ing structures are characteristical of the style often practised in these reigns, and are curious instances of imperfect struggles towards the formation of a new and harmonious architectural order. Buildwas Abbey, Shropshire, begun about the year 1135; remains of the Priory Church, Dunstable, reign of Stephen; Abbey church, Romsey, Hants; Lanthoni Abbey, Monmouthshire, founded in1136. To these English examples may be added part of the north side of the nave of St. David's cathedral, South Wales, and the north side of the choir of the same structure.

It will also be remembered that, in fixing the era at which the pointed style may be considered as commencing in this country, that period is adopted at which it grew into so decided a preference as to prevail in the great majority of instances. This circumstance of disposal will be allowed its due weight, when the reader perceives that the choir and chancel of Canterbury cathedral are not included by the date to which the establishment of pointed architecture is here ascribed. The east end of this cathedral is, indeed, a nearer approach to the purity of the first pointed order than occurs in any other known building of its era. This division of the structure was erected between the years 1175 and 1180; and presents a regular succession of acutely pointed arches, on the sides and in the groining of the roof; but the columns are plain and weighty, their capitals bearing a meretricious resemblance of the Corinthian order; and various mouldings, appertaining to the circular mode, being introduced in different parts of the building.

Of a style nearly similar, but less decidedly approximating to the consistency of the first uniform pointed order, is the circular part of the Temple church, London. From these two edifices may be derived a distinct idea of the improved architecture growing into use in the latter part of the reign of Henry the Second, and clearly indicating the designs which were in action for the formation of an architectural system in which the pointed man

ner should be marked, throughout, with collateral features suited to its own peculiar character.

CHARACTERISTICS AND EXAMPLES OF THE EARLY ENGLISH STYLE, PREVAILING IN THE REIGNS OF RICHARD THE FIRST ; JOHN; AND HENRY THE THIRD.

That result of architectural effort to which we have been making slow approaches, stands exemplified in many surviving buildings, which are equally venerable as the first instances of a consistent order in the new style, and admirable for their harmony of arrangement and simple beauty.

A refined taste and consummate judgment had been working on the crude, scattered, elements of pointed architecture. The ignorant or indolent have recourse to excessive ornament, in the first essay towards producing beauty in a novel walk of art. That elevation of mind must be formed on a close study of nature and sound mathematical knowledge, which prefers simplicity to decoration, and seeks the gratification of the spectator without raising his wonder.-Such was the dignified view of the architects who formed the first order of the pointed style; and they were fortunate in raising monuments to their own fame, as durable as they are free from ostentation.

The Early English style is denoted by the comparative plainness of its chief constituent parts, and by an uniformity, chaste as to conception, but which in some instances, when applied to the interior of large buildings, is productive of an effect bordering on offence through the operation of monotony. In the greater number of buildings in this mode, we are, however, permanently gratified by the unity and harmony which prevail; and an elegant lightness of proportions renders the whole peculiarly attractive.

The most important characteristical marks of this style consist in the acute form of its arches; its slender pillars of marble, sur

rounded

rounded with shafts of the same material, slightly detached, the whole uniting beneath one capital; and its windows long and narrow, assuming the form usually denominated the lancet-shape. -But the reader will be most desirably reminded of the criteria by which the early English style is ascertained, through a descriptive statement of its principal architectural features, separately considered.

The ARCHES used in this first class of English architecture were of narrow proportions, and sharply pointed. In large structures, where a second tier is introduced, opening to the triforium, two or more arches are united under one, with trefoil or cinquefoil heads; and arches with the same kind of finishing sometimes occur in other parts of the building.

