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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Gothic
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Derogatory term, coined in Italy during the *Renaissance, for the entire period of architecture which had intervened since the fall of *Rome (sacked by the *Goths in 410) and the end of classicism. The earlier centuries were later redefined as *Romanesque after the pointed arch, making possible a new elegance and lightness, had become recognized as the essential Gothic characteristic.
Such arches, originating in France, first appeared in England with the rebuilding of the east end of *Canterbury Cathedral in 1175. During the next 250 years the English version of Gothic went through three distinct phases. It is in church windows that the difference is most clearly seen.
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The first phase, known as Early English (up to c.1300) has very tall, narrow windows, simple and severe, with sharply pointed tops. In the next, Decorated (c.1300–1370), the tops of the windows are fragmented into curving lace-like stonework (known as tracery); at the same time the stone surfaces are much decorated with patterned carving. Finally in Perpendicular (c.1350–1550) the windows become vast, filling almost the entire wall, and they revert to more severely vertical partitions (the 'perpendicular' element), providing rectilinear spaces which can accommodate glorious expanses of stained glass. The decorative stonework now moves up into the roof with the development of *fan vaulting.
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