A book of the west. Volume 1, Devon : $b being an introduction to Devon and CornwallBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
A book of the west. Volume 1, Devon : $b being an introduction to Devon and Cornwall
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Devon (England)
In the Somerset towers the buttresses are frequently surmounted by
open-work pinnacles or small lanterns of elaborate tabernacle work,
and the parapets or battlements are of open tracery; but in Devon
these latter are plain with bold coping, and the pinnacles are well
developed and solid, and not overloaded with ornament. Bishop's
Nympton, South Molton, and Chittlehampton towers are locally
described as "Length," "Strength," and "Beauty."
A fine effect is produced when the turret by which the top of the
tower is reached is planted in the midst of one side, usually the
north; and it is carried up above the tower roof. There are many
examples. I need name but Totnes and Ashburton.
A curious effect is produced among the Cornish towers, and those
near the Tamar on the Devon side, of the pinnacles being cut so as
to curve outwards and not to be upright. The effect is not pleasant,
and the purpose is not easily discoverable; but it was possibly done
as being thought by this means to offer less resistance to the wind.
The roofs are usually "waggon-headed." The open timber roof, so
elaborated in Norfolk, is not common. A magnificent example is,
however, to be seen in Wear Gifford Hall. But cradle roofs do exist,
and in a good many cases the waggon roofs are but ceiled cradle
roofs. A good plain example of a cradle roof is in the chancel of
Ipplepen, and a very rich one at Beaford.
The mouldings of the timbers are often much enriched. A fine example
is Pancras Week. The portion of the roof over the rood-screen is
frequently very much more elaborately ornamented than the rest. An
example is King's Nympton, where, however, before the restoration,
it was even more gorgeous than at present. The waggon roof presents
immense advantages over the open timber roof; it is warmer; it is
better for sound; it is not, like the other, a makeshift. It carries
the eye up without the harsh and unpleasant break from the walling
to the barn-like timber structure overhead.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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