Ball flower
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Ballflower_Gloucester.jpg/220px-Ballflower_Gloucester.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/St_Mary%2C_Bloxham%2C_Oxon_-_Capital_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1606470_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-St_Mary%2C_Bloxham%2C_Oxon_-_Capital_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1606470_%28cropped%29.jpg)
in St Mary's Church, Bloxham, in Oxfordshire
The ball-flower (also written ballflower) is an architectural ornament in the form of a ball inserted in the cup of a flower. It came into use in the latter part of the 13th century in England and became one of the chief ornaments of the 14th century,[1] in the period known as Decorated Gothic.[2]
Ball-flowers were generally placed in rows at equal distances in the hollow of a moulding, frequently by the sides of mullions.[1] Examples are found in many churches of the period including Gloucester Cathedral; St Mary's Church, Bloxham; St. Michael's Church, Swaton (c. 1300);[3] and Tewkesbury Abbey (c. 1330).[4] The presence of ball-flowers on the west part of Salisbury Cathedral has helped date this facade to the 14th century.[5]
References
- ^ a b
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Ball-flower". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 270.
- ^ Gibbs, W. J. R. (1931). English History Notes from the Earliest Times to the League of Nations. Cambridge University Press. p. 55.
- ^ Gardner 1922, p. 216
- ^ Gardner 1922, p. 177
- ^ Gleeson White (898). Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Salisbury (2nd ed.) – via Project Gutenberg.
Sources
- Gardner, Samuel (1922). A guide to English Gothic architecture. The University press.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)
- Picture of ball-flowers outlining a window of Gloucester Cathedral
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- Acanthus
- Antefix
- Arabesque
- Ball flower
- Bead and reel
- Blackamoor
- Branchwork
- Bucranium
- Buta
- Cartouche
- Christmas
- Cornucopia
- Curlicue
- Dentil
- Dog-tooth
- Egg-and-dart
- Festoon
- Foil
- Gadrooning
- Garden/Lawn
- Garland bearers
- Girih
- Green Man
- Grotesque
- Guilloché
- Gul
- Hilarri
- Hood
- Interlace
- Lintel
- Margent
- Mascaron
- Meander
- Medallion
- Millefleur
- Molding
- Moresque
- Palmette
- Plant
- Peak
- Puer mingens
- Putto
- Rais-de-cœur
- Rinceau
- Rosette
- Scroll
- Spur
- Strapwork
- Trophy of arms
- Volute (Vitruvian scroll)
- Zellige
![Borromean rings.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Borromean-rings_minimal-overlap.svg/80px-Borromean-rings_minimal-overlap.svg.png)
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