Chapter 6 Medieval British Society, 1066–1485 - Lyceum Books

132 Part II Norman Britain
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Lavenham, Suffolk, one of England’s largest parish
churches. Built in the Perpendicular style, this is an example of a “wool church”—one
built by the wealth gathered through the wool trade.
Reproduced by permission of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of
England.
called Early English, since it exhibits certain features that are unique to the country.
Salisbury Cathedral is perhaps the best example of an Early English cathedral,
since it was constructed during a relatively short span of time and exhibits few
features from any other period. It has large numbers of tall, narrow windows, called
lancets because they resemble a surgeon’s instrument. Flying buttresses were used
to help carry the weight of the stone vaults down to the ground. The buttresses
made it possible to have thinner exterior walls, with more space given over to windows.
The great spire of Salisbury, visible for miles around, was not part of the
original plan but was added in the fourteenth century. Its weight created structural
diffi culties that still present problems, but few would deny its exceptional beauty
or its importance as a symbol of the cathedral’s presence. The cathedral at Wells, in
southwest England, is notable for the three hundred magnifi cent statues carved in
the thirteenth century to adorn its facade. Much of Westminster Abbey was rebuilt
in the Early English style during the reign of Henry III. Lincoln Cathedral is another
great edifi ce of this era.
The earlier part of the fourteenth century saw the introduction of the Decorated
style. Buildings of this age, like Exeter Cathedral and the choir of Wells, display larger
windows with elaborate, fanciful patterns of stone tracery. More elaborate vaulting