The Seven Periods of English Architecture Defined and Illustrated

Church windows provide Edmund Sharpe with a practical way to sort the history of English architecture. He proposes seven periods in place of the familiar four, arguing that important groups of buildings need clearer names and boundaries. His introductory discussion explains why changing an established vocabulary can be troublesome, then sets out the reasons for a more detailed scheme. The book follows English church building from the Heptarchy to the Reformation.

The illustrated study moves from the Saxon and Norman periods through successive forms of pointed architecture. In its account of the Transitional period, Sharpe examines lighter columns, leaf ornaments on capitals, and the different uses of round and pointed arches. Cathedral examples and measured drawings connect the terminology to actual structures. For readers interested in old churches, the appeal lies in this close attention to visible details and in the chance to see how an architectural classification is built.