King’s College Chapel at the University of Cambridge is an example of a building with barred windows.
Barred windows are windows that are divided into adjacent panes by mullions, which are vertical elements used to partition a space. Studs are especially associated with Gothic design, and some very fine examples of framed doors and windows can be seen in cathedrals and Gothic houses. Many people associate barred windows with romance novels, as people seem to spend a lot of time leaning or looking through barred windows in this type of literature, often in flowing dresses as well.
Originally, studs were structural elements that helped support the weight of the building around them, as well as breaking a window into multiple panes of glass, making installation cheaper. Glass used to be a very expensive building material, and the use of large sheets of glass was unusual because the larger panes of glass were used to make mirrors. Also, construction techniques did not always allow for a large unsupported opening in a building, making huge glass windows impossible and expensive.
Modern barred windows can use non-structural studs made from a variety of materials, although stone is the classic choice. Wood, metal, and plaster can be used to create studs, which can also be decorated with fancy paints or carvings. If a window is divided both horizontally and vertically, these horizontal dividers are called transoms.
It is not uncommon to see stained glass installed in mullion windows. Larger barred windows can be used to illustrate a short story or allegory, especially in church architecture. In this sense, the windows are more decorative than functional, since the stained glass windows obscure the flow of light into the interior of the building. The stud design can also be used in doors, and stone studs are sometimes installed without glass to ventilate a space such as an enclosed patio, creating a sense of security and privacy.
It is important to distinguish between barred windows and windows that are divided into a grid of panes by transoms, sometimes called glazing bars. Barred windows are often unusually shaped and often arched at the top. Barred windows are square or rectangular and the grid is regular, with evenly spaced panes of glass divided into a grid rather than large glass blocks divided by studs or transoms. This grid design is common in sash windows, popular features in Western architecture.
