Leicester, has a fine

83

arrangement of buttresses
;

those on the north side are gabled, on the

south they are simply weathered

in the latter
It
:

an elegant peculiarity

may

be observed in the
buttresses

leafy terminations of the lower set-offs.

was during the Decorated era that

they were then

reached to their fullest developmant of beauty

always worked in stages, frequently had gabled heads, and were

enriched with niches, tracery, &c.

Very

excellent examples,

however, are frequently met with without the slightest attempt

at decoration
portions.
shire.
;

deriving
ai-e

all their

beauty from their graceful pro-

Such

those in Pytchley Church, Northampton-

rated,

Fen Ditton Church, Cambridgeshire (Section I. DecoPlate 17), has also some plain, yet very good specimens
same date
:

of about the

in this instance the arrises throughout

are chamfered
;

a practice which

prevailed during the preceding

period, yet perhaps not to the

extent that is generally imagined,

at
least

as

applied

to

village
is

Churches.

In the same plate

figured a buttress from Holbeach

Church

a large and imposing

Decorated Structure, in which

the buttresses, partaking of the

magnificence of the other parts,

are gabled

and terminate
ridge.

in a

PfvmtMt Chcbob, NoanuiiprainaiBi.

kind of trefoUed
(Section
I.

In Bottisham Church, Cambridgeshire,

-

Decorated, Plate 19), they are also similarly finished,

with the addition of beautifully molded chamfers at the angles,

and a
shire,

trefoiled panel

on the

face.

Dronfield Church, Derby-

has some magnificent examples in the Chancel, worked in

set-offs gabled,

two stages with both

and enriched with

I.

tracery.

In Debenham Church, Suffolk (Section

is

Decorated, Plate 19),

an instance of a buttress having a niche with an ogeed and

lijr

trefoliated head, beautifully finialled,

and flanked by diminutive

Bedorave Church, SorroLK.

crocketed buttresses.

Another very interesting specimen occurs

the niche
Is

at the east of All Saints Church, Colchester.

At Towcester Church, Northants,

placed on the side instead of the face.

The

buttresses

from Redgrave Church, Suffolk, are of

84

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

;

perfect beauty

very lofty and rising in graduated stages, they terminate in gables with

trefoUed ridges, and have very elegant foliated niches in the upper stages, with pedestals
exquisitely
first

carved.

It

is

during this period (the Decorated) that

we may

notice the habitual practice of placing the corner buttresses at an angle

of 45 with the walls.

sufficient grounds,

This position however has been considered, without

of Decorated

as a distinctive peculiarity
finest

work

whereas
it

an inspection of some of the

4,-<,

and purest specimens wlU show that

In tower buttresses
:

was by no means the invariable

find

practice.

we sometimes
placed at
that
are

both kinds used conjointly in the same group

45 being uppermost
;

those
others

an
at

angle of

partly dying

into

the

right angles with the tower,

and partly corbelled out or carried on small

;

cusped and gabled squinches

as in the rich

examples from

St.

Margaret's,

IniMJtK

Leicester.

Perpendicular buttresses are generally higher and of greater projection

in proportion to their width
;

nevertheless they are not ordinarily divided into

more than two

illllll

stages.

In

RyaU Church, Rutlandshire

an

(Section

I.

Perpen-

frl

dicular, Plate 24,) they are exceedingly lofty,

fidges,

with gabled heads and trefoded

niche
occupies
the

BuaTHOEPE^CHDECH,

as in the
is

previous style

elegant crocketed

upper

part.

In the same plate

it is

engraved a buttress from

New Walthat

singham Church,

of three stages, though very

much lower than

ofi",

from Ryall Church

the small gablet on the lower set

and the

diminished with the

character.

upper one, give

St.

it

peculiar

and pleasing
I.

The example from

11,)
its

Mary's, Stratford, (Section

Perpen-

dicular, Plate

becomes interesting, from the knowledge we have

it

of the date of
is

erection (1430),

being stated in an inscription, which

It
is

carried

round the basement moldings.

its

exceedingly simple in

outline,
flict

and derives

claim to beauty principally from the elaborate

it is

ornaments with which

north
aisle.

enriched, in

common with

the whole
Alice

of

t;.e

The

initials of

the two founders,

Edward and

Moi^. and the mark of the husband's trade, occur on shields in various
parts of the design.
buttresses,

Blakeney Church, Norfolk, has

flint

also

some good
:

worked out of

and stone with panelled

faces

those,

however, in Lavenham Church far exceed aU previously mentioned

in richness

and elaborate

detail.

(Section

I.

Perpendicular, Plate 12.)

They

are entirely of dressed stone, with faces variously panelled,

and are

Blakbney Church, Norfolk.

in excellent keeping with the other portions of this magnificent Structure.

The armorial

PARAPETS.

85

bearings of the Veres, Earls of Oxford, and generous benefactors to the Church, appear on
the l)uttresscs.

Pinnacles were sparingly used during the Decorated period, and then, do not appear
to belong so

much

to the design of the entire Building, as to particular parta of it

aisle,

For

instance,

we

frequently find an

as at Eickenhall Church, Suffolk,* highly enriched

is

with pinnacled buttresses,

Chancel

while the Chancel

of
as

excessive
in

plainness

or again,

the

may have been

we may

enriched with pinnacles,

Over Claybrook,
similar

Leicestershire,

without the other portions of the Church displaying a

so that

degree

of

enrichment

conclude,

that these

elegant features were not usually introduced into

the architecture of the ordinary parish Church, until the full establishment of the Perpendicular,
is

when they became

of frequent

occurrence.

Staunton Harold, Leicestershire,

thus enriched with them.

of the
to

In Ayston Church, Rutlandshire,* pinnacles occur at the

In Knowle Chapel, Warwickshire,
aisles,

angles

Chancel
the

only.

they

rise

out of

the
the

buttresses
clearstory.

Chancel and

and
is

also

out

of the

embattled

parapet to

Louth Church, Lincolnshire,

tower
at

similarly enriched.

The
elegant
into
;

buttresses

to

the

Early English Churches, were generally simple

and

Etton,*

Northamptonshire, they are of three stages, the upper one dying

the

spire

table.

At Stanwick,*

in

the

same

county,
off

they

appear
as

rather
well
rise

as

ornamental accessories, are very low,

front,

and are

profiled

on the

sides,

as

in

in a very

curious and unusual

manner; while at Achurch, they only some towers, even of the Decorated
Kent,

to the

second stage of the tower.

Again,
arc

period,

have

no

buttresses
in other,

at

all

such

Southfleet,*
cases,

and

Barnwell,*

Northamptonshire,

while

and

far

more frequent
St.

the buttresses in
Redcliffe,

towers such as Fleet,*

Donington,* Ewerby,* Worstead,* and

magnificence and grandeur of outline.
right angles with the walls.

Mary,
all

have never been surpassed for

In

these instances the buttresses are placed at

Perpendicular towers are mainly indebted for their grandeur to the noble proportions
of
their
buttresses,

most usually terminating

in richly

crocketed pinnacles

very fine

examples occur in the Churches of Bishops Lydeard,* Beaminster (Dorset), Ludlow (Salop),
the Holy Trinity, Coventry,
St.

Mary's, Taunton, Louth, and

proportioned,

St

George's, Doncaster.

In

Martham Church,* they

with a simple weathered

are
table.

excellently

but terminate

below the

parapet

In

Deopham
panelled.

Church,* they are in six stages

and finished

in hexagonal turrets, embattled

and

The Parapet,
is

as

we have

elsewhere remarked,
architects

is

as frequent
it

in

some

parts,

as

it

rare

in
*

others.

The Norman

seldom introduced
T.

into their works; they

See engravings and plans of these several Churches in Vols.

and

II.

of the Parisli Churches.

A A

86

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

;

seem to have preferred the corbel table with dripping eaves

very

possibly,

however,

many Norman
of

parapets,

becoming ruinous owing to their exposed

situation,

have been

in the style in vogue at the time the restoration occurred. replaced by others
;

The tower
top,

it is chamfered at Clymping Church,* has a plain parapet, apparently original and carried on a row of corbels. In its complete state, the parapet may be divided
;

into

three distinct parts

the string or

cornice, the parapet wall,

and the coping.

;

Polebrook
Sutterton,

Church, Northants, has some very good examples of Early Enghsh character
Lincolnshire, the cornice
&c.
;

at

is

fiUed with a variety of ornaments, notch heads, dogtooth, hearts,

I.

Evington in Leicestershire, (Section

of a
little

Decorated, Plate 37,) has one over the north

is

aisle

later

date,

where the cornice

trefoils,
is

similarly enriched, but with the parapet

wall carved with a succession of sunk

filled

with leaves or flowers in low

pierced with
37).

relief

In Decorated examples, the parapet wall

or

frequently

quatrefoils,
style,
all

trefoils,

some flowing
first

tracery,

as

in Heckington Church (Plate

In this
it is

also,

we

may

notice the positive introduction of battlements, though

earlier

not at

unlikely

that they were used in Churches of an

period.

Higham

Ferrars exhibits some

feature

examples of very early date.

The embattled parapet became almost an universal

:

with the Perpendicular architects

difference that

may
is

be noticed between the earlier

only employed in
its

and

later

examples

is,

that the coping in the former

legitimate

and horizontal

position,

whereas subsequently

it

was made continuous and

carried

down

the sides of the battlement.

In the two Churches of Hingham* and Martham,* in Norfolk,

the distinctive peculiarities of the Decorated and Perpendicular parapet are well contrasted.

In

St.

the legitunate use of the coping Mary's, Stratford, erected in 1430,

in

is

stiU held in

view

Lavenham Church, on the

contrary,
;

it

is

continuous

the battlements, also in

the latter, are pierced with a four-centered arch

the opening thus formed, being partly fiUed

up with a

large leaf rising upwards,

and the intermediate spaces enriched with boldly carved

foliage in square panels.

By

far

the richest specimens of perpendicular parapets, however, are to be met with

Bishop's Lydeards*
rises
;

in the towers of the period.

is

very

fine,

with a row of quatrefoils,

it is

above which the embattlement

stiU

in

Badgeworth Church*

of a simpler,

yet

pleasing,

character.
;

The parapet
is

in

Martham Church,*
In

exhibits

a good

specimen

of flint decoration

the coj)ing
flint

not returned.

Deopham

Church,* a crocketed gable,

Cross, rises

much

enriched with

panelling,

and surmounted by a
;

fine

out
the

of the

parapet
rising

on the four sides of the tower

in

and

at

Filby,

near

Yarmouth,

parapet

graduated

stages, forms a stepped gable in

the

centre,

with two half ones,

is

also stepped, abutting against the angle pinnacles.

*

This stepped parapet

II.

a characteristick

Engraved in the

Pari^li'

Churches, Vol.

CROSSES.
feature
in

87
Doncaster,
it,

Norfolk towers.

The tower of

St.

George's,

has

remarkably
Louth,

rich pierced parapet, with three slender pinnacles rising out of

on each

side.

Lincolnshire,

and Bitton, Gloucestershire, have both very handsome panelled parapets, with

pinnacles rising out of each battlement.

The

Cross*, the most

natural

and appropriate termination of a

gable,

was made

use of at a very early

conclude, that

period.

