OF THE DECORATED ENGLISH STYLE.

Q. When did the Decorated English style commence, and how long did it prevail?

A. It may be said to have commenced in the latter part of the thirteenth century, or reign of Edward the First, and to have prevailed about a century. The transition from the Early English style to this, and again from this to the succeeding style, was however so extremely gradual, that it is difficult to affix any precise date for the termination of one style, or the introduction of another.

Q. Whence does it derive its appellation?

A. From there being a greater redundancy of chaste ornament in this than in the preceding style; and though it does not exhibit that extreme multiplicity of decorative detail as the style of the fifteenth century, the general contours and forms which this style presents, and the principal lines of composition, which verge pyramidically rather than vertically or horizontally, are infinitely more pleasing; and it is justly considered as the most beautiful style of English ecclesiastical architecture.

Q. What difference is there between the arches of this style, which support the clerestory, and those of an earlier period?

A. The lancet arch is seldom seen; the equilateral arch is generally, though not always, used. Both this and the obtuse-angled arch are, taken exclusively, difficult to be distinguished from those of an earlier period. In small buildings the edges of the pier arches are plain and chamfered. In large churches a series of quarter-round or roll-mouldings, which have often a square-edged fillet attached, are applied to the sub-arch, edges, and facing.

Q. What difference occurs in the piers from which these arches spring?

A. In large buildings piers of this style were composed of a cluster of slender cylindrical shafts, not standing detached from each other, as in the Early English style, but closely united. A common pier of this kind is formed of four shafts thus united, without bands, with a square-edged fillet running vertically up the face of each shaft. Sometimes a simple cylindrical pier is found. The octagonal pier, with plain sides, is very prevalent in small churches, and does not differ materially from the Early English pier of the same kind. The capitals are either bell-shaped, clustered, or octagonal, to correspond with the shape of the piers; but the cap mouldings are more numerous than in the earlier style. Sometimes the capitals are sculptured. In the churches of Monkskirby, Warwickshire, and of Cropredy, Oxfordshire, the arches which support the clerestory spring at once from the piers, without any intervening capitals, a practice not uncommon in the style of the fifteenth century, but very rare in this.

Q. How are the vaulted roofs of this style distinguished?

A. Of the large stone vaulted roofs each bay is intersected by longitudinal, transverse, and diagonal ribs, with shorter ribs springing from the bearing shafts intervening; thus forming a series of vaulting cells more numerous than are to be met with in the Early English style, though not subdivided to the excess observable in the vaulted roofs of the fifteenth century. Sculptured bosses often occur at the intersections. In the nave of York Cathedral, finished about A.D. 1330, the groining of the roof is less complicated than that of the choir of the same cathedral, constructed between A.D. 1360 and A.D. 1370106-*. Small structures are more simply vaulted. In a chantry chapel adjoining the north side of the chancel of Willingham Church, Cambridgeshire, is a very acute-pointed angular-shaped stone roof, the plain surface of the vaulting of which is supported by two pointed arches springing from corbels projecting from the walls; and these sustain straight-sided stone vaulting ribs, obliquely disposed to conform with the angle of the roof, and which act as principals; and above each arch, and between that and the ridge-line of the oblique ribs or principals, the space is filled with an open quatrefoil and other tracery. The north transept of Limington Church, Somersetshire, has a high pitched stone roof supported by groined ribs.

Q. Are there many wooden roofs of this style remaining?

A. We find comparatively few original wooden roofs in structures of the fourteenth century, for such have generally been superseded by roofs of a later date and of a more obtuse form. The high and acute pitch of the original roof is, however, still generally discernible by the weather moulding on the east wall of the tower. In the nave of Higham Ferrars Church, Northamptonshire, is a wooden roof which apparently belongs to this style: the roof is angular-pointed and open to the ridge-line, the walls are connected by tie-beams, and under each of these is a wooden arch formed of two ribs or beams springing from stone corbels.

Q. In what respect do the doors of this style differ?

A. Large doorways of this style have lateral shafts, with capitals, and between the shafts architrave mouldings intervene, which run without stop into the base tablet: of such the south doorway of St. Martin’s Church, Leicester, is an instance. Small doorways are generally without shafts, but have a series of quarter-round, semicylindrical, and tripartite roll mouldings at the sides, which are continuous with the architrave mouldings; and these have sometimes a square-edged fillet on the face. The doorways of this style are frequently enriched with pedimental and ogee-shaped canopies, ornamented with crockets and finials; of which the north doorway of Exeter Cathedral and the south doorway of Everdon Church, Northamptonshire, may be cited as examples. Large doorways have sometimes a double opening, divided by a clustered shaft, as in the entrance to the Chapter House, York Cathedral. In some instances the head of the doorway is foliated, and we observe in detail an approximation to the succeeding style. The west doorway of Dunchurch Church, Warwickshire, is in this stage of transition.

