In the first change From the Norman, the mouldings were less various than in the Norman, and were usually composed of leaves or flowers, with which, not only arch es of windows, but pillars were decorated. Trefoils, qua trefoils, cinquefoils, roses, mullets, bosses, pates', &c. are found in the spandrels of arches and above keystones. Ornamented pinnacles are found upon shrines ; also pe diments in straight lines, extremely high, with niches and small statues under them ; and on the west front, niches with statues as large as life.
In the second order, the ornaments are more various and graceful : as finer niches, tabernacles, and statues ; pinnacles though not so lofty, yet more richly embellish ed with leaves, crockets, and other sculpture ; also rich screens, stalls, and panneled ceiling.
During the third order, there is found a profusion of fret-work, figures, niches, tabernacles with canopies, pe destals, crockets, tracery; but above all the rich pendents and finials, all of the most exquisite execution, and that equally in stone, wood, and brass.
The following description of the situation and distri bution of a religious establishment, during the prevalence of Gothic architecture, will convey a pretty distinct idea of the general plan of ecclesiastical structures. It is taken from a well written account of the town of Shrews bury, published in 1803. The principal buildings of an abbey, were, 1st, The church, which consisted of a nave or great western aisle, choir, transept, and usually a large chapel beyond the choir dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, with smaller chapels or chantribs adjoining the side aisles of the choir, and sometimes or the nave. In short, an abbey church differed hardly at all from one of our ca thedrals. Attached to one side of the nave, commonly the Southern, was, 2dly, The great cloister, which had two entrances to the church, at the eastern and western ends of the aisle of the nave, for the greater solemnity of processions ; and over the western side of the cloister was, in general, 3dly, The dormitory of the monks; a long room divided into separate cells, each containing a lied, with a mat, blanket, and rug., also a desk and stool, occupied by a monk. This apartment had a door which opened immediately into the church, on account of mid night offices. Attached to the side of the cloister oppo site to the church, was, 4thly, The refectory where the monks dined. In the centre of the upper end, raised on
two or three steps, was a large crucifix. On the right hand, at a table, sat the abbot, when he dined there : and, in his absence, the prior with his guests, of which there were every day many ; and on the left the sub-prior. The monks sat at tahles, ranged on each side of the hall, ac cording to their offices and seniority. Near the refecto ry, under which were cellars, as at Worcester, &c. was, 5thly, The locutorium or parlour, an apartment answer ing to the common room of a college, where, in the in tervals of prayer and study, the monks sat and conversed. This was the only room in which a constant fire was al lowed in winter. Beyond was the kitchen and its offices, and adjoining to it, the buttery, lavatory, &c. On the eastern side of the cloisters, was, in the centre, 6thly, The chapter-house, where the business of the abbey was transacted. On one side was a place with stone benches around it, where, perhaps, the tenants waited ; on the other, a room in which records were deposited, and near it the library and scriptorium, where the monks employ ed themselves in copying books. On this side also, close up to the transept of the church, was the treasury, where the costly plate and church ornaments were kept. Be yond the greater cloister was frequently, in the greater abbeys, a smaller, perhaps for the lay brothers, as at Gloucester. And more eastward was the lodging of the abbot, consisting of a complete house, with hall, chapel, &c. The other principal offices of the convent had also separate houses, viz. the cellarer or house-steward, the sacrist, almoner, &c. as at Worcester. In this part was usually the hostcry and guesten-hall, rooms for the en tertainment of strangers; also the apartments for novices. Westward of the cloister was an outward court, round which was the monks infirmary, and the almery. An embattled gate-house led to this court, which was the principal entrance of the abbey. The whole was sur rounded with an high wall, generally fortified with bat tlements and towers. The precinct which it included. was, besides the above-mentioned buildings, occupied by gardens, stables, a mill, barns, granary, &c. Some of the great abbeys situated in the country, as at and Furness, covered sixty acres.