From

the testimony of the old Saxon

MSS. we may

even then, they were invariably introduced, though owing to the want
it is

of durability in the material,

hardly likely that any have lasted to the present day.

The

fanatical

violence of the Puritans, sacrilegiously destroyed

left

many which

the ravages

of time

would longer have spared and

builders of old

unharmed.

The Church

delighted in exhibiting the symbol of their faith, not

it

only on gables, but in every position where

object.

would become a commanding and

distinct

We

find Crosses,

carved in low

relief,

over the windows of the ancient tower

at Barnack,

and worked

in flint over the belfiy windows,

St.

of

Martham Church.

In Cranford,

John's, they occupy

the

N.R and

S.E.

angles of the aisles, which have lean-to

roofs.

In a Church near Norwich,

we

find

them

at the four
brnack chuhch. NorrMAiTOKSHiE.

angles of the tower, and at

Dcopham,

in the
is

same county,

they crown the centre battlement, which

gabled to receive them.

The
enclosed

earliest Crosses

(probably for symbolical reasons) appear generally to have been

or

within

circle,
I.

with the arms slightly

Plate
16.)
is

projecting,
Cross,

as in

Edith

Western
over the
pat^e
of

Church.

(Section

Early English,

The

lately destroyed,

Norman Chancel
inscribed

of

Bamwood
circle,

Church,

mentioned
Knights

by

Lyson

as

Cross
St.

within

the

badge

of

the

Hospitallers

of

John

Jerusalem.
led
to

During the Early English period

varied

this

form was considerably modified, For

facility of
;

and

many
them
;

and elegant arrangements.

1,

examination we would
;

classify

in the several divisions of

Simple Crosses

2,

Wheel Crosses

3,

Floriated

Crosses

4,

Tracery Crosses.
the arms sometimes are merely chamfered,
or
engrailed,
as

In

Simple Crosses
Gloucestershire,
as
at

as

in

Churchdown

Church,
or

at

Badgeworth Church, in the same coimty,

Plate
;

cusped,

Tinwell,
as

(Section
St.

I,

Decorated,

28,)

or

with the extremity of

the

arms

trefoiled,

in

Mary's Church, Stamford

or again,

we sometimes meet

with them ornamented with a small flower raised on the face of each arm.
perfect
*

fine

and

example of a wheel
are

Cross occurs over

the

east

gable of the nave

of

Oadby

The authors

now

preparing illustrations of a series of Gable Crosses, to which they would refer for a more

ample account of

this beautiful feature.

88
Church,

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

Leicestershire
;

it

has eight spokes with trefoiled terminations,

radiating from

a small flower in the centre. example.

Plate
16,)

WhitweH Church,

Rutland, has also a fine Early English

I.

Tlie

Cross from Helpringham Church, Lincolnshire, (Section

likewise be
is

Early English,
is

may

included in this
visible.

class,

for

though the

circle

omitted,

its

influence in the design

very

In floriated Crosses small branches diverge from

the

arms of the Cross, grouping the whole together in a very beautiful manner, as at
Norfolk, (Section
I.

Hingham Church,

Decorated, Plate 33,) or at Peterborough. (Plate 28)

Cley Church, Norfolk, probably possesses the finest example of this class in the kingdom.

Tracery Crosses are generally of great beauty and richness

Decorated, Plate 33,)
hitherto
is it

that at Hasingfield, (Section

its

I.

certainly the

most magnificent of

class that the authors

have

met with
it is

remains very perfect,

In this class
in

owing to the durable material (Barnack)

include the very rich eight-armed

out of which
Crosses,

worked.
to

we would
;

frequently
(Section
(Plate 21.)
I.
I.

be found

Norfolk
15,)

such are those from Stoke Ferry and

Morton,
Stody.

Perpendicular, Plate

Ludham,

(Plate

33,)

and

Trunch and
are

Two

early

and exceedingly elegant examples of

this class

given

in Section

Decorated, Plate 28, from Peakirk and Methwold.

Other varieties
they are in
examining.
reality,

may

occasionally be noticed which are not so easy to classify

yet

but quaint modifications of one or other of the classes

we have been

Such
I.

is

the simple and effective Cross over the chancel of Wichford Church,
its

Wilts, (Section

Early English, Plate 16,) and

enriched counterpart from

St. IMary's,

Norwich. (Decorated, Plate 33.)

is

Over the north transept of Gunthorpe Church, Norfolk,

one which would be classed with tracery Crosses, had not the usual arrangement been

whimsically departed from in the lower part, and cusps substituted for the two secondary
branches.

On some
at

Crosses
(Section

we
I.

find the figure of

Our Saviour carved on one

of the faces, as

Oakham
is

Perpendicular,

Plate 21,)

whde
one.

at

Little

Casterton a smaller
of Thorns
(or

Cross
is

inclosed within a circle

sunk upon the larger

;

At Louth a Crown

beautifully twined

round the arms

and

at

Godeby Maureward, the Cross has

martyrdom

had)

its

outer

circle

cut into teeth like a saw, symbolizing thereby the

of

some

of the early Saints of the Church.

The Cross was generally

and fixed with a

let into

the saddle stone to the depth of five or six inches,

Ifeaden joint, a
;

practice

which has probably caused the destruction of

of
time,
finally
it

many

beautiful

examples

for,
is

in

course

the

expansion of the metal bursts

the thin socket, the Cross

loosened,

and
was

drops

down

and very

rarely,

(we

hope we may now

say)

in former days,

set

up

again.

The thickness

of the Cross
;

depended of course in a great measure upon the strength of the stone employed

generally

CROSSES FONTS.
from four to
five

89

inches

may

be considered a

fair

average.

Over the south

aisle

of

Humberetone Church,

Leicestershire, the

stem of the Cross was

:

(for the socket is all that

is

now

remains) only five inches by two and three quarters

the material

Bamack

stone.

The
ways
in

limits of this

work
is

forbid our entering into a description of the

its

many
:

different

which the Cross

merely refer

introduced into the sacred Building and

adjuncts

we wiU

therefore,

briefly to its beautiful

and appropriate

iise

in

marking the resting

I.

place of the departed faithful.

Two

elegant examples of floor Crosses are given in Section

is

Early English, Plate 25.

other,

The one from Barnwell Church

is

carved

in

relief,

while the

from the Cathedral Church of Dublin,

if

incised or

sunk

in the slab.

Ancient Fonts,* even

regarded merely in an sesthetical point of view, will

he

found to possess so much

interest,

and

to exhibit in so high a degree the architectural

character of the times in which they were executed, that

at least directing attention to them.

we can

hardly conclude without

At
it

the same time the great number, and exceeding

impossible to give

variety of beautiful specimens, render

an

illustration,

even of the

types of the different fonts used during the three grand periods of Gothick architecture.

The

examples
as

introduced,

each
of

illustrating

one of

these

epochs,

must be considered,

therefore,

good

specimens
dates

their

several
It
it

eras,

but

by no

means

as

decided
to

characteristicks

of the of

they represent.
font,

has

been

considered
difficult

inexpedient
to
select

give

an

illustration

Norman

for

would be rather

one
are

only (and the limits of the work forbid a greater number)

constantly

among

the

many which

met with

all

very quaint, and some elaborately and beautifully enriched.

The two
the

earliest

forms of
still

Norman

fonts,
its

appear to have been the tub-shaped and

character,

cube

the

former,

preserving

circular

was afterwards
this

raised

on

a low stem with molded cap occurs in

and base

(a
is

very beautiful

example of

arrangement
while
shafts.

Shefford Church, Berkshire, and

engraved in the "Baptismal Fonts"),

stem, surrounded
:

the

latter

was most usually raised on a

Early English fonts this
in

central

by four small

In

many

fashion

was preserved

the

Churches of Merstham

and
also

Shiere,

Surrey,

have excellent specimens of this

use
is

class.

The
;

single

stem was
I.

occasionally

made
it

of,

as

in

the

font

in

Weston Church

(Section

Early

English,

Plate

27,)

a simple and elegant design,

is

and has a broader step at the

west for the

In the

priest,

which

not shown in the plate.

shape of Decorated fonts, greater license seems to have been used than at
:

any other time

angle
*

at

Galway the font

it

is

square, carried on a central stem,

circidar

and four small

shafts

at

Orchardleigh,

is

and

cup-shaped
refer to the

and

at

Ewerby

is

an

For a brief yet interesting account of ancient fonts we would

Voorst, and illustrated by

"

Baptismal Fonts," lately published

by Van

many

excellent woodcuts.

B B

90

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

It
is

hexagonal font, with the sides richly diapered.

in

the fonts

of this period that

we

first

find the richly crocketed canopy,

and the octagonal stem with slender engaged

I.

shafts,

as at

Eedgrave Church.

(Section

Decorated, Plate

32),

or panels divided

by

small pinnacles, as at

Hedon Church,

Yorkshire.

Perpendicular fonts, though frequently richer than the previous ones, exhibit nevertheless considerable

sameness and repetition of design.

They were generally

eight-sided
is

and raised on a molded stem, though at Hurley Church, Berkshire, the font

a simple
;

octagonal block, tapering downwards, with panelled sides, and buttresses at the angles

while

in Cornwall some extraordinary and anomalous forms are occasionally met with.
decorations were then very prevalent
;

Sculptured

animals,

especially

lions,

frequently surround the

stem, while

the basin

is

supported by rows of angels with extended wings.

Walsoken
rendered
together

Church,
highly

Norfolk,
interesting

has

very

beautiful
its

and

rich

font

of

this

description,

from the date of

execution

(1544)

being

cut

upon
;

it,

with the names of the donors.*

at the angles, buttresses

Both bowl and shaft are octagonal

the

former has

and

pinnacles,

and on the
angels,

sides are

crocketed ogee arches sup-

ported

by brackets formed

of foHage

and

and which are occupied by the Crucifixion

and the seven sacraments of the Church of Eome.

angels.

The

buttresses, also, are

supported by

The

shaft

is

ornamented in the same manner as the bowl, but the niches contain

figures of saints, very well carved

and displaying much

artistick

skill.

The emblems of
in Plate 28,

the Crucifixion occur in shields placed round the base.

The example given

is

from Clymping Church, though very

specimen
;

inferior in point

of richness,
foliage.

nevertheless a pleasing

of good proportion, with

some very well executed

Fonts of aU dates were not unfrequently raised on a

circular,

series

of steps,

either square,

or
;

octagonal.
as in

In the later examples,

the risers

are

frequently

enriched with

quatrefoUs

the

Chm-ches of Walsingham and Worstead, in Norfolk.

is

In

both

these instances the upper step

in the form of a Cross,

whUe

the lower one follows the

shape of the font.

of the
font,

kneeling stone, consisting of a raised block or step at the west

of the
priest,

for

the use

was a very usual appendage

later

it

is

met with

even in early

fonts,

though more commonly in those of a

seats for

date.

The Sedilia,

or

the

ofiiciating priests,

always south of the

I.

Altar,

were
6,

frequently of great beauty.

