DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0145
CHARACTERISTICS OF NORMAN ARCHITECTURE. 113
Norwich,^ Chester, Hereford, and Sarum ; with the monasteries of St. Albans', St.
gustin s, at Canterbury, Glastonbury, Evesham, St. Edmonds-bury, Ely, and
an.V others : these were either entirely taken down and re-edified, or so far newly-
^ ed as to leave few, or no traces of the original buildings.
16 essential characteristics of the architectural style observable in the buildings
e ^? ^ the Normans, in the century succeeding the Conquest, consisted in
^ rical massive columns, with regular bases and capitals, having semicircular
s springing from the latter. The walls were very thick, and were generally
^uPported, or strengthened, by broad and flat perpendicular buttresses. Some-
es the columns were square or octangular, or had smaller pillars joined to them ;
roj W6re a'S0 occasiona% ornamented with spiral grooves, or flutings, passing
Und them, or were covered on the surface with a kind of raised diamond-shaped
s resembling; net-work. The doors and windows were round-headed, and
le latt
a> ter were mostly high and narrow. Though the smaller arches were plain and
the^'6' ^6 Prmcipal ones were decorated with a variety of mouldings. Among
and Were ^6 cnevron' or z^zaS> tne embattled fret, the beak-head, the billet,
y ^e nail-head. 99 The roofs of the Anglo-Norman churches were often of
er> but there are various examples of stone groined roofs to be found in crypts,
churches, and in some of the cathedrals. They were formed with cross-
p^'ttgers, and sometimes additional ribs ; but are much plainer than those of the
^ inted style. The Anglo-Norman Towers were massive, square structures, rising
Th ^reat height above the roof of the buildings to which they were attached.
exterior of the walls was generally plain ; the portals had sometimes figures
with Ure(^ '° re^e^ over taem. The west fronts were occasionally ornamented
series of small circular arches, arranged separately, or intersecting each other
m S ^ ^°rm Pomte(l arches at the intersectional crossings ; this peculiar embellish-
11 ' of which the Priory of Castle Acre, Norfolk ; St. Botolph's, at Colchester ;
^rilt'°°k ^kDey' Shropshire ; Croyland Abbey, Lincolnshire ; Malmesbury Abbey,
ant tS^'re ' and other Norman buildings furnish examples, has been supposed, as
• ecedently stated, to have afforded the first idea of Pointed architecture, as an
pendent style.
long the ecclesiastical edifices still remaining in this country, which exhibit
Clmens °f Norman architecture, the following may be enumerated. The Cathe-
99 Po
r an explanation of these terms see the Glossary, or Dictionary, at the end of this work.
Norwich,^ Chester, Hereford, and Sarum ; with the monasteries of St. Albans', St.
gustin s, at Canterbury, Glastonbury, Evesham, St. Edmonds-bury, Ely, and
an.V others : these were either entirely taken down and re-edified, or so far newly-
^ ed as to leave few, or no traces of the original buildings.
16 essential characteristics of the architectural style observable in the buildings
e ^? ^ the Normans, in the century succeeding the Conquest, consisted in
^ rical massive columns, with regular bases and capitals, having semicircular
s springing from the latter. The walls were very thick, and were generally
^uPported, or strengthened, by broad and flat perpendicular buttresses. Some-
es the columns were square or octangular, or had smaller pillars joined to them ;
roj W6re a'S0 occasiona% ornamented with spiral grooves, or flutings, passing
Und them, or were covered on the surface with a kind of raised diamond-shaped
s resembling; net-work. The doors and windows were round-headed, and
le latt
a> ter were mostly high and narrow. Though the smaller arches were plain and
the^'6' ^6 Prmcipal ones were decorated with a variety of mouldings. Among
and Were ^6 cnevron' or z^zaS> tne embattled fret, the beak-head, the billet,
y ^e nail-head. 99 The roofs of the Anglo-Norman churches were often of
er> but there are various examples of stone groined roofs to be found in crypts,
churches, and in some of the cathedrals. They were formed with cross-
p^'ttgers, and sometimes additional ribs ; but are much plainer than those of the
^ inted style. The Anglo-Norman Towers were massive, square structures, rising
Th ^reat height above the roof of the buildings to which they were attached.
exterior of the walls was generally plain ; the portals had sometimes figures
with Ure(^ '° re^e^ over taem. The west fronts were occasionally ornamented
series of small circular arches, arranged separately, or intersecting each other
m S ^ ^°rm Pomte(l arches at the intersectional crossings ; this peculiar embellish-
11 ' of which the Priory of Castle Acre, Norfolk ; St. Botolph's, at Colchester ;
^rilt'°°k ^kDey' Shropshire ; Croyland Abbey, Lincolnshire ; Malmesbury Abbey,
ant tS^'re ' and other Norman buildings furnish examples, has been supposed, as
• ecedently stated, to have afforded the first idea of Pointed architecture, as an
pendent style.
long the ecclesiastical edifices still remaining in this country, which exhibit
Clmens °f Norman architecture, the following may be enumerated. The Cathe-
99 Po
r an explanation of these terms see the Glossary, or Dictionary, at the end of this work.