CHAPTER VI.

TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.

Interior Compartment.

Except in the earliest examples of this Period, the heavy cylindrical column disappears; and the Pier consists of a lighter mass of semicircular shafts, and square edges; occasionally also, a shaft having a pear-shaped section is substituted for the semicircular shaft.

The Capitals consist still of a square block, moulded down to the circular form below; with this difference, however, that the lower part of the capital is hollowed down to the circle, instead of being left as in the Norman Period, full and round; the latter showing a convex, and the former a concave profile. Both the larger and the smaller Capitals have also very frequently an ornament peculiar to the Period, which consists of a small volute, forming the curled end of a plain leaf, which enfolds the bell of the Capital. This volute may be looked upon as one of the most characteristic features of the Period. The abacus of the capital is invariably square in plan, and has its upper edge (except in a few of the latest examples) also square in section.

In the later buildings of the Period, foliage, exhibiting considerable freedom of design, is occasionally to be seen.

The Pointed Arch first made its appearance in the Transitional Period; in the earlier buildings it is used in the Arches of Construction only, or those constituting the framework of the building, such as the Pier-arches and the Arches of the Vaulting, and of the Crossing; whilst the Circular Arch is used in the Arches of Decoration only, or those which may be said to constitute the panel-work, such as the windows, the arcades, the doorways, and such like. In the later buildings of the Period, however, the Pointed Arch is frequently found in some of the smaller arches also.

The Pier-arches, therefore, are almost invariably pointed, in the earlier examples obtusely, and in the later examples often acutely; the mouldings, which have become much lighter, are few and plain; carrying usually a roll, or a pear-shaped moulding, at the angle of each order of the arch: they frequently have no Hood-moulding. All the usual rich ornaments of the Norman Style disappear, but the Chevron occurs occasionally, and another ornamental moulding somewhat resembling it, but peculiar to this Period, is frequently seen.

The String-courses do not usually carry any ornament, and have commonly a simple section peculiar to the Period.

The Vaulting or Roof-shaft has usually a pear-shaped section.

The Triforium-arcade has usually Circular Arches, but in the later examples the two forms of arch are frequently intermixed. The Shafts are of a much lighter character, and carry arches of simple mouldings.

The Pointed Arch, if found anywhere in the arches of Decoration, is generally to be seen in the Clere-story, the highest part of the building, and consequently the latest in point of construction.

Plain pointed quadripartite Vaulting not unfrequently covers the side-aisles, and sometimes the centre-aisle.

The contrast presented by the discriminate use of the two forms of arch before mentioned, is sometimes strikingly exhibited in the side-aisles, where it is by no means uncommon to find a large plain circular window placed immediately under an acutely pointed wall rib, forming part of the contemporaneous pointed Vaulting of the side-aisle.

PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS
OF
THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.

CHAPTER VII.

LANCET PERIOD.

Interior Compartment.

The Piers consist most commonly of a cluster of shafts, disposed in a circular form. These shafts sometimes stand entirely free, and surround a large circular or octagonal column, and are banded in the middle.

The Capitals have sometimes one or two rows of stiff projecting leaves, of a bulbous form, which appear to grow out of the neck of the capital, and sometimes a single or double series of minute deeply cut mouldings; the square form of capital, both in the plan and in the upper edge of the abacus, entirely disappears.

The Bases consist almost invariably of a deep small hollow, set between two rounds, standing on a square-edged plinth; and greatly resemble the ordinary Attic base.

The Pier-arches usually show three orders, of small deeply cut mouldings of alternate rounds and hollows, the number and depth of which give an exceedingly rich and characteristic appearance to all the arches of this Period. The peculiar ornament called the dog-tooth, which is formed by hollowing out the sides of a series of contiguous pyramids notched out of an angular projection, occurs constantly in the arch-mouldings, as well as in almost every other part of buildings where an opportunity of carving it presents itself.

The Hood-moulding, resting on small and elegant heads or bosses, is an almost invariable accompaniment of arches of every description.

The Vaulting-shaft sometimes rises from the floor in front of the principal Pier,—but more usually from a corbel-shaft, resting on a large ornamental corbel, placed immediately over the pier; it consists generally of a triple cluster of small elegant shafts, with hollows between them.