Examples are given in Section

Sometimes the
Church,
sill

Early English, Plate

to
14,)

and Perpendicular, Plate

the
sedilia,

9.

of the
;

window was lowered

2,

form

as

in

Great

Wenham
The

Suflblk

(Appendix, Plate

Fig.

and

in St. in the

Martin's, Leicester.

piscina or water drain,

was very frequently incorporated

same design

as the sedUia.
*

Engraved in the Baptismal Fonts.

SECTION n.-OF

WOODWORK AND METALWORK.

ROOFS.*

TIMBER

roof of the fifteenth centiuy, with

its

its

massive timbers elaborately

wrought and molded,

carved figures of
its

rows of hammer beams terminating in beautifully

its

angels,

enriched panelling and

all
is

traceried

spandrels,

exquisite
as

bosses,

and above
as
it

its

profusely ornamented cornice,

is

truly
art.

glorious

a sight,

grand triumph of the carpenter's

Such

excellence, however,

was but very gradually accomplished.

:

Of unquestionably Norman work, very few specimens indeed remain

them,

judging from
it

we would conclude

that the construction of that period,

was

as unscientifick as
all

was rude.

These early roofs may, perhaps without exception, be

roofs, t

classed under
is

the
of

head of tie-beam
this description,

The one over the Chancel of Adel Church, Yorkshire,

original
:

and appears
by
collars
;

the principals pitch on to the tie-beam, and are

struts

braced together
are
carried

slanting

are

also

tenoned

into

the

principals,

and

down on

to

the

tie-beam, which thus receives

a great part of the weight

is

of the roofing.

Over the nave of Whitwell Church, Rutland,

;

a roof of a somewhat

similar construction
it is

the collar, however,

is

much
and
is

lower down, and immediately imder

itself

a purlin, which supports the

rafters,

carried

on

struts

framed into
ones,

the

beam, as at Adel

these

struts

are

further

strengthened

by smaller

framed
There
with

from them into the tie-beam, and following very nearly the rake of the roof
is

a continuous plate inside

external
wall,
in

and another would probably be found, almost

a

flush

the

accordance with what seems to have been then

;

very general
the projecting
"

practice.
*

All the timbers are very roughly worked

requires a

indeed, cutting

off"

Such an important subject

;

more extensive and

careful illustration than the limits of the

its

permitted

the authors have therefore devoted a separate volume to

to

consideration

the work

Analysis"

is

now

in the pressi

and they hope very shortly

+ In
all

be able to lay before the publick the

fruits of their researches.

;

ancient roofs the tie-beam was employed to hold the walls together

and in addition generally carried

struts ; being the reverse of

the greater part of the weight, which was brought

the present principle

down on

to

it it

by the king post and

up.

by which the king post

is

employed

to tie

92

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE..

finish

knobs and branches seems to have been aU the

them.

that

has

been bestowed upon

Yet even in very early examples we sometimes meet with a certain degree of
evincing
careful

embellishment,

workmanship

one of the
is

beams of the

Norman
;

roof

remains in Old Shoreham Church, Sussex, and

enriched with

a billet molding

and

other instances are occasionally found in various parts of the country.

The next advance in the framing of

means of
as in the
cross braces

roofs,

was to
rafters,

truss

each

rafter,

sometimes by

pinned into the two opposite

and halved
;

at the intersections,
II.

example over the porch of Stuston Church, Suffolk

or,

(Section

Woodwork,
each
rafter

Plate 24,)

as

was more

usually the
stiffened

case

in

roofs of considerable

span,

had a

collar,

and was further

at other times tenoned into its

by braces sometimes crossing above the coUar, and underside. The foot of each rafter was so framed, as to
whose base generally was equal to the thickness of the
this contrivance obtained

assume the shape of a

wall

triangle,

on which

it

rested,

and by

an excellent hold

thus any

danger from spreading was almost entirely obviated.

These roofs have frequently only

it;

one plate, placed midway in the wall, the feet of the rafters being halved upon
soimetimes they occur with an internal and external plate
central
plate,
;

but

or,

as at Heckington, with a
slightly projecting
cornice.
is

and an internal one molded, and forming a

ever
occur,

Neither ridge pieces or purlins

and when they are not boarded, which

very frequently the

case,

it

becomes quite a matter of surprise how such roofs should

not boarded, however, the trusses are generally out of the

have held up so long.

When

perpendicular, inclining either to the east or the west.

In the earlier instances of this

at intervals in

kind the tie-beam was

roof
;

still

retained,

and introduced

the

length

of the

as

in

the

example over the Chancel of Sandridge Church, Herts, which

has a

molded cornice projecting from the wall and carried on notch heads, and into which
the tie-beam with similar moldings
is

framed.

There are two

It

ties in

the length of the

Chancel,
the

with about twelve rafters

between each.*
;

was not

long,

however,

before

tie-beam

was

altogether

omitted

and

the

rafters,

simply trussed,

continued

favourite style of roofing with the Early English and Decorated architects.
are generally from one foot six inches to

The

rafters

two

feet

from centre to centre

roofs are

their scantling

averaging about five inches by four.

Remaining examples of these

more numerous
That in their
after aU, for

than any others, but in most cases they have been lathed and plastered.
original state they

were occasionally boarded appears extremely probable

though

picturesqueness and beauty, nothing can exceed the view of the rafters intricately crossing.

Sometimes a trussed

rafter roof spans

both the nave and

is

aisles, as

in St.

Michael's,

Long

* The roof over the nave of Clyinping Church

wall plates, and occasional tie-beams.

an Early English construction, with internal and external

it

See an engraving of

in the Parish Churches, Vol. II. p. 75.

ROOFS.
Stanton, Cambridgeshire
;

93

the rafters to the nave being continued

down on

to the side walls,

and terminating
Decorated

in the usual triangularly

framed foot

roofs,

however, far from being always of this simple description, are frequently

of great beauty, and display considerable constructive knowledge in the framing of their
principals, ridge, pm-lins,
collar roofs.

&c

They may be considered under the two heads of tie-beam and

;

The

former, perhaps, are the most frequent

an excellent example remains

in
Its

Adderbury Church, Oxfordshire, em-iched with good and characteristick moldings.

framing

may

be described as a tie-beam supporting a king-post, from the four sides of which

;

spring braces framed into the principals and ridge

both principals and braces being

foliated,

produce an excellent

eflfect

Other curved and molded braces are framed into the underside

of the tie-beam, forming a pointed arch, and serving to bring the weight of the roof lower

down on

the walls.
Ferrars Church, Northamptonshire, also, has a good roof of Decorated date
is
;

Higham
the tie-beam

very

much cambered, and forms an

arch with the curved braces which are

framed into

it,

and spring from small

shafts with caps

;

and bases

a king-post rests on the

tie-beam, with braces supporting the ridge

similar braces carry the purlins.

small struts also rest on the tie-beam, and with

The

cornice

and principal timbers are simply molded

An

equally interesting specimen

is

the roof over the nave of

Wrmmington Church,*
in
is

Beds, built

by

"3)01)^15 CTuvtCgis:
first

M%

Ue Mgrnington," who died

1391.
of the

The Church remains

same
period.
It con;

almost entirely as
sists of

designed,

and unquestionably the roof

a cambered
is

beam with

foliated braces, carried as in

Higham

Ferrars on small shafts

the ridge

also supported in the

same manner as

in this last-named Chm-ch,

and so low

is

the pitch in this example, that the purlins rest directly on the tie-beam without any intervening
strut.

The spandrels between the beam and the curved braces

are pierced with trefoils, t

Of Decorated

roofs without tie-beams, there is a simple yet beautiful

It is of

example over the

:

south aisle of Knighton Chiurch, Leicestershire.

consists of a pair of principals,
collar also

very bold construction

;

each truss
is

which pitch on to a molded cornice-plate

it

about midway
;

molded, with small curved braces framed from

into the principal

on the

collar

* For an engraving of this roof, see Parish Churches, Vol. II. p. 93.

t Ancient

roofs,

though characteristically acutely pointed, were by no means invariably so

an angle of 90 was

perhaps the most usual for

Norman

roofe,

while Early English ones, although acutely pointed, are nevertheless

;

60 rarely found of an equilateral pitch, or angle of

indeed, in this

and the succeeding

;

style,

we

occasionally .meet

with some, so remarkably low as to

rival the flattest of the

;

PerpendiciJar roofs

such are those over the Early

is

English Church at Warmington, Northants

also very low.

the interesting example from Polebrook Church, in the same coimty,

The Decorated
only four.

roof over the south aisle of St. Martin's, Leicester, has a sjmn of twenty ^)ne feet,
in

with a

rise of

The roofs
roofs,

Wimmington and Higham Fenars

in Norfolk

are both very

flat.

The Perpendicular archipitch.

tects gradually

lowered their

though

and Suflblk many beautiful examples remain of noble C C

94
lies

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUEE.

the purlin, which
is

further strengthened

and kept in

its

place

by small curved
collar,

braces,

tenoned into the principal.

There

is

a carved flower under the centre of the

and carved

heads projecting from the wall at the foot of each principal.

similar construction over the Chancel of St.

There

is

a roof of a somewhat

Mary's Church, Leicester, with the addition,

however, of wall pieces, into which the braces are framed.

Martin's Church,* in

Over the large south

aisle of St.

the same town,

is

a roof of very early Decorated character,

and

exceedingly interesting.

Its construction is

simply an enormous beam rising up to the ridge,

is

and following the rake of the

rafters

the underside

shghtly curved in the centre, the curve

being completed by means of the braces, so as to produce almost a semi-circular arch.

braces,

These

and that part of the beam which enters

and cornice
which
plates
;

into the cui-ve are beautifully molded, as are

is

likewise the ridge

the former

partly carried on corbel heads tenoned

into the tie-beam, into

also are

framed the
filled

latter,

the moldings at the junction being

stopped with fohage

the spandrels are

with tracery.

feature in this roof are the figures

which are

cai-ved

and interesting out of the waU pieces and carry the

peculiar
full

curved braces
expression
;

they are about four feet in height, exceedingly well carved, and
to be emblematical of

of

we might suppose them

some of the principal

virtues,

Humility, Patience, &c.

The roof over the nave

the examples

of Capel St. Mary's Church, Sufiblk, shows a great advance

upon

we have abeady

examined.

Here we may

first

notice the introduction of that

distinguishing feature of the Suffolk roofs, the hammer-beam.

exactly at an angle of 90
;

In this instance, the pitch

is

the embattled collar, which

is

placed very high up, supports a

;

strut or small king-post, into

which the principals and ridge are framed

a curved brace in

two pieces
pins
;

is

tenoned into the undersides of the collar and principal, and fixed with wooden
foot of the brace is also

and the
is

framed into the hammer-beam.

