Tintern Abbey

Tintern Abbey belongs to the transitional period between Early English and Decorated. A Cistercian foundation, Tintern completely rebuilt its abbey church, infirmary, and living quarters at the end of the thirteenth century. It became the practice to group two or more lancet windows under one containing arch, and to fill the space above with foiled openings, thus further lightening the structure. By the end of the century, the heads of windows were being filled with geometric patterns which give the term Geometric Lancet to describe this next stage in development. The stonework of the window had now been reduced to little more than a window bar, and its potential as a silhouette had been exploited to the full.