53 



He then proceeded to take a rapid view of the different 

 orders which had been prevalent in England at different 

 times, and the way in winch they might be traced to each 

 other. The Saxon was the first to succeed the Roman, and 

 there was some reason to believe that it originated in the 

 recollections entertained by some of the cleverer of the Ger- 

 manic barbarians, of the glories they had seen at the imperial 

 city. 



Much mystery, however, hung over the architecture of the 

 Saxons, as very few monuments of it remained to the present 

 day. The most interesting one was the church tower at Earl's 

 Barton, in Northamptonshire, which exhibited many of the 

 peculiarities recognised as the characteristics of this construc- 

 tion : " the long stone set at the corner, and a short one lying 

 on it ; the rude balustre, such as might be supposed to be 

 copied by a very rough workman by remembrance of a Roman 

 one ; the triangular arch, and the narrow ribs or square-edged 

 strips of stone projecting a few inches from the wall, and 

 running up vertically, bearing, from their position, a rude 

 similarity to pilastres. The west doorway of this tower, and 

 one or two others of Saxon origin, exhibit also something like 

 a rude imitation of Roman mouldings in the impost and 

 architrave." 



After the Saxon era the architecture of this island was 

 divided into four principal periods or styles — the Norman, 

 the Lancet or Early English, the Decorated, and the Perpen- 

 dicular. There were also transition styles of great interest, 

 which served as connecting links between any two groups, and 

 proved the progressive character of the art. 



The characteristics of the Norman style were the round 

 massy columns ; the semicircular arch with zigzag ornaments ; 

 the flat buttress of small projection, either uniting with the 

 lace, of the parapet or terminating just below the cornice, and 

 round-headed window. The remains of this style were very 

 numerous ; the little church at J3ebbington, and St. John's, 



