Gothic revival style
The Gothic Revival style is part of the mid-19th century picturesque and romantic movement in architecture, reflecting the public's taste for buildings inspired by medieval design.
This was a real departure from the previously popular styles that drew inspiration from the classical forms of ancient Greece and Rome. While distinctly different, both the Gothic Revival style and the Greek Revival style looked to the past, and both remained popular throughout the mid 19th century.
This style was promoted as an appropriate design for rural settings, with its complex and irregular shapes and forms fitting well into the natural landscape. Thus, the Gothic Revival style was often chosen for country homes and houses in rural or small town settings, particularly in America.
The Gothic Revival style was also popular for churches, where high style elements such as castle-like towers, parapets, and tracery windows were common, as well as the pointed Gothic arched windows and entries.
The Carpenter Gothic style is a distinctive variation of Gothic Revival, featuring vertical board and batten wooden siding, pointed arches and incised wooden trim. The name comes from the extensive use of decorative wood elements on the exterior.
The most commonly identifiable feature of the Gothic Revival style is the pointed arch, used for windows, doors, and decorative elements like porches, dormers, or roof gables.
Other characteristic details include steeply pitched roofs and front-facing gables with delicate wooden trim called vergeboards or bargeboards. This distinctive incised wooden trim is often referred to as 'gingerbread' and is the feature most associated with this style.
Gothic Revival style buildings often have porches with decorative turned posts or slender columns, with flattened arches or side brackets connecting the posts. Gothic Revival style churches may have, not just pointed arch windows and porticos, but often feature a Norman castle-like tower with a crenellated parapet or a high spire.
Later in the 19th century, Gothic Revival details were mixed with elements of other Victorian-era styles to become a style known as the Victorian Gothic. In the early 20th century, a distinct variation of the Gothic Revival style, known as the Collegiate Gothic style, developed primarily for educational buildings.
--Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Architectural styles.
- Boss (medieval architecture).
- Classical revival style.
- Colonial Revival style.
- Crenellations.
- Crocket.
- Edwardian architecture.
- English Perpendicular architecture.
- Flèche.
- Gargoyle.
- Grotesque.
- Hunky punk.
- Italian Renaissance revival style.
- Machicolation.
- Monument and context.
- Nineteenth century building types.
- Oxford Movement.
- Palace of Westminster.
- Picturesque movement.
- Pinnacle.
- Queen Anne style.
- Regency style.
- Rose window.
- Rule of thumb.
- Stick style.
- Spanish Colonial revival style.
- Strawberry Hill House.
- Tudor revival style.
IHBC NewsBlog
BRE/BEIS project to modernise home energy rating scheme
The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has announced a new project with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to improve and modernise the home energy rating scheme used to measure the energy and environmental performance of UK homes.
Interdisciplinary IHBC accreditation recognised by CSCS for PQP Cards
Sector lead the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has recognised the IHBC’s professional accreditation and support (CPD etc.) in awarding its PQP (Professionally Qualified Person) cards.
IHBC Heritage Marketplace provides learning-led virtual engagement
The IHBC’s 2022 Aberdeen School Heritage MarketPlace (4.30-7.30PM, 15 June) is designed to extend the scope of a traditional IHBC School exhibition floor.
Unearthing the history of Gloucester’s 'the Fleece' Hotel starts
Work to repair a fire-hit medieval hotel in Gloucester is underway as crews have started work to strip back some of the modern trappings and reveal the historic framework.
Booking Open for IHBC Annual School: Aberdeen, 16-18 June 2022
Options for in-person and virtual delegates to explore ‘heritage on the edge’ across up to 4 days of IHBC engagement & learning.
European Heritage Heads Forum statement on Ukraine
The Secretariat to the European Heritage Heads Forum has has coordinated its declaration of solidarity and support for Ukraine’s cultural heritage institutions.
Welcome to #IHBC25 – 25 years since we turned professional
2022 will see the IHBC mark a quarter of a century since our incorporation as a professional body supporting and accrediting built and historic environment conservation specialists. We’re kick-starting it by inviting your ideas on how to mark this special year!
IHBC launches new Guidance Note on ‘Design sources for historic building conservation'
The IHBC’s latest Guidance Note adds to the institute’s open-access, online practitioner’s Toolbox.
England’s communities empowered to shape design of neighbourhoods
Twenty-five areas in England from Bournemouth to Carlisle have been awarded a share of £3 million to help them set their own standards for design locally. "move from a vicious circle of generic development to a virtuous circle of regenerative development".
IHBC at COP26 - Conserving our Places Conserves our Planet - Podcast
The IHBC seeks to raise awareness and understanding of how building conservation philosophy and practice contributes towards meeting the challenge of climate change.