Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Gothic architecture (1200-1600) replaced the heavy Norman style with light, vertical
buildings, pointed arches, soaring spires, and bigger windows. English Gothic is divided
into three stages. Early English Gothic (1200-1300) features tall, simple spires; beautifully
carved capitals; and elaborate chapter houses (such as the Wells Cathedral). Decorated
Gothic (1300-1400) gets fancier, with more elaborate tracery, bigger windows, and or-
nately carved pinnacles, as you see at Westminster Abbey. Finally, the Perpendicular
Gothic style (1400-1600, also called “rectilinear”) returns to square towers and emphas-
izes straight, uninterrupted vertical lines from ceiling to floor, with vast windows and ex-
uberant decoration, including fan-vaulted ceilings (King's College Chapel at Cambridge).
Through this evolution, the structural ribs (arches meeting at the top of the ceilings) be-
came more and more decorative and fanciful (the most fancy being the star vaulting and
fan vaulting of the Perpendicular style).
As you tour the great medieval churches of Britain, remember that almost everything
is symbolic. For instance, on the tombs of knights, if the figure has crossed legs, he was a
Crusader. If his feet rest on a dog, he died at home; but if his legs rest on a lion, he died in
battle. Local guides and books help us modern pilgrims understand at least a little of what
we see.
Wales is particularly rich in English castles, which were needed to subdue the stub-
born Welsh. Edward I built a ring of powerful castles in North Wales, including Conwy
and Caernarfon.
Gothic houses were a simple mix of woven strips of thin wood, rubble, and plaster
called wattle and daub. The famous black-and-white Tudor (or “half-timbered”) look
came simply from filling in heavy oak frames with wattle and daub.
Typical Church Architecture
History comes to life when you visit a centuries-old church. Even if you wouldn't
know your apse from a hole in the ground, learning a few simple terms will enrich
your experience. Note that not every church has every feature, and that a “cathed-
ral” isn't a type of church architecture, but rather a designation for a church that's a
governing center for a local bishop.
