GOTHIC IN BRITISH AISLES

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
The Architectural character of English Gothic is divided into

Norman: 1066-1154 – While there was considerable Norman influence in building before the conquest -
period includes the raising of major Romanesque churches and castles.

Transitional: 1154-89: This phrase is most obvious in the work carried out in the reign of Henry II. One often
finds for example, pointed arches introduced into structures otherwise Romanesque in character.

Early English: 1189-1307- This period in English is equivalent of high Gothic in northern France and is known as
the ‘Lancet style’ from the characteristic shape of long narrow windows or as ‘First pointed’

Decorated: 1307-77: It includes the reign of Edward II and III. In this there is an early phase, in which window
tracery is ‘geometrical’ in form and followed by a period of flowing tracery patterns and surface decoration
which is normally called as ‘curvilinear’. Occasionally the term second pointed is used. French flamboyant style
in some respects equivalent to the later decorative work of England.

Perpendicular: 1377-1485 – The term ‘rectilinear ‘was used based on the observed tendencies for large
windows to be divided by horizontal tracery members or transoms. Some claim ‘third pointed style’ as purely
English development.

Tudor: 1495-1558 – This period marked by increasing application of Renaissance detail to buildings otherwise
perpendicular in detail.

Elizabethen:1558-1 603 – While the new ideas of Renaissance took strong hold this period , a number of
traditional medieval characteristics still appear. for ex: the persistence of great hall in house plans, mullioned
windows and Gothic outline of building masses.

Architectural Character

COLUMN -CAPITALS ARCH -MOULDINGS

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No Early English period
1 Walls
Walls retain massive character of
Norman work. Less of interior
rubble and more use of cut
stone.
Concentration of roof vaulting
loads on deeper buttresses
began the process of reducing
the intervening walls to mere
enclosing screens.
2 The three tier structural bay
depended on the simple
geometrical arrangement of
grouped or single arched
openings.
Internally arcade was half the
total height and upper part
divided equally between
triforium and learstorey.
3 Columns were compound,
cylindrical or octagonal,
sometimes surrounded by
detached shafts of Purbeck
marble, held by rings of stone or
metal.
Capitals boldly moulded and
carved with upright stiff leaf
foliage.
Abacus was circular in plan not
square as that of France and the
so called water holding base is
its characteristics.
4 Arch mouldings were quite
complex and formed into deep
recesses and ridges and enriched
with dogtooth or leafed
ornament.
Decorated Period
Further reduction in wall
thickness with wider windows
between projecting buttresses.
As vaulting developed tall
tapered pinnacles became
common even where the absence
of vaults rendered them
structurally unnecessary.
These pinnacles were linked
together by richly decorated
/pierced parapets and moulded
string courses.
Internal arcade, the tripartite
were maintained but the
triforium tended to diminish.
Columns were lozenge shaped in
plan and were surrounded by
subsidiary engaged shafts.
Capitals were carved with
naturalistic, Oak, ivy or maple
leaves.
Arched openings were equilateral
and wider than they had been
ever before and were enriched by
shallower mouldings at wider
intervals.
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Perpendicular period
As windows grew larger to
accommodate brilliant displays of
colored glass, buttresses and remaining
walls were now decorated with tracery
like panels.
Buttresses were visually important even
in the buildings which were un vaulted.
Buttresses were deep at the base and
cut back in a series of exaggerated steps
reaching upwards as tall pinnacles
between solid or open battlemented
parapets.
The arcades and clearstories of structural
bays were tall and triforium if occurred
was reduced to mere wall passage
Columns were more slender and capitals
reduced to vestigial or not present at all.
Mouldings often ran without
interruption from floor to ceiling and
around the arch itself.
Arches continued to be moulded were
simpler and even severe like windows
tended and to be wide with four
centered heads.
5 Stone tracery had not yet Window tracery developed very
developed. rapidly rich patterns of simply
interlocking design of circles and
Grouped composition of ‘lancet’ arcs , but soon with the
window set under a common introduction of cusps , essential
hood mould, had geometrically geometry merged into a ‘
arranged piercings and ‘curvilinear’ composition.
horizontal stiffening bars.
6 Decoration of wall surfaces was Decoration moved from intricate
found occasionally. The spandrel geometry to richer exploration of
was filled with restrained surface texture, naturalistic
ornament. carving and statuary.
Stained glass lost its mosaic
character and filled the traceries
with translucent figured pictures.
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Window tracery became stereo typed
after introduction of horizontal
transomes for stability. Small lights in
upper parts framed stylized painted glass
figures.
Maintenance of strong geometry and
variation in tracery thickness sometimes
produced
uced designs of great beauty.
Mullions ran without interruption from
sill to window head.
With the Common use of silver stain,
gothic glass achieved great splendor.
Iconographic material expanded
pictorially over the whole glazed area.
Architectural ornament was confined to
suitable spaces between moulding and in
cornices relying for its effect on contrast
with adjoining undecorated surfaces.
Carved figure work of secular charac
character
began to show signs of renaissance
th
influence that grew rapidly in 16
century.
 INTERNAL BAYS

