The history of English Gothic proper may be said to begin with the reign of Henry II., coinciding very nearly with the commencement of the period named by Mr. Sharpe transitional (1145 to 1190), when Norman architecture was changing into Gothic. This history we propose now to consider somewhat in detail, dividing the buildings in the simplest possible way, namely, into floors, walls, columns, roofs, openings, and ornaments. After this we shall have to consider the mode in which materials were used by the builders of the Gothic period, _i.e._ the construction of the buildings; and the general artistic principles which guided their architects, _i.e._ the design of the buildings. * * * * * It may be useful to students in and near London to give Sir G. Gilbert Scott's list of striking London examples[7] of Gothic architecture (with the omission of such examples as are more antiquarian than architectural in their interest):-- _Norman_ (temp. Conquest).--The Keep and Chapel of the Tower of London. _Advanced Norman._--Chapel of St. Catherine, Westminster Abbey; St. Bartholomew's Priory, Smithfield. _Transitional._--The round part of the Temple Church. _Early English._--Eastern part of the Temple Church; Choir and Lady Chapel of St. Mary Overy, Southwark; Chapel of Lambeth Palace. _Advanced Early English_ (passing to decorated).--Eastern part of Westminster Abbey generally and its Chapter House. _Early Decorated._--Choir of Westminster, (but this has been much influenced by the design of the earlier parts adjacent); Chapel of St. Etheldreda, Ely Place, Holborn. _Late Decorated._--The three bays of the Cloister at Westminster opposite the entrance to Chapter House; Crypt of St. Stephen's Chapel, Westminster; Dutch Church, Austin Friars. _Early Perpendicular._--South and West walks of the Cloister, Westminster; Westminster Hall. _Advanced Perpendicular (Tudor period)._--Henry VII.'s Chapel; Double Cloister of St. Stephen's, Westminster. FOOTNOTES: [4] The abbreviations, E. E., Dec., and Perp., will be employed to denote these three periods. [5] _Notes on English Architecture, Costumes, Monuments, &c._ _Privately printed._ Quoted here with the author's permission. [6] See examples in Chapter V. and in Glossary. [7] Address to Conference of Architects, _Builder_, June 24, 1876. [Illustration: {SCULPTURED ORNAMENT FROM WESTMINSTER ABBEY.}] CHAPTER IV. GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE.--ENGLAND. ANALYSIS OF BUILDINGS.--FLOOR, WALLS, TOWERS, GABLES, COLUMNS. _Floor, or Plan._