Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 1 (of 2) — John Shaqi
Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 1 (of 2)Clark, George Thomas
History
Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 1 (of 2)
Clark, George Thomas
Architecture -- England; Architecture, Medieval; Military architecture
But Rickman, a member of the Society of Friends, scarcely notices
castles, and they have by no means shared in the flood of light
directed by Willis upon our cathedrals. Rickman’s rules, however,
apply as much to one class of buildings as to the other. What has been
done, and what has to be done, towards a history of the architecture
of castles, though aided by contemporary records and especially by
sheriffs’ accounts and Fabric rolls, has been mainly attained by
attention to the internal evidence afforded by the buildings themselves
and their earthworks. Even where the castle is a ruin, where the ashlar
casing has been stripped off, and little left but the rubble and
concrete of the interior of the walls, as at Bramber, Saffron-Walden,
and Thurnham, and the disintegrating effect of the weather has had full
play, it is not impossible, nor very often difficult, to detect the
general age of the several parts of the building by the thickness of
the walls and the character of the materials and workmanship, as well
as by the outline of the works. The absence of ornament and the general
removal of window-dressings and door-cases often, it is true, render
the absolute date difficult to discover, but even then, the general
figure of the openings, the rough contour of the arches, the position
and proportion of the buttresses may be detected, and a tolerably safe
conclusion formed. Perhaps, on the whole, the greatest difficulties the
military antiquary has to contend with are those where, as at Norwich,
Lancaster, York, Oxford, Caermarthen, or Haverfordwest, the building is
converted into a gaol, or where, as at Appleby and Chilham, it is part
of or attached to a modern residence. Warwick, so remarkable on many
accounts, is especially so for the skilful manner in which it has been
made suitable for modern habitation without materially obscuring its
ancient parts, and this merit may be claimed for Tamworth, and perhaps
for Raby.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account