Compared with the rounded Romanesque style , the pointed arch of the Early English Gothic looks more elegant and , more importantly , is better at distributing the weight of the stonework above it . This makes it possible to span higher and wider gaps using narrower columns . Compared with the rounded Romanesque style , the pointed arch of the Early English Gothic looks more elegant and , more importantly , is more efficient at distributing the weight of the stonework above it , making it possible to span higher and wider gaps using narrower columns .