The Triforium-arch generally covers two smaller arches; but occasionally, a pair of principal Triforium-arches cover two pair of subordinate arches, which are sometimes plain, and sometimes trefoiled; the spandrel wall above them being ornamented with foliage, or a sunk trefoil, and sometimes pierced through with a quatrefoil or other opening. Sometimes, indeed, one large primary arch covers two secondary arches, which again contain two small tertiary arches; thus fully developing the principle of subordination in this part of the building.

The principal Triforium-piers generally exhibit a row of light shafts on the face of a solid pier, carrying arch-mouldings of three orders, and separated sometimes by a line of dog-tooth moulding, or stiff foliage.

The secondary piers are usually single, double, or triple detached shafts, carrying the smaller arches.

Where the Triforium contains three orders of piers, the tertiary pier consists of a single shaft only, carrying the third order of arch-mouldings.

The Vaulting-shaft usually terminates in an elegant capital, just below the Clerestory-string, the mouldings of which form in that case the impost mouldings of the capital. The Arcade generally corresponds with the windows, and consists either of a row of continuous arches, of equal height, or, as is commonly the case, of three tall arches carried on a triple shaft, of which the centre one is the loftiest: the mouldings and ornaments being similar to those of the rest of the building.

The Vaulting is generally simple, and acute, and usually of the quadripartite or sexpartite form.

The Aisle-arcade consists generally of a series of plain, or trefoil-headed arches on single shafts, carrying the usual mouldings and ornaments.

PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS
OF
THE LANCET PERIOD.

CHAPTER VIII.

GEOMETRICAL PERIOD.

Interior Compartment.

The Piers have occasionally, in the earlier examples, detached shafts; but they more usually consist of a solid mass of engaged shafts, separated by hollow mouldings, and disposed on the plan of a spherical triangle.

The Bases consist generally of a triple roll, standing on the usual plinth; and the Capitals carry foliage disposed much more freely and gracefully than in the preceding Period, and frequently of exquisite design.

The Pier-arches have usually mouldings in three orders of very elegant profile, not so deeply cut, however, as in the Lancet Period: the favourite dog-tooth is nowhere seen, but late in the period a substitute for it was found in the ornament called the Ball-flower.

All Bosses, Figures, and Sculptures of every kind are carved in the very best manner; and all String-courses and Hood-mouldings are moulded with the greatest care and elegance; indeed the art of carving in stone may be said to have attained its greatest perfection during this Period.

The Triforium in the earlier examples commonly contains a pair of double arches, carrying circular tracery in their heads: in the later examples, it becomes greatly reduced in size and prominence, and is made entirely subordinate to the Clere-story; and consists often of a low foliated arcade, or a band of plain tracery.

The inner arcade of the Clere-story altogether disappears, and in its place is sometimes found a plane of Geometrical Tracery, corresponding with that of the window; but more commonly a single arch spans the entire compartment; and sometimes the gallery is dispensed with altogether.

The Aisle-arcade is often very elegant; the arches are usually foliated, and covered with a straight-sided canopy. Occasionally this arcade consists of a series of beautiful panels containing geometrical tracery, with mouldings of a very minute and elegant character.

Both the centre and side-aisles are generally covered with Vaulting of simple form, having characteristic bosses and rib-mouldings.

PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS
OF
THE GEOMETRICAL PERIOD.

CHAPTER IX.

CURVILINEAR PERIOD.

The Buttresses are usually divided into a greater number of equal stages; their canopies, and those of their pinnacles, are invariably richly crocketed, and have usually the Ogee form instead of the straight pedimental finish.

The Cornice carries usually a row of large square pateras of foliage, in a shallow hollow, and is often surmounted with a battlement, or a parapet pierced or panelled with a flowing trefoil or a quatrefoil.

The Ball-flower which appeared at the end of the previous Period, became a favourite ornament for a short time in the commencement of this Period.

Interior Compartment.

The Piers are usually disposed in plan in the form of a diamond; and consist generally of four shafts with intervening hollows. The Bases and Capitals are not unfrequently octagonal in form; and the foliage of the latter consists of crumpled leaves, not growing out of the neck of the capital, as in the earlier Periods, but apparently attached to it, or bound round it.

The mouldings of the Pier-arches are fewer in number; they are shallower than those of the preceding Period, and often contain the double Ogee; the walls being thinner, the arches frequently carry, in this Period, as well as in the following one, only two orders of mouldings instead of three. The small square patera, consisting of four leaves, is a common ornament of the Period, and all the foliage is formed of peculiar crumpled leaves, which are easily distinguished from those of the preceding Period.

