Elizabethan and Jacobean House Styles (1560 - 1660) Flashcards
House plans: ‘H’ and ‘E’-shaped plans with roughly symmetrical fronts and tall narrow gabled wings and porches facing the approach were distinctive of this period (top). Some of the finest houses were still built around a courtyard with, in the early 17th century, Dutch gables, cupolas, ogee-capped towers and prominent horizontal string courses running around the building being fashionable (bottom).
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Axial stacks: A popular layout for more modest houses in the south and east during this period and slightly later elsewhere was to position the chimney stack centrally, with fireplaces facing into the two ground floor rooms. The entrance door opened into one side and the stairs were usually fitted on the other.
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Hatfield House, Hertfordshire: Dutch gables, cupolas, twinned columns flanking porches, and semi-circular doorways were Classical details which found their way onto some of the finest houses.
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Decorative beams: Important timber-framed urban houses could be finished with decorative panels and jetties, with the main horizontal beam moulded rather than plain and in some cases supported with carved brackets.
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Decorative windows: Windows with patterned glass were popular in the finest houses, although diamond-shaped leaded panes were more common. Many originally had a central thin metal stanchion fitted behind as a security measure and to help strengthen the fragile leaded pane. It was common for only one of the lights to be hinged so it could swing open for ventilation (bottom centre).
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Doorways: An entrance to a large house with labels of some of the features which can be found from the late 16th and early 17th century. Although most doors were formed of planks and battens, some of the finest Jacobean houses had richly decorated panelled doors.
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Mullioned and transomed windows: Larger mullioned and transomed windows could be long or tall with numerous lights (the single opening between mullions or transoms into which a set of panes were fixed). Some had smaller windows flanking on either side. It was still common for a label or hood mould to run over the top of these windows.
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Doors: On many houses four-centred arched doorways and mullioned windows were still fitted. These are more likely now to have moulding around them and diamond-leaded glass. The door was usually a plank and batten type with vertical fillets covering the joints and long strap hinges.
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Porches: Tall, narrow porches with Classical decorations stacked upon each other were common on larger houses, as with this rather clumsy assortment! Semi-circular arched doorways were also popular for the important entrances to this class of house.
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Chimneys: Chimneys continued to be tall and thin, arranged in groups of two or more. There was a wider variety of forms on the finest houses, including cylindrical (left) and later more rectangular types often with jetties of brick at the top (right).
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Strapwork: Flat, plain decorative bands in geometric shapes and raised just above the surface of walls and known as strapwork were a distinctive feature of late 16th and early 17th century houses. Parapets with open geometric shapes or the name of the owner were also popular at this time.
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Plaster ceiling: The finest houses might have a plaster ceiling fixed off the beams. Elizabethan examples tended to have geometric patterns (left and middle) which became deeper in the Jacobean period (right).
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Stairs: A well staircase from a large house with (A) risers, (B) treads, (C) the newel post, (D) balusters, (E) a closed string (with the risers and treads running into it). A dog gate (F) was still to be found in some houses to stop them getting up to the private chambers. Jacobean houses were noted for their highly elaborately carved newel posts, finials and balusters.
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Beamed ceilings: Most ceilings at this date had the beams, joists, and boards of the above floor exposed. The edges of the main timber pieces were chamfered or, as in this case, with a moulding finishing in a decorative stop. Finer examples might have a central boss, painted boards inserted between the beams or the joists arranged at different angles to form a chequerboard pattern.
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Splat balusters: More modest houses sometimes had balusters cut from a plank (splat balusters) rather than turned or carved, which usually had a mirrored profile tapering from top to bottom.
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Panelling: Square panelling was still popular in the finest houses, now with either plain, fielded (C) or geometric patterns. A frieze along the top was common with arcading (A) and moulding around the upper and side edges (B) and plain at the bottom (E) for ease of dusting. Strapwork could often be found for decorative details (D).
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Classical panelling: In large Jacobean houses elaborate Classically proportioned panelling with columns, arches and strapwork could be found.
Yorke, Trevor. British Architectural Styles (England’s Living History) . BookMasters. Kindle Edition.
Fireplaces: Important fireplaces in this period often had decorative overmantels above them with rich carving, as in this example. The fireplace opening itself tended to be simple with a square or flat four-centred arch opening and chamfered edges.
Yorke, Trevor. British Architectural Styles (England’s Living History) . BookMasters. Kindle Edition.
