How to Visit the English CathedralsSingleton, Esther
History
How to Visit the English Cathedrals
Singleton, Esther
Cathedrals -- England
Buttresses project boldly, and flying-buttresses become a prominent
feature. There is a fine example of a compound flying-buttress at
Westminster Abbey, which supports the vaults of the choir, the triforium
and the aisles and carries the thrust of the whole over the cloister to
the ground. Early English towers are generally more lofty than the
Norman, and their buttresses have a greater projection. The spire is
usually a noticeable feature. The East End is usually square; but
sometimes terminates with the apse, generally a half-octagon or a
half-hexagon, as at Westminster Abbey.
“Throughout the Early English period there is an ornament used in
the hollow mouldings which is as characteristic of this style as
the zigzag is of the Norman; this consists of a small pyramid, more
or less acute, cut into four leaves or petals meeting in the point,
but separate below as in Chester Cathedral. When very acute, and
seen in profile, it may be imagined to have somewhat the appearance
of a row of dog’s-teeth, and from this it has been called the
‘dog-tooth[1] ornament,’ or, by some, the shark’s tooth ornament,
more commonly the tooth-ornament. It is used with the greatest
profusion on arches, between clustered shafts, on the architraves
and jambs of doors, windows, piscinas and indeed in every place
where such ornament can be introduced. It is very characteristic of
this style, and begins quite at the commencement of the style, as
in St. Hugh’s work at Lincoln; for though in the Norman we find an
approach to it, in the Decorated various modifications of it occur;
still the genuine tooth-ornament may be considered to belong
exclusively to the Early English.
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