In these roofs the

cornice

altogether differently constructed,

it

and answere a

distinct purpose

from that of
In the

previous examples, where

roofs of Suffolk

generally served as a plate for the rafters to pitch upon.

it

and Norfolk,

may
it

be divided into three parts

the lower one, usually

consisting of a

molded plank of three to four inches in thickness,

to

is

tenoned from hammerthe centre one

angels
is

beam

to

hammer-beam,

which

affords

an additional

lateral tie

either

pierced

with panelling or otherwise ornamented, not

Church has two south
over the smaller
aisle,

unfrequently with

having
from

* St. Martio's
are continued

aisles

the roof over the larger one

lean-to.

is

a span roof,

and the

rafters

it

down

which is covered by a

The

parishioners have lately, in the same

similar
:

hearty spirit which

actuated their ancestors, reconstructed entirely,

and with

worthy

materials, these

two

roofs, as well as that over

the Chancel (a very fine and rich Perpendicular example)

details.

in both cases, the originals

having been minutely copied, as to scantlings and

The old timbers on being taken down, were found to

have been richly coloured

why

not fully carry out the restoration, and extend this enrichment to the

new

roofs

ROOFS.
expanded wings, as
usually molded,
at

95
while the upper part like the lower
is

Knapton Clmrch, Norfolk

and sometimes,

as in Capel St. Mary's, becomes in fact an additional purlin,

Ixiiug in every respect similarly treated.

We may

easily trace the origin of these cornices to

to,

a peculiarity in these two counties already referred

namely, the absence of parapets

for

where eaves were used, the hammer-beams and

rafters

were carried very

far back,

and

in

some

cases quite to the outer face of the wall, thus

leaving a considerable space inside

soffit

l)etween the

waU

plate under the hanamer-beam

and the

of the rafters.
it

To

fill

this

space with masonry would not only be a piece of useless construction, but

would

also tend

much

to destroy the beauty of the design as a whole,

by separating the hammer-beam

left

&om

the remainder of the roof.

This space was therefore either

open, or the cornice was

adopted as affording a legitimate mode of further enriching the

giving
it

roof,

and at the same time

a.

greater lateral strength.

In Old Basing Church, Hampshire, in

Perpendicular

roof of rather peculiar construction, a similar difficulty has been

met by the use of upright

panelling

the

effect,

however,

is

very inferior to the Suffolk arrangement.

aisle of

The example over the north

Wymondham

Church, Norfolk
its fullest

(Sect.

II.

WoodThe

work, Plates 17, 18, 19), exhibits the hammer-beam roof in

development
:

most usual way of framing these

is

roofs

may

be briefly described as follows

a hammer-beam

bedded on a

plate,

and extends sometimes almost

to the outer face of the wall, while

;

internally its projection varies perhaps from one-fifth to one-sixth of the width of the opening

a wall piece

is

framed into

its

underside, and
is

is

generally, though not of necessity, carried

on

a corbel

the weight on the

hammer-beam
is

brought

down

to the wall piece

soffit

by means of the
and
in a

curved or spandrel brace, which

similar

tenoned and pinned to the

of the former,

manner

is

also fixed to the latter.

A
is

strut rising firom the

extreme end of the

hammer-beam, supports the

principal,
it

which

tied in

by the

collar,
:

and further strengthened

the whole framing
is

by curved braces which bind

perfectly secured.

to the coUar

and supporting

strut

thus
'

The Wymondham roof presents a curious

is

variety, for the collar is rather

daringly dispensed with, and at the simamit

are tenoned the extremities of the principals
into compartments
foliated panels
;

a large wedge-like piece of wood, into which

ridge.

and

The

sides of the roof are di\'ided

by three

purlins

and an intermediate
is

principal,

and are enriched with

of the designs produced

the tracery in the spandrels

:

also very varied,

many
;

being of exceeding beauty

notice the

eight specimens are given in plate 19

in one of

them we may

crowned M.

These tracery panels rarely exceeded an inch in thickness, and the

us,

pattern

is

merely pierced through, or with the edges chamfered, as in the examples before

but with no eyes to the cusps.

principal timbers.

Very

beautifully carved bosses cover the intersections of the

In this roof

we may
pieces.

notice the introduction of wall braces, uniting

and

stiffening the cornice

and wall

96

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

In Grundisburg Church, Suffolk (Section
II.

Woodwork,
:

Plates 26

and

27),

we

find a

double range of hammer-beams, one above the other

ever, is precisely the same, but

the principle of the construction, howefiect.

with a proportionate increase in rich

The king-posts

are beautifully

wrought into

figures of angels with

outspread wings, and others also with

expanded wings are placed

hammer-beams.
height,
is

at the feet of the wall pieces,

and

at the extremities of the lower

The

efiect

produced by this host of angels, leaning forward from their airy

In the example over Knapton
representing the heavenly

grand and solemn almost beyond description.

is

Church, which
choir,

also

a double

hammer-beam

roof, the ahgels

hold in their hands instruments of musick, or some holy texts or symbols.

collar,

Trunch

Church, also in Norfolk, has a magnificent roof over the nave, without a
tied in

being merely

by

the curved braces

its

tracery spandi'els are of the

most elaborate

richness.

Woolit is

a pit Church, in Sufiblk, has

profusely ornamented
;

most glorious double hammer-beam roof;* every part of

;

the rafters and purfins are richly molded

all

rows of strawberry leaf

the hammer-beams, seem

divide the cornice, and angels, applied to the extremities of

hovering
also

midway

in the air on their extended wings.

filled

The lower

parts of the wall pieces are

are

worked

into niches,

with figures of

saints,

over whose heads

suspended
is

elaborately carved canopies.

The splendour of the roof

of St. Mary's, at Bury,

too well

known

to need description.

In another kind more frequently met with in the Midland Counties, and also in Devonshire

and Somersetshire, the tie-beam once more becomes an important constructive

;

feature.

highly enriched example occurs in Cirencester Church

;

the braces under the tie-beam are

double-cusped and have foliated spandrels

tion
;

the wall braces are of the same elaborate descripfilled

the tie-beam

itself is finely

molded with a deep casement

it

with flowers

and in

fact

every part susceptible of enrichment has received

in a high degree.

As
itself in

the Perpendicular period drew to a close, the expiring genius of Gothick art exhibited the roofs no less than in
fiat,

all

other parts of the sacred Edifice.

skill

They were then made

to be

exceedingly

and what was missing in constructive

was sought

remedied and

replaced by crowded, but frequently ill-executed, ornament.

the north chapel of Wellingborough Chm:ch, Northamptonshire.

Such an example occurs over

Many
we have

other specimens of roofs might be adduced, for the variety

is

almost

infinite,

but

already exceeded the limits which

;

interesting subject

and

therefore, in

we proposed in conclusion, we wiU

:

the present
briefly

work

to devote to this

points concerning those ancient constructions

sum up

the most striking

1st,

we may be

sure that a vigilant search

would prove Decorated and Early English

roofs to be yet remaining in tolerable abundance,

;

and that even Norman specimens are not wanting

*

2nd, that their

j)itch
I., p.

varied from an angle

For an engraving of

this roof, see Parish Churches, Yol.

49.

WOODWORK.
much below
;

97

of 90 to one of 60, rarely exceeding the latter, but not unfrequently, even in Early English

examples, very

the former, and that tie-bcama are

common

to the roofe of all the

different periods

3rd, that the various timbers were simply tenoned

and pinned together

4th, that the purlins, in lieu of lying over the principals, as in a

modem

roof, are invariably

;

framed into them, thus allowing the

finally, that

rafters to lie flush

with the tops of the principals

and

in

common with

all

the other accessories of a Church, these elaborate and

splendid works were richly coloured and gilded.

Perhaps even now, most examples,

if closely

examined, would

still

present some lingering marks of their past splendour.

fain raise our
:

And, before

leaving the subject,

we would

humble

voice, urgently pleading for the carefid

restoration of these truly national glories

for after all,

none other than our own oak-bearing

land can boast of roofs such as those that abound with us, either in beauty or boldness of
execution.

But while we would urge

their restorations as peculiarly national works, let not

the pressing necessity of such a course be forgotten.

attention to the subject, climbing the ladders

None but

those

who have devoted

and minute

close

and bestowing a

careful

inspection,

can form an idea of the

effect

produced by nearly four centuries of neglect and decay.

few

years must assuredly witness the restoration, or total destruction, of

roofs,

pious

many most

exquisite

legacies of our forefathers.

seats in our

The general arrangement of the old

from an examination of the plates
;

Churches will be

sufficiently

understood

for notwithstanding that they

were frequently profusely

ornamented, the actual construction and disposition ever remained the same, and consisted
of a continuous sUl laid along the floor, into which the bench ends were stubbed, the seats

being supported on brackets placed at intervals, with the backs either terminating level with
the seats, or carried
seat,

down
;

to the floor
it

the book board was placed but

little

higher than the

in use.
;

and never slanting

was, in fact, simply a ledge to lay the book on

all its
I.

when not

Great Waltham Chui-ch retains almost

old seats in very good preservation

II.

their

arrangement and details are shown in Plate

as

of Section

Woodwork.

The

sUl is

molded

was almost always the

case,

and the bench ends are ornamented with small and some very

buttresses, in

this instance cut out of the solid,

excellent tracery panels, all varying

is

more
3.

or less one from the other

a selection of the most beautiful

is

given in Plates 2 and

The top

of the bench ends

capped with a molding, also carried round the backs which

seats.

finish level

with the underside of the

seat,

In Comberton Church, Cambridgeshire,

highly enriched
;

we

find the

same description of

but very

much more

here the backs are

also

continued

down

to the floor,

and framed into a

crass sUL

The square bench end was

generally adopted in Devonshire and Somersetshire.

Bishop's Lydeard, Trull,

and Crowcombe

Churches are

still

filled

with very beautiful

II.

seats,

though they are

31.

all

of late workmanship.

Several examples are given in Section

Woodwork, Plate
V D

The date of those

in

98

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTURE.

is

Crowcombe Church (1534)

probably reference to the

carved on one of them in conjunction with some

of the donor.

initials,

having

name

At
finished

other times,

and

especially in Norfolk

and

Suffolk, the
for

bench ends were ogeed, and

the freest
display

with

finials,*

affording

the

carver

opportunities

of

his

imagination, which indeed appears to have been most wonderfully prolifick, for not only

were two
different.

finials rarely
St.

found alike in the same Church, but even the two sides were generally

Mary's Stratton, in Norfolk, would furnish nearly one hundred distract

is

patterns
30.

nor

this a solitary case.

Thirteen varieties are given in Plates

6,

16, 20,

and

The peculiar form common

lis,

to

most

finials is

supposed by some t to be derived from

the fleur de

both a religious emblem and a royal heraldick charge.

"

Poppy, or poppy

head, the more correct term for designating these wooden

Crops," would appear to be

derived from the frequent custom of working the terminations into figures of priests, warriors,
&c.

Ketton Church, Rutland, furnishes many beautiful specimens of

is

this description

in

one instance a bishop

fine

represented in his pulpit.

Grundisburgh Church, Suffolk, has some

examples of ogeed bench ends richly panelled, though of rather late date and exhibiting a

declining taste.

The bench ends

;

in the

Church of

St.

Mary's Wiggenhall, Norfolk, are of the

most elaborate splendour

either side

they are ogeed and finished with a poppy head, supported on

by

figures,

while another figure occupies a niche in the panel.

less

The Chancel screen, a no

beautiful than necessary appurtenance, yet remains in

its

many

of the remote village Churches of Norfolk in almost all

it

original splendour.

Though

the carver exhausted on

plete

the resources of his wonderful art,

it

still

was

it

not considered comrichest colours

and worthy

of its purpose, until

had been made to glow with the

and
rich

gilding.

