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Including Glossary of terms and church architectural periods.

His image can be found in almost any part of the church so use the following information only as a general guide.

Most images of the Green Man are found in religious buildings in Great Britain and Europe. There are exceptions though so it is worth looking at carvings on old buildings. The Victorian era saw somewhat of a revival in Green Man carvings.

Many churches have ornate roof bosses and some, for example those in Norwich and Ely Cathedrals are richly carved. A pair of binoculars can help as some roof bosses can be pretty high up! The same applies to the outside of course.

As well as the Green Man there are many examples of Green Animals including lions and cats to be found in churches. You will find examples of these as well as 'true' Green Man carvings on the Green Man East Anglia website.

In the search for the Green Man you will be rewarded by visiting some fascinating places and many beautiful churches and other buildings. East Anglia is famed for it's round tower churches ( round because of the lack of suitable building stone in the area. Flint was used to construct the towers and could be made stronger by building them in the round). There are approximately 185 round tower churches in Britain. East Anglia has 120 in Norfolk and 42 in Suffolk. There are 659 medieval churches in Norfolk alone, which is the greatest concentration anywhere in the world.

Below is a glossary of terms which may help in your search. The list has descriptions of areas, in the church, where the Green Man is usually to be found with other terms that you may come across in church guide books.

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Architrave In Classical architecture, the beam resting on the columns.
Capital The cap or crown to a column usually heavily decorated.
Chancel Eastern part of a church containing the choir and main alter.
Chantry Chapel Mediaeval chapel endowed for the celebration of masses.
Chevron Zig-zag decorative moulding used in Norman architecture.
Clerestory Windows near the ceiling in a high room or hall.
Cloister An inner courtyard or central square closed by the four sides of a church, cathedral or monastery.
Corbel A projecting bracket, sometimes carved and decorated. Used to help support weight from above.
Crossing The central space at the intersection of the nave and transept of a church, usually beneath the tower.
Crypt Underground room usually below the east end of a church.
Finial The top or finishing stone of a pinnacle.
Gargoyle A spout usually carved in the shape of an animal or demon sometimes a Green Man, and connected to a gutter for throwing rain water from the roof of the building. 
Grotesque A carving usually of a demon, dragon, or half human/half animal, serving no utilitarian purpose. Often confused with gargoyles.
Hammer-beam roof A roof constructed of timber brackets (hammer-beams) that support a trussed roof. These eliminate the need for tie-beams.
Lady Chapel The easternmost chapel of a cathedral, intended for quiet contemplation and the occasional special service.
Misericord Projection on under-side of hinged seat in choir stall, serving when seat is turned up to support person standing. 
Nave The main body of a church or cathedral. Sometimes defined as the central aisle only.       In Latin the word nave means ship.
Niche A recess in a wall for the reception of a statue.
Oratory Small chapel used for private prayer.
Perpendicular style The name given to late 15th century English Gothic architecture as lines became longer and more elaborate. Also known as flamboyant style.
Pinnacle A slender pointed summit placed on top of buttresses, gables etc.
Piscina Perforated stone basin for carrying away water, used in rinsing of chalice etc. in religious ceremony.
Poppy head Carved finial crowning end of seat. The word derives from the Old French 'puppis' meaning a figure head. Norfolk and Suffolk are particularly rich in poppy head bench end carvings.
Porch A projecting enclosed doorway, usually a side entrance located at the north and south transepts of a cathedral.
Quoin A corner stone.
Reredos The wall or screen behind the altar usually ornamental with painting or carving.
Rood  

Rood Screen

A cross or crucifix placed between the chancel and nave. A rood screen separates the two parts of the church and is often painted or carved.
Sanctuary Most sacred part of the chapel, around the altar.
Sedilia Seats for clergy.
Spandrel Triangular space between the curved parts of two adjoining arches. Also the triangular space between the underside of a staircase and the floor. 
Stalls Elaborate seating for the choir, situated in the chancel.
Tie-beam The horizontal beam connected to the feet of rafters to prevent them from spreading out under the weight of the roof.
Tracery Ornamental stonework most often seen supporting window glass in the form of trifoils and cinquefoils. Sometimes used merely as decoration on panels and mouldings and then called 'blind' tracery.
Transept In cathedral architecture the north and south projections or 'arms' of the cross.
Trifoil Tracery in three foils.
Tympanum A panel above a main portal or doorway, usually heavily decorated.
Vault Stone ceiling formed like arches. A rib is a projecting feature of a vault and is sometimes structural or can be ornamental.

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CHURCH  ARCHITECTURAL PERIODS

Anglo-Saxon Most buildings of this period were constructed from wood and few have survived. The stone built buildings have interesting decoration
Norman

 

Early English

12th century.  Characteristics of this style are; round arches, barrel vaults, walls decorated with interlacing arches and arcades, highly decorated doorways and plenty of mouldings.

1189 - 1272 Squat, bulky buildings gave way to taller, lighter construction.

Early mediaeval

Decorated period

13th - 14th centuries. Larger windows began to appear and much more in the way of decorative features and tracery.
Late mediaeval

Perpendicular

15th - 16th centuries.

A more simplistic period, Buttresses were now deeper which allowed even larger windows. Fan vaulting was perfected and tracery was at it's most elegant.

Post reformation 17th - 18th centuries. Columns, cornices, pediments, architrave windows and elegant  proportions.
Victorian restoration 19th century. This period saw architects adopt a gothic revival as well as other styles

 

 

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