8-4Architecture

Architecture and Interior Decoration WHAT WERE COMMON FORMS OF ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DECORATION IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND? //Answer prepared by James Lueken//

Architecture was very elaborate and sophisticated in Elizabethan times. The houses from the time were constantly distinctive and built to last. Middle class lodging was usually held up by vertical timbers supported by diagonal timbers. Mortar, a fine paste that will eventually harden, was then applied to the timbers, and when dry, the mortar was whitewashed. Whitewash is a low costing white paint made from slaked lime and chalk. Thatched roofs were common in this time. Thick bundles of reeds and straw were piled together to make the roof. Dogs, cats, and other small animals would live in the straw to stay warm. When it rained, the roofs became slippery and the animals would fall off. Out of this situation comes the phrase “It’s raining cats and dogs!” Instead of wooden shutters, the people of the time used panes of glass to make rooms lighter and airier. To make stain glass windows was a painstaking process, for each individual piece had to be connected with lead.

The Elizabethan castle was simpler compared to the ornate Gothic style castle. The Gothic castles appeared as medieval looking and usually had lots of towers. Both the architecture and the gardens showed symmetry and beauty. The Elizabethan castle was more for comfort and luxury whereas the Gothic castle was a display of power and dominance. Many of the gardens contained unusual plants and flowers adding to the idea of “a perfect lawn”. Castles no longer had military purposes. Crenellations were not common either because their original purpose was for offensive of defensive reasons. Only private estate could have them with the approval of the reigning monarch. Expensive stones and bricks were used to build these works of art and took a very long time.

Most Elizabethan theaters represented small roman amphitheaters. Others were indoors. Large columns framed these magnificent works of art. Referred to as Herculean, the pillars were painted to resemble marble. The architects of the time deliberately designed the theaters to resemble Roman and Greek architecture. Instead of an earth covered floor, the designers installed cobbled yards to the theaters. Extra viewing areas were added to the drawing board and were transferred into real life. Places like the “Lord’s rooms” and the “Gentleman’s rooms” were reserved for the upper class. The cost of a cushioned seat in these special rooms was 4 or 5 pence-the equivalent of 6 or seven cents today- even though they were placed behind the stage.

Works Cited "Elizabethan Architecture." __Elizabethan Era__. 3 Mar. 2009 .

Shakespeare, William. __A Midsummer Night's Dream (New Folger Library Shakespeare)__. New York: Washington Square Press, 2004.

Stewart, Gail. __Life in Elizabethan London: Elizabethan England (Lucent Library of Historical Eras)__. Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent Books, 2002.