210 
FLORAL DECORATION OF CHURCHES. 
[Nature and Art, December 1, 1866. 
all cases be decided upon before the absolute decora- 
tion is commenced, we cannot do better in this 
place than say a few words on the general design 
and disposition of floral decorations with reference 
to the several styles of church architecture, and the 
various portions and details of church interiors. 
In decorating a church attention should be paid 
to the style in which it is built ; and the ideas for 
the floral enrichments should as a rule be derived 
from the usual details of the architecture. Above 
all, care should be taken to retain the general feeling 
of the style in the decorations. 
In Norman work we find great massiveness and 
breadth of treatment ; the round arch used for all 
openings ; arcades composed of intersecting round 
arches ; columns horizontally banded or ornamented 
with spiral, zigzag, or diaper patterns ; mouldings 
enriched with the chevron, cable, chain, bead orna- 
ment, Ac. • flat surfaces of wall covered with a 
species of trelliswork diaper, both with and without 
small enrichments at the intersection of its lines ; 
lozenge-work, scale-work, and parallel rows of zig- 
zags placed over one another ; and lastly, we observe 
a total absence of those cusped forms so common in 
the later styles. 
In essaying to decorate the ulterior of a church 
in the Norman style, it is important that great 
simplicity of form, massiveness of character, and 
breadth of effect should be sought after, so that the 
decoration in the mass may harmonize with the 
architecture. This may be secured by adopting 
simple forms for all the ornaments, and using large 
quantities of evergreens, Ac. , in their construction. 
As the round arch is one of the distinctive features 
of the style, and as cusped or foliated forms do not 
belong to it, the simple circle should invariably be 
adopted for enclosing devices which are to be hung 
upon the walls (as in Tig. 3, Plate I.), and no such 
forms as the trefoil, quatrefoil, or cinquefoil, should 
in any case be used. The arcades formed of inter- 
secting semicircular arches, which are so frequently 
to be found in rich examples, supply us with a good 
idea for the ornamentation of the lower portions 
of chancel walls, where no important efirichment 
already exists. These arcades may be constructed 
of stout wire or light wood, and covered with ever- 
greens relieved by holly berries and whatever 
liowers are at hand. In the construction of arcades 
of this description, there is great room for the display 
of taste and skill. 
The great size of the generality of Norman 
columns renders their decoration, if richly done, a 
matter of considerable labour. Perhaps the easiest 
method of ornamenting the large circular piers of 
the style is by banding them with plain wreaths or 
broad open bands, similar to those shown on Plate 
II., Pigs. 8 and 9. Those columns which are banded 
architecturally may have a single wreath laid round 
the shaft immediately above, and resting on the 
band ; or they may have two wreaths or open 
bands fastened round the shaft, one beween the base 
and centre-stone band, and the other between the 
latter and the capital. A plain circular column may 
be beautifully decorated with a spiral wreath, or with 
two running in opposite directions ; the latter will 
cover the column with an open diaper. Of course, 
neither of these methods of wreathing large columns 
must be attempted where material and labour are 
very limited. All small columns which stand quite 
free from the stone-worlc should be ornamented 
with a single spiral wreath, taking not more than 
three turns (Fig. 10, Plate II.). Irregular and 
grouped Norman piers should not be decorated with 
wreaths or bands ; and, indeed, as there is no satis- 
factory way of ornamenting them, they had better 
be left without any floral enrichment. 
In treating large surfaces of flat wall, several 
methods can be adopted, according to the amount 
of material and labour at command. They may be 
decorated in a very appropriate way by bands of 
zigzag and interlaced semicircles (Figs. 8 and 9, 
Plate II.), or designs of a similar nature, placed at 
some distance from one another, with medallions 
between them ; or they may be covered with diaper 
patterns, such as Figs. 8 and 10, Plate I., which are 
based on the trellis- work, diaper, and scale-work of 
the style. 
It is not advisable to attempt to fasten any species 
of floral enrichment to Norman mouldings, but thick 
cables or twisted ropes of holly may be laid over 
hood-moulds or string courses with very good effect. 
They may be fastened to small wire hooks driven 
into the joints at intervals. 
Any or all of the symbols, monograms, and 
devices which are appropriate for the Festival of 
Christmas, may be used in the decoration of Norman 
work, and they should in all cases be enclosed within 
circles of evergreens. 
In Early Pointed architecture we find consider- 
able severity and breadth of treatment, but an almost 
total absence of the massiveness so characteristic of 
Norman work. The pointed arch has superseded 
the round, and has given unlimited play to the 
genius of the builder ; it lias brought lightness, 
grace, and elegance in its train, to clothe every 
detail with a new beauty. 
The style is rich in arcades, formed of pointed 
arches, which are never interlaced as in the Norman 
style. Columns are usually banded with one, two, 
or three horizontal bands, but are no longer enriched 
with surface patterns. The single circular shaft 
continues to be used, but, in rich examples of the 
style, grouped columns are more frequently met 
with. Mouldings are not so richly ornamented as 
in the preceding style, but are worked into more 
members, separated by deeply-cut hollows. 
In Early Pointed work many beautiful diapers 
are to be found covering large spaces of wall, as at 
Westminster Abbey; and flowing scroll-work is 
also used as a surface enrichment. In very early 
buildings few cusped forms are to be met with, but 
as the style was matured, simple geometrical forms 
such as the trefoil, quatrefoil, and sixfoil became 
very common. 
In the above short summary we find enough to 
assist us in framing a correct scheme for the deco- 
ration of Early Pointed structures. The fact that a 
greater degree of lightness prevails in them than iu 