To

delineate the delicacy of the tracery, without at the

same time supplying the

beauty
;

tints of the colour, is to deprive the design of a principal part of its

the aid of poly-

chromy, eagerly acknowledged in

all

parts of the Church, in the case of screens

more

especially,

was considered

essential.

Scriptural texts were constantly introduced in the cornice,

filled

and
the

sometimes, as in Bishop's Lydeard, the whole of the Creed

the casement.

On

lower panels were customarily painted the holy Apostles, or other Saints and Martyrs.
a few specimens of screens have been given, for, to do

But

them

justice, a

whole work should be

devoted to the subject

* This

and we much hope that such a one

will soon be undertaken,

its

one

in

word

is

singularly degenerated from its original

and proper meaning

so universally adopted, that

we must almost

despair of seeing the ahuse corrected.

present sense however is now The ancient " fynyall" always

term for the bunch of foliage terminating the fynyall ; represented the entire pinnacle, while the crop is the legitimate " et altitude a le gargayle usque le crop qui finit le stone-work 31 pedes," see Willis's Nomenclature of the Middle
Ages.

t See Ecclesiologist, Vol. V.

p.

209.

WOODWORK.
which
effects.

99
alflo

shall be

depicted, not only the architectural

Wuties, but

the polychromatick
is

An

interesting example of a Decorated screen from

Waltham Abbey Church

and
its

given

iu Section II.

Woodwork,

Plate 7

its

proportions are exceedingly massive,

moldings

very characteristick.

Other

examples of

Decorated woodwork, selected from screens in

:

Bottisham Church, Cambridgeshire, are given in Plate 14

remarkable for the beauty and triangularity of
its

a spandrel piece in this plate

In Plate 21,
is

is

design.

a selection of

panel heads from a very beautiful screen lately in Cheater Cathedral, but which
to have been destroyed since our drawings were made.

we understand

Barton Church, Cambridgeshire,

(Section

11.

Woodwork, Plate

10,) has

a very beautiful Chancel screen in good preservation,

in this example
is

the doors alone being missing.

The carving

particularly well executed

in Plate 11.

some of the

crockets, spandrels,

and cusps terminations are given

The lower
8,)

panels of the doors to the screen in

WeUs

Cathedral (Section
triangle, as the

II.

Woodwork, Plate

have

some very
is

rich tracery, in

which the equilateral

groundwork of the formation,

made very apparent. The construction of the Doors was always

of the most soUd description

early examples

however, never display any carved work, owing to the general practice of those times of intro-

ducing ironwork in the design

at once a strengthening

and a

beautiful enrichment

Some few
their great

Norman

doors are yet existing

their framing is exceedingly rude,

and they derive

strength from the ironwork with which they are banded.

Such

is

the example in Sempring-

ham
is

Church, Lincolnshire, (Section

I.

Norman, Plate

6),

where the material, strange to say,

ornamental ironwork began to
fall

deal.*

Towards the

close of the Early English period,

into disuse, although tracery

was hardly yet introduced.

St Margaret's Chapel, Herts, has

:

a very good and perfect specimen of an early Decorated door

raised towards the centre,

it

consists of battens slightly

ribs cut

which are tongued into each other, and divided by molded

out of the
inside,

solid.

These panels are strengthened and tied together by cross pieces placed
to the outer face
I.
:

and nailed through

the entire thickness

is

three inches

and a

half.

Milton Church, Kent, (Section

tion.

Decorated, Plate 14), has a door precisely of this descripI.

In North

Mimms

Church, (Section

Decorated, Plate 25,) the door

is

similarly

framed, but without the raised panels.

Rushden Church, Northamptonshire, has a Decorated

example, where the head brace

is

elegantly shaped into an ogeed trefoU.

The south door of

;

Holbeach Church

is

a beautiful and perfect specimen of Decorated woodwork

its

framing

and
in

details are
I.

minutely described, and wiU be best understood by reference to the Plate 10,
Decorated.

Section
*

Stoke Church, Suffolk, has a magnificent door, probably un-

Only one other instance has come under the notice of the authors, where this material has been preferred to oak, namely, the doors to the chapter house at York, which are of later date, but also profusely enriched with ironwork.

100
surpassed in ricliness
costly

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK AECHITECTUEE.

;

tracery, moldings, figures of saints,

surface.

and canopies,

all

of the most

workmanship, cover the entire

perfect

Many
the head.

and elaborate examples of Perpendicular doors remain

is

the

one in

Deopham Church
mens

transitional

from Decorated, and has some good flowing tracery in

St.

The Abbey Church of

is

Alban contains many beautiful Perpendicular

II.

speci-

one of them

represented at large in Section

I.

Woodwork, Plate

4.
I.

Other
Early

instances will be found in Section

Perpendicular, Plates 6, 17, 20, and in Section

English, Plate 23.

Porches were frequently built of oak, and Decorated and Perpendicular examples are

even

now very numerous.

I.

Section

The south porch of Aldham Church, Essex, is The accompanying plans and Woodwork, Plates 12, and 13.
which was very similar in
all

illustrated in

sections will

sufficiently explain the construction,

cases.

Plates 9, 25, 28,

and

30, dlustrate different specimens of strings, bosses, spandrels,

artificer.

and

cusps terminations, aU exhibiting in a high degree the talent and taste of the

The

bosses from Hashngfield Church, in Plate 28, are situated at the intersections of the principal

timbers of an interesting Decorated roof, remarkable for the beauty of

its

moldings.

METALWORK.
NDIFFERENCE
ironwork

and cupidity on the one hand, and the ravages of time on

the other, have despoiled our Churches of the greater part of their ancient
;

enough remains, however, to show that in the treatment of

work, the same care and patient attention was devoted
all

it, .as

difficult as it is to

was bestowed upon

sacred Fabrick.

other materials entering into the composition of the

branch of

art.

The Norman Architects frequently displayed the greatest ingenuity in this In St. Alban's Abbey Church are some hinges of that early period two of
;

them

are engraved in Plates 1

and

9,
is

of Section

II.

Metalwork.

That in Plate

has the

strap continued quite through

and

finished with

an ornamental termination, a portion of

which only now remains

in the second example, in Plate 9, the strap terminates with the

commencement
of a serpent
is
;

of the acroU work.

The knob

at the welding point

is

fashioned into the head

scrolls,

this device,

with jaws extended, also occurs at the ends of some of the

in high relief,

and exceedingly well executed considering the nature of the

is

material.

In

both these examples the surface

enriched "with a kind of chevron, easily produced with the

METALWORK.
chisel
;

101

the thickness of the metal

is

three-eighths of an inch at the

commencement, and

is

gradually brought

down

to one-eighth towards the extremity.

is

most valuable and perfect

Lincolnshire.

specimen of
entire door
is

Norman

ii-onwork

to be found in
I.

Sempringham Church,
6,

The

represented in Section

Norman, Plate

and a portion of the ironwork to a

of
is

larger scale in Plate 5 of Metalwork.

is

The north door

;

also covered

with some very early work

St.

the design

St Margaret's Church, Leicester, rather fantastick, and consist* of

notice the terminating serpents'
;

top and bottom hinge, in which, as at

Alban's,

we may

heads

and between the two hinges

is

a radiating centre-piece of eight branches

the whole

being enclosed in an ornamental border, as in Sempringham.

The

art of

working

this metal,
it,

however, was as yet but in

it

its

infancy

the Eax\j English

Ai'chitects rapidly

improved

and, perhaps, brought

;

to the highest degree of perfection

attained during the Middle Ages

for if the finish of the

workmanship was not quite

so great
superior.

as in subsequent periods, the freedom

and beauty of the design were incomparably

Numerous examples of doors covered with the elegant scroll work of this age are yet The example from St. Mary^s, Norwich, is most remaining in different parts of the country.
excellent,

and in a very
large.

perfect state

it

is

represented in Plate 8, with several of the

border,

ornamental parts at
is

The broad and enriched Norman

which we have noticed,

and perfect
That which
is

here restricted to a very narrow strip, nailed at intervals.

No

less beautiful

the

work on the south door of Eaton Bray Church, Bedfordshire

is

(Plate 11).

is

spread over the doors of the Chapter House at York,

merely used as a

stifilener,

the hinges

being kept quite distinct.

The design and execution

of this example (see Plate 6), are quite

it is

worthy of the extreme beauty of the Building to which

the closing ring
St.
is

attached.

The

raised boss for

very ingeniously managed

the narrow border strip occurs here as in

Mary's, Norwich.

The doors

to a closet in Chester Cathedral belong also to this class of

ironwork.

They

are divided into four panels,

which division

is

made apparent in

the different

designs of the scroll

work

they are

all

exceedingly graceful, and of the most finished work(see Plate 4), exhibit

manship.

The

details

which are appended

some of the

varieties of the
leaf

terminations,

and

also the junctions of the several scrolls,

which are cleverly managed, a

these examples

generally lapping over to hide the welding point.

In

all

we may remark,
;

that the small branches invariably proceed from the outer side of the scroll

the section of

the scroll
it

is

sometimes raised to an

arris, as in

Chester Cathedral, or with a channel sunk on

as in

York Chapter House.

plainer examples of hinges are dispersed throughout the accompan}Tng platos
is
:

Many

very good one from Market Deeping

engraved in Plate

9.

In the same plate

is

given a

very elaborate stiffener from Tunstead Church, and also one of a plainer description from
Great Casterton Church.

Sometimes the closing ring was so enlarged as to answer both as a

E E

102

ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

;

ring and a tie to the door

as in the examples

from Aldham Church, Essex (Plate

5)

St.

Mary's, Norwich (Plate 8)

and Filby Church

(Plate 13).
or less enriched, even

The

closing ring, or door latch,

was generally more

left

when

the

remainder of the ironwork to the door was

quite plain.
:

Examples of

all

kinds are very

abundant

they generally consist of three parts

;

the

flat plate

or washer, fixed to the outer

is

surface of the door

the handle or ring

and the spindle

to
is

which it

attached, which, passing

through the door,

is

fixed to the latch inside.

The

plate

susceptible of great richness,

and

occurs from the simply indented pattern in the Churches of Diss, and Bapchild (Plate the highly ornamented examples in

7), to

Eye and Martham Churches*

where a

(Plates 5

and

12).

The

most usual construction

is

shown

in Plate 5,

flat plate, slightly

raised in the centre,

its

to allow of the handle hanging clear, has

two rims of metal variously emiched applied to

surface

and the whole

rest.

is

firmly fixed to the door with nails having heads ornamented in

is

keeping with the

tracery.

In Martham, the washer

so generally as at

further enriched

by being pierced with

consisted simply of a
(Plates 7

The ring was not

it

ornamented

very frequently

it

plain circle, or

was elongated,
it

Exton and Haconby Churches

is

and 12)

at

Ashby,

St.

Leger's,

assumes a trefoiled shape and

twine round
it.

slightly ornamented, while at St.

Alban's two

serpents

good

effect

was frequently produced,

as

at

Floore Church (Plate

9),

by simply forming the ring out

of a square bar of iron twisted.

is

The

closing ring in Plate 12, from St. Nicholas, Gloucester,

art.

an extraordinary specimen- of
feature,

the smith's

Even the key

plate

was frequently made an ornamental

and helped
is

to carry out the general richness of the whole door.

