Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/960

 936 COTTAGE, FARM, AND VILLA ARCHITECTURE. headed window is for the most part fiiiislicd above with a label, as in fig. 1630, passing down the sides to the springing line of the arches (if there be arches to the different lights), and finished ordinarily with a plain elbow ; sometimes with a twisting of the mouldings into the form of a lozenge, or occassionally that of an octagon ; and sometimes with a shield, bust, or figure. The oriel, or bay window, may be described as being, for the most part, a kind of three-sided compound of the last-mentioned description. Of this there are two principal varieties ; the one of large proportion, rising immediately from the ground ; the other of a smaller character, and standing out from the surface of a wall upon projecting or corbel mouldings. The former was that generally in use in dining-halls, and may be seen finely exemplified at Eltham Palace, at Crosby Hall, and in many of the halls of Oxford and Cambridge ; the latter was more appropriate to the chamber, and is instanced in beautiful taste at John of Gaunt's Palace in Lincoln, Mag- dalen College in Oxford, and numerous other places. In the adoption of either of hese varieties, it is highly desirable, wherever it may be at all compatible with modern con- venience, that the old style of glazing in lead-lights and quarry (or lozenge) squares should be continued, as greatly conducive to the character and picturesque effect of the whole ; and though the old casements formed in this manner were not remarkable for soundness, or retention of warmth, there can be no reason why the application of modern improvement should not make our own as commodious as are the French casements of the present day. If, however, wooden sashes must occasionally be used, great care will be needed to render their appearance as unobtrusive as possible, and to prevent their dis- figuring the muUions of the window, either externally or internally. A window of ordi- nary width, undivided by a mullion, and filled in with regular broad sashes, be it dubbed Gothic or what it may, is only fit to be classed with the execrable designs of Batty Langley. The management of window-shutters, if, indeed, they are to be adopted at all, is a point attached to the former that is attended with considerable difficulty. The com- mon boxed shutters may and do answer their purposes in our ordinary style of domestic construction ; but they have nothing in common with Pointed Architecture ; and, if used at all in connection with it, will need to be altogether remodelled. It would require an elaborate drawing to afford an adequate idea of our views on this subject ; the principal point, however, to be borne in mind, is, that a window, when closed up by its shutters, ought to present as perfect and architectural an appearance in all parts as when open. The customary finishings of architrave, soffit, &c., are entirely out of the question; the character which the whole composition must assume, to conform to the massiveness of the pointed style, being just that of a window enclosed with folding doors. 1889. Doors in Pointed Domestic Architecture. We may next proceed to the door, or rather the doorway, of which the perpendicular pointed style furnishes us with several varieties applicable to domestic purposes. For the large proportions of the principal entrance doorway, a common and simple form is that of the obtusely arched opening, shown in fig. 1633, with a label to correspond with the curvature of its head. Some- times this label assumes the outline of the double ogee, as in fig. 1 634 ; being then 1G34 1633 terminated by a finial, and often enriched also with crockets. At other times, and for all subjects, the square form of label is of frequent use ; the decorations of the doorway l>eing filled out to a similar and suitable shape by the introduction of spandrils of foliage or tracery, fig. 1635. This variety is applicable, like the others, to the simple pointed or two-centred arch ; but is more frequently found in connection with the flattened or obtuse. There are many instances of pleasing forms besides those already noticed ; but they occur only under circumstances of minor importance, and do not belong to the