46 Chapter 11.5: Gothic Architecture in England

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE OUTSIDE OF FRANCE – ENGLAND

The Gothic style spread quickly outside of France to Germany and then to England. In each region, artisans modified the French Gothic according to the prevailing tastes. This section will examine how the Gothic style appeared in England, where it remained popular into the sixteenth century. In England, the Gothic style went through different phases, each of which was characterized by distinct features.

Salisbury Cathedral TASK

Roughly contemporary to High Gothic churches such as Amiens in France, Salisbury Cathedral would be classified as an Early Gothic English cathedral. The video on Salisbury introduces the similarities and differences between French and English churches. After watching the video, please answer the accompanying questions.

Salisbury Cathedral 

Salisbury Cathedral TASK prompt

How does the scale of Salisbury compare to that of French cathedrals?

What is Purbeck marble and what visual effect is created by its use?

What features of Salisbury are typical of Gothic architecture.

What is distinctive about the ground plan of English Gothic churches?

Which aspects support the narrator’s description of English churches as having an interest in the decorative?

Henry VII Chapel TASK

Built in the 13th century, parts of Westminster Abbey were renovated in later centuries. At the eastern end of the church, Henry VII renovated a chapel in the Perpendicular Gothic Style to be a burial place for him and his family in the 16th century. After watching the video, please answer the accompanying questions.

Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey 

Henry VII Chapel TASK prompts:

What are the different phases of the Gothic style in England?

What are the distinctive components of the ceiling?

How do the English and French approaches to the Gothic differ in terms of revealing the structural system?

What are the structural supports in the chapel?

What are the characteristics of the Perpendicular?

Why was the Gothic style used for the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament in the 19th century?