At Martham Church

(Plate 13),

very elaborate specimen enriched with tracery

Westminster Abbey Church has also some

good specimens (Plate

shape,

2),

and

in Diss Church, Norfolk, (Plate 7,) there is one of a triangular

and finished with

serpents' heads at the angles.

The termination of the stancheon

in

the ironwork of the

windows was
Rushden

occasionally ornamented, sometimes being finished with a

as at Potterspury (in the (Plate 13), or with tracery heads

kind of fleur de

lis,

as at

same

plate), or

with a bunch of oak leaves and acorns, as at Eyworth Church, Bedfordshire,

or simply twisted as at Rothley, Leicestershii'e.

The few examples that remain of the

tick of the time of their erection.

railings

round monuments, are generally characterisof this kind are

still

Some specimens
at

preserved in Arundel
its

Church.

The tomb of the Black Prince

Canterbury also retains

original railing

enriched with various devices.

costly

Queen Eleanor's tomb was formerly protected by a most

scrolls

and elaborate piece of metalwork, consisting of

:

and

flowers, peculiar to the

still

period (1292)

though removed from

its

proper position, this beautiful work of art

was frequently placed between the door and the

* Wlieii enriched with tracery, a piece of crimson cloth

better to

plate,

show

off

the design of the foliations; this cloth sometimes remains.

METALWORK.
remains in the Abbey.

103

The doors

into the

Chantry of Henry V, were formed of eroas bare

:

of iron bolted together at each intersection

a screen of this description remains in good

is

preservation in St. Alban's

Abbey Church, a

portion of which

represented in Phit<; 13.

In

the same plate

is

given another piece of screen work also from

St. Alban's.

In thus bringing the Analysis to a close,

furnished us with

we

will candidly

admit that our researches have

gladly have transferred to
it

many more

subjects that

we would most

pages, had our prescribed limits permitted.

For the sake of vaiioua beautiful examples, we would

greater detail

fain

have extended our work into

in

and more elaborate

illustration,

but
to
it

we have borne

mind the terms of our

Besides, the pos;

prospectus,

and have endeavoured to adhere

as closely as possible.
will never

session of the

most voluminous collection of Examples

is

make

a Church Architect

something more than books

title,

necessaiy.

Let him who would aspire to the honourable

;

go and minutely examine and study the Buildings themselves

there

is

hardly a

village

Church, however unpretending, but will furnish some information to the diligent
;

inquirer

for,

"Yet do the

structures of our fathers' age

efforts

Shame the weak

of art's latest stage."

THE

EjSTD.

INDEX TO CHURCHES REFERRED

TO.

BEDFORDSHIEE.
DuDstable,

106

INDEX TO CHURCHES REFERRED

HAMPSHIEE.
Humberstone

TO.

Arreton
Basingstoke Old Basing Nately

21

74 95
.

Eomsey Abbey
St.

Cross

Easton Winchester Cathedral

St. Mary's,

Winnal Magdalen

62 57 13, 14, 15, 65 49 13, 31, 32, 33 20

12, 13, 15,

HEEEFOEDSHIEE.
Leominster

28

HEETFOEDSHIEE.
North Minims
68, 69, 99 St Alban's Abbey 5, 7, 16, 20, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 33, 35, 39, 44, 45, 46,53,67,71, 80,81, 100,101,102,103 .58, 79, 92 Sandridge
.
.

.52,

Sawbridgeworth St. Margaret's Chapel

27, 28 44, 59, 99

Wheathampstead

30, 31

IRELAND.
Galway
St. Patrick,

89 Dublin
ib.

KENT.
Bapchild
Barfreston
.

Canterbury Cathedral

15,

Chartham

Cobham
Darenth
Hartley

102 14 47, 82, 102 28, 57 54

59,

Headcorn

12 18 32
24, 26, 33, 37,

Heme
Hythe

43
18

Meopham
Milton
Northfleet
.

21, 23, 36, 43, 65

. 66, 68, 66, 99 24, 27, 41, 42, 44, 45, 51

Orpington Church Patrixbourne

54, 62

14
17, 41, 73 24, 27, 28, 34, 37, 41, 43, 56,
19,

Shorno
Southfleet
St.
.

Bartholomew's Hospital Chapel St. Margaret at Cliffe St. Mary's Cray St. Nicholas Harbledown Stone , Sutton at Hone
.
.

3.5,

85 54 62, 82 37
81

34, 43, 79

Thannington

70 33

LEICESTERSHIEE.
Belgravc
21, 28

Eothley

Dunton Basset
Evington
21, 25, 33,

24 86

Godeby Maureward

INDEX TO CHURCHES REFERRED

PAOE

TO.

107

Hingham Hunworth
Kenuinghall

42, 64, 65, 86, 88

38,81
81
.

Knapton

95,96
.

Little Snoring

62
86, 86,

Ludham

Martham Methwold New Walsingham

.

88 87, 102 88 84, 90

13

Norwich Cathedral
Eopps
St.

Mary Magdalen, Wiggonhall

St. Mary's, Norwich St. Mary's, Stratton

St.

37 32, 62, 98 88, 101, 102 98

Nicholas at

Lynn

31,44
88 88 75, 88, 96
31, 54, 55, 101

Stody Stoke Ferry Tranch Tunstead

Walsoken
Wiuterton Worstead

55, 69,
.

72,"

Wymondhani

90 39 85, 90 95

NOEMANDY.
Desecrated Church at Eouen
St.

30
7

Ouen

at

Eouen

NOETHAMPTONSHIEE.
Achiirch
.

Aldwinkle

Ashby

St. Leger's

39, 82, 85 22, 34, 38, 70 32, 102

.

Baruack Barnwell

37, 38, 45, 64, 78, 85,

Byfiold Cottinghain Crant'ord St.

John

Cransley Crick

Duddington
Ettou
Floore
.

87 89 68 27, 35 87 74 34, 68, 70 37, 40 18, 20, 22, 85 102

.

29,

Fotheringay Glapthorne Gosgrove

9 21
65, 66, 76, 86,

Higham
Islip

Ferrars

56 93

King's Sutton

Loddington Oundle Peakirk Polebrook

Potterspury
Pytcliley
.

73 31 66 17, 20, 22

88
.

81, 86, 93 74, 102

83
36, 37, 65, 76, 78, 81

Eaunds
Eingstead Eothwell

Eushden Rushton Park Lodge

.

27 65 99, 102
18,

Stanwick Stoke Albany

.

St. Peter's,

Northampton

47 85 23, 43 35, 56, 82

18,

Tich march Towcester

56, 81
19, 20, 35, 40, 64, 78,
.

Warniington

Weekley

83 93 39, 76, 79
72,

108

INDEX TO CHURCHES EEFERRED

SUFFOLK.
PAGE

TO.

Steyning

12, 13,

Capel

St.

Mary's

42, 94, 95

Debeahani

Eye
Great

Wenham

18, 20, 24,

.

Grundisburg Holton St. Mary's

75,

Lavenham WenhaiD Long Melford

Little

36, 50, 55, 72, 75, 80, 81, 18,

Polstead

Eaydon
Redgrave
Kickenhall
St. Mary's, Bxiry St. Mary, Stratford
.

23,
29,

31, 55,

Stoke Stuston

Woolpit

83 102 40, 90 96, 98 27 84, 86 43, 82 36 79 33, 82 83, 90 24, 85 96 84, 86 99 92 96

Tangmere Westhamptnet

12, 17,

35 18 33

WAEWICKSHIRE.
Beaudesert

Holy Trinity, Coventry Knowle Temple BalsaU

13 85 85 33

WILTSHIRE.
Codford
St.

Mary's

49,76
15, 50,

Malmsbury Abbey Church

Salisbury Cathedral

35,

South Newton
St.

John's Church, Devizes

Wichibrd

62 65 18 37 88

SUEEEY.
Bishop's Palace, Southwark

Merstham

64, 75, 81,

. .

Oakham
Shiere

42 89 20 89

WORCESTERSHIRE.
Abbot's Tower, Eversham
81

YORKSHIRE.
SUSSEX.
Arundel
. .
.

.102
.

Boxgrove
Chichester Cathedral

79

Clymping ~
Hangleton

12, 17, 18, 34, 38, 54, 78, 82,

.20
.

82 86, 90, 92
14, 42,

Keymer
Lindiield
.

34, 76

37, 55,

New Haven New Shoreham

Old Shoreham Ovingdean Piecombe
Portslade

80 37
92 76 76
18

14, 52, 77, 81

Preston Southease

78
12

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS

(4

WINDOWS.

110

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
WINDOWScon^mwed
KO.
(

Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire

Dunton

Basset, Leicestershire
.

Evington, Leicestershire Ditto Ditto Westhamptnet, Sussex

.

Achurch, Northamptoashire *Clymping, Sussex *Lindlield, Sussex

*Winnal Magdalen, Hampshire.

*Clymping, Sussex *Thanington, Kent *Hythe, Kent *Great Wenham, Suffolk
.

*Eingstead, Northamptonshire * Hartley, Kent

*Blakeney, Norfolk *Lyddington, Berkshire *Felmarsham, Bedfordshire

*Belgrave, Leicestershire

*Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire *Cranford St. Andrew's, Northamptonshire *Cranford St. John, Northamptonshire

*Doddington, Northamptonsliire *Cransley, Northamptonshire

*Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire *Little Harrowden, Northamptonshire *Doddington, Northamptonshire *Oundle, Northamptonshire
Northfleet,

Kent

Ditto Ditto

Ditto Ditto

Chesham

Bois, Buckinghamshire

Chenies, Buckinghamsliire

Chesham, Buckinghamshire Waltham Abbey Church

Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto
interior
.

St. Michael's, St.

Alban
.

Eoydon, Essex NortMeet, Kent

Lindfield, Sussex

Holbeaoh, Lincolnshire Capel St. Mary, Suifolk St. Margaret's, Hertfordshire

.

St. Mary's Stratford, Suifolk Holbeach, Lincolnshire Ditto Ditto Eoydon, Essex

St. Margaret's, Hertfordshire

Boughton Aluph, Kent

Sleaford, Lincolnshire
.

Heme, Kent Chartham, Kent

Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Bottisham, Cambridgeshire Trumpington, Cambridgeshire Worstead, Norfolk Ditto Ditto Paston, Norfolk Hingham, Norfolk Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto
.
. .

Rushden, Northamptonshire Fulmodiston, Norfolk

Badgeworth, Gloucestershire

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
WINDOWS continued.
Cottiugham, Northamptonshire Sawbridgcworth, Hertfordshire
Southflcot,
>o.

Ill

or uoBTs

PAOB

sionoN

run

four three

Kent

two
five

27 27 27
27 27 28

Riiigstead, Nortliamptonsliire

HoUoii
St.

St.

Mary, Suffolk

Alban's

Southflcot,

Abbey Church Kent

.

two two two

three four three three

Sawbridgcworth, Hertfordshire Wheathanipstead, Hertfordshire Eouen, Normandy Tunstead, Norfolk Famdish, Bedfordshire Brandon, Norfolk
.

28 28 30 30
31

two
five

Bicker, Lincolnsliire Southfleet, Kent

Keymer, Sussex Cottingham, Northamptonshire

Meophani, Kent Filby, Norfolk

two two two

Abbey Church Kent Shorne, Kent Northfleot, Kent

St.

