DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52829#0119
69
“ The surface of slanting roofs,” says that accomplished writer,
“ must be nearly flat—decoration therefore is difficult; and though it is
rough when compared with the surface of columns or hewn stone in
general, it has no effect of light and shadow. It has also a more
unfinished look than any other part, — a very material circumstance in
whatever is to be combined with the highly finished forms and ornaments
of architecture. It is to be considered by what means these defects may
be diminished. Few roofs of ancient buildings remain; in them,
however, a peculiar attention seems to have been paid both to regularity
of construction, and light and shadow. The Tower of the Winds at
Athens is covered with slabs of marble, in each of which the horizontal
edge projects so much as to give a strong shade; while the vertical joints
are so elevated as to form high ribs, which break the uniform surface in a
very beautiful manner. The Lantern of Demosthenes is roofed in the
form of laurel leaves, which, in a different way, have the same effect.
The ancient mode of tiling, by semicircular tiles laid within each other,
gave a sort of fluted look to the roof; and the old flat tiles of the Lower
Empire, which were joined with a high rib, something in the way of the
Temple of the Winds, had the same effect of light and shadow. Even
the ridge and hip-rolls of our roofs diminish in some degree the bareness
of their appearance. The richness occasioned by variation from uni-
formity of surface is also very striking in some of the old leaden roofs of
our churches, where the sheets are small and the rolls large. The
ancients seem to have had it in view to give both lightness and richness
to their roofs, by a sort of lacing to the edges of them; the ridges, as
well as the eaves, were decorated with a sort of open work, of small
knobs and projections; and the same kind of ornament yet remains, with
peculiarly elegant effect, in many of our old churches and houses.”
These ornamental lacings on ridges are called crest tiles, and are
“ The surface of slanting roofs,” says that accomplished writer,
“ must be nearly flat—decoration therefore is difficult; and though it is
rough when compared with the surface of columns or hewn stone in
general, it has no effect of light and shadow. It has also a more
unfinished look than any other part, — a very material circumstance in
whatever is to be combined with the highly finished forms and ornaments
of architecture. It is to be considered by what means these defects may
be diminished. Few roofs of ancient buildings remain; in them,
however, a peculiar attention seems to have been paid both to regularity
of construction, and light and shadow. The Tower of the Winds at
Athens is covered with slabs of marble, in each of which the horizontal
edge projects so much as to give a strong shade; while the vertical joints
are so elevated as to form high ribs, which break the uniform surface in a
very beautiful manner. The Lantern of Demosthenes is roofed in the
form of laurel leaves, which, in a different way, have the same effect.
The ancient mode of tiling, by semicircular tiles laid within each other,
gave a sort of fluted look to the roof; and the old flat tiles of the Lower
Empire, which were joined with a high rib, something in the way of the
Temple of the Winds, had the same effect of light and shadow. Even
the ridge and hip-rolls of our roofs diminish in some degree the bareness
of their appearance. The richness occasioned by variation from uni-
formity of surface is also very striking in some of the old leaden roofs of
our churches, where the sheets are small and the rolls large. The
ancients seem to have had it in view to give both lightness and richness
to their roofs, by a sort of lacing to the edges of them; the ridges, as
well as the eaves, were decorated with a sort of open work, of small
knobs and projections; and the same kind of ornament yet remains, with
peculiarly elegant effect, in many of our old churches and houses.”
These ornamental lacings on ridges are called crest tiles, and are