tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4228081722487474323.post4481113506007009083..comments2024-03-25T15:10:13.792+00:00Comments on English Buildings: Earls Barton, NorthamptonshirePhilip Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893714514416441572noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4228081722487474323.post-22940561432781309932015-10-06T14:54:42.663+01:002015-10-06T14:54:42.663+01:00Yes. These people were quite sophisticated enough ...Yes. These people were quite sophisticated enough to build in stone and develop a style of stone decoration that they were happy with. I'm sure you're right about the defence aspect. Wooden floors would of course have been vulnerable to attack by fire too.Philip Wilkinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04893714514416441572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4228081722487474323.post-10484415052001846512015-10-06T14:09:32.926+01:002015-10-06T14:09:32.926+01:00Saxon towers are not totally rare - quite a crop i...Saxon towers are not totally rare - quite a crop in North Norfolk, in my estimation. Never used for defensive purposes, as far as I can tell, and would probably be pretty rotten for that use - the enemy could simply smoke you out. Most church towers are follies pure and simple - built for the glory of God and to make vertical points in an otherwise horizontal landscape - but have no liturgical function whatsoever. Even the bells are decorative, unless a sanctus bell for use at the Consecration. You are absolutely right about the pilaster strips, etc. NOT being an imitation of wood: there are stone churches from just after circa 600 (St Augustine's Abbey site, Canterbury) and numerous Continental examples from the early period for them to imitate. Wherever you find wooden churches, e.g. in S.E.Poland, New Zealand, the builders often strive hard to make them look like stone - and certainly don't add little sticks in the Earls Barton manner as decoration! I have some soft stone in a bag from near the Earls Barton tower - this is so friable, that I believe the builders must have been skilful enough to select much STRONGER pieces for the pilaster strips - not primitive stone-working, but, on the contrary, VERY sophisticated. And what's more, still standing, and not much of it worn away! Joseph Biddulph (Publisher)https://www.blogger.com/profile/08655472675410890012noreply@blogger.com