Warton, Thomas [Hrsg.]: Essays on gothic architecture: twelve plates of ornaments, &c. selected from ancient buildings (London, 1808)

6 REV. T. WARTO^'s

top into a multiplicity of whimsical shapes
and compartments, after the year 1300. The
crusades had before dictated the pointed arch,
which was here still preserved; but, besides
the alteration in the windows, fantastic capi-
tals to the columns, and more ornament in the
vaulting and other parts, were introduced.
Of this fashion the body of Winchester cathe-
dral, built by that munificent encourager of all
public works, William of Wykeham, about
the year 1390, will aiford the justest idea.
But a taste for a more ornamental style had
for some time before begun to discover itself.
This appears from the choir of St. Mary's
church at Warwick, begun \ at least, before
Wykebam's improvements at Winchester, ami
remarkable for a freedom and elegance un-
known before. That certain refinements in
architecture began to grow fashionable early
in the reign of Edward III. perhaps before,
we learn from Chaucer's description of the
structure of his House of Fame;

" And eke the hall and everie boure,

Without peeces or joinings,

But many subtell eompassings

As habenries and pinnacles,

Imageries and tabernacles,

I saw, and full eke of windowese."

d Viz. 1341; finished before 1395. Dugdale's Warwick-
shire, p. 345.

e B. iii. fol. 267, col. 2. edit. Speght.