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.