The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture Part 6

[Ill.u.s.tration: Semi-Norman Window, Oxford Cathedral.]

Q. What particular specimen of the Semi-Norman style has been noticed by any cotemporaneous author, and the date of it clearly defined?

A. The eastern part of Canterbury Cathedral, consisting of Trinity Chapel and the circular adjunct called Becket's Crown. The building of these commenced the year following the fire which occurred A. D. 1174, and was carried on without intermission for several successive years. Gervase, a monk of the cathedral, and an eyewitness of this re-edification, wrote a long and detailed description of the work in progress, and a comparison between that and the more ancient structure which was burnt; he does not, however, notice in any clear and precise terms the general adoption of the pointed arch and partial disuse of the round arch in the new building, from which we may perhaps infer they were at that period indifferently used, or rather that the pointed arch was gradually gaining the ascendancy[83-*].

Q. How long does the Semi or Mixed Norman style appear to have prevailed?

[Ill.u.s.tration: Semi-Norman Arch, St. Cross Church, Winchester.]

A. Though we can neither trace satisfactorily the exact period of its introduction, or even that of its final extinction, (for it appears to have merged gradually into the pure and unmixed pointed style of the thirteenth century,) we have perhaps no remains of this kind to which we can attribute an earlier date than that included between the years 1130 and 1140, unless we except the intersecting arches at St. Botulph's, Priory Church, Colchester, which may be a few years earlier; and it appears to have prevailed, in conjunction or intermixed with the Norman style, from thence to the close of the twelfth century, and probably to a somewhat later period.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Arcade, Christ Church, Oxford.]

FOOTNOTES:

[76-*] The figure of a fish, whence the form _vesica piscis_ originated, was one of the most ancient of the Christian symbols, emblematically significant of the word ?????,[TN-3] which contained the initial letters of the name and t.i.tles of our Saviour. The symbolic representation of a fish we find sculptured on some of the sarcophagi of the early Christians discovered in the catacombs at Rome; but the actual figure of a fish afterwards gave place to an oval-shaped compartment, pointed at both extremities, bearing the same mystical signification as the fish itself, and formed by two circles intersecting each other in the centre.

This was the most common symbol used in the middle ages, and thus delineated it abounds in Anglo-Saxon illuminated ma.n.u.scripts. Every where we meet with it during the middle ages, in religious sculptures, in painted gla.s.s, on encaustic tiles, and on seals; and in the latter, that is, in those of many of the ecclesiastical courts, the form is yet retained. Even with respect to the origin of the pointed arch, that _vexata quaestio_ of antiquaries, with what degree of probability may it not be attributed to this mystical form? It is indeed in this symbolical figure that we see the outline of the pointed arch plainly developed at least a century and half before the appearance of it in architectonic form. And in that age full of mystical significations, the twelfth century, when every part of a church was symbolized, it appears nothing strange if this typical form should have had its weight towards originating and determining the adoption of the pointed arch.--Internal Decorations of English Churches, British Critic, April, 1839.

[79-*] The date of the _foundation_ of an abbey or church must not, however, be confounded with that of its actual _erection_, which was often many years later, and the only certain guide to which is the date of the _Consecration_.

[83-*] In the minute and circ.u.mstantial account which Gervase gives of the partial destruction of this cathedral by fire, A. D. 1174, and its after restoration, he seems to allude, though in obscure language, to the altered form of the vaulting in the aisles of the choir (_in circuitu extra chorum_); and his comparison, with reference to this building, between early and late Norman architecture is altogether so curious and exact as to deserve being transcribed:--

"Dictum est in superioribus quod post combustionem illam vetera fere omnia chori diruta sunt, et in quandam augustioris formae transierunt novitatem. Nunc autem quae sit operis utriusque differentia dicendum est.

Pilariorum igitur tam veterum quam novorum una forma est, una et grossitudo, sed longitudo dissimilis. Elongati sunt enim pilarii novi longitudine pedum fere duodecim. In capitellis veteribus opus erat planum, in novis sculptura subtilis. Ibi in chori ambitu pilarii viginti duo, hic autem viginti octo. Ibi arcus et caetera omnia plana utpote sculpta secure et non scisello, his in omnibus fere sculptura idonea.

Ibi columpna nulla marmorea, hic innumerae. Ibi in circuitu extra chorum fornices planae, hic arcuatae sunt et clavatae. Ibi murus super pilarios directus cruces a choro sequestrabat, hic vero nullo intersticio cruces a choro divisae in unam clavem quae in medio fornicis magnae consist.i.t, quae quatuor pilariis princ.i.p.alibus innit.i.tur, convenire videntur. Ibi clum ligneum egregia pictura decoratum, hic fornix ex lapide et tofo levi decenter composita est. Ibi triforium unum, hic duo in choro, et in ala ecclesiae tercium."--De Combust. et Repar. Cant. Ecclesiae.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Doorway, Paulscray Church, Kent.]

CHAPTER VI.

OF THE EARLY ENGLISH STYLE.

Q. During what era did the Early English style prevail?

A. It may be said to have prevailed generally throughout the thirteenth century[86-*].

Q. How is it distinguished from the Norman and Semi-Norman styles?

A. The semicircular-headed arch, with its peculiar mouldings, was almost entirely discarded, and superseded by the pointed arch, with plain chamfered edges or mouldings of a different character. The segmental arch, nearly flat, was still however used in doorways, and occasionally the semicircular also, as in the arches of the Retrochoir, Chichester Cathedral.