The COLUMNS are slender, and are surrounded with detached shafts of marble,* united at the base; and each, according to Mr. Bentham, "having a capital richly adorned with foliage, which together, in a cluster, form one elegant capital for the whole pillar." This description would appear to be sufficiently expressive,

* Some remarks of Mr. Essex afford considerable information on the subject of the marble used in buildings of this architectural class.-After stating that no important changes occurred in the art of construction until the era now under notice, he observes that, "in the middle of the 12th century, many alterations were made in the style of architecture, and the bases and capitals of the pillars, and very often the pillars themselves, surrounded with small shafts, were made of marble highly polished. Marble was used for these purposes until the latter end of Edward the Second's reign, though the other parts of buildings were executed with common stones, of moderate dimensions, and laid in the same manner as in the preceding ages. But in the following reign we find that marble was much neglected (either on ac count of the great labour required in cutting and polishing, or because they found that the fine polish that was given it was not of long continuance ;) and before the end of Edward the Third's reign it was quite disused. The marble used for the above-mentioned purposes was brought from quarries near Petworth, in Sussex, or from the Isle of Purbec. It is commonly of a greyish colour, with a shade of green; and, being full of small shells filled with spar, it appears speckled with small white spots." Archæol. Vol. IV. P. 104.

pressive, if it be added that the capitals thus uniting under one head, were not invariably adorned with rich foliage, but were sometimes conspicuous for simplicity of decoration.

The ROOFS are vaulted; and the groining, in early instances, consists only of simple intersecting ribs, or cross-springers. In later examples of this class, we, however, find the vaultings more ornamented; the springers are increased in number, and the line. of their intersection is adorned with carved flowers and various devices. The material of which the vaulting was composed, depended much on the natural produce of the neighbourhood in which the edifice was constructed. Mr. Bentham observes that the builders "generally chose to make it of chalk, for its lightness; but the arches and principal ribs were” (usually)" of freestone."

It has been already concisely stated that the WINDOWS are of a narrow oblong form, and pointed like a lancet. They are sometimes seen in one opening, forming a single light; in which mode they often occur in the chancels of small parochial churches, and may be presumed to indicate the earliest stage of this architectural class. But, in edifices on which greater labour was bestowed, and which form the standard criteria of this order, the same lancet windows were multiplied, and adorned with additional characteristics. We here find two, or as frequently three, united, and forming together that simple and pleasing window by which the finest examples of this order are immediately recog nised. The union of three lancet openings, the central being higher than those placed laterally, is the prevailing window in

many

* Mr. Bentham remarks that "the order and disposition of the windows varied in some measure according to the stories of which the building con. sisted; in one of three stories, the uppermost had commonly three windows within the compass of every arch, the centre one being higher than those on each side; the middle tire or story had two within the same space; and the lowest only one window, usually divided by a pillar or mullion, and often ornamented on the top with a trefoil, single rose, or some such simple decoration." Hist. of Ely Cathedral, p. 40.

many of the noblest structures of the third Henry's reign. Where two, or more, of these arches are placed together, under one larger arch, the vacant space between their heads is filled with a trefoil, quatrefoil, or cinquefoil. They were often ornamented, both on the inside and on the exterior, with slender shafts (commonly of marble) having capitals enriched with foliage.

It may be necessary to add some few remarks concerning the ORNAMENTS used in this order of pointed architecture.—Where these are introduced, they are usually designed with much elegance of taste, and are often well executed. The mouldings displayed in the circumference of arches, and on columns or pilasters, are generally formed of a combination of leaves or flowers. Small statues in niches were placed in various parts of the interior; and larger statues on the west or east fronts, in niches formed by an acute angle, or having the trefoil head. The buttresses were very prominent, and were sometimes surmounted with crocketted pinnacles.

Previous to the commencement of an enumeration of several ecclesiastical structures, which illustrate the above observations, and afford specimens of this first class of English architecture, it is desirable to submit some remarks which apply to each subsequent series as well as to the present.

It will be apparent that only a few instances are noticed where many possibly might be adduced. This, however, will scarcely be viewed as a subject of regret with the reader, or as an act of reprehensible omission in the writer, when it is recollected that buildings in the English style, of a coeval date, generally evince a striking uniformity in every architectural particular. The cause of this unquestionable similarity is not distinctly known, but the following conjecture is submitted with some confidence.-The free-masons, who appear to have been the general agents in sacred architecture throughout this and other European countries, were likely to advise the regular adoption of the same plan which they had successfully practised in certain memorable instances;

and