EVOLUTION OF ENGLISH GOTHIC VAULTING

• Problem of Medieval Architect was to construct stone vault over lofty nave of church of basilican
type, while leaving clear storey window in nave walls above aisle roofs
• Roman vaulting consisted in design of either semicircular vaults or semicircular cross vaults of which
meeting or intersection lines are known as groins.
• Medieval Vaulting: was of different type, the simple groins were replaced by specially constructed ribs
on which vaulting panels were placed. This was an economical form of building for it –not necessary
to have large amount of ‘centering’ required for the temporary support of heavy roman vaults , as
each rib when constructed itself became the support of the vault panel.
• The weight of stone vaults high above the ground exerted considerable thrust and so involved the
solution of employment of responsive features such as buttresses and pinnacles to counteract the
thrust of the nave vaults. Numerous ribs meeting at pier capitals had to be supported by piers to
transfer the weight due to law of gravitation.
• After Saxon and Norman periods, technique of vaulting had reached a considerable perfection, after
the achievements over the nave of Durham cathedral between 1128 and 1133. English work followed
contemporary French examples.

Early English Vaulting

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• Pointed arch came into general use in 13 century without use being made of stilting and other
contrivances.
• It overcame the difficulties created by the intersection of semicircular vaults of different spans.
• The plain quadripartite ribbed vault primarily constructed as a skeletal frame work of diagonal and
transverse ribs was chiefly used in this period, as in the naves of Durham, Salisbury and Gloucester
and aisles of Peterborough.
• Intermediate uprising ribs known as ‘tiercerons ‘ were inserted later between the transverse and
diagonal ribs to give additional support to the panels, as in the choir of Lincoln cathedral . Ridge ribs
were introduced to resist the thrust of opposing ‘ tiercerons ’ and keep them in position. Ridge ribs
are generally horizontal in England, but in the continent they were arched between the bosses.

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 • The courses of the vault panels meet the ridge ribs in zigzag
zigz g lines as in the nave of Westminster
Abbey. Wall ribs or ‘Formerets’ enclosing
enclosing the lateral wall space of the vaulting compartment came
into use during this period.
• The ‘ploughshare twist’ which sometimes occurs in panels between diagonal and wall ribs , as in
Westminster Abbey is produced by raising the springing of wall ribs above
bove the diagonal rib in order to
increase the size of the clear storey windows, whose shape was thus influenced by the vault.

Decorated vaulting

• A general elaboration of vaulting is characteristic of the period, and this is due not only to the greater
use of both intermediate and ridge ridg ribs as in the nave vault of Exeterter Cathedral but also to the
addition of the ‘ lierne’ ribs – a term applied to any other rib ridge rib which does not start from the
springing point of the vaulting compartment.
• Previously each rib marked a change in the direction of the vaulting surface but ‘lierne ‘ ribs merely
followed the curvature of the panel and by their number and disposition of ten gave an intricate
appearance to an otherwise simple vault.
• The star shaped pattern thus produced is called ‘stellar’ vaulting and there are examples of it in
Gloucester, Canterbury, Ely and Bristol.
• Vaulting during this period comprised of transverse, diagonal, tierceron ,ridge and lierne ribs and this
increased the number of ribs and decreased
d the panel size they supported; the space from rib to rib
was frequently spanned by a single stone.
• In thirteenth century , Carved bosses( boss = lump or knob) , were use to conceal the awkward miters
produced by the meeting of moulded ribs In the 14 th century increase in the number of ribs led to
corresponding increase in the number of bosses, which gave to these Gothic vaults and extremely
web like appearance.

Ely Bristol Glocestor

Star shaped vaulting: Stellar vaulting

vaulting: Decorated

Perpendicular: Fan vaulting, King’s college

chapel

Divinity School,Oxford cathedral –Tudor

Tudor vaulting

TYPES OF ENGLISH GOTHIC VAULTING

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Perpendicular: Oxford cathedral,(use
cathedral of pendant to
Perpendicular vaulting
th th
The intricate ‘stellar’ vaulting evolved in the late 14 and 15 centuries led to the type known as ‘fan’, palm or
conoidal vaulting, first used in the cloisters of Gloucestor ( 1352-77)in which the rising ribs are formed at
equal angles on inverted concave cones and thus of the same curve and these are connected at different
heights by horizontal ‘lierne’ ribs.

