971 



NORMAN 1 ARCHITEOTriU:. 



MHIMAN ARCHITKcrrilK 



871 



With respect to Capital*, the diversity is so great M to render it 

 impossible, at leut here, to attempt to classify them, or particiilarine 

 even the loading varieties. While some are both rude and plain, others 

 are remarkable for the delicacy of workraanahip and the taste shown 

 in their enrichment* : some, though they do not lack ornament, are 

 either too poor and insignificant, while others again, though quite 



plain, have something pleasing in their man and contour, and in the 

 proportion they bear to the height of the shafts. Of the plainer surt 



of capitals, the most common shape of those occurring in 



Norman buildings is what Mr. \Vhewcll designates the Cu 



and which u formed by an inverted cone, of convex contour, spreading 



up towards the abacus, but intersected 



many flat surfaces or sides answering to those of the at>.tc is. Tlii* 



will be rendered nturo intelligible by the annexed examples from 



Rochester cathedral, although they instance varieties of the cushion 



capital, the stein or circular part of each I- 



planes or faces forming the sides become scalloped : 



will also be recognised in some of the tmcceediug xa 



Of the variety of sculptured and enriched capitals, the spec, 

 here annexed do not go far toward- an adequa- 



are they the very best that are to be met -.1 they may 



autlice. The first two, which we have selected for the sake cif com- 

 parison, are foreign, namely, from Jumieges and Sanson sur Hille ; the 

 next are from St Peters, Northampton (a chun-li v. in.-h affords a 

 wonderful variety of em ., ui c.ipltilst, an hiircii, 



Derbyshire : the I mrkable for the ( 



racter of the intertw i liii^- volutes carve I upon it, as tlie first is for its 

 striking general reseinbUnce to tho (' irintlmn cupit.d. The final ex- 

 amples, from Oxford cathedra I 



ifouldinr/t are of great variety, in some instances very elaborately 

 carved, and always ornamental features in Norman buildings. One of 

 the most favourite and characteristic is the chevron, or zigzag mould- 

 ing, hich is used alike for nrchi volts arid other decorative features. 

 Hardly lew characteristic U the billet, or alternate billet moulding, 

 which occurs in all classes of churches. Other kinds of frequent occur- 

 rence are classed as the pellet, the lozenge, the indented, nail-head, 

 cable, beak-head, medallion, star, &c. ; but there are a great variety of 

 others, and among them the more complex descriptions, which fall 

 under none of those classes. The follow in* are a few of the almost 

 numberless varieties which exist : others will be recognised in the cuts 

 of windows, doorways, to. 



A* already indicated the Toxcn in this style were usually low, and 

 massive ; square in plan, with small narrow windows, and in the early 

 rumple* plain, or bat little ornamented. In the more important and 



Oxford Call! 



later buildings they were, howev.r, -in] with a profusion of 



arcades, and sometimes enriched with carving. Occasionally octagonal 



or polygonal towers are seen, as at Kly cathedral. Hound towers arc 

 not unusual in the churches of the eastern com ,.,Hy Norfolk 



ami Suflblk. Norman towers were originally capped with a steep pyra- 

 midal roof of stone, or tiled ; a form which was clmi-ated into the 

 stunted pyramidal spire, and afterwards probal.lv 1 .1 to (lie ordinary 

 spire, in like manner as its ornaments of animals' IHM.N and fl 

 may have suggested the first idea of crockets. Examples of this kind 

 of roof are not often met with in tins country, they having usually 

 been replaced by a spire of later date, or removed to make way for an 



embattled parapet. We therefore subjoin 1 I, ,'f one of 



contemporary date, on the tower of Than church in Normandy. 

 The course of Norman architecture was unquestionably on t In 

 towards richness and refinement. Yet it .,.,-ni.xhcd by 



mass and majesty. In the earlier examples, rude and M.m, it 

 gradually put off something of its austerity, but alw.r 1 a cer- 



tain severe nobility of aspect. At it passed in'., the ! 

 iie after another of its earlier charact 



assumed a lighter and more elegant appearance; but it is note- 

 worthy that as pointed arches began to mingle with 

 ornamental details of the building I,, nine lc i lloii-l.-md tcwcr, but 

 chaster and more correct in design, and more 



This Transition or Semi-Norman style is briefly notit ' ioTUi' 



i: : but in n general sketch, like the present, it i 



