Castle Glossary

Abacus:

Flat portion on top of a capital.

Acanthus:

A Mediterranean plant. The leaves are thick, fleshy, and scalloped. A stylization of the acanthus leaf began in Greek and Roman decoration, especially on the Corinthian capital.

Aisle:

Open area of a church parallel to the nave and separated from it by columns or piers; Space between arcade and outer wall.

Allure:

Wall-walk, passage behind the parapet of a castle wall; Walkway along the top of a wall.

Altar:

In the Roman Church, a table at which the celebration of the Eucharist takes place. It is placed in the most prominent place in the church, usually at the east end, in the choir or sanctuary, facing the main entrance to the church.

Alternation of support:

A system of supports for an arcade or colonnade in which there are two different types of support. The alternation may be quite obvious, between one pier (strong support) and one column (weak support), or it may exist only in slight differences, such as in the treatment of the shafting on each pier.

Ambulatory:

A semicircular or polygonal aisle.  Usually an ambulatory leads around the east end of the choir; separating the choir from apses or chapels; Aisle round an apse.

Applied or engaged column:

A column which is attached to a wall so that only half of the form projects from the wall.

Apse:

A vaulted extension or projection, usually from a choir or chapel and generally circular or polygonal in shape; Rounded and usually of a chancel or chapel.

Arcade:

Row of arches, free-standing and supported on piers or columns.

Arch:

A curved structural member spanning an opening or recess. The wedge shaped elements that make up an arch keep one another in palce and transform the vertical pressure of the structure above into lateral pressure; Can be round-headed, pointed, two-centered, or drop; ogee - pointed with double curved sides, upper arcs lower concave; lancet - pointed formed on an acute-angle triangle; depressed - flattened or elliptical; corbelled - triangular, peaked, each stone set a little further in until they meet, with a large capstone. Parts of an arch: keystone, soffit, spring line, springer, voussoir. Measurements of an arch: rise, span. Related architectural elements: arcade, cusp, hood moulding, spandrel, tympanum.

Architrave:

The lintel or flat horizontal member which spans the space between columns; in classical architecture, the lowest member of an entablature.

Archivolts:

Bands or mouldings (moldings, Am.) surrrounding an arched opening.

Arrow Loop:

A narrow vertical slit cut into a wall through which arrows could be fired from inside.

Ashlar:

Squared blocks of smooth stone neatly trimmed to shape.

Atrium:

An open courtyard at the entrance of a church, usually surrounded by covered aisles. The atrium of the Early Christian church was originally a place for the catechumens to wait during the celebration of the Eucharist.

Aumbry:

Recess to hold sacred vessels; typically in a chapel.

Bailey:

The ward or courtyard inside the castle walls, includes exercise area, parade ground, emergency corral.

Ballflower:

A globular motif often used in concave moldings of English Gothic architecture. It looks like a flower with three (or sometimes four) petals nearly closed over a central ball.

Ballista:

Engine resembling a crossbow, used in hurling missiles or large arrows.

Baluster:

A small column.

Balustrade:

A railing, as along a path or stairway.

Baptismal font:

A receptacle for water, used for baptism.

Baptistery:

A building or part of a church used for baptism.

Barbed Quatrefoil:

A four-lobed geometrical motif with a triangular projection at the intersection of two adjacent foils.

Barbican:

The gateway or outworks defending the drawbridge; An outwork or forward extension of a castle gateway.

Bar Hole:

Horizontal hole for timber bar used as a door-bolt.

Barrel Vault:

Cylindrical roof; The simplest form of a vault, consisting of a continuous surface of semicircular or pointed sections. It resembles a barrel or tunnel which has been cut in half lengthwise. Types of barrel vault: longitudinal.

Bartizan:

An overhanging battlemented corner turret, corbelled out; sometimes as grandiose as an overhanging gallery; common in Scotland and France.

Bar tracery:

Tracery which is composed of thin stone elements rather than thick ones as in plate tracery The glass rather than the stone dominates when bar tracery is used. It gives a more delicate, web-like effect.