The development was somewhat as follows:

• 13th century: Vault followed the outline of inverted four sided concave pyramids.
th
• 14 century: the introduction of more ribs resulted in the polygonal pyramids with ribs of different
urves
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• 15 century: design was simplified by the introduction of ‘fan’ vaulting in which all ribs were of similar
curve.

The introduction of more number of ribs brought about the Roman method of construction. For in fan vaulting
the ribs and panels were made up of same stone instead of the panels resting as separate stones on ribs.

Ex: King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, Henry seventh’s chapel, Westminster

The problem of supporting the flat, a lozenge ‘ shaped space in the crown of vaults was comparatively easy in
the cloisters where vaulting compartments were square, but difficulties arose when fan vaulting was used in
rectangular nave bays. Ex: in King’s College chapel the conoids are incomplete the sides had to be cut off ,
there by forming the awkward transverse junctions.

Use of Pendants : at Oxford cathedral, the pendant supported by an upper arch are place at some distance
from the walls, and from them spring the rib and panel vault., thus reducing the oblong space to a square one.
Fan vaulting is confined to England as at Gloucester cathedral, Peterborugh etc.

Tudor vaulting

• The four centered arch so typical of this period, seems to have had its origin in the difficulty of various
ribs of vaulting compartments of nave s to reach the same height.
• In an oblong compartment in medieval times the diagonal ribs were semicircular or pointed, which
resulted in greater height than that of the wall ribs.
• In oblong compartments of later Gothic vaults , nave wall had windows , crowned with equilateral or
in Tudor times the ‘ drop’ arch form. The diagonal and transverse arches had to be struck at four
centers to accommodate the low height of that of the window arch. Thus the apex of all arches
including the diagonal arch was brought to the height of that off the window arch.
• The four centered arches which were initially used in fan vaults were later used over doors, windows
and fire places as well in traceried panels, to harmonize with the vaulting compartment.

CHARACTER AND DEVELOPMENT OF TIMBER ROOFS

• In the case of the timber roofs above the vaulted ceiling there was no development in the design of
wooden covering for the period as whole.In open roofs that is meant to be seen form underside show
a rich variety from 13th century to the tudor times.
• Single roofs(lacking principals) , trussed rafter, hammer beam roof, and those having ‘crown post ‘
standing on a ‘tie beam’ to support a collar purlin belong to the south eastern part of the country.

The timber roofs are classified into

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Trussed rafter roofs.

• They are always steeply pitched averaging 55deg. They are rare in churches after 1400.
• Fundamental form of the roof in the south east was that composed of couple of rafters each pa pair
separate without ridge piece, but as the rafter exercised outward thrust, they were usually joined
together by a collar or pair of collars or were stiffened further by braces from collars to rafters as at
Bardolph, Norfolk.
• Sometimes the braces were extended
extended past the collar, scissor wise as at Lympenhoe church – Norfolk
or the scissor braces were themselves considered sufficient.
• The rafters rested on the outer portion of the wall and this left an un unsightly ledge on inside ,
covered by upright struts which also added to the stability of the roof.
• The triangle thus formed is held to the origin of hammer beam arrangement when principle had been
developed.Arched trussed rafter roof was obtained was obtained by use of curved timber connecting
rafters and collars
ollars and sometimes were lined with boards to form pentagonal ‘barrel ceiling’
ornamented with ribs and bosses.

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Tie beam Roofs

• Tie beam roofs are found in connection with the steeply pitched and low pitched roofs.
• In early use, the use of ‘baulk tie’ to join the wall posts of the timber building in order to prevent the
wall plates from spreading.
• It came to serve , usually cambered upwards to carry an ornamental or plain crown post which in turn
with the aid of struts sustained a collar purlin, linking the collars and giving rigidity to roof otherwise
belonging to trussed rafter class.
• So long as the roofs were steeply pitched, the tie beam obstructed the upper space, when in 13th
century the roofs were progressively lowered, the principal rafters supporting purlins and ridge piece,
the triangle thus formed having various arrangement of vertical struts and tracery.
• Curved braces often connect the underside of the beam with vertical wall pieces and the whole
framed together in the form of depressed arch as at St. Martin, Leicester.

