ARCHITECTURE. 



variety of tracery, which was uniformly 



ornamented \vitli rosettes or polytbil, cus- 

 pidated figures, forming trefoils, quatre- 

 foils, &c. Canopies were introduced over 

 the arches, and in rich work were deco- 

 rated with crockets and creeping- foliage, 

 and terminated in a flower. The but- 

 tresses were made in several dimin. 

 stages towards the top, and mostly ter- 

 minated with purrlcd pinnacles. 



In the reign of Edward II. detached 

 columns were laid aside, and pillars, near- 

 ly of the same proportion as formerly, 

 with vertical or columnar mouldings 

 wrought out of the solid, were adopted. 

 Tlie t-ast and west windows were so en- 

 larged as to take up nearly the whole 

 breadth of the nave, and carried* up al- 

 most as high as the vaulting, and were 

 beautifully ornamented with hvely colours 

 on stained glass. 



In the early part of the reign of Edward 

 III. arcades with low arches and sharp 

 points prevailed ; over the arcades was ge- 

 nerally placed a row of open galleries, 

 originally introduced in Saxon churches. 



About the end of the reign of Richard 

 II., A. D. 1399, the pillars became more 

 tall and slender, forming still more lofty 

 and open arcades ; tlie columns which 

 formed the cluster were of different dia- 

 meters, the capitals more complicated, 

 the vaults at the intersection of die ribs 

 were studded with knots of foliage, the 

 canopies of the arches were universally 

 purfled, and terminated with a rich knot 

 of flowers : the pilastcred buttresses 

 flanking the sides were crowned with ela- 

 borate h'nials, the Hying buttresses were 

 formed on segments of circles, in order 

 to give them lightness, and strength at 

 the same time. 



From the close of the 14di century no 

 remarkable change appears to have taken 

 place ; the grander members continued 

 their original dimensions and form, and 

 the ornamental parts became distinguish- 

 ed by greater richness and exuberance. 



Another change took place in the reign 

 ofEduard IV. Its leading features are 

 principally to h( seen in the vaulting*, tlie 

 horizontal sections of which had been 

 generally projecting right :mgles, but 

 wire now arches of cirrles ; the surface 

 of the vaults bring such as might be ge- 

 nerated by a concave curve revolving 

 round a vertical line, as an axis which 

 immediately over the pillars. This spe- 

 cies of groining, unknown in preceding 

 ages, was favourable for a beautiful dis- 

 lay of tracery. F.qui-distant concave 

 ribs in vertical planes were intersected by 

 J VOJ. I 



horizontal convex circular ribs, and thr 

 included psmu Is w i re beautifully 

 mcnii d v. r.'i ( ,.-,i)s, forming an infinite 

 variety ol the most elegant traciry, which, 

 from its appearance, lias been denominat- 

 ed tin. work. 



J'luin the commencement of the reign 

 of King Henry V11I. a mixed or debased 

 style began to take place, from our inter- 

 course with the Italians. The ingenious 

 Mr. Britton, in his valuable architectural 

 antiquities of Great Britain, has classed 

 tlie various styles in die following order, 

 which we shall adopt, and shall be happy 

 to find the same appropriate terms adopt- 

 ed also in future publications, \\l. 

 ideas of the objects represented bv them 

 are die subjects of inquiry. He a 

 sible tliis is die only means of facilitating 

 a knowledge of this study, bv removing 

 equivocal words, and thereby making ar- 

 chitectural language intelligible. 



First N'yle. Anglo Saxon ; diis will em- 

 brace all buildings that were erected be- 

 tween the times of the conversion of die 

 Saxons and the Norman conquest, from 

 A. D. 599 to A. D. 1066. 



Secmid Style. Anglo Norman, by which 

 will be meant, that sule which prevailed 

 from 1066 to 1189, including die reigns of 

 \\ illiams I. and II., Henry I., Stephen and 

 Henn II 



Third Style. English, from 1 189 to 1272, 

 embracing the reigns of Richard I., John, 

 and Henn III. 



fourth Style. Decorated English, from 

 1272 to 1461, including the reigns of Ed- 

 wards I., II., 111., Richard II., Heiirv - | \ , 

 V., and VI. 



Fifth Style. Highly decorated florid 

 English, from 1461 to 1509, including die 

 reigns of Edwards 1\ . and V., Richard 

 III'., and Henry \ II. 



From this aera we lose all sight of con- 

 gruity : and the public buildings erected 

 during the reigns of Henry \lil. 

 beth, and James I., may be characterised 

 li\ 1 1 u- terms of debased English, or An- 

 glo-Italian. Mr Hritton observes, " dit 

 during tlie intermediate time, when one 

 style was growing into repute and the 

 01 her sinking in favour, then \\ . II >c found 

 a mixture of both in one building, 

 is not referable to cither, and which has 

 constituted die greatest problem in anti- 

 quarian science." 



Before \vc leave this subject, it will he 

 >:-y to give some account of the 

 iployed in the f.ihricution,and 

 of the principles in the construction of 

 those immense piles, w htch at one- 

 ed grandeur, iiia^i. id awful sub- 



It r 



