Styles Of Architecture Gothic Architecture

Date Published:

27/06/2008

Gothic Revival

Are you lucky enough to own a Gothic Revival house? Inspired by the original Gothic period, it will look all the better if it is restored and maintained with some thought for its original features and colour schemes. So, what is the Gothic Revival style?

By Sacha Markin

Is Your House Gothic Revival?

Original Gothic architecture – circa 1150 to 1550 – can be divided into a range of styles including Norman Gothic, Early English Gothic, Decorated Gothic and Perpendicular Gothic, and the style was also revived in the 18th and 19th centuries, which is obviously far more common today than the original. This re-emergence – Gothic Revival (sometimes called Victorian Gothic, Mock Gothic or Neo Gothic) – revived many of the ideas and themes from the Middle Ages.

Why Do Gothic Revival Houses Look Like They Do?

The heyday of the revival was largely between 1855 and 1875, when some Victorians reacted against the classical styles of the day and opted for the ‘ecclesiastical’ trend. So although the style began principally in churches and public buildings, by the 1860s it was influencing many properties and Gothic Revival homes were popping up all over the country. Inspired by the architecture of churches and castles, the pointed gables, arched roofs and high ceilings together with stained glass, were an intrinsic part of the revival.