Britton, John: The architectural antiquities of Great Britain: represented and illustrated in a series of views, elevations, plans, sections, and details, of ancient English edifices ; with historical and descriptive accounts of each (Band 5) (1835)

OPINIONS ON THE NORMAN STYLE.

33

pointed architecture into England ; supposing it to have been the new mode of
building which William of Malmesbury and other historians represent as having
become general after the Conquest.'9 Mr. Hawkins seems to be of the same
opinion. He says, " an augmentation of dimensions can, by no mode of reasoning
whatever, be termed a new style of architecture, or even a new mode of compo-
Sltlon or building; and no rational man would ever think of affirming that the
c >«rches of St. Peter at Rome and St. Paul of London were of different styles,
tj Cause they were not of the same size."20 This writer's idea of the time when
^Pointed style appeared in England will be noticed elsewhere.

r- Dallaway remarks that " many discordant opinions have been advanced
^°ncerning what really constitutes Norman architecture; and it has been con-
ed with the Saxon by several able antiquaries. But a still greater confusion
y°Urs when the pointed style first practised in this kingdom in the reign of
^enry II. is called Norman. The principal discrimination between the Saxon
pla" ^G ^01man aPPears to be that of much larger dimensions in every part;
an(jln' °Ut more lofty vaulting; circular pillars of greater diameter; round arches
to ^ a^>1*a^s baving ornamental carvings much more elaborate and various adapted
,.na' but a total absence of pediments or pinnacles, which are decidedly
to the pointed or Gothic style."21

Mr R

[< A " -°Wr<&w, in an account of Waltham Abbey, in the third volume of the

diffi ° ltectura* Antiquities," p. 22, &c. says, "It is not, in my opinion, very

ea ] t0 t^8tinguish three different kinds of the Norman architecture." The

y> the middle, and the latter. The first of these, he says, " was no doubt of

*°n °rigin."
The

severel Wnter °^ account of Peterborough Cathedral, in " Storer's Cathedrals,"
be cann sarcas*^caHy animadverts on the opinion of Mr. Burdon; and says,
any pe i- esi*ate in roundly affirming that there is no such thing in existence as
" Mr B r St^'e °^ architecture invented or even adopted by the Normans.
^O'Tnan111^011' near'y *be advocates of Norman architecture confound the
t|le Wltb the modern French, or at least with the Limogese and Troubadours,

Ionian m.0(iern Poets of Europe." He adds, " circular Saxon arches were of
origin, and their numerous diversified ornaments were entirely Saxon

^.^^vol.viii. p. 193.

" " Ob8t°ry °f °rig'n °f Gothic Architecture," 1813, 8vo. p. 113.
ervations on English Architecture," 1806, 8vo. p. 19.