Spire light

Lucarne on the church spire of St Botolph's Church, Ratcliffe on the Wreake, England

Spire light (Fr. lucarne), the term given to the windows in a spire which are found in all periods of English Gothic architecture, and in French spires form a very important feature in the composition.^[1]

There is an early example in the spire of the cathedral at Oxford; they are not glazed, and have occasionally, if of large size, transoms to strengthen the mullions.^[1]

The term lucarne is used in France to mean "dormer window". They take many different forms which distinguishes the form of small roof above the window: "à chevalet" (straight lucarne), lucarne avec saillie and lucarne "à la capucine" (or with receding roof).

References

^ ^a ^b One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Spire Light". Encyclopædia Britannica. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 693.

[EB1911-1] One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Spire Light". Encyclopædia Britannica. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 693.

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