PINNACLE
The pinnacle had two purposes:
Ornamental – adding to the loftiness and verticity of the structure. They sometimes ended with statues, such as in Milan Cathedral.
Structural – the pinnacles were very heavy and often rectified with lead, in order to enable the flying buttresses to contain the stress of the structure vaults and roof. This was done by adding compressive stress (a result of the pinnacle weight) to the thrust vector and thus shifting it downwards rather than sideway.
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs.
Oliver Webb carving ball-flowers for Hereford Cathedral tower.
BALLFLOWER
In architecture a ball-flower is an ornament resembling a ball placed in a circular flower, the three petals of which form a cup round it. They are usually inserted in a hollow moulding. Ball-flower ornaments occur chiefly in the Decorated style of 14th century Gothic architecture, but it sometimes occurs, though rarely, in buildings of the 13th century, or Early English style, as in the west front of Salisbury cathedral, where it is mixed with the tooth ornament: it is however rarely found in that style, and is an indication that the work is late. A flower resembling this, except that it has four petals, is occasionally found in very late Norman work, but it is used with other flowers and ornaments, and not represented in long suits, as in the Decorated style.
