NONAIAN ARCHITECTURE, a style of architecture closely allied to the debased Roman Rumples of the Ea-tern and Western empires, and with them may he eimveniently included under the general title of Romanesque. It can scarcely, however, be ranked as a division of equal impfirt mice with either the Byzantine or Lombardie. of both of which it is a nmdifieation, approximating more closely to the latter, but maintaining a general resemblance with both. It may perhaps be on:reedy considered as a sub-division of the same style, viz., the Romanesque.
The Norman style flourished primarily and principally in Normandy, as its name implies. but became prevalent in many other places, wherever the N(wmans obtained influence or dominion ; amongst others, in this country. When the sty le was first introduced into England, it is a matter of consider able difficulty to determine, some persons affirming that it was intn)dueed by the Conqueror, others by Edward the Confes sor, while a third party maintain that it was hut a develop ment of the S.ixon, or style of building immediately pre ceding that under consideration, by whatever title it may be designated. Sone writers entirely ignore the Saxon a dis tinct sty le, including, all the examples usually classified tinder that name, under the same designation as the latter, or Nor man style, supposing the earlier examples to be hut uncouth and unskilful imitations of the continental architecture. In thvour of this assertion, it is argued, that it is very improba. ble that a method of building, practised on the continent, should have remained unknown in England for any length of time. notw ithstanding the frequent intercourse of neighbour ing nations, whereas we have good evidence that the Norman style was fully abroad at least a century lie Ii ire its general adoption in this island. The second statement, as to the, introduction of the style by Edward, is founded. we believe on the, authority of :Matthew Paris, who says, that rebuilt Westminster .\ bbey in it new style, born which others took the idea. This passage has led antiquaries to conclude, that the style referred to was the Norman, and that it was entirely unknown in England betbre that time this, however, amounts to little better than conjecture.
For our own part, we are inclined to consider the Saxon and Norman as, to a certain extent, distinet styles, although emanating from the same gramd type, and, for that reason, in some sense modifications of each other. They are both derived
from the Roman, and are both Ilevelopments of the R(A11:111 esque or debased Roman, here we inewine they part com pany, and take each its own course; they bear such a simi larity to each other, as might be expected ti•mi descendants of a common stuck, but of different branches of the same fitfully. The Saxon style was reared on an uneuiticated and tended by rude hands, while the Norman was developed under more favourable circumstances. When the Romans invaded Britain, they naturally int roduced the style of build ing then lireValellt in their own country. tit least, as circumstances would permit. The want. however, of proper materials or tools, as well as the insufficiency of skilful work men, must have put a limit to their success in this imitation, as we find to have been the ease with their erections in this island, wliirli \kene very rude in Cottiparkon with those of Mien the Rininans were recalled, and the Britons left defenseless and unprotected against their formidable foes in the north, we may suppose that the art of building was but little practised ; and whatever edifices were erected during that porn id. :mist have been of a still rudercharacter than those of a preceding age. The Saxons do not seem to has e had any mode of building of their own, but tbdowed the method which they fiund practised in the country ; their buildings were tbr the most part composed of timber, lint sometimes of stone, and Bede speaks of the monastery at Wearinotith being erected after the Roman manner, and states that workmen %%ere procured from France for the purpose. The Unman manner is contrasted with the Scotch, which latter term was applied apparently to the wooden structures. From the fact of tbreign workmen being emphiyed, it would appear reason able to suppose that some foreign peculiarities might have been introduced by them. Thu mere fact, however. of French workmen being sent f(ir into England, would prove that they were considerably thrther advanced in the art than those who sent tb• them ; and it is probable that snob importations of tbreign artisans led to the introduction of some peculiarities of continental architecture, which however was not introduced in an entire and complete form until after the Conquest.