Q. How are the windows of this style known?

A. In the later stage of the Early English style the windows became enlarged, and the heads were filled with foliated circles. To these succeeded, in the fourteenth century, windows ornamented with geometrical and flowing tracery, peculiarities which exclusively pertain to this style, and by which it is most easily known. The windows are of good proportions, and are divided into two or more principal lights by mullions, which at the spring of the arch form designs of regular geometrical construction, or branch out into flowing ramifications composing flame-like compartments, which are foliated109-*. The variety of tracery in windows of this style is very great, and they frequently have pedimental and ogee canopies over them, ornamented in the same manner as those over doors: examples of this kind may be found at York Cathedral. In the south transept of Chichester, and west front of Exeter Cathedrals, are two exceeding large and beautiful windows of this style; the first filled with geometrical, the other with flowing, tracery. In some windows of this style the mullions simply cross in the head, as in a later style, but the lights are commonly foliated, and the difference may in general be discerned by the mouldings: such windows occur in Stoneleigh Church, Warwickshire. There are also many square-headed windows in this style, distinguished by the flowing tracery in the heads, and by other characteristic marks: of such a window in Ashby Folville Church, Leicestershire, is a rich and good example. Circular windows, filled with tracery, are not uncommon in large buildings; and we also meet with triangular spherical-shaped windows, as in the clerestory of Barton Segrave Church, Northamptonshire111-*.

Q. Of what description are the mouldings which pertain to this style?

A. They approximate more nearly, in section and appearance, those of the thirteenth than those of the fifteenth century, but the members are generally more numerous than in those of the former style; quarter-round, half, and tripartite cylinder mouldings, often filleted along the face and divided by small cavetto mouldings, sometimes deeply cut, are common. The string-course under the windows frequently consists, as in the preceding style, of a simple roll moulding, the upper member of which overlaps the lower. A plain semicylindrical moulding, with a square-edged fillet on the face, is also common, and occurs at the church of Orton-on-the-Hill, Leicestershire. The hood moulding over the windows often consists of a quarter-round or ogee, with a cavetto beneath, and sometimes returns horizontally along the walls as a string-course; a disposition, however, more frequently observable in the Early English style than in this: of such disposition the churches of Harvington, Worcestershire, and of Sedgeberrow, Gloucestershire, may be cited as affording examples. In decorative work we often meet with the ball-flower, one of the most characteristic ornaments of the style, consisting of a ball inclosed within three or four leaves, and sometimes bearing a resemblance to the rose-bud, inserted at intervals in a cavetto or hollow moulding, with the accompaniment, in some instances, of foliage; a four-leaved flower, inserted in the same manner, is also not uncommon.

Q. How may the buttresses of this style be distinguished?

A. They were worked in stages, and their set-offs have frequently triangular heads, sometimes plain but often ornamented with crockets and finials of a more decorative character than those of the Early English style. Many buttresses have, however, plain slopes as set-offs, and they are frequently placed diagonally at the corners of buildings, as at Dunchurch Church, Warwickshire. The flying buttresses at Salisbury Cathedral, in which the thrust is partly counterpoised by pyramidal-headed pinnacles decorated with crockets and finials, are of this age.

Q. What parapet is peculiar to this style?

A. Besides the plain embattled parapet, which is not always easy to be distinguished from other styles, a horizontal blocking course, pierced with foliated or wavy, flowing tracery, which has a rich effect, is common. Of this description specimens occur at St. Mary Magdalen Church, Oxford, and Brailes Church, Warwickshire.

Q. What is observable in the niches of this style?

A. They are very beautiful, and are generally surmounted by triangular or ogee-shaped canopies, enriched with crockets and finials, while the interior of the canopies are groined with numerous small rib mouldings. The crockets and finials of this style, as decorative embellishments, are peculiarly graceful, chaste, and pleasing in contour.

Q. Was the transition from this style to the next gradual?

A. Both the transition from the Early English to the Decorated style, and from the Decorated to the Florid or Perpendicular, was so gradual, that though many individual details and ornaments were extremely dissimilar, and peculiar to each particular style, we are only able to judge from examples when a change was generally established.

Q. From what cotemporary writers of the fourteenth century can we collect any architectural notices, either general or of detail?

A. In Chaucer we find allusions made to imageries, pinnacles, tabernacles, (canopied niches for statuary,) and corbelles. Lydgate, in The Siege of Troy, in his description of the buildings, adverts to those of his own age, and uses several architectural terms now obsolete or little understood, and some which are not so, as gargoiles. In Pierce Ploughman’s Creed we have a concise but faithful description of a large monastic edifice of the fourteenth century, comprising the church or minster, cloister, chapter house, and other offices.

Q. What edifices maybe noticed as constructed in this style?

A. In Exeter Cathedral this style may be said generally to prevail, although some portions are of earlier and some of later date. Great part of Lichfield Cathedral was also built during the fourteenth century. The beautiful cloisters adjoining Norwich Cathedral, commenced A.D. 1297, but not finished for upwards of a century, although proceeded with by different prelates from time to time, rank as the most beautiful of the kind we have remaining. Several country churches are wholly or principally erected in this style. Broughton Church, Oxfordshire, may be instanced as an elegant, pleasing, and complete example of plain decorated work. Trumpington Church, Cambridgeshire, is also deserving of notice; and Wimington Church, Bedfordshire, built by John Curteys, lord of the manor, who died A.D. 1391, is a small but late edifice in the Decorated style. Annexations were also made during this century to numerous churches of earlier construction, by the erection of additional aisles or chapels as chantries. In all these structures we find more or less, in general appearance, form, and detail, of that extreme beauty and elegance of design which prevailed, as it were, for about a century, and then imperceptibly glided away.

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