Glossary
Explore the tags behind the database.
Each glossary entry explains one of the period or feature tags used across Churchbase, with example churches and supporting imagery where available.
Periods And Dates
Architectural eras and century tags used across the database.
Influence from the Roman era often survives through reused masonry, buried foundations, and planning principles that...
Churches from the Saxon era are recognised by their tall, narrow proportions, distinctive long‑and‑short quoins, and...
The architectural transformation following 1066 introduced massive stone construction, round arches, and bold sculptu...
Church architecture of the Tudor period represents the final flowering of the medieval tradition, characterised by fo...
The eleventh century marks a moment of transition, where late SAXON building habits met the emerging architectural la...
The twelfth century represents the height of Romanesque building, with thick walls, rounded arches, and bold CARVINGS...
The thirteenth century saw the rise of Early English Gothic, a style defined by pointed arches, lancet windows, and a...
Edward III oversaw a boom in church-building by granting licenses and endowments to parish corporations and guilds. T...
The fifteenth century represents the height of Perpendicular Gothic, characterised by strong vertical lines, large wi...
The sixteenth century bridges late medieval tradition and early TUDOR religious change. Early C16 churches continued...
The seventeenth century reflects the influence of post‑Reformation identity, civil conflict, and the rise of Puritan...
Features And Motifs
Recurring carvings, fittings, imagery, and decorative subjects.
Angelic figures appear in nearly every medium of church art, from stone CARVINGS and painted walls to luminous STAINE...
Imagery of the Apostles appears throughout medieval churches in STAINED GLASS, WALL PAINTINGS, and carved FIGURES, fo...
Engraved memorial plates set into floors or walls provide some of the most detailed surviving images of medieval patr...
Sculptural decoration in medieval churches appears in stone, wood, and occasionally metal, ranging from capitals and...
Human representations in medieval churches encompass saints, donors, biblical characters, and allegorical beings. The...
Baptismal vessels from the early medieval period often survive as some of the oldest furnishings in a church, with ma...
Grotesque water spouts carved from stone serve both practical and symbolic roles on medieval churches. Their exaggera...
Foliate heads known as Green Men appear in CARVINGS, roof bosses, and occasionally MISERICORDS, symbolising renewal,...
Funerary heraldic panels displayed after a person's death became common in the C17, though their roots lie in earlier...
Stands designed to hold the Bible for public reading appear in both brass and wood, with many surviving examples dati...
The medieval period spans the C11 to the C15, encompassing Romanesque, Gothic, and Perpendicular styles. Churches fro...
Small hinged seats in choir stalls conceal some of the most imaginative CARVINGS in medieval woodwork. These miserico...
Commemorative structures in churches range from medieval effigies to elaborate C16 and C17 wall memorials. Earlier ex...
Representations of Old Testament prophets frequently appear as scroll‑bearing FIGURES in medieval churches, often pai...
Raised platforms for preaching became increasingly prominent after the Reformation, reflecting the shift toward scrip...
Screens separating nave and chancel became some of the most visually commanding elements of late MEDIEVAL interiors,...
Heraldic panels displaying the arms of the reigning monarch became mandatory in English churches after the Reformatio...
Carvings depicting female figures with exaggerated anatomical features appear on some Romanesque or early C12 churche...
Coloured glass windows form one of the most iconic elements of medieval church decoration, reaching artistic maturity...
Decorative floor tiles from the C13 and C14 add a patterned layer to medieval church interiors. Many feature geometri...
Painted decoration once covered vast areas of medieval church interiors, creating a vivid narrative environment for w...