A lancet window is a tall, narrow

window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent ma ...

with a sharp pointed arch at its top. This arch may or may not be a steep lancet arch (in which the compass centres for drawing the arch fall outside the opening). It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a

lance The English term lance is derived, via Middle English '' launce'' and Old French '' lance'', from the Latin '' lancea'', a generic term meaning a wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generic term meaning a spear">wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generi ...

. Instances of this architectural element are typical of Gothic church edifices of the earliest period. Lancet windows may occur singly, or paired under a single moulding, or grouped in an odd number with the tallest window at the centre. The lancet window first appeared in the early French Gothic period (c. 1140–1200), and later in the Early English period of Gothic architecture (1200–1275). So common was the lancet window feature that this era is sometimes known as the "Lancet Period". The term ''lancet window'' is properly applied to single-light windows of austere form, without

tracery Tracery is an architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the stonework elements that support th ...

. Paired windows were sometimes surmounted by a simple opening such as a

quatrefoil A quatrefoil (anciently caterfoil) is a decorative element consisting of a symmetrical shape which forms the overall outline of four partially overlapping circles of the same diameter. It is found in art, architecture, heraldry and traditional ...

cut in

plate tracery Tracery is an architecture, architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of Molding (decorative), moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the s ...

. This form gave way to the more ornate, multi-light traceried window.

Examples

File:High Altar - geograph.org.uk - 1428606.jpg, Early English lancet windows, built 1234, east end of Southwell Minster, Nottinghamshire, England File:The Five Sisters - geograph.org.uk - 770345.jpg, The so-called 'Five Sisters Window' in York Minster: a group of lancets with original grisaille glass. File:Lancet windows, North Transept, Hexham Abbey - geograph.org.uk - 749313.jpg, Lancet windows in Hexham Priory, Northumberland. File:All Saints, Ockham 01.jpg, A group of seven stepped lancets at Ockham church, Surrey.

References

12th-century introductions Gothic architecture Church architecture Windows Architectural elements Lance {{Church-architecture-stub

Examples

See also

References