The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture, Elucidated by Question and Answer, 4th ed.Bloxam, Matthew Holbeche
History
The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture, Elucidated by Question and Answer, 4th ed.
Bloxam, Matthew Holbeche
Architecture, Gothic -- England; Church architecture -- England
A. They are very plain, and consist of a single sweep or soffit only,
without any sub-arch, as in the Norman style; and they spring from square
piers; with a plain abacus impost on each intervening, which impost has
sometimes the under edge chamfered, and sometimes left quite plain. Arches
of this description occur at Brixworth Church, between the nave and
chancel of Clapham Church, and between the nave and chancel of Wyckham
Church. The arches in St. Michael’s Church, St. Alban’s, which divide the
nave from the aisles, have their edges slightly chamfered. There are also
arches with single soffits, which have over them a kind of hood, similar
to that over doorways of square-edged rib-work, projecting a few inches
from the face of the wall, carried round the arch, and either dying into
the impost or continued straight down to the ground. The chancel arch of
Worth Church, and arches in the churches of Brigstock and Barnack, and of
St. Benedict, Cambridge, and the chancel arch, Barrow Church, Salop, are
of this description. Some arches have round or semicylindrical mouldings
rudely worked on the face, as in the chancel arch, Wittering Church; or
under or attached to the soffit, as at the churches of Sompting and St.
Botulph, Sussex. Rudely sculptured impost blocks also sometimes occur, as
at Sompting and at St. Botulph; and animals sculptured in low relief
appear at the springing of the hood over the arch in the tower of St.
Benedict’s Church, Cambridge.
[Illustration: Tower Arch, Barnack Church, Northamptonshire.]
[Illustration: Chancel Arch, Wittering Church, Northamptonshire.]
Q. How are some of the doorways, windows, arched recesses, and panels of
Anglo-Saxon architecture constructed?
[Illustration: Doorway in the Tower of Brigstock Church.]
A. In a very rude manner, of two or more long blocks of stone, placed
slantingly or inclined one towards the other, thus forming a straight
line, or triangular-headed arch; the lower ends of these sometimes rest on
plain projecting imposts, which surmount other blocks composing the
jambs. We find a doorway of this description on the west side of the tower
of Brigstock Church, forming the entrance into the curious circular-shaped
turret attached and designed for a staircase to the belfry; an arched
recess of this description occurs in the tower of Barnack Church, and a
panel on the exterior of the same tower, and in windows in the tower of
the old church, Barton-upon-Humber, and in the tower of Sompting Church,
and St. Michael’s Church, Oxford. The arch thus shaped is not, however,
peculiar to the Anglo-Saxon style, but may occasionally be traced in most
if not all of the subsequent styles, but not of such rude or plain
construction.
[Illustration: Recess in the Tower of Barnack Church.]
Q. Were the Anglo-Saxon architects accustomed to construct crypts beneath
their churches?
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