The Pointed Arch first made its appearance in the Transitional Period; in the earlier buildings it is used in the Arches of Construction only, or those constituting the framework of the building, such as the Pier-arches and the Arches of the Vaulting, and of the Crossing; whilst the Circular Arch is used in the Arches of Decoration only, or those which may be said to constitute the panel-work, such as the windows, the arcades, the doorways, and such like. In the later buildings of the Period, however, the Pointed Arch is frequently found in some of the smaller arches also.
The Pier-arches, therefore, are almost invariably pointed, in the earlier examples obtusely, and in the later examples often acutely; the mouldings, which have become much lighter, are few and plain; carrying usually a roll, or a pear-shaped moulding, at the angle of each order of the arch: they frequently have no Hood-moulding. All the usual rich ornaments of the Norman Style disappear, but the Chevron occurs occasionally, and another ornamental moulding somewhat resembling it, but peculiar to this Period, is frequently seen.
The String-courses do not usually carry any ornament, and have commonly a simple section peculiar to the Period.
The Vaulting or Roof-shaft has usually a pear-shaped section.
The Triforium-arcade has usually Circular Arches, but in the later examples the two forms of arch are frequently intermixed. The Shafts are of a much lighter character, and carry arches of simple mouldings.
The Pointed Arch, if found anywhere in the arches of Decoration, is generally to be seen in the Clere-story, the highest part of the building, and consequently the latest in point of construction.
Plain pointed quadripartite Vaulting not unfrequently covers the side-aisles, and sometimes the centre-aisle.
The contrast presented by the discriminate use of the two forms of arch before mentioned, is sometimes strikingly exhibited in the side-aisles, where it is by no means uncommon to find a large plain circular window placed immediately under an acutely pointed wall rib, forming part of the contemporaneous pointed Vaulting of the side-aisle.