Chapter V: Norman Period

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTIC.

THE UNIVERSAL USE OF THE CIRCULAR ARCH IN EVERY PART OF A BUILDING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PERIOD.

_Exterior Compartment._

The walls of a Norman building are usually strong and massive, and built of small stones. They have a plain BASE-COURSE, of little projection, and are generally finished above with a CORBEL-TABLE, consisting sometimes of a series of small arches, on rude heads, and sometimes of a projecting horizontal table resting on a series of rudely sculptured blocks. Upon this Corbel-table is a plain PARAPET and COPING where these are left, which is rarely the case.

The compartments are divided by a shallow BUTTRESS or PILASTER STRIP.

The WINDOWS are low and broad, and have usually a single shaft set in an angular recess, carrying a cubical capital and a single roll.

The STRING-COURSES, when not plain, have frequently indented ornaments of different kinds--such as the _billet_, the _saw-tooth_, the _star_, and the _chevron_.

The CLERE-STORY WINDOWS, in the larger and richer buildings, are usually placed in an arcade, consisting of three or more arches, of which the centre one, filled by the window, is the largest.

_Interior Compartment._

The proportions of the interior are invariably heavy and massive.

The PIERS consist either of a stout cylindrical column, or of a rectangular mass, having semicircular shafts attached to its different faces. They are sometimes, when circular, scored and ornamented with zig-zag, spiral, and other mouldings.

The CAPITALS are formed of a cubical block, rounded off on the lower side from the square to the circle, and are ordinarily of a heavy cumbrous character, and sometimes ornamented with rude sculpture of leaves and animals, carved in slight relief on the surface of the block.

The PIER-ARCHES, in early examples, are perfectly plain, and square edged, without mouldings or ornament; but more frequently they carry one or more heavy rolls on the angle of each order of the arch; and are often ornamented richly with concentric rows of chevron, billet, and other Norman ornaments.

The VAULTING or ROOF-SHAFT is usually a semicircular shaft rising from the floor--on the face of every alternate Pier--to the springing of the vault or roof.

In the earlier buildings the TRIFORIUM is generally occupied by one large arch, of somewhat less span and height than the pier-arch: but in the later examples, this arch is generally subdivided into two, and later still, into four small arches, carried on single shafts; the capitals, arch-mouldings, and other details, being all on a smaller scale, but of similar character, to those of the Ground-story.

In most Norman buildings of large size, the Triforium forms a very important part of the design of the Interior.

The CLERE-STORY in nearly all large buildings carries a gallery made in the thickness of the wall, which passes between the Clere-story Window and the inner face of the _Main Wall_. This inner face is accordingly carried on one or more arches. In Norman buildings, this Clere-story arcade usually consists of three arches, of which the middle one is the largest, and corresponds with the window. In some examples, this middle arch is stilted above the others, by being lifted on a second small shaft on each side, standing on the lower one which carries the side arches.

In almost all buildings of importance, an ARCADE is carried along the walls of the Church below the side-aisle windows. In Norman buildings this usually consists of a series of single or intersecting circular arches, resting on small cushion capitals on single shafts.

The side-aisles are usually covered with a plain circular quadripartite VAULT, having sometimes a diagonal rib, as well as a transverse band, moulded with single roll mouldings.

PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS

OF

THE NORMAN PERIOD.

TOWER OF LONDON White Chapel. ST. ALBANS Abbey Church Transepts, Nave. ROCHESTER Cathedral Church Nave. WINCHESTER Cathedral Church Transepts. HEREFORD Cathedral Church Nave. ELY Cathedral Church Transepts. LINCOLN Cathedral Church West End. CARLISLE Cathedral Church Nave. SELBY Abbey Church Transepts, Nave. GLOUCESTER Cathedral Church Nave. CHICHESTER Cathedral Church Nave. WALTHAM Abbey Church Choir. SOUTHWELL Abbey Church Transepts, Nave. DURHAM Cathedral Church Choir. CHRISTCHURCH Priory Church Transepts, Nave. NORWICH Cathedral Church Choir. TEWKESBURY Abbey Church Nave. DURHAM Cathedral Church Nave. LINDISFARNE Abbey Church Transepts, Nave. ROMSEY Abbey Church Choir, Transepts. WINCHESTER Cathedral Church Tower, Transepts. ELY Cathedral Church Nave. PETERBOROUGH Cathedral Church Choir. NORWICH Cathedral Church Nave. CASTLE ACRE Priory Church Nave.