Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/963

 VILLAS IN VARIOUS STYLES. 939 made to contain the staircase) was another feature possessing as much of external efTcct as of internal utility. Finished with its loop-holes and battlements ; decked (as, indeed, were the parapets in general) with " gargoyles," " gargells," or spout-heads, or otherwise terminated with the crocketed ogee cupola, it always imparted to the mass relief, dignity, and ornament. This, however, together with the porch, a member of kindi'ed interest, belongs to the various principles of composition in detail, and will not admit of any fixed definition in this place. 1S94. Internal Effect. We pass from the notice of these subjects of external design, to the consideration of those which are most essentially concerned in the production of internal effect. Of such, the ceiling imdoubtedly possesses the greatest share of imjiort- ance in works that pretend to the maintenance of a decorative character throughout. The varieties of ceiling, or (to use a more comprehensive term) of internal covering, are numerous ; belonging to the departments both of masonry and carpentry. In ancient specimens of the former, we have the groined and ribbed ceiling, the simple vault with transverse ribs, the fan-groin, and the disguised flat ceiling ; in the latter we have the open-framed roof, the enriched wooden vaulted ceiling, the ceiling of two inclined planes, and the flat ceiling in panels : each of these, however, will demand a separate notice. 1895. The Simple Groined and Ribbed Ceiling will be understood by every person of ordinary observation, as being the sober kind of vaulting most frequent in our larger ecclesiastical structures. It is, however, very rarely to be imitated with propriety in domestic works, since it requires a loftiness of proportion altogether foreign to the usual character of habitable apartments. In situations where the width is small in comparison to the height it may be adopted with effect, as in cloisters, porches, and entrance halls ; but it is totally misapplied when made to encroach upon the sides of a room whose height is barely equal to its width. 1896. Zb the Plain Vault traversed bi/ Ribs of Motdding the same observations will apply, though this form is somewhat more manageable than the preceding one, in con- sequence of its requiring less curvature than is necessary for the display of groining (which term the reader will understand to refer to the figure produced by the intersection of one pointed vault with another, whether lofty or flattened). This second and simpler kind of ceiling admits of much pleasing decoration, from the introduction of tracery in the compartments formed by the cross ribs, accompanied by the use of foliage in the springing cornice, and sometimes of little corbels or pendants, as attached to such cornice, under the feet of the principal ribs. 1897. The Fan Groin is the next description of ceiling, the general character of which is that of a number of circles in contact, each divided by radiations of moulding and tracery, springing from a pendent centre ; and tlms producing the outline of a flattened arch between every two adjacent centres. This variety is susceptible of a richness of deco- ration far greater than that of any other ceiling in Pointed Architecture (beautiful as they may all be rendered), exhibiting, even when least adorned, an airiness of character, and a play of light altogether enchanting. It is a variety, also, that may be applied with facility to the purposes of Domestic Architecture ; though it will be proper to bear in mind that we should not, in lath and plaster, multiply pendants, &c., to an extent that would involve impracticability of execution, supposing the subject to be attempted in masonry. 1898. The Disguised Flat Ceiling is another kind which is not without example, as being executed even in stone. This consists of a horizontal plane, relieved with the customary forms of moulding and tracery, the principal lines of which have a little curvature at the points whence they divei'ge ; so as to give to the whole outline, at first sight, an appearance somewhat analogous to that of the arch. Of tlie application of this variety we shall speak hereafter. 1899. In their ornamental Carpentry, both as to roofs and ceilings, our forefathers were no less successful than in their masonry. The open-fi-amed roof, which we have before named, exhibits, in several remaining instances, proofs of their skill in uniting the ornamental with the useful, and giving to their subject depth of shade and colour, and fulness of design. Witness the roofs of Westminster Kail and the hall at Eltham ; compositions which will afford valuable hints to the Architect, as to the covering-in of large and lofty apartments, for which boldness of character is desirable. Another variety we have noticed as being that of the vaulted ceiling of wood, of which the decoration is very similar to that of the parallel feature in masonry already described. Its ornamental appearance may be also enhanced by the introduction of trusses of arched ribs, with spandrels (or corner pieces) of tracery, enriched corbels, pendants, &c. For instances of both of these we may refer to Crosby Hall. Another kind of ceiling, very common in old churches, but very applicable, also, to domestic purposes, is that formed (as before inentioned) of two inclined planes, as in fig. 1G41 : the ceiling and the roof being, in