In France the progression of the style is similar, but shows a livelier and bolder development. There a stone vault is always essential, whereas in England open wooden roofs are often adopted with fine result.
MIDDLE POINTED OR DECORATED STYLE IN SCOTLAND.
For the reasons above stated, the middle pointed work in Scotland is somewhat varied from that of England and the Continent, especially in details. It also extends over a longer space of time, and gradually merges into the succeeding or third pointed style.
Until Bruce was firmly established on the throne, church building was entirely at a standstill. But after 1314, architecture received some encouragement from the king and began to revive. Melrose Abbey was especially the recipient of the royal bounty, and during the fourteenth century was, doubtless, in great measure rebuilt. It still retains much of the decorated work of that period, and is amongst our finest examples
[Illustration: FIG. 24.--York Cathedral. West Front. (From Britton’s _Cathedrals_.)]
of the style. Dryburgh Abbey and Crosraguel Abbey were also encouraged in their works of restoration by King Robert, and still show partial specimens of middle pointed architecture. Glasgow Cathedral also still preserves, almost unimpaired, its fine nave of the fourteenth century. The nave and central tower were evidently completed before 1400, as in that year the latter was destroyed by lightning.
The list of churches containing specimens of middle pointed work could be easily extended, and will be fully gone into in the sequel. Meanwhile, the following may be mentioned as undoubtedly exhibiting genuine examples--viz., Sweetheart Abbey and Lincluden College, in Kirkcudbrightshire, which contain portions of early decorated work; Linlithgow Church, rebuilt after 1424, when it was greatly destroyed by fire; Fortrose Cathedral; St. Giles’ Church, Edinburgh; Brechin Cathedral; Elgin Chapterhouse.
The above buildings extend down to about 1450-60, which may be regarded as the limit of the decorated or middle pointed period in Scotland.
The transition to the third pointed style was gradual.
Trinity Collegiate Church, which existed till 1848, in Edinburgh, although not founded till 1462, preserved in the interior the character of good middle pointed work, and is classed by Rickman as a “decorated” structure, But the exterior shows signs of the later style, and this structure, like several others, may therefore be classed as transitional.