Alban's

lancet

33 34 34 34 34 35 36 36 39
41 41

Southfleet,

St. Nicholas, Colchester

Harbledown, Kent
Southfleet,

two two two two two

five

Kent
.

41 42 43 43 30
31

*Barnwell, Northamptonshire *Burton, Leicestershire *Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto 'Fleet, Lincolnshire *Lyddington, Berkshire
.
.

two two two two

three

32 33 34
35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 46

Withani, Essex
*St. Alban's

Abbey Church

two two two

three three three

*Hingliam, Norfolk *Exton, Eutland shire

*Mickleham, Surrey *Exton, Rutlandshire

*Tilsworth, Bedfordshire

*Cranford

St.

* Interior of ditto

Andrew's, Northamptonshire

*Trunch, Norfolk *Gosgrove, Northamptonshire *Shiere, Surrey *Wimmington, Bedfordshire

*Shiere, Surrey

three
.

five

four
three

*Sutton at Hone, Kent *Ely

*Ditto, Interior
*Little

*Long Staunton, Cambridgeshire Waltham, Essex

*Ashwell, Rutlandshire
.

four three three

44 45 47 48 49 53 50 52 54 55 62
63 66 67 68 69

*Harbledown, Kent
*Ditto

two
three

*Wimmington, Bedfordshire
Ditto
*Cley, Norfolk *Billington, Bedfordshire

two
three

King's Worthy, Hampshire Basingstoke, Hampshire

two two
tour three

Kent Chalk, Kent Dummer, Hampsliire

Northfleet,

Wilton, Norfolk

one one one

.

Ufiington, Lincolnshire Lavenham, Sufiblk

three

113

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
WINDOWScontinued.
NO.

OF LIGHTS

SECTION

Lavenham,

West

Suffolk, Interior Tarring, Sussex

.

five
.

Chesham, Buckiaghamshire
Eistangles, Suffolk

three three

Westwick, Norfolk St. Lawrence, Norwich

St. George's, St. Peter's,

Norwich

Bradfield Norfolk

Norwich

Bradfield, Norfolk
Coltishall, Norfolk Little Shelford, Cambridgeshire
five

Churchdown, Gloucestershire Ashby St. Ledger's, Northamptonshire

Blackeney, Norfolk

Humberstone, Leicestershire Hunworth, Norfolk Winterton, Norfolk Eushton Lodge

*CheUington, Bedfordshire
*Odell, Bedfordshire *St. John's, Stamford *Cirencester, Gloucestershire

three three four three

24 32 33 36 38 39 47
56

four four
five
.

*relmarsham, Bedfordshire *Donington, Lincolnshire *Wootton, Bedfordshire

*St. Peter's,

four three
five

57 58 59
61

60
65 64

Northampton

three three

MOLDINGS.
Caps, Bases, and Stringcourses Caps, Bases, and Stringcourses Caps, Bases, and Stringcourses

Worstead, Norfolk TunsteaJ, Norfolk Deopham, Norfolk Keuninghall, Norfolk

Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire *Caldecott, Northants

*Eingstead, Northants *Fen Ditton, Cambridgeshire *Heckington, Lincolnshire *Wissendine, Eutlandshire *Exton, Eutlandshire *Greetham, Eutlandshire

Basement moldings

Gosgrove, Northamptonshire
St. Martin's, Leicester

String
i

Bicker, Lincolnshire Oadby, Leicestershire

Corbel tables

*Cottesmore, Eutlandshire *Greetham, Eutlandshire * Wellingborough, Northants *Achurch, Northants

Sandridge, Hertfordshire Bapchild, Kent Skelton, York

Spire tables

String

DOOEWAYS.
Nately, Hampshire

Old Shoieham, Sussex Wootton, Gloucestershire Sempringham, Lincolnshire

INDEX TO ILLUSTBATIONS.
DOORWAYS.
Orpington, Kent

113
rtATB

nouu

rAOB

nonox
I.

Meopliam, Kent

Holton

St. Mary'.s, Suffolk

Warniington, Northamptonshire
St. Martin's, Leicester

*P)arnwell, Northamptonshire

*Felmarsham, Bedfordshire
*St. Margaret's, Hertfordshire 'Burton, Leicestershire

Plate 7

Sutton at Hone, Kent Holbeach, Lincolnshire Brandon, Norfolk

Milton,

Kent

Heckington, Lincolnshire Swatton, Lincolnshire

North Mimms, Hertfordshire

Cley, Norfolk

Fen Ditton
Ewerby, Lincolnshire Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire
Leir, Leicestershire

Trunch, Norfolk Felmarsham, Bedfordshire

Higham
St.

Ferrars

Weeklcy, Northamptonshire
Alban's

51 68 70 74 75 75 76 76

Abbey Church

Basingstoke, Hampshire Lavenliam, Suffolk Ditto Ditto, Interior

Chesham, Buckinghamshire
Coltishall,

Norfolk

Towcester, Northamptonshire Shorne, Kent

Islip,

Northamptonshire

Cransley, Northamptonshire Grundisburgh, Suffolk .

72 73 73 74
75

Merstham, Surrey

75

PIEES

AND ARCHES.

New
Ditto Ditto

Shoreham, Sussex

Codford

St.

Ditto Ditto Mary, Wiltshire

*Polstead, Suffolk
St. Mary's Cray, Kent Matching, Essex

Erith,

Kent

Clymping, Sussex Preston, Sussex Westminster Abbey Church

Acton Bunnell, Shropshire Barnwell, Northamptonshire Eaton Bray, Bedfonlshire

*Boxgrove, Sussex
*St. Martin's, Leicester

8 77 78 80

Bottishamj Cambridgeshire Brockworth, Gloucestershire Boughton Aluph, Kent Morton, Lincolnshire Trumpington, Cambridgeshire
Lindlield, Sus.sex
.

114

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
PIEKS

AND ARCICE8continued.

nauBE

SECTION
I.

PLATE

Lavenhaiii, SufTolk

Ditto

14

Westminster Abbey Church

Ditto
Ditto

PANELS.
Ijavonhani, Suffolk
St. Mary's, Stratford, Suffolk
I.

Perpendicular

Eye, Suffolk

DIAPERS.
Westminster Abbey Church Hatliold ISroadoaks, Essex St. Alban's Abbey Church Westminster Abbey Churcli
.

BUTTRESSES.
Raydon, Suffolk
Little
.

Suffolk Holbeach, Lincolnshire

Wenham,

Fen Dittou, Cambridgoshiro Debenham, Sullblk

Bottisham, Cambridgeshire Achurch, Northamptonshire
St. Margaret's, Leicester

Redgrave, Sullblk Pytchloy, Northamptonshire Besthorpe, Norfolk Blakoney, Norfolk

.

82 83 83 84 84

St.

Mary's, Stratford, Suffolk

Lavenham, Suffolk
Ryall, Kutlandsliiro

New

Walsinghani, Norfolk

PARAPETS.
Hockington, Lincolnshire Ditto Ditto
Evington, Leicestershire

Lavenham, Sullblk
St. Mary's, Stratford, Suffolk

CROSSES.
Bamack, Northamptonshire
Witchford, WilUliire Edith, Weston, Rutlandshire Helpringham, Lincolnshire St. Mary's, Stamford

87
I. I.
.

I. I.

Little Castcrton, J{utland.qhiro

L
I.

BarnwoU, Northamptonshire St. Patrick's, Dublin

Tinwcll, Rutlandshire Eworby, Lincolnshire
T'nterborough, Northamptonshire
I'onkiik, Northam])lonsliire
. .

I.
I.

L
I.
I.

Methwold, Norfolk St. Mary's, Norwich

I. I.

Early English Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Decorated Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
CllOSSEB continued.
Liulham, Norfolk Initio Ditto nin^,'liani, Norfolk
IIiujlin^'titiM,
.

115
rUTB

nana I

rAOR

uonoii

Ciunhridgoshire

Stoko Forry, Norfolk Morton, LincoliiHliiru liriindon, Norfolk

Billingborough, Lincolnshire

WoHt Lynn, Norfolk Gunthorpo, Norfolk Tninch, Norfolk

.

Oakham,
Ditto

Kutliindshirc

Ditto

Stody, Norlblk

FONTS.
Woston, Lincolnshire Rcdgravo, Sudblk
(jlyinping, Sussex

SEDILIA.
Great

Wenham,

Suflfolk

Preston, Sussex

Coblmm, Kent

PISCINA.

Widelflfield, Sussex

CHAMFER TERMINATIONS.
Twenty Specimens Ten Speciiuons

GABLET3
Capel
St.

Mary, Suffolk

Swafiold, Norfolk

Trunch, Norfolk
Little Sholford, Cambridgeshire

Ditto
Coltislmll, Norfolk Tunstoad, Norfolk

Ditto

Stapleford, Cambridgeshire

DRIPSTONE mRMINATIONS.
Swafton, Lincolnsbin;
St. Marganit's,
.

Hertfordshire Debenhain, Suffolk Little Wenham, Suffolk

St. Cross, IIam])sliire

Westminste.r

Abbey Church

Four Specimens Twelve Specimens

116

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
EOOFS.
SECTION

Wymondham,
Capel
St.

Norfolk Mary, Suffolk

,

Stuston, Suffolk Grundisburgh, Suffolk

SEATS.
Great

Waltham

Bentley, Suffolk

Comberton, Cambridgeshire

FINIALS.
Bentley, Suffolk
.

Great

Wenham,

Suffolk
.

Brandon, Norfolk

Chesham

Bois, Hertfordshire

Nautwich, Cheshire
Stoke, Suffolk Stoke, Suffolk Howell, Lincolnshire
St.

Mary

Stratton, Norfolk

Ditto Great

Ditto

Wenham,

Suffolk

Church in Norfolk Debenham, Suffolk

POECHES.
Aldham, Essex

SCEEENS.
Waltham Abbey Church
Barton, Cambridgeshire

SPANDEELS.
Barton, Cambridgeshire. Bottisham, Cambridgeshire Doncaster, Yorkshire
Stoke,. Suffolk

DOOES.
St.

Alban's

Abbey Church

Wells Cathedral
Stoke, Suffolk

Holbeach, Lincolnshire Milton, Kent

North Mimms, Hertfordshire Lavenham, Suffolk Chesham, Buckinghamshire

Coltishall,

Norfolk

PANELS.
Great Waltham, Essex

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
PANELScontinued.
Great Waltham, Essox
Cirencester, Gloucestershire

117

novu

PAOI

nonoa
IL

Bottisham, Cambridgeshire Chester Cathedral Crowcombe, Somersotsniro Bishop's Lydeard, Somersetshire

.

Little Shelford, Cambridgeshire Worstead, Norfolk

BOSSES.
Brockworth, Gloucestershire Brockworth, Gloucestershire Diss, Norfolk
HasUnglield, Cambridgeshire
.

STEINGS.
Cirencester, Gloucestershire
.

Brockworth, Gloucestershire Trunch, Norfolk .

Eushden, Northamptonshire Martham, Norfolk

CUSP TERMINATIONS.
Barton, Cambridgeshire Iligham Ferrars, Northamptonshire
.

