Early English Gothic Architecture (2024)

The Early English Style, [which is]also known as Lancet, First Pointed, Early Plantagenet, or Thirteen Century Style, comprises the reigns of Richard I., 1189-1199; John, 1199-1216; Henry III., 1216-1272; Edward I.,1272-1307. The style of this period, shaking itself free from the massive Norman, is magnificent and rich, strong in its dependence upon proportion, well-defined outline, and simplicity in decoration.The long trails of dog-tooth ornament lurking in the dark furrowof the channelled recesses, the foliaged capitals and bosses intruding their luxuriance upon the mouldings and hollows, and theknots of pierced and hanging leaves, extending like some petrifiedgarland or bower of filigree work round the arch, almost impartlife and vegetation to the very stones of these door and windowopenings. The tall and narrow lancet openings give an upwardtendency to the design, and the boldly projecting buttresses andpinnacles, and steeply pitched roofs, mark the exteriors. Internally, in place of the massive Norman pillar, slender groups of shaftsoccur connected by bands to the piers. The pointed arch vaultsare bolder, more elegant, and used more

Plans

Left: Flying butress, Chapter House, Lincoln (1220).

Right: Broach spire, St. John Keystone, Huntingdonshire. [Click on the thumbnails for larger images.]

These varied but little from theNorman. The vaulting as it advanced modified the planning,as, when pointed arches were finally adopted, nave compart-ments were made oblong in place of the former square divisions.Flying buttresses were introduced. The "broach " spire, in which the upper portionrises from the square tower without a parapet, is characteristic.

Walls

These retain the massiveness characteristic ofNorman work, but more cut stonework was employed, and lessrubble filling, the concentration of the weight of the roof andvaulting on the buttresses leading to the gradual treatment ofthe walling between as a mere screen. The proportion of openingto the piers adjoining is often excellent, as in the transept ofSalisbury Cathedral

Southwell Minster (1210). [Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.]

Buttresses are more pronounced than in the Norman period,being generally equal in projection to their width, in order toresist the lateral outward pressure of the pointed vaults, and [336]were formed into stages by weathered set-offs (Nos. 127 A, B, and141 B). Their arrises were often chamfered, and the differentstages were frequently gabled. Flying or arched buttresses (No.141 E) were first utilized in this period, but were not of commonoccurrence till a later period.

In the interiors the nave arcade usually occupies the lower halfof the height, the upper half being divided equally betweentriforium and clerestory, as at the choir of Ely, the naves ofLichfield (No. 124 c), and Lincoln ; but sometimes, the triforiumwas diminished in order to provide a larger display of glass, as atWestminster (No. 127 c) and Salisbury (No. 122 c-).

Openings

Examples of windows with plare tracery, 1220-40. [Click on the thumbnails for larger images.]

Proportions, generally, are more slender thanin Norman work, and pointed arches came into general use forconstructive reasons, at first in connection with vaulting, thengradually throughout the whole building. The doorways are often richly treated, and ornamented withcarved foliage. Windows are of lancet form, and tracery was developed, especially the early form known as "plate" tracery, so-called because the openings were cut through a flat plate of stone. Cusps or projecting points of Gothic tracery were introduced inthe latter part of the Early English style, being let into the soffitof the arches in separate small pieces and entirely independent ofthe mouldings. This form of detached cusping is found generallyin the circular lights, the heads of windows having cusps formingpart of the tracery itself. The spaces between the cusps areknown as foils (Lat. folium = "a leaf") being trefoil, quatrefoil orcinquefoil when having three, four or five openings. Narrow lancet windows are grouped in two, three, or evenfive lights, as in the "Five Sisters" in the north transept, York(page 316), the glass being usually kept near the exterior of thewall, making the inside jamb very deep.

Roofs

These are steeper than in the last period, approaching the shape of an equilateral triangle, i.e. sixty degrees. Theframing was exposed where there was no vaulted ceiling. Thebraces were used to form a waggon shape, or semicircular ribs wereemployed, when the close setting of the flat rafters produces the effectof barrel vaulting. (Vaulting, see page 286, and Nos. 111 and 112.)

Columns

Piers consist of a central circular, or octagonalshaft, surrounded by smaller detached columns (No. 146), oftenof polished Purbeck marble, held in place by bands at intervals,as at Salisbury (No. 123) and Westminster Abbey. Capitals were frequently moulded, so as to produce fine boldshadows (No. 146), or carved with conventional foliage (No. 148),placed on the bell or lower portion of the capital. The normalabacus is circular on plan.

Mouldings

These are bold, deeply undercut, and often ofpear-shaped section, following the outline of the rectangularrecesses (No. 146). The chiselled dog-tooth succeeded the axednailhead decoration of the Norman period.

Ornament

The most characteristic ornament is the dog-tooth, which was generally placed in hollow mouldings, and wasused in great profusion (Nos. 143 and 147). The chisel wasgenerally used, taking the place of the axe in the Early Normanperiod. Carved foliage is conventional, and crisp and fine in treatment(No. 147), typical examples consisting of convex curling masses,known as " stiff leaf foliage." Flat surfaces are often richly diapered, as in Westminster Abbey (No. 127).

Sculptured figures of large size were used, and placed in nicheswith canopies over them. The west front of Wells (1206-1242)has 300 statues, being a grand composition where sculpture isfully combined with architecture.

In regard to color work, it has been suggested that the carveddiapers of this and the next period are copies in stone of the hangings or painted decorations of the previous period. There isground for believing that such carved diapers were colored, aswas the case with Greek and Roman ornament.

Stained glass rapidly increased in importance, the piecesbeing small and leaded up in patterns sn as almost to suggestthe cubic formation of mosaic. A general tone of color pervadesthe windows, and an unrivalled deep and violet-like blue was afavourite tint, as in the fine thirteenth century glass at CanterburyCathedral.

In the Early English and following periods, exquisite decorative art was produced in such works as the Psalters, Missals,Books of Hours and Chronicles, in which the huntsman, fisher-man, shepherd, labourer, scribe, saint, king, knight and monkwere represented, forming a valuable record of contemporarylife. The Mediaeval Room at the British Museum containsexamples of armour metalwork, ivory and woodcarving, caskets,rings and utensils, illustrative of me ornamental art of theperiods.

References

Fletcher, Banister, and Banister F. Fletcher. A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method for the Student, Craftsman, and Amateur. 5th ed. London: B. T. Batsford, 1905. Pp. 335-41.

Last modified 30 August 2007