Collar braced roof:

• Said to originate in about 1300 is a natural descendant of ‘Cruck truss’ roof of western half of the
country in which principals of Cruck truss type spaced down to the entire length of building to
carry purlins, a ridge and these rafters were raised upon walls instead of starting from the
ground as formerly.
• In the process the ‘curved blade’ or the principal rafter of the cruks tend to be straightened out
and former tie beam appear as collars connecting then together.
• The braces are added below the collar to link it with Principal rafter and the outcome is known as
‘arch braced ‘truss.
• Roof pitch usually steep between 52 deg to 50 deg in 15th century. In north west arch – braced
lack ridge piece, however in S. E.England , ridge was present as in S. Mary Magdelen,Pulham.
• In some places the braces swept to roof apex without interruption of collar or omitted
altogether.

Hammer Beam roof:

• Found principally in S.E. half of the country and evolved during 14 the century, perhaps from the
triangle at the foot of trussed rafter roof.
• It consists of a series of trusses repeated at intervals to support intermediate purlins and its object is
to transmit the weight and thrust of the roof as lowdown as possible in the supporting wall.
• Hammer beam itself is merely a lengthened sole piece of which the projecting part is supported by a
curved brace from wall piece and in turn supports the vertical strut to the principal rafter.
• This rigid system of timbers, all tennoned and pinned together is designed to resist the outward
pressure of the rafters and is supplemented by external buttresses in gothic period.
• Tie beam was used in conjunction with the hammer beams in Outwalk, where alternate trusses have
hammer beams.
• Hammer beam has following varieties.
a) Those with hammer beam, struts , collars and curved braces as at Little Welnetham,Suffolk.
b) Those in which collar beams are omitted and curved braces are carried up to the ridge as at Trunch,
Norfolk.
c) Those in which short hammer beam support curve braces instead of struts with and with collar
beam above – ex: Hampton court palace.
d) Those in which curved braces rise from hammer beam upto the ridge with no collars as at Palgrave,
Suffolk

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 e) Those in which arched rib spring from wall piece to collar give additional rigidity as at Eltham palace
at Kent.
f) Double hammer roof : St. Magaret,Knapton,which gave a second range of hammer-beams further to
stiffen the principals and transmit the weight through the first range to the wall.

Aisle roofs : They usually reflected the design of the main roof. They were at less angle in order to facilitate the
clear storey lighting of naves.

EXAMPLE : WEST MINSTER ABBEY

• The single most important Mediaeval building in Britain.. it was a benictine monastery founded by
St.Dunstan in 960. , and partly rebuilt by Edward the confessor, in 1055-65 , but greater part was
reconstructed by Henry III.
• The present eastern arm transepts and five b ays of the nave were built between 1245 and 1269 and
are EE.
• The vault is 31 m to the ridge. The octagonal chapter house, vaulted from a central clustered pieris
supported by bold flying buttresses, built in 1250.
• The nave continued west wards between 1375 and 1506 adhered to EE design, but uses perp. Detail.
The cloisters were of various dates and were decorated in character.
• The upper parts of the western tower were added I 1736-45 by John James to a design of Nicholas
Hawks moor in a mixed classical and Gothic style.
• The east end of the choir terminates in polygonal apse, with an ambulatory and cluster of surrounding
chapels.
• It is the only complete chevet in England.
• It contains the most extensive collection of the sepulchral (tomb)art in the country. Notable are those
of Henry III, Edward I and Queen Elizabeth (1603).
• The choir and the stalls are drawn in to the four eastern bays of the nave leaving the choir open for
coronation ceremonies.
• Beyond the ambulatory is the chapel of Henry VII built in 11503 and 1519. The stone fan vault ranks
for its elaborate achievement of the gothic period. Long pendants apparently unsupported are really
elongated voussoirs of the half concealed transverse arches, from which the conoidal web is built.
• The outer wall buttresses take the form of octagonal piers between which multi sided windows light
the deep recesses of the side aisles.
• With the conventional buildings have undergone many changes, the whole complex is intact.

WEST MINSTER ABBEY- PLAN AND INTERIOR VIEW

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Hampton Court Palace.

HAMPTON COURT PALACE

• It is one of the most remarkable domestic buildings in the country.
• The most part of the palace was built for Cardinal Wolsey, from the designs of the chief mason- Henry
Redman.
• Fitted with gorgeous furniture and tapestry the palace seems to have excited much of the royal envy
the Cardinal made it over to Henry VIII.
• Henry VIII added north and south wings to the west front and the great hall and the Chapel, the
designer being John Molten, successor of Redman.
• The eastern portion was however pulled down by sir, Christopher wren and rebuilt in Renaissance
style, with the grand avenue through Bushey park intended as a long approach to the Great hall and
on the east the radiating avenues of the Long water.

