The history of English Gothic architecture is divided into three distinct stages: Early English Gothic, English Decorated Gothic, and English Perpendicular Gothic.
Early English Gothic Style and Characteristics
The Early English Gothic style architecture originated in the late-12th century and lasted until the mid-13th century. It is also referred to as ''Lancet'' or ''First Pointed'' style. The first example of a building erected in this style is the Choir at Canterbury Cathedral, designed by architect William of Sens and completed in 1175.
Early English Gothic architecture is characterized by the use of pointed arches, ribbed vaults, lancets, and buttresses. Lancets are tall, narrow windows with a pointed arch at the top. They got their name due to this unique shape, which resembles the tip of a lance (sword). Compared to the traditional rounded Romanesque windows, lancets are more aesthetically elegant and structurally sound. They are more efficient at distributing the weight of the stone building materials. This allowed early English Gothic architects to design buildings that were taller, more open, and airier.
Early English Gothic architects also incorporated Oxford buttresses into their designs. An Oxford buttress is a type of buttress that is set diagonally in the corner of a building to provide support. These early Gothic buildings were simple, austere, and seemed to reach towards the heavens. One of the most complete examples of this stage of English Gothic architecture is the Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, England.
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English Decorated Gothic Style and Characteristics
The Early English Gothic style eventually developed into the English Decorated Gothic style, which began around 1250. This phase was characterized by the use of the flying buttress, which distributed the load of the walls and allowed architects to incorporate wider, taller windows. These larger windows could then be decorated with larger and more elaborate tracery. The Early English Gothic phase is broken into two distinct periods: the Geometric style and the Curvilinear style. These periods refer specifically to the design of tracery popular at the time. The Geometric style of Early English Gothic architecture was introduced around 1250 and lasted until 1290. During this period, tracery was geometric in design. The Curvilinear style lasted from 1290 to 1350 and implemented tracery that was curved and flowing.
The Early English Gothic style also incorporated more elaborated vaulting with an increasing number of individual vaults, or ribs. This provided extra support and also had aesthetic appeal.
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English Perpendicular Gothic Style and Characteristics
The final stage of English Gothic Architecture is referred to as the English Perpendicular Gothic style. This period lasted from 1350 until 1520. It emerged during the time following the Black Death. The Black Death was a plague that killed approximately half of England's population between June of 1348 and December of 1349. The plague returned from 1361 to 1362 and killed another fifth of the population. This epidemic had a drastic impact on all aspects of English life, including architecture. The flamboyance of the Decorated period was no longer appropriate. Additionally, the decrease in population resulted in a labor shortage which also prevented the building of ornate and elaborate designs.
The Perpendicular style is characterized by the use of strong vertical lines. These vertical lines are especially evident in the window tracery and pinnacles. The implementation of the flying buttress during the English Decorated period allowed for larger windows. They used layers of perpendicular tracery to fill these massive windows. Perpendicular pinnacles (tapering spire-like structures) covered the buttresses and the exterior of the buildings. Stained glass and hammerbeam roofs were also common during the English Perpendicular Gothic period.
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Examples of buildings built during the various English Gothic architecture phases are as follows:
- Lincoln Cathedral: The Lincoln Cathedral was rebuilt in 1210 following an earthquake. It is located in Lincolnshire, England. This cathedral is an example of Early English Gothic architecture, as it features ornate spires, vaulted ceilings, arched doorways, and lancet windows.
- Lichfield Cathedral: The Lichfield Cathedral was completed in 1340. It is located in Staffordshire, England. Due to its use of curvilinear window tracery and vaulted ceilings with many ribs, this cathedral is an example of English Decorated Gothic architecture.
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English Gothic architecture was a phase of architectural design that emerged in England around 1180 and lasted until 1520. Gothic architecture, which originated in France, is characterized by an emphasis on vertical space and the use of pointed arches. While French Gothic architects designed buildings that focused on height, English Gothic architects designed buildings that focused on length.
There were three distinct phases to English Gothic architecture. The Early English Gothic (c. 1180–1250), or ''Lancet Gothic'', was characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, Oxford buttresses, and lancet windows. Lancet windows are tall, narrow windows with a pointed top and no stained glass. The Salisbury Cathedral is an example of a building designed in this style. English Decorated Gothic (c. 1250–1350) architects designed buildings that were more ornate. They also incorporated flying buttresses which allowed for larger windows with more decorative tracery. The final stage was the English Perpendicular Gothic phase. This style of architecture was characterized by the use of strong vertical lines. These lines were evident in the window tracery as well as in the use of pinnacles, tapering spire-like structures which adored the buttresses and the building's exterior.