Base:

The architectural element on which a column or pier rests. Other parts of columns and piers: abacus or impost block, capital, shaft

Bas-relief:

Sculpture in which the carved forms project only slightly from the background.

Bastion:

A small tower at the end of a curtain wall or in the middle of the outside wall; solid masonry projection; structural rather than inhabitable.

Batter:

A sloping part of a curtain wall. The sharp angle at the base of all walls and towers along their exterior surface; talus.

Battlement:

Parapet with indentations or embrasures, with raised portions (merlons) between: Crenelations; A narrow wall built along the outer edge of the wall walk to protect soldiers against attack; A parapet with alternating openings (embrasures) and raised sections (merlons), used here on castle towers for defense purposes.

Bay:

Internal division of building marked by roof principals or vaulting piers; A unit of interior space in a building, marked off by architectural divisions.

Bead and reel:

A decorative motif consisting of oval motifs alternating with round or elongated bead-shaped motifs. Much used in the ancient world and copied in the Middle Ages.

Beak-head:

An ornamental motif resembling a bird's head with a prominent beak. It was common in English Romanesque architectural decoration.

Belvedere:

A raised turret or pavillion.

Berm:

Flat space between the base of the curtain wall and the inner edge of the moat; level area separating ditch from bank.

Billet molding:

A molding composed wholly or in part of a series of billets

Billets:

Small cubes, cylinders or prisms placed at regular intervals, so that their axis and that of the entire series is parallel to the general direction of the molding.

Bivalate:

A hillfort defended by two concentric ditches.

Blind arcade:

A row of decorative arches applied to a wall; A 'dummy' arcade.

Blind arch:

An arch applied to a wall; A 'dummy' arch.

Block capital:

A simple cube-like capital with bottom corners tapered. The block capital is particularly characteristic of Ottonian and Romanesque architecture in Germany and England. See also capital, column.

Blockhouse:

Small square fortification, usually of timber bond overlapping arrangement of bricks in courses (flemish, dutch, french, etc.)

Bonnet:

Freestanding fortification; priest's cap.

Boss:

A projecting stone at the intersection of the ribs of a vault, often the keystone and frequently carved; Central stone of arch or vault.

Brattice:

Timber tower or projecting wooden gallery; hoarding.

Breastwork:

Heavy parapet slung between two gate towers; defense work over the portcullis.

Bressumer:

Beam to support a projection.

Broch:

Drystone freestanding tower with interior court, no external windows (which face into the court), spiral stair inside wall, typically iron age Celtic refuge in Scotland.

Burg:

German stronghold.

Burh:

Saxon stronghold; literally a "neighborhood".

Buttery:

Next to the kitchen, a room from where wine was dispensed; Room for the service of beverages

Buttress:

Wall projection for extra support; flying - narrow, arched bridge against the structure; pilaster - gradually recedes into the structure as it ascends.

Campanile:

Italian name for a bell tower, usually one that is detached from the main building.

Canon tables:

A table of concordance for two or more parallel texts of the Gospels, usually the one compiled by Eusebius of Caesarea in the fourth century.

Carotid:

Heart-shaped.

Capital:

Decorative element that divides a column or pier from the masonry which it supports; Distinctly treated upper end of a column.

Catacomb:

Subterranean burial chamber used during the Roman Empite. Catacombs were used for burial, not only by Christians, but they are usually associated with Christianity because the Christians held services in the catacombs while they were still persecuted by the Romans (First to early fourth centuries A.D., though the persecution was not always severe at all times during this period). Some of the catacombs are decorated with Christian paintings.

Casemates:

Artillery emplacements in separate protected rooms, rather than in a battery.

Cesspit:

The opening in a wall in which the waste from one or more garderobes was collected.

Centrally-planned building:

A building in which the sides are of equal length and in which the main space is symmetrical when bisected laterally and longitudinally. A centrally-planned building may be square, circular, or polygonal. The most important feature of a centrally-planned building is the open space at the center of the building, developed around a vertical axis.

Ciborium:

A box in which the Host (wafers or bread for the Eucharist) is kept; A canopy resting on columns over the altar.

Cinqfoil:

A five-lobed ornamental shape.

Chalice:

A cup on a stem, used to contain the ecuharistic wine; the same shape was also used in a secular context.

Chamfer:

Surface made by smoothing off the angle between two stone faces.

Chancel:

The space surrounding the altar of a church.

Chancel arch:

The arch which separates the chancel (sanctuary or choir) from the nave of a church.

Chapter house:

A meeting place for the chapter or governing body of a monastery or a cathedral. Other parts of monastery: cloister, refectory, scriptorium

Chemise wall:

Formed by a series of interlinked or overlapping semicircular bastions.

Chevron:

A zig-zag motif. See also other repetative decorative motifs

Choir:

The area of the church between a transept and main apse. It is the area where the service is sung and clergy may stand, and the main or high altar is located. In some churches there is no choir, while in others, the choir is quite large and surrounded by an ambulatory; The part of a cruciform church east of the crossing. Other parts of a church: ambulatory, apse, crossing, east end, nave, transept, west end

Choir screen:

A screen, made of wood or stone, usually decorated with painting orsculpture, which separates the choir from the rest of the church.

Clasping:

Encasing the angle.

Clerestory:

An upper story of a building with windows above adjacent roofs. Other parts of interior elevations: arcade, gallery or tribune, triforium

Cloister:

Part of a monastery; a quadrangle surrounded by covered passages. It connects the domestic parts of the monastery with the church. Usually located on the south side of the church. Other parts of monastery: chapter house, refectory, scriptorium

Cloister vault or segmented dome:

A dome placed over a polygonal base. It is not a semi-sphere, but is formed of curved sections which correspond to the parts of the polygon on which it rests.

Clunch:

Hard chalky material.

Cob:

Unburned clay mixed with straw.

Codex:

pl. codices; A manuscript that is sewn together in the form of a book, with a spine and often a cover. The codex form replaced the scroll as the most common form of manuscript in the Early Christian period.

Coffer:

The sunken area created between the crossing of structural members. Coffers often appear in a flat ceiling or on the interior surface of a dome. They are often the focus of decoration and serve also to lighten the weight of the structure.

Colonnade:

A row of columns which support horizontal members, called an architrave, rather than arches.

Column:

A cylindrical support, usually structural but often decorative; Pillar. Other parts of a column: abacus or impost block, capital, shaft, base.

Composite pier:

A type of pier that is composed not of a single member but has shafts, half-columns, or pilaster strips attached to it. Other types of piers: drum pier

Concentric:

Having two sets of walls, one inside the other.

Confessio:

A type of crypt which consists of a series of linked passages. The most famous confessio crypt during the Middle Ages was that of Old Saint Peter's church in Rome, which contained the tomb os Saint Peter. Other types of crypt: hall crypt

Coping:

Covering stones.

Corbel:

A projection from a wall which sometimes supports (or appears to support) a structural member such as a shaft; A projecting block of stone built into a wall during construction; step-wise construction, as in an arch, roof, etc.

Corinthian capital:

A capital used originally by the Greeks in a system of supports called the Corinthian order. The Corinthian capital was developed further in Roman times and used often in the medieval period, again, without strict adherence to the rest of the system. It is decorated with 3 superimposed rows of carved foliage (acanthus leaves) around the capital. At the comers of the capital there are small volutes; Elaborately foliated capital.

Cornice:

Decorative projection along the top of a wall.

Counterguard:

A long, near-triangular freestanding fortification within the moat.

Counterscarp:

Outer slope of ditch.

Course:

Level layer of stones or bricks.

Crannog:

Celtic Scotland timber-built fortified lake village.

Creasing:

þ-shaped mark on a wall, marking the pitch of a former roof.

Crenel:

The low segment of the alternating high and low segments of a battlement.

Crenelation:

A notched battlement made up of alternate crenels (openings) and merlons (square sawteeth); A parapet with alternating openings (embrasures) and raised sections (merlons), often used on castle walls and towers for defense purposes.

Crocket capital:

A simplified adaptation of the Corinthian capital. The crocket capital was commonly used in the Gothic period. Curling leaf-shaped capital.

Cross and orb:

Modified cross slits to accommodate gunnery.

Cross section:

A diagram showing a building as if it had been cut at right angles to the ground plan.

Crossing:

Area of a church where the at nave, choir, and transept intersect. Other parts of a church: ambulatory, apse, choir, east end, nave, transept, west end

Crossing pier:

In the interior of a building, a support that is placed at one of the corners of the crossing.

Crossing tower:

The tower which sometimes occurs above the space at the intersection of the nave, chancel, and transept of a church.

Crosswall:

Interior dividing wall; structural.

Crownwork:

Freestanding bastioned fortification in front of main defenses.

Crozier:

A staff carried by a bishop, archbishop, abbot or abbess. It is in the shape of a shepherd's crook, and has symbolic significance connected with the New Testament idea of Christ as shepherd of a flock. The crook and staff of the crozier may be heavily decorated.

Crypt:

An underground chamber for relics or tombs. See also catacomb. Types of crypt: confessio, hall crypt

Cubic capital:

A very simple cube-like capital with bottom corners tapered. The block capital is particularly characteristic of Ottonian and Romanesque Germany and England.

Cupola:

Hemispherical armored roof.

Curtain Wall:

A connecting wall hung between two towers surrounding the bailey; A castle wall enclosing a courtyard.

Cushion capital:

Capital cut from a block by rounding off the lower corners.

Cusp:

A curved, triangular-shaped projection from the inner curve of an arch or circle; Curves meeting in a point.

Cut:

Assault tower

Cyclopean:

Drystone masonry, ancient, of huge blocks.

Dado:

Lower part of an interior wall, often decorated with arcading.

Daub:

A mud of clay mixture applied over wattle to strengthen and seal it.

Dead ground:

Close to the wall, where the defenders can't shoot.

Depressed arch:

A flattened arch, slightly pointed on top. It appears in Late Gothic of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Diagonal ribs:

The moldings which mark the diagonals in a rib vault. Other types of ribs: lierne, ridge, tierceron, transverse

Diaper:

A pattern formed by small, repeated geometrical motifs set adjacent to one another, used to decorate stone surfaces in architecture and as a background to illuminations in manuscripts, wall painting or panel painting.

Diaper work:

Decoration of squares or lozenges.

Diaphragm:

Wall running up to the roof-ridge.

Dog legged:

With right-angle bends.

Dog tooth:

An ornamental motif consisting of a square, four-leafed figure, the center of which projects in a point. It was a very populare in Early English (Early Gothic) architecture.

Dog tooth:

Diagonal indented pyramid.

Dome:

A hemispherical vault.

Donjon:

A great tower or keep; The inner stronghold (keep) of a castle; A freestanding defense tower in a castle complex.

Dormer:

Window placed vertically in sloping roof.

Double splayed:

Embrasure whose smallest aperture is in the middle of the wall.

Drawbridge:

A heavy timber platform built to span a moat between a gatehouse and surrounding land that could be raised when required to block an entrance.

Dressing:

Carved stonework around openings.

Drum:

A cylindrical wall which supports a dome.

Drum Pier:

Massive circular support.

Drum Tower:

A large, circular, low, squat tower built into a wall.

Drystone:

Unmortared masonry.

Dungeon:

The jail, usually found in one of the towers.

East end:

Refers to the end of the church where the main altar is placed and where the main part of the service takes place. Generally, medieval churches were oriented toward the east. However, topography of the land or other factors may have prevented an absolute east- west orientation for a church. The term east end, is generally used to describe the area where the main altar is placed in a medieval church, even in those cases where the church is not oriented exactly toward the east.

Ecclesia:

Personification of Church. Often appears with Synagoga (Personification of Judaism) Personifications of the Church (Ecclesia) and Judism (Synagoga). Both appear as female figures- Ecclesia was crowned and holding a chalice and Synagoga was blindfolded and held the Tablets of the Law (the Ten Commandments given to Moses).

Egg and dart:

A repetative decorative motif often used in classical antiquity and copied in the Middle Ages. It consisited of oval (egg-shaped) motifs alternating with dart-like motifs.

Embattled:

Battlemented; crenelated.

Embrasure:

The low segment of the altering high and low segments of a battlement.

Enceinte:

The enclosure or fortified area of a castle; An enclosing wall, usually exterior, of a fortified place.

Escalade:

Scaling of a castle wall

Evangelist symbols:

Symbols for the authors of the four New Testament books which are narratives of the life of Christ. These symbols were very common in manuscripts, sculpture and wall paintings, especially form the Early Medieval through the Romanesque periods. The symbols were: Matthew: angel (man), Mark: lion, Luke: ox, John: eagle.

Fan vault:

A vault which consists of fan-shaped half cones which usually meet at the center of a vault. Other types of vaults: net vault, barrel, groin, quadripartite, sexpartite

Fascine:

Huge bundle of brushwood for revetting ramparts or filling in ditches. Figured or historiated capital: A capital which is decorated with figures of animals, birds, or humans, used either alone or combined with foliage. The figures need not have any meaning, although they may be symbolic or part of a narrative sequence. Historiated capitals were most commonly used in the Romanesque from the late eleventh to mid-twelfth centuries. See also capital, figured or historiated initial See also other types of capital

Figured initial:

an illuminated initial containing a figure, a group of figures, or a narrative scene. Other types of illuminated initial: foliate, inhabited, pen flourished.

Fillet:

Narrow flat band.

Finial:

A slender piece of stone used to decorate the tops of the merlons, spire, tower, balustrade, or other tapering vertical architectural element.

Fleur-de-lis:

Stylized lily which served as symbol for the French monarchy.

Floor plan:

Horizontal cross-section of a building as the building would look at ground level. A ground plan shows the basic outlined shape of a building and, usually, the outlines of other interior and exterior features.

Fluting:

Shallow, concave grooves running vertically on a column, pilaster, or other surface.

Flying buttress:

A free-standing buttress attached to the main vessel (nave, choir, or transept wall) by an arch or half-arch which transmits the thrust of the vault to the buttress attached to the outer wall of the aisle.

Foliate capital:

A capital decorated with foliage elements.

Foliate initial:

An illuminated initial filled with decoration in leaf scroll. Other types of illuminated initial: historiated, inhabited, pen flourished.

Foliated:

Carved with leaves.

Font:

A receptacle for water, used for baptism.

Forebuilding:

A projection in front of a keep or donjon, containing and guarding the stairs to the main entrance.

Fortress church:

A church built so that it might be used for defensive purposes.

Footings:

Bottom part of wall.

Fosse:

Ditch.

Freestone:

High quality sand- or lime-stone.

Fresco:

Painting on wet plaster wall.

Gable:

Wall covering end of roof ridge.

Gallery:

An upper story over the aisle which opens onto the nave or choir. It corresponds in length and width to the dimensions of the aisle below it; Long passage or room.

Garderobe:

A small latrine or toilet either built into the thickness of the wall or projected out from it; Projects from the wall as a small, rectangular bartizan.

Gate House:

The complex of towers, bridges, and barriers built to protect each entrance through a castle or town wall.

Glacis:

A bank sloping down from a castle which acts as a defence against invaders; broad, sloping naked rock or earth on which the attackers are completely exposed.

Great Chamber:

Lord's solar, or bed-sitting room.

Great Hall:

The building in the inner ward that housed the main meeting and dining area for the castle's residence; throne room.

Greek cross:

A cross with four arms of equal length.

Greek key:

An ornamental motif consisting of continuous bands arranged in rectilinear forms.

Groin vault:

A vault produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel (tunnel) vaults. Sometimes the arches of groin vaults may be pointed instead of round.

Groined:

Roof with sharp edges at intersection of cross-vaults.

Grotesque:

A marginal figure or animal, or hybrid combination of human and animal or plant, frequent especially in Gothic manuscript illumination and especially in marginal illumination.

Ground plan:

Horizontal cross-section of a building as the building would look at ground level. A ground plan shows the basic outlined shape of a building and, usually, the outlines of other interior and exterior features.

Half shaft:

Roll-moulding on either side of opening.

Half timber:

The common form of medieval construction in which walls were made of a wood frame structure filled with wattle and daub.

Half timbering:

A method of construction in which the wooden frame and principal beams of a building are exposed, and the spaces between them are covered with plaster or masonry. Usually used in domestic architecture.

Hall:

Principle living quarters of a medieval castle or house

Hall Crypt:

A crypt in the form of a large space of uniform height, subdivided by columns. Other types of crypt: confessio.

Hammer Beam:

A short horizontal beam, usually made of wood, extending from the top of a masonry wall outward towards the center of the enclosed space, but not completely traversing it. The projecting end is usually connected to the roof with a diagonal brace. The protruding ends of hammer beams were often elaborately carved.

Hanging Arch:

An arch which has, or seems to have, no vertical supports.

Hemicycle:

The group of columns, arranged in a semicircular formation, that divide the east end of a choir from the ambulatory.

Herringbone:

Brick or stone laid in alternate diagonal courses.

Hillfort:

Bronze or iron age earthwork defenses of concentric ditches and banks.

Historiated capital:

A capital which is decorated with figures of animals, birds, or humans, used either alone or combined with foliage. The figures need not have any meaning, although they may be symbolic or part of a narrative sequence. Historiated capitals were most commonly used in the Romanesque from the late eleventh to mid-twelfth centuries.

Historiated initial:

An illuminated initial containing a figure, a group of figures, or a narrative scene. Other types of illuminated initial: foliate, inhabited, pen flourished

Hoarding:

Upper wooden stories on a stone castle wall; the living area; sometimes, a temporary wooden balcony suspended from the tops of walls from which missiles could be dropped; The use of covered wooden galleries (or hoards) erected on upper walls of a castle for defensive purposes.

Hood:

Arched covering; when used as umbrella, called hood-mould.

Hood Molding:

A projecting molding on the wall above an arch.

Hornwork:

Freestanding quadrilateral fortification in front of the main wall.

Horseshoe Arch:

An arch shaped like a horseshoe. It is found particularly in Spain or in buildings influenced by Spanish ones.

Illuminated initial:

In manuscript illumination, a highly ornamented letter, usually the first letter of a word. Types of illuminated initial: foliate, historiated, inhabited, pen flourished.

Impost Block:

The slab at the top of a capital between the capital and the architectural member above. Other parts of a column or pier: capital, shaft, column base

Impost:

Wall bracket to support arch.

Infilling or webbing:

The vault surface between the ribs of a rib vault.

Inhabited initial:

an illuminated initial containing animals or human figures such as naked fighters. Other types of illuminated initial: foliate, historiated, pen flourished.

Inner Curtain:

The high wall the surrounds the inner ward.

Inner Ward:

The open area in the center of a castle.

Interlace:

A decorative motif consisting of threads passing aver and under each other like threads in lace.

Intersecting arches:

Arches which cross over each other in an arcade.

Ionic capital:

A capital used originally by the Greeks in a system of supports called the Ionic order. In the medieval period, the capital was often used without a strict adherence to the rest of the system. An Ionic capital has a volute, or a spiral scroll-like carving, on each side as its major decoration. Ionic capitals are relatively rare in medieval buildings.

Jamb:

A vertical element of a doorway or window frame; Side posts of arch, door, or window.

Jamb figures:

Statues carved on the jambs of a doorway or window. Jamb statues were often human figures - either religious figures or secular or ecclesiastical leaders.

Joggled:

Keyed together by overlapping joints.

Joist:

Wall-to-wall timber beams to support floor boards.

Keep:

The inner stronghold of the castle; A strong stone tower; main tower; donjon; stronghold; A freestanding defense tower in a castle complex.

Keystone:

The voussoir at the top of an arch; in vaulting it occurs at the intersection of the ribs of a rib vault. It is important structurally since it marks the apex of the vault; Central wedge in top of arch.

Lancet:

Long, narrow window with pointed head.

Lantern:

Small structure with open or windowed sides on top of a roof or dome to let light or air into the enclosed space below; A small circular or polygonal structure, with windows all around the base, which opens above a larger tower or dome.

Latin cross:

A cross with three short arms and one long arm.

Lattice:

Laths or lines crossing to form a network.

Lias:

Greyish rock which splits easily into slabs.

Lierne:

A minor rib in a complex rib vault. Liernes do not spring from the main springers. Other types of ribs: diagonal, ridge, tierceron, transverse.

Light:

Glazing; component part of window, divided by mullions and transoms.

Linenfold:

decorative motif in the form of a folded piece of linen cloth. Usually carved in low relief.

Lintel:

A flat horizontal beam which spans the space between two supports; Horizontal stone or beam bridging an opening.

Loggia:

An exterior gallery, open on one or more sides, with a colonnade or an arcade.

Longitudinal barrel vault:

a barrel (or tunnel) vault which follows the main longitudinal direction of the nave. Usually when a vault is referred to simply as a barrel (or tunnel) vault, it may be assumed to be a longitudinal barrel vault.

Longitudinal ridge rib:

A rib which runs down the apex of the vault in a longitudinal direction. Other types of ribs: diagonal, lierne,tierceron, transverse.

Longitudinally planned building:

A building developed along a horizontal axis. Contrast with centrally-planned building

Loophole:

Narrow, tall opening; Wall slit for light, air, or shooting through.

Louvre:

Opening in roof (sometimes topped with lantern) to allow smoke to escape from central hearth.

Low relief:

Sculpture in which the carved forms project only slightly from the background.

Lozenge:

A diamond shape.

Machicolation:

A gallery projecting on brackets and built on the outside of castle towers and walls, with openings in the floor through which to drop molten lead, boiling oil, and missiles; A projection in the battlements of a wall with openings through which missiles could be dropped on besiegers.

Mandorla:

An almond-shaped motif in which Christ sits; sometimes used also for the Virgin.

Mangonel:

A form of catapult

Mantlet:

Detached fortification preventing direct access to a gateway; low outer wall.

Mask head:

An animal head employed in conjunction with interlace or foliage motifs.

Mausoleum:

Structure for a tomb.

Meander or Greek key:

An ornamental motif consisting of continuous bands arranged in rectilinear forms.

Memorial brass:

an engraved metal plate used as a commemorative monument. Sometimes these were set vertically, usually in a wall, but usually they were set horizonatlly, flush with the pavement of a church, to mark a tomb. The engraved areas were often filled with pigment.

Merlon:

Part of a battlement, the square "sawtooth" between crenels; The high segment of the alternating high and low segments of a battlement.

Meurtriere:

Arrow loop, slit in battlement or wall to permit firing of arrows or for observation; An opening in the roof of a passage where soldiers could shoot into the room below.

Moat:

A deep trench usually filled with water that surrounded a castle.

Moline:

Ends curling outward.

Monstrance:

Container for eucharistic wafers which contains an opening through which they can be viewed. See also ciborium (definition 1), paten, pxy

Mosaic:

A decoration created by setting small pieces of glass, stone, or marble in a matrix- often concrete. Wall mosaics were most prevelent in the Early Christian and Byzantine periods, during which they were a very important form of wall decoration. See also tessera

Mortar:

A mixture of sand, water, and lime used to bind stones together; as opposed to drylaid masonry.

Motte:

A mound of earth on which a tower was built; artificial conical earth mound (sometimes an old barrow) for the keep

Motte-and-bailey:

A defensive system consisting of a mound of earth (the motte) with a wooden tower on top, placed within a courtyard (the bailey, also called the ward); Earth mound with wood or stone keep, surrounded by ditched and palisaded enclosure (or courtyard).

Moulding:

Masonry decoration; long, narrow, casts strong shadows.

Mullion:

The vertical element that separates the lancets of a window; Vertical division of windows.

Mural:

Wall (adjectival).

Murder Holes:

A section between the main gate and a inner portcullis where arrows, rocks, and hot oil can be dropped from the roof though holes. Provides good cover for defenders and leaves the attacker open. Only used when outer gate has been breach.

Nailhead:

An ornamental motif of small pyramids, said to represent the heads of nails. Very popular in the 12th century.

Narthex:

A low projection at the western end of a church, like a porch. Although narthex is sometimes used synonymously with westwork, a narthex is usually more open and often has only one story in contrast to the more closed westwork with a large open chamber on the upper level.

Nave:

The central longitudinal space of a bascilican church. It is usually flanked on its lond sides by aislas which are separated from the nave by columns or piers. In many churches, the lay congregation stand in the nave to attend religious services; Principal hall of a church, extending from the narthex to the chancel.

Necking:

Ornament at the top of a column, bottom of the capital.

Net vault:

A vault on which a complex of ribs gives a net-like appearance. See also: rib vault. Other types of rib vaults:fan vault, quadripartite rib vault, sexpartite rib vault.

Newel:

Center post of spiral staircase.

Niche:

A recess in the thickness of a wall. Contrast with: apse

Nookshaft:

Shaft set in angle of jamb or pier.

Ogee or ogive arch: An arch with a pointed apex, formed by the intersection of two S curves usually confined to decoration and not used in arcade arches. Ogee arches were used only in the late Gothic period.

Orant (orans) figure: A standing figure with both arms raised. This was a gesture of prayer in the Early Christian period.

Oriel:

A projection from the upper story of a building. Oriels very often contain windows.

Offset:

Ledge marking the narrowing of a wall's thickness.

Oilette:

A round opening at the base of a loophole, usually for a cannon muzzle.

Õlite:

Granular limestone.

Open joint:

Wide space between faces of stones.

Oratory:

Private in-house chapel; small cell attached to a larger chapel.

Order:

One of a series of concentric mouldings.

Oriel:

Projecting room on an upper floor, later an upper-floor bay window; Projecting window in wall; originally a form of porch, usually of wood; side-turret.

Orillons:

Arrowhead bastions.

Outer Curtain:

The wall the encloses the outer ward.

Outer Ward:

The area around the outside of and adjacent to the inner curtain.

Oubliette:

A dungeon reached by a trap door; starvation hole.

Palisade:

A sturdy wooden fence built to enclose a site until a permanent stone wall could be constructed

Palmette:

Looped like a palm-leaf.

Parados:

Low wall in inner side of main wall.

Parapet:

Protective wall at the top of a fortification, around the outer side of the wall-walk or main wall.

Paten:

A plate on which the eucharistic wafer was placed. See also: chalice, ciborium, monstrance, pyx

Pediment:

A triangular space above a window or entrance. Originally the triangular space was formed by the end of a gable roof and later was used decoratively; Low-pitched gable over porticos, doors, windows.

Peel:

A small tower; typically, a fortified house on the border

Pellet:

Circular boss.

Pen flourished initial:

An ornamental initial characterized by abstract, rhythmic patterns, usually drawn in red or blue ink. Pen flourished initials were especially common during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

Pendant:

A hanging architectural member formed by ribs. Not to be confused with pendentive. Pendants of the appear in conjunction with fan vaults.

Pendentive:

A spherical triangle which acts as a transition between a circular dome and a square base on which the dome is set. Contrast with squinch. Do not confuse with pendent

Perpendicular:

English architectural style (1330-1540).

Petit appareil:

Small cubical stonework.

Pier:

An upright support, generally square, rectangular, or composite. In medieval architecture there are massive circular supports called drum piers.

Pilaster:

A true pilaster is a rