From the start of church buildings to present day, the architecture of churches has changed quite a bit. The church started off really traditional with its typical chapel and steeple building, but in modern times the building has become more culturally attractive and not so old fashion. Today they have churches in schools, community centers, and basements, where are in the past, they never would have even thought to do this. Even the supplies used to make the church buildings has changed from using wood to build simple one or two celled buildings to using iron and steel with concrete to make ultra modern extravagant churches. Though churches are built different with the different denominations of Christian and Catholic they all still change in the same ways. Times of churches being built from 475 A.D. (3) to present day. The three main time periods of when churches were built, that will be talked about will be the Medieval Ages, the Renaissance and Post-Modern. The Medieval ages ranged from the fifth century to the fifteenth century, the Renaissance ranged from the fifteenth century to the seventeenth century and the Post-Modern Age ranges from the seventeenth century to present day. All of which have small time periods and different ways of building churches.
First came the Medieval Ages when churches were first formed. The first church was built in 475 AD in Syria it was very simple with brick walls and one room for everyone to gather and worship. In 600-1066 was the Saxon Periods when churches were simple, single or two celled buildings with the entrance at the west; often in wood, but later in stone. Complete churches of this period survive at Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire and Escomb, Country Durham. (1) Next was the Anglo-Saxon period in the 800-1086 ,which over lapped for a number of years, most of the Saxon work was crude, with small deep-set windows, sometimes round-headed, sometimes triangular; rounded arches; long and short angle stones; surface strip work and, occasionally, interlaced carving. Just from the Saxon period to the Anglo Saxon the detailing in the framework had already started to differ.(4) Norman times ranged form 1050-1200, the churches were built with a rounded arch that continued but evolved varied and vigorous moldings, especially for doors and windows. Round pillars were frequent; towers were mostly square; vaults were barrel-roofed; and the general affect was solid and impressive. Aisles were added later in the period. Norwich Cathedrals which had aisles, moldings and round pillars of which this time period explain was form this Norman period. At the same time as the Norman period the Transitional period took place at 1050-1200. The term transitional was applied for the later forms of Norman Gothic. This long period exists from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries because of the Early English and Decorated embodied styles. Next starts to come when the Gothic styling of churches started to come out. Eleven hundred-seventy to the thirteen hundreds started the Gothic trend in the Early English Period. This was the first period of English Gothic church architecture. These buildings would have a marked contrast, with pointed arches, lancet windows and without mullions. Having the moldings deeply cut, having delicate carving of foliage and dog-toothed ornamentation was popular. The cruciform plan became more common in larger churches and elsewhere chancels were lengthened. Decorated period for Gothic churches were in about 1272-1350. In these churches the window tracery developed and became very decorative with the windows becoming wider and sub-divided by mullions. The roofs that were made of wood and became less steep and often had detailed cravings. Arcade pillars were more slender, vaulting more complex. The last period in the Medieval Ages is the Perpendicular period which was also part of the Gothic period was from 1350-1539. The emphasis of the vertical line was most prominent.