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Additional Info
What Is Gothic Architecture?
Have you ever stood inside a large cathedral and marveled at how light-filled it was? Perhaps the cathedral was an example of English Gothic architecture.
Gothic is the name given to an art and architecture style that developed in medieval Europe in the twelfth century. In general, Gothic architecture featured elements like pointed rather than rounded arches, large stained glass windows, and a strong emphasis on vertical space. It began in France and spread to other European countries, including Germany and England. As these areas adopted the style, each added subtle variations.
Before we discuss English Gothic in particular, let's review terms related to Gothic architecture. Tracery is the stonework that surrounds and separates sections of stained glass windows or a series of windows. Buttresses are stone supports placed on the outside walls of a church to help support the walls. A vault is a structural element made from an arrangement of arches and usually found in ceilings. All of these elements shifted and changed as English Gothic architecture developed.
This lesson focuses on church architecture because during this time, the church was the largest, most imposing structure in a community. It would have been the first to reflect changing design trends.
Specific Traits of English Gothic Architecture
Following a transitional period when buildings combined low rounded arches and heavy stone walls with some Gothic elements, English Gothic architecture began to spread across the land. It is usually divided into three phases, so let's look at them in chronological order with approximate date ranges. Please note: some sources mention slightly different ranges than others so these are ballpark figures.
Early English Gothic
The first phase was Early English Gothic, from ca. 1180 - 1250. Sometimes also called the Lancet or First Pointed style, it featured lancet windows, long narrow windows with pointed arches and no tracery. Doors also featured pointed tops. These churches also used a variation on the standard buttress called the Oxford buttress. Instead of placements along side walls of the building, an Oxford buttress was placed diagonally at a corner. Early Gothic churches in England included cut stonework, steep roofs and long naves, or the central section of the church. They also featured slender towers and spires. Salisbury Cathedral (ca. 1220 - 1258), as shown in this image, is a good example of an Early Gothic.
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Decorated or Curvilinear Gothic
The second phase of English Gothic architecture was Decorated Gothic, which was used from ca. 1250-1350. It's sometimes also called Curvilinear Gothic. As the name suggests, in this style shift we see more decoration and windows become wider and increasingly elaborate, often separated by bar tracery. More carved stone decoration can be found on exterior and interior elements. Flowing flying buttresses on exterior walls helped support increasing height while still retaining a lighter, more elegant look.
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Perpendicular Gothic
The third phase, Perpendicular Gothic from ca. 1350-1520, is unmistakable for its emphasis on strong vertical lines, created through many banks of tall narrow windows and other structural elements on the walls. With areas of long windows separated by perpendicular tracery, or vertical bars of tracery between each window, there was little solid stone wall space, so these structures have wonderful light-filled interiors. Churches from the Perpendicular Gothic phase also have fan-shaped ceiling vaults, elaborate towers, and rows of pinnacles, pointed tapering architectural elements that resemble miniature spires. A good example is King's College Chapel in Cambridge, built between 1446 and 1515.
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Now that you know more about English Gothic architecture, perhaps you'll get the chance to go to England and see some of these wonderful buildings for yourself.
Lesson Summary
Gothic architecture arose in Europe in the twelfth century and featured elements like pointed arches, tracery between windows, external stone buttresses to support high walls and different kinds of ceiling vaults. English Gothic architecture had three phases. The first, called Early English Gothic or sometimes Lancet or First Pointed style, featured narrow pointed lancet windows and Oxford buttresses, located at the external corners of buildings rather than along the sides, and long naves, or interior sections. The second style phase, Decorated Gothic, sometimes called Curvilinear Gothic, featured wider, more decorative windows with tracery, more elaborate decorative cut stone work, and more elegant flying buttresses. The third phase, called Perpendicular Gothic, was focused on the emphasis of towering vertical height. Windows were long, narrow and separated by perpendicular tracery, which created light-filled interiors. Structures in this phase used fan-shaped interior vaults and had elaborate towers with pinnacles, which resembled miniature spires.
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