THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARCHITECTURE IN ESSEX. 179
the exception of those parts that have been damaged, are in good
condition.
Second only in importance to Hedingham is Colchester Castle.
Several battles have been fought over this building, some stoutly
maintaining that it was a Roman temple built by the Romans, whilst
on the other hand papers have been written to prove its Norman
origin. I do not propose to enter minutely into this discussion,
because to examine the question thoroughly and exhaustively would
occupy more time than I can afford out of that at my disposal.
After examining the building many times, and reading the arguments
for and against, I have never been able to come but to one con-
clusion, and that is that this is a building erected for defensive
purposes in the Norman period, and not one erected for religious
purposes in the time of the Romans. It occupies a much larger
area than Hedingham, but is not so lofty, and is not such a fine
piece of masonry.
The transition from Norman to Early English work was very
gradual, insomuch that it is sometimes difficult to place the building
or feature on the right side of the line. For instance, it has often
been said that the distinguishing feature of the Norman style is the
semicircular arch, and that of the Early English the pointed, but I
am disposed to believe that arches not quite semicircular were used
by the Normans. For instance, in the tower of Boreham Church
the windows of the ringing chamber have semicircular heads, whilst
those in the belfry in the stage over have heads slightly pointed, but,
with some few exceptions, we may describe the principal features of
the Early English style, the next division of my subject, as being :
1. The pointed arch.
2. Long narrow windows without mullions, but sometimes
grouped together in threes.
3. The heads of the windows often plain at the commence-
ment of the period, but as it progressed the heads became trefoiled.
4. Columns frequently consisting of small shafts grouped round
a large central shaft.
5. The capitals of columns bell-shaped and decorated with grace-
ful foliage, as distinct from the squat, cushion-like shaped capital of
the Norman column.
6. The foliage of this period is bulbous, very distinct from the
sharp, acanthus-like foliage of a later period.
7. An ornament known as the tooth ornament.
8. As the style progressed the groups of windows began to get