heavy cylindrical column disappears; and the Pier con-sists of a lighter mass of semicircular shafts, and squareedges ; occasionally also, a shaft having a pear-shapedsection is substituted for the semicircular shaft.
The Capitals consist still of a square block, mouldeddown to the circular form below ; with this difference,however, that the lower part of the capital is holloweddown to the circle, instead of being left as in the Nor-man period, full and round ; the latter shewing a convex,and the former a concave profile. Both the larger andthe smaller Capitals have also very frequently an orna-ment peculiar to the Period, which consists of a smallvolute, forming the curled end of a plain leaf, whichenfolds the bell of the Capital. This volute may belooked upon as one of the most characteristic featuresof the Period. The abacus of the capital is invariablysquare in plan, and has its upper edge (except in afew of the latest examples) also square in section.
In the later buildings of the Period, foliage, exhibit-ing considerable freedom of design, is occasionally to beseen.
The Pointed Arch first made its appearance in theTransitional Period; in the earlier buildings it is usedin the Arches of Construction only, or those constitutingthe framework of the building, such as the Pier-archesand the Arches of the Vaulting , and of the Crossing;whilst the Circular Arch is used in the Arches of De-coration only, or those which may be said to constitutethe panel-work, such as the windows, the arcades, thedoorways, and such like. In the later buildings of thePeriod, however, the Pointed Arch is frequently found insome of the smaller arches also.
The Pier-arches, therefore, are almost invariablypointed, in the earlier examples obtusely, and in thelater examples often acutely; the mouldings, which havebecome much lighter, are few and plain; carrying usuallyis