It is not uncommon in this Period to find the arch mouldings continued, without the intervention of impost or capital, down to the ground; or, inversely, the mouldings of the piers carried uninterruptedly upwards through the arch. This is the case as well in the arches of the Ground-story, as in the windows and doorways.

The Triforium rarely occurs in its full proportions, and in such cases exhibits the usual window tracery of the Period: it oftener consists of a panel enclosed within the prolonged jambs of the Clere-story window, and is sometimes reduced to a row of quatrefoils.

The Clere-story has its inner arch sometimes foliated, but oftener the window is flush with the face of the inner wall, and the gallery is omitted.

The Vaulting exhibits much more intricacy; and a variety of ribs generally intersect the surface of the different cells.

The Aisle-arcade is not often seen.

PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS
OF
THE CURVILINEAR PERIOD.

CHAPTER X.

RECTILINEAR PERIOD.

The Cornice generally carries a large shallow hollow, filled at intervals with a square flat leaf, and grotesque sculptures. Gurgoyles, formed usually of the head and shoulders of some monster, and projecting from the cornice, for the purpose of carrying the water from the gutters clear of the walls, which occur in the former Period, are now universal.

The Parapets are frequently ornamented richly, with rectangular foliated panelling, and covered with a Battlement. Both are sometimes pierced instead of being panelled.

Interior Compartment.

The Piers are usually tall and light, and consist generally, as in the preceding Period, of four shafts with intervening hollows, which latter are continued uninterruptedly round the Pier-arch.

Frequently the entire Pier is moulded without shafts, and the whole of the mouldings are carried round the Pier-arch.

The Pier is frequently so disposed that its transverse section is greater than its longitudinal section, or, in other words, it is thicker from North to South than it is from East to West.

The Capitals are usually octagonal, but sometimes circular. Foliage is much more rarely seen in their hollows, and they contain plain mouldings of a more angular character generally than in the preceding Period. They are also taller, in comparison, to their diameter. They have sometimes a battlement moulding on their upper edge, which is in other cases often square.

The Bases are generally tall, narrow, and polygonal, and often of several stages.

In the Pier-arches occasionally a form occurs for the first time, which is seen in no other Period. This is the four-centered arch, so called from the circumstance of its being drawn from four different centres: its use, however, in arches of construction, except in the Vaulting, is by no means so common as in arches of decoration, where it continually appears. It is often enclosed in doorways, under a square head. The mouldings of Pier-arches, Window-arches, and all others are usually plain, broad, and shallow; the double Ogee occurs continually, as well as a large shallow hollow, drawn from three centres, between a few small filleted members. Few Arches carry more than two orders.

In the String-courses, Cornices, and other hollow mouldings, flat square leaves at intervals, continuous training foliage, and the vine-leaf and grapes, frequently occur; but the relief is usually not considerable, and the amount of undercutting in foliage exhibited in the two previous Periods is never seen. The Tudor Rose and the Tudor Flower are frequent ornaments of this Period.

The Triforium is rarely seen, and in its place the Clere-story Window is often carried down in blank panelling to the passage or String-course over the Pier-arches. It is sometimes, however, represented by a band of panelling or pierced work.

The Clere-story attains considerable height and importance in this Period; the effect of which, in large buildings, is increased by the suppression of the Triforium, and the substitution in its place of the apparent continuation downwards of the Clere-story. In many buildings the Clere-story windows are in pairs, and so numerous that all blank wall entirely disappears; and the effect of the mass of light thus poured down into the Church is very striking and characteristic.

The Vaulting becomes much more complicated and enriched in this Period. Diverging ribs having bosses and shields at their points of intersection, cover the surface of the Vault: the plans of these vaultings are very various: some are called Fan-tracery vaults, and others Stellar vaults, terms which explain themselves.

Open wooden roofs of elaborate construction, and large span, become common in this Period. They spring frequently from Corbel shafts, resting on figures in the Clere-story wall; and have rich cornices of mouldings and carved work, traceried spandrels, figures of angels, and richly moulded beams. The Aisle-arcade is not often found, but its place is sometimes supplied by the rectangular surface panelling, so characteristic of the Period, which in some of the richer buildings literally covers the whole of the walls, leaving no blank or unoccupied space.

PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS
OF
THE RECTILINEAR PERIOD.