The Seven Periods of English Architecture Part 5

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 quadripart.i.te or s.e.xpart.i.te form.

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

PRINc.i.p.aL BUILDINGS

OF

THE LANCET PERIOD.

LINCOLN Cathedral Church Choir.

WORCESTER Cathedral Church Choir.

WINCHESTER Cathedral Church Lady Chapel.

FOUNTAINS Abbey Church Choir, East Transept.

WHITBY Abbey Church Choir.

YORK Cathedral Church N. and S. Transepts.

BOLTON Abbey Church Nave.

BEVERLEY Minster Choir, Transepts.

LINCOLN Cathedral Church Nave.

LICHFIELD Cathedral Church Chapter House.

WELLS Cathedral Church West Front.

PETERBOROUGH Cathedral Church West Front.

SOUTHWELL Collegiate Church Choir.

OXFORD Cathedral Church Chapter House.

HEREFORD Cathedral Church Lady Chapel.

LANERCOST Abbey Church Nave.

DURHAM Cathedral Church East Transept.

RIEVAULX Abbey Church Choir.

LONDON Temple Church Choir.

SALISBURY Cathedral Church Choir.

WORCESTER Cathedral Church Presbytery.

WHITBY Abbey Church N. Transept.

ELY Cathedral Church Presbytery.

CHAPTER VIII.

GEOMETRICAL PERIOD.

PRINc.i.p.aL CHARACTERISTIC.

SIMPLE GEOMETRICAL TRACERY IN THE HEADS OF THE WINDOWS, IN PANELS AND IN ARCADES.

_Exterior Compartment._

The b.u.t.tRESSES have frequently set-offs, and canopies attached to their faces, carrying often a series of CROCKETS: these in the earlier examples are plain, stiff, and curled; but the later ones are formed by a gracefully disposed leaf. Towards the end of the Period, the b.u.t.tresses became very bulky and ma.s.sive, and carried little or no ornaments.

The PINNACLES have often the same ornament, and are crowned with finials composed of a bunch of foliage.

The CORNICE often carries a large ornamental leaf in its hollow, and the projecting Corbel-table is no longer seen.

The earlier WINDOWS exhibit tracery which consists almost exclusively of plain foliated circles; but in the later examples other simple geometrical forms were employed. The heads of the window lights, occasionally plain, were more frequently, even in the earlier examples, and invariably in the later ones, cusped or foliated.

The CLERE-STORY usually contains a single window, or at most a pair, containing tracery similar to that of the side-aisle windows, and the Clere-story arcade altogether disappears.

The CORNICE is usually similar to that of the side-aisles.

_Interior Compartment._

The PIERS have occasionally, in the earlier examples, detached shafts; but they more usually consist of a solid ma.s.s 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 subst.i.tute 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.

PRINc.i.p.aL BUILDINGS

OF

THE GEOMETRICAL PERIOD.

WESTMINSTER Abbey Church Choir, Transepts.

WESTMINSTER Abbey Church Chapter House.

SALISBURY Cathedral Church Chapter House.

HOWDEN Collegiate Church Transepts.

ELY Cathedral Church South Transept, Chapel.