Cerne Abbas Church, Bradford
Abbas Church, and Piddleton Church, Dorsetshire; Yeovil Church,
Somersetshire; and Burford Church, Oxfordshire. In some churches a very
slender shaft with a capital is attached to each angle of the pier, which
is disposed lozengewise, the main body of the pier presenting continuous
lines of moulding with those of the arch, unbroken by any capital: as in
the piers of Bath Abbey Church, rebuilt early in the sixteenth century. In
small country churches we frequently find the architrave mouldings of the
arch continued down the piers, which are altogether devoid of any
horizontal stop by way of capital. The churches of Brinklow and
Willoughby, in Warwickshire, afford instances of this kind. Piers somewhat
different to those above described are also to be met with, but are not so
common.

Q. What else may be noted respecting some of the piers and arches in this
style?

A. The face of the sub-arch or soffit is sometimes enriched with oblong
panelled compartments, arched-headed and foliated; and these are
continued down the inner sides of the piers. The arches of the tower of
Cerne Abbas Church, Dorsetshire, and some of the arches in Sherborne
Church, in the same county, may be instanced as examples.

[Illustration: Panelled Arch, Sherborne Church, Dorsetshire.]

Q. How may we distinguish the doorways and doors of this style?

A. Many doorways of this style, especially during its early progress, were
surmounted by crocketted ogee-shaped hood mouldings, terminating with
finials. In the most common doorway of this style, however, the depressed
four-centred arch appears within a square head, and in general a
rectangular hood moulding over; and the spandrels or spaces between the
spring and apex of the arch and angles of the square head over it are
filled with quatrefoils, panelling, foliage, small shields, or other
sculptured ornaments. Sometimes the depressed four-centred arch appears
without any hood moulding, and we occasionally meet with a simple pointed
arch described from two centres placed within a rectangular compartment.
Doorways in this style are often profusely ornamented; and it is common to
see doors covered with panel-work boldly recessed, the compartments of
which are sometimes filled in the heads with crocketed ogee arches, which
produce a rich effect.

[Illustration: Doorway, All Souls College, Oxford.]

Q. Are there many fine porches of this style?

A. More than in any other