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 • The original part of the palace is mellow(soft) red brick work, in diaper fashion with battlemented
parapets.
• There are two courts I the Tudor part of the palace, the first being the base court is entered through
the impressive west gate across a shallow moat. There are angled turrets, an oriel window and
important terracotta medallions of roman emperors obtained by Wolsey from the sculptor Majano.
• Beneath the second gateway , steps lead up to great hall built by Henry VIII. It measures 32m x 12m
and 18m high and is entered usually through the screens.
• The hammer beam roof is by James Nedeham is of great splendor and the bay window rising to the
full height of the room at south east end , forms a great feature of the exterior of the hall seen from
clock court , so called from a curious astronomical clock over one of its gateways.
• To the east of the hall is the Watching chamber and still further east is the Tudor chapel.
• The fountain court, surrounded by cloisters and the ionic colonnade in the Clock court are striking and
restrained examples of the art of Sir Christopher wren.
• On the south of the Palace, extending as far as the Privy garden , with its handsome iron gates by
Tijou and to the north is the wilderness and flower pot gates.

GOTHIC IN ITALY
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER OF GOTHIC IN ITALY
• Gothic style dates from 12th century to 16th century , but influence of Roman tradition is so strong that
the conscious verticality of Northern Gothic is neutralized in Italy by horizontal cornices and string
courses.
• Churches are marked externally by the following features – Flatness of roofs, façade which masks the
aisle roofs , circular window in west front , an absence of pinnacles and flying buttresses with certain
exceptions, use of striped marbles instead of mouldings, occasional frescos and mosaics in panels and
small windows without tracery.
• Projecting entrance porches with columns raising on backs of lion like beasts are in striking contrast to
cavernous (vast) porches of northern Europe.
• Sculpture and carving pf the period executed in fine marble of Italy continued to be refined as in the
classical period and influence of old Rome is seen in modified Corinthian capitals with the acanthus
leaves.
• Sculpture though superior in techniques to that of northern Europe is not such an essential part of the
style as it never developed as in France and England into highest form of Gothic.
• Brickwork and plastic terracotta of Lombard plains resulted in smallness of detail and intricacy of
ornament natural to the material as in Friari Church , venice.
• Colour effect and delicate detail were relied upon rather than the depth and shadow and boldness of
the design.
• Thus the material allowed to give full expression to its own capabilities without forcing it beyond its
limitation.
• The architecture of S. Italy and more of Sicily owe to its beauty to Greek inspiration, Roman
construction and Byzantine decoration.

EXAMPLE:MILAN CATHEDRAL(1385-1485)
• Sponsored by Giovani Visconti – Duke of Milan is German in character as the 50 or more Architects
involved were from north of Alps.

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• The choir and transepts were built in 1450 , the nave and aisles were stared in 1452. It has a
polygonal apse which is German in character and there is an absence of lateral chapels and the
transepts end with a circlet of columns and follows French fashion.
• The nave is 16.7 m wide and it has lofty double aisles. The interior is full of mystery due to lack of
light.
• There is no triforium and the clear storey is small. The columns are 18 m in height
(60’) and they are engaged shafts. The capital is huge and is 6.1 m high. The capital has niches with
statues.
• The crossing is 65.5m high internally and covered with a dome externally it is finished with a lantern
and a spire and is 107m high.
• Exterior is a gleaming mass of white marble, with lofty traceried windows, paneled buttresses, flying
buttresses with pinnacles with statues finished with lace like tracery.
• The three windows of apse which is 20.7mx8.5 m is one of the finest.It has a flat pitched roof.

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DOGE’S PALACE (1309-1424)
• Façade designs by Giovanni, Buon . It is the grandest effort of the civic architecture of the period.
• It is the Material evidences of Venice as a trading centre and its superiority oif its navy.
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• It was started in 9 century and was rebuilt several times and completed in Renaissance period.
• It formed greater part of town planning scheme
• The exterior is three storeys in height and is 153 m (500ft) tall. It is made up of white and rose marble
and resembles brick like pattern.
• Ground and upper storey has an open arcade whereas the upper storey is solid relieved with arched
openings.
nd
• Sturdy continuous tracery of 2 storey gives the appearance of strength to open arcade loaded by
solid wall above.
• Columns have delicate carving in low relief. It was originally on a styllobate of three steps which are
absent at present.
• The scheme of columned pointed arches, combination of carved capitals and long horizontal lines of
open tracery give it’s the character of Venetian gothic. The entrance to the cortile is through a porch
called ‘ Porta Della Corta”

DOGE’S PALACE -VIEW

DOGE’S PALACE -VIEW

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