Q. Of what three kinds were the pointed arches of this era?

A. The lancet, the equilateral, and the obtuse-angled arch.

Q. Which of these arches were most in use?

A. In large buildings the lancet and the equilateral-shaped arch were prevalent, as appears in Westminster Abbey, where the lancet arch predominates, and Salisbury Cathedral, where the equilateral arch is princ.i.p.ally used; but in small country churches the obtuse-angled arch is most frequently found. All these arches are struck from two centres, and are formed from segments of a circle. In large buildings the architrave is faced with a succession of roll mouldings and deep hollows, in which the tooth ornament is sometimes inserted. In small churches the arches, which are double-faced, have merely plain chamfered edges.

Q. What was the difference of the piers between this and an earlier era?

A. Instead of the ma.s.sive Norman, the Early English piers were, in large buildings, composed of an insulated column surrounded by slender detached shafts, all uniting together under one capital; these shafts were divided into parts by horizontal bands or fillets; but in small churches a plain octagonal pier, which can, however, scarcely be distinguished from that of a later style, predominated.

Q. How are the capitals distinguished?

A. They are simple in comparison with those of a later style, and are often bell-shaped, with a bead moulding round the neck, and a capping, with a series of mouldings, above; a very elegant and beautiful capital is frequently formed of stiffly sculptured foliage. The capital surmounting the multangular-shaped pier is also multangular in form, but plain, with a neck, and cap mouldings, and is difficult to be discerned from that of the succeeding style; the cap mouldings are, however, in general not so numerous as those of a later period.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Capital, Chapter House, Southwell.]

Q. How are the doorways of this style distinguished?

A. The small doorways have generally a single detached shaft on each side, with a plain moulded bell-shaped capital, which is sometimes covered with foliage; and the architrave mouldings consist of a few simple members, with a hood moulding or label over, terminated by heads. We also find richer doorways with two or more detached shafts at the sides, and architrave mouldings composed of numerous members. Large doorways of the Early English style were sometimes double, being divided into two arched openings by a shaft, either single or cl.u.s.tered; and above this a quatrefoil was generally inserted, but sometimes the head was filled with sculptured detail. Examples of the double doorway occur in the cathedrals of Ely, Chichester, Wells, Salisbury, Lincoln, and Lichfield; also at Christchurch and St. Cross, Hants; Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire; and in other large churches in this style.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Doorway, Baginton Church, Warwickshire. (13th cent.)]

Q. What kind of windows were prevalent?

[Ill.u.s.tration: Window, Beverley Minster. (13th cent.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: St. Giles's Oxford. Ely cathedral.]

A. In the early stages of this style the lancet arch-headed window, very long and narrow, was prevalent; frequently two, three, or more of these were connected together by hood mouldings, the middle window rising higher than those at the sides; sometimes they were unconnected, and without hood mouldings. In the east wall of Early English chancels three lancet windows, thus arranged, are frequently displayed. At a later period a broader window, divided into two lights by a plain mullion, finished at the top with a lozenge or circle, was used; and sometimes a window divided into three lights, the middle one higher than the others, and comprised under one hood moulding, was in use; windows of four and even five lancet lights, thus disposed, are to be met with, but are not common; the sides of the windows were in general simply splayed, without mouldings, and increased in width inwardly, but slender shafts were sometimes annexed; and we also find, in the interior of rich buildings of this style, detached shafts standing out in front of the stonework forming the window jambs, and supporting the arch of the window. Towards the close of this style the windows a.s.sumed a more ornamental cast, and became much larger, being frequently divided into two or four princ.i.p.al lights, with one or three circles in the heads; both the lights and circles are foliated, and these evince the transition in progress to the next, or Decorated style.

Beneath the windows a string-course is generally carried horizontally along the wall; and a roll moulding, similar to the upper members of the string-course of Merton College Chapel, Oxford, is most commonly met with, as the string-course.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Interior of Window, St. Giles's, Oxford.]

Q. How is the b.u.t.tress of this age distinguished?

A. In general by its plain triangular or pedimental head, its projecting more from the building than the Norman b.u.t.tress, and from its being less in breadth. It is also sometimes carried up above the parapet wall. The edges of the b.u.t.tresses are sometimes chamfered; and plain b.u.t.tresses in stages finished with simple slopes are not uncommon. We very rarely find b.u.t.tresses of this style disposed at the angles of buildings, though such disposition was common in the succeeding style; but two b.u.t.tresses placed at right angles with each other, and with the face of the wall, generally occur at the angles of churches in this style. Flying b.u.t.tresses were sometimes used to strengthen the clerestory walls of large buildings, and have a light and elegant effect.

[Ill.u.s.tration: String-Course, Merton College Chapel, Oxford.]

Q. Were the walls differently built?

A. They were not so thick as those of an earlier period, which occasioned the want of stronger b.u.t.tresses to support them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pottern, Wilts.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Hartlepool, Durham.]

Q. Were the Early English roofs of a different construction from those of a later style?

[Ill.u.s.tration: Groining Rib, Salisbury Cathedral.]