.

[Illustration: Tympanum of Norman Doorway.
Fordington S. George, Dorset. _Drawn by E. M. Heath._]

These tympana are usually sculptured in low relief with a representation
of some scriptural or traditional event, while the assertion of the
Apostle that "we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom
of God," may account for the fondness of the Norman sculptors in
representing different stages of martyrdom on the tympana of their
doors. A very singular tympanum is that on the door of the church of
Fordington S. George, at Dorchester, whereon is represented some
incident in the life of S. George. The principal figure is on horseback
with a discus round his head. The other figures are in hauberks and
chausses, and generally bear, in point of costume, much resemblance to
the figures on the famous Bayeux tapestry. Barfreston church, Kent, has
an interesting tympanum, as also has Patrixbourne church in the same
county, where the sculpture shows the Saviour with dragons and at his
feet a dog. At Alveston church, Warwickshire, the sculpture shows two
quadrupeds with enormous tails, fighting, with between them a small
bird, possibly intended for a dove. Our best example of a Norman doorway
and tympanum is generally considered to be the west doorway of
Rochester Cathedral, where the sculpture is of a very advanced character
for its date, which is probably about 1130-40.

[Side note: Piers.]

A distinctive feature of the Norman style are the massive pillars,
usually circular, and with capitals either of the same form, or square;
occasionally in plain buildings the pillars themselves are square with
very little or no ornamentation. Towards the end of the period, an
octagonal pillar was often used, having a much lighter appearance than
the earlier forms.

[Illustration: Examples of Capitals.
Norman. Transitional. Norman.
Crypt, Winchester. Christ Church, Oxford. Winchester Cathedral.]

Besides these plain styles, compound or clustered piers are very
numerous, differing considerably in plan; the simplest consists of a
square having one or more rectangular recesses at each corner, but one
more frequently met with has a small circular shaft in each of the
recesses and a larger semi-circular one on each side of the square.

[Side note: Capitals.]

Norman capitals are very varied, having many different forms of
ornamentation; the commonest is one which resembles a bowl with