98
_The Best Example of a Saxon Spire or Pyramidal Roof, Sompting_ 100
_Leighton Buzzard Church, with Early English Tower and Spire_ 102
_A Parish Church with a Shingle Broach Spire, Edenbridge_ 105
_Interior Elevation of a Bay of a Church_ 114

_STYLES OF ENGLISH ARCHITECTURE._

The following periods of architectural style may be of use for the
purpose of reference, but it must be borne in mind that they are more or
less approximate, as each style merged by slow degrees into the next.

_Norman._--William I. to Stephen. 1066-1154.
_Transition Norman._--Henry II. 1154-1189.
_Early English Gothic._--Richard I. to Henry III. 1189-1272
_Decorated._--Edward I., II., III. 1272-1377.
_Perpendicular._--Richard II. to Henry VII. 1377-1485.
_Tudor._--Henry VIII. to Elizabeth. 1485-1600.

Mr. Edmund Sharpe gives seven periods of English architecture up to the
time of the Reformation, and dates them as follows:--

_ROMANESQUE._

I. _Saxon_ from ---- to 1066
II. _Norman_ " 1066 " 1145 79 years
III. _Transitional_ " 1145 " 1190 45 "

_GOTHIC._

IV. _Lancet_ from 1190 to 1245 55 years
V. _Geometrical_ " 1245 " 1315 70 "
VI. _Curvilinear_ " 1315 " 1360 45 "
VII. _Rectilinear_ " 1360 " 1550 190 "

PREFACE.

It is a truism that the history of building is the history of the
civilized world, for of all the arts practised by man, there is none
which conveys to us a clearer conception of the religion, history,
manners, customs, ideals and follies of past ages, than the art of
building. This applies in a special sense to cathedrals and churches,
which glorious relics reflect and perpetuate the noble aim, the delicate
thought, the refined and exquisite taste, the patient and painstaking
toil which have been expended upon them by the devout and earnest
craftsmen of the past.

There are very few of our ancient churches in village, town or city
which do not offer some feature of interest to the visitor, and in the
absence of anything more important, there is sure to be some door,
window, font, screen, or other detail which will amply repay him for the
small amount of time spent in seeing it.

The aim of the author of this little volume has been to indicate the
symbolism and meaning attachi