“There is an ornament which was introduced in this style and which is very characteristic. This is called the ‘Tudor-flower,’ not because it was introduced in the time of the Tudors, but because it was so much used at that period. It generally consists of some modification of the fleur-de-lis alternately with a small trefoil or ball, and is much used as a crest for screens on fonts, niches, capitals and in almost all places where such ornament can be used. The foliage of this style is frequently very beautifully executed, almost as faithful to nature as in the Decorated style, in which the fidelity to nature is one of the characteristic features. There is comparatively a squareness about the Perpendicular foliage, which takes from the freshness and beauty which distinguished that of the Decorated style. Indeed, the use of square and angular forms is one of the characteristics of the style; we have square panels, square foliage, square crockets and finials, square forms in the windows—caused by the introduction of so many transoms—and an approach to squareness in the depressed and low pitch of the roofs in late examples.”—(J. H. P.)
The woodwork of the Perpendicular period is very beautiful: open timber roofs (met with in the eastern counties), screens and lofts across the chancel-arch and richly carved bench ends exist in considerable numbers.
“The frequent use of figures, simply as corbels between the windows of the clerestory to carry the roof, is a good characteristic of the late Perpendicular style; they are generally of the time of Henry the Seventh or Eighth. The figure used is generally that of an angel, and each angel is sometimes represented as carrying a different musical instrument so as to make up a heavenly choir.”—(J. H. P.)
Among the best examples of late Perpendicular are Henry VII.’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey; St. George’s Chapel, Windsor; King’s College Chapel, Cambridge; and Bath Abbey Church.
In writing of the latter W. D. Howells so beautifully describes this style that no excuse is needed for bringing his definition into this place. He says:
“It is mostly of that Perpendicular Gothic which I suppose more mystically lifts the soul than any other form of architecture, and it is in a gracious harmony with itself through its lovely proportions; from the stems of its clustered column, the tracery of their fans spreads and delicately feels its way over the vaulted roof as if it were a living growth of something rooted in the earth beneath.”
ABBREVIATIONS OF AUTHORS QUOTED
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A. A.—Alexander Ansted F. B.—Frederic Bond J. E. B.—J. E. Bygate A. B. C.—A. B. Clifton A. C.-B.—A. Clutton-Brock J. C.-B.—J. Cavis-Brown H. C. C.—Hubert C. Corlette A. D.—Arthur Dimock C. D.—Charles Dickens, Jr. P. D.—Percy Dearmer P. H. D.—P. H. Ditchfield T. F. D.—Thomas Frognall Dibdin A. H. F.—A. Hugh Fisher E. A. F.—E. A. Freeman F. W. F.—F. W. Farrar W. H. F.—W. H. Fremantle H.—Hope C. H.—Cecil Hallet L. H.—Leigh Hunt W. H. H.—W. H. Hart A. F. K.—A. F. Kendrick G. W. K.—Dean Kitchin R. J. K.—Richard J. Knight L.—Dr. Luckock W. J. L.—W. J. Loftie M.—Dean Milman |
J. McC.—Justin McCarthy H. J. L. J. M.—H. J. L. J. Massé P.—Dean Patrick P.-C.—Dean Pury-Cust F. A. P.—F. A. Paley G. H. P.—G. H. Palmer J. H. P.—J. H. Parker T. P.—T. Perkins C. H. B. Q.—C. H. B. Quennell R.—Rickman F. and R.—Field and Routledge S.—Dean Spence A. P. S.—Dean Stanley E. F. S.—Edward F. Strange G. G. S.—G. G. Scott W. D. S.—W. D. Sweeting T.—Canon Talbot W.—Willis Wal.—Walcott A.-à-W.—Anthony-à-Wood C. W.—Winston E. W.—Edward Walford F. S. W.—F. S. Waller G. W.—Gleeson White Geo. W.—George Worley H. W.—Hartley Wither |