A mansion in the Tudor Style affords the best example of the excellence of Gothic architecture for domestic purposes. The roof often rises boldly here, instead of being concealed by the parapet wall, and the gables are either plain or ornamented with crockets. The windows are divided by mullions, and are generally enriched with tracery in a style less florid than that employed in churches, but still sufficiently elegant to give an appearance of decoration to these parts of the building. Sometimes the low, or Tudor arch, is displayed in the window-heads, but most commonly the square-headed window with the Gothic label is employed. Great latitude is allowed in this particular, as well as in the size of the window, provided the general details of style are attended to. Indeed, in the domestic architecture of this era, the windows and doors are often sources of great architectural beauty, instead of being left mere bare openings filled with glass, as in the Classic styles. Not only is each individual window divided by mullions into compartments whose tops are encircled by tracery; but in particular apartments, as the dining-hall, library, etc., these are filled with richly stained glass, which gives a mellow, pleasing light to the apartment. Added to this, the windows, in the best Tudor mansions, affect a great variety of forms and sizes. Among these stand conspicuous the bay and oriel windows. The bay-window, which is introduced on the first or principal floor, in most apartments of much size or importance, is a window of treble or quadruple the common size, projecting from the main body of the room in a semi-octagonal or hexagonal form, thereby affording more space in the apartment, from the floor to the ceiling, as well as giving an abundance of light, and a fine prospect in any favorite direction. This, while it has a grander effect than several windows of moderate size, gives a variety of form and outline to the different apartments, that can never be so well attained when the windows are mere openings cut in the solid walls. The oriel-window is very similar to the bay-window, but projecting in a similar manner from the upper story, supported on corbelled mouldings. These windows are not only elegant in the interior, but by standing out from the face of the walls, they prevent anything like too great a formality externally, and bestow a pleasing variety on the different fronts of the building.