CLOSING RLN'GS
St.

Alban's

Abbey Church

St- Mary's, Stratford

Westminster Abbey Church

Cirencester, Gloucestershire
.

Barton, Cambridgeshire Brockworth, Gloucestershire Eye, Suffolk

.

Aldham, Essex Colly Weston, Northamptonshire

Diss, Norfolk

Bapchild, Kent Hythe, Kent Haconby, Lincolnshire

St.

Westminster Abbey Church

Mary's, Norwich
Flooro, Northamptonshire Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire

Ashby

St. Ledger, Northamptonshire Exton, Rutlandshire St. Nicholas, Gloucester Martham, Norfolk Filby, Norfolk

HINGES.
Erith,

Kent

Westminster Abbey Church St. Margaret Roding, Essex

St. Peter's, Colchester

118

INDEX TO ILLUSTEATIONS.
Bl'SGEScontinued.
SECTION

Northfleet,
St.

Kent

Alban's Abbey CbuTch Stanstead Church, Hertfordshire

Hartley,

Kent

Gloucester Cathedral

Horton Kirby, Kent

Spalding, Lincolnshire

Brockworth, Gloucestershire

Sempringham, Lincolnshire
Tiawell, Rutlandshire
St. Mary's,
.

Norwich

Market Deeping, Lincolnshire St. Alban's Abbey Church Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire Wootton, Bedfordshire Sutton at Hone, Kent
.

Oundle, Northamptonshire

STIFFENERS.
Chester Cathedral

York Minster
Great Casterton, Eutlandshire Tunstead, Norfolk

KEY
Westminster Abbey Church
Diss, Norfolk

PLATES.

Uffington, Lincolnshire Tunstead, Norfolk Martham, Norfolk

"*

SECTION

II.

iSooliiDork A-

PLATE

/.

*tr*Ktun.JiU ttrn^ m/A

ortf .mppiyrt in

rn/rt

llfi;
'
li

'Vr

La.
ft"
jtXeffubuem. q/" fturLda^e^
*

iil^

^il

Seetum,
j^'^\\^^v\\'^\V\\\^tt^ty^^

tf SuUt

'

/V/m.

.fttt/.

7*

JHmn

of

ttfjptr movtJtdxrt^s

7%ie

cUffrrtnt pgHs ^"^vt st/tt!?

CLri^. tvn-on^tt^i.

art mffrticui'

S"
.ftnftim, of'

rntnUxrrtfs

fiiM sitt

SCALE

or F(ET

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

'

N'^

vil-

%f
^

^V^
,J:

SECTION

II.

)o

PLATE

X.

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

-;

"P

^>

^ %,

SECTION. II.

oo^roork ih

PLATE. 3.

(r

n
Paiml
htiiiJ.f fittr'i

itpai

,iti/,9

ti' hh/t/iai'i.

I'A

JJsJtta:.

9CALS or

^
,'.

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

&^

SECTION

II.

fOlDO^iuork ik*

PLATE

4.

AN ANALYSIS

OFCOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

^LATE 6

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION

^
II.

PLATE

7.

TttrelMt/ -fivnv

WaWuan AVb^

Ch/.

Easaao.

"5^"

a^

Sir

Sfttenan. hnt>A.Jl

4
6
I I

S
I

<7
1

zfeer
=1

-I

AM ANALYSir-

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

<w

t-

*'

SE.CTION

II

IDIootuDorkA'

PLATE

9.

J^rom

"S'oaM

C4a/fe/ reeAetfarfA

C^

C^omees'^rj'ifte

/ram

CtreneefUr

CAtred

G/oac^*^iff4i^fi

I3i

J^rr>m

CercHCttitr

CAurcA

C/nuC^sUrs^ire

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

^t.

SECTION

II.

IBoo'btDork /v>

PLATE

U.

AN ANALYSIS

OFCOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

iQloo'biDork

PLATE

/.

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE

SECTION

II.

jQlootitDork

sk*

PLATE /C

fiftandrel

fivm BoUulianL Cliureh Camind^ftahir* Z'SeaJt

Fi'viw

Cuvncestfr

Church,

Glcucesttf^hxFt

AN ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTUrtE

T^

>*

iv*

SECTION

II.

PLATE
drattn

li.

S.Dnr

-f

Sfttle

CSurti.

So/folk

tralf

at

f/f

at an mei

/att

V/////// /.

Srefun

yi

4
AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

'Ks

\'

SECTION

II

ootitDork A-

PUATE.^.

,!|!ltPi|||i!l!'i

J^rcm

^dur/i/'tr^i

CAurfi

f^Af^^ffe

E
AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

Itl

ae

u u
J;

X O

o
>

o
lb

o M
>

lECTION.II.

|ED|oot)n)ork APLATElf
Rjoof aver J^orffv AieU' ^ffymondhcmv Ch

NbHvUo.

LongUwdtnal

Section/-

AN ANALYSIS

OTGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

Ul

U u

u
<

u o o
w

o
10

M
>-

<

SECTION

II.

-jPK5i

PLATE

10

Frmn 6^ Mary

Strattaw Chsurchjforfolk

J
I!

V:\

Vrom

ffr

Weiiiurm Chxo-ck Suflhlk

Frrmi
t
1
,

r>

(Inrfi-h

uv Jfarix^

Scale

I.I

lnrh/x

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

.4

ootiiDork ih
SECTION
I.

^\T^%.

g?:.

4
AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

ool)it)ork
*SICCT'lt9M.II.

^
.

PLATE Z2

Jtofff over Nave/

otCapeJ/S^'Mary Charcfv Suffolk

-wvOv detaxle

V^ Scaler

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

'^-

lo^trork i)r
CTION
II.

PLATE

tf

Roof oyer Nave, of Oapel

.S^Mcury's

ChurtA

Sti^^oH^

AN /ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION.

II.

PLATE

C4

J&f^

*nrr

pmrtX t'HUMan

fJiarch.. Hioffhlk.

vV.

1.1

If

"-S^ESRlJESIS

'

Wa^^-^^-J -r-

ScnU.^

J i'ft

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION. II.

juSoo'biDork ^

PLATE.i.v

Spacnirile fpom/X>oruiatl ChunA/i

HrkghA^.

14

i^vcJu*

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE:.

tk

SECTION

II.

iSoo'biDork

PLATE

:i

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION

fiII

PLATE

IB

"j/

c/"

Mfrf4 />t>;4

Z>,i*

P^ Ai^/i
.

J^m

rm/- /" --V?

^liA JrfteJrt^ CA

er/fM,t*S^i,i-r

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

^5r*

^A

SECTION

1.

|9|ool)iuork

S)o

PLATE ZA

^^
SCALE

ort2

>

JrcET

>"-'^

-'-'^-^-

'^

'^K??'"

'

SustMn/ of Stat'

and-^

Bcokhinnl/

EUfTiutiueK/ cf'

i$M^

h
AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

"

t:'

SECTION. II.

iBooliiDork h
All half fuH

PLATE

.30.

svx/.

Prom

Screen' in-

Rushdsn. Church, ynrthampttjn^lurt

f.

tv

Fnmv. Sovcih Dcor of XartAoTrv Ckwrch/ Merfbfi

linialflrem. DtSarfvam,

Cktir^

SaffofJt

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCH.lT.tCTU

R E.

ISE.CTION

II.

IQIoo'biDork A-

PLATE 3;.

Sench. ends

p'ctn,

Gvwcomie,

ChltrcA-, SoTn,ersetdhvrt,

Front, yfcrsUatL ChvwcJv

Nvr^olk-

Trent Wcntuii, CkurcA,. Ncrfef-k

Frew
I

fyvworrtiif.

Ch Scnversclshire

FrvtrvBisJuiitlvdtarc/. C>iurcK,Strmerset^Jure-

i!

AN ANALYSIS

OFCOTHICK ARCHITECTURE

SECTION

II.

PLATE

;,

Hinges.

A B

From/ JErith,' Ckun^v, Kent

From,' Westminster

Ahb^

CkardfC, Jfiddi

C. From/ Margartty Hodinfi Churoh, EsseoT'. Ry/nv S^Feters Churchy, Colchester, Fseex,.
.

E. From/ Nordvf^eet

Church/,

Kent.

F. Frtmv S^Alhcms Aibey (hurvh, Bertfbrdshire/.

6.

.From/ Stansbedd' Abbots Church, Hertfordshire-.

tfOT

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

lECT.IONll.

PLATE 2

SaUduvti

Jhm/S^2Xctryi

StreU/brd/,

SufMJv

Vt5^

FronvWtatmbuOrAjbi^

I_-I

Seotiion/ an/ Unt/

A .3

rom/

-SovUfv cU>or

of ScaHl^ Oturdht Kenb.

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

PLATE

n.

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION

II

PLATE.

#.

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION

II.

PLATE

3.

dosing inff franvMdham/ Chi asax/.

mngty fhom/SmvOL Ov SuAcmd/ i^ '^Semli

"SITanalysis of gothick architecture

SECTION. II.

PLATE

f.

J&taiwark-frorro'Doffrs

of

Dcteals

oii^hal/'JiUlsire.

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION

II

PLATE

dosing
A
.

Smgs

frcnu

J)j/is

Ckarch/,

Narfolh

BapdiiloL' Ckarch, Servt

C
D
E F

iaeonby

:^ffie^ Gairotv, Bnty Church/,J.xneolnshire.'

WeetmmxtBr Abh^ Chitroh, CoUy Westmf Church, J^orthccmptumshre' K^Tlatpe flymv Thss Church HbrfbVt/
UfnnglOTV Ckiovh/, Xmcobis^zre/

AN ANALYSIS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION

II.

PLATE 8.

Trom/ S^ Majya

Jfarwiok/,

'

.'^'-.

l'

f!

.
i

T
SoaUmPl

^ii

'i

''
i

"

>

-i;!

"i.

'

If

'
.

'

IS-b

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE

SECTION

II.

^eklTDork/)r>

PLATE

4
AN ANALYSTS OF GOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION. II.

PlkT t1(f.

From/ Westminster Abby Ovardv.

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION

II.

PLATi

//.

AN ANALYSIS OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION

II.

t^LAttti.

Cl^jdng JUn^jycntEirirm' <'Miiirli .Rtt/fan//,t/iirt

Jshiy Sf Ledt/f^

CAir.rrfi

(inti Mar^/iyfJH,

ChJZTxJv.ycr/oik

AN ANALYSIS

OFGOTHICK ARCHITECTURE.

SECTION.

II

PLATE

From'

RiCUripurj Chtrcfv, ycrtkimpten/*. B B/axruit ChurrJi^yircr^uLmpecnAtTvirt/.

. .

C. S^AlAaiisXbhe^Churth..Hvrtt
D;
E F
.

SmM^ CfvurckrJ.eicMtfrjfiirf
3^iM
Ovtxrr.hi, Somtritlihirf,

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BINDING SECT.

DEC 2

1974

PLEASE

DO NOT REMOVE
FROM
THIS

CARDS OR

SLIPS

POCKET

UNIVERSITY
i.

OF TORONTO

LIBRARY

Brsuidon, Raphael

B8 v.l

An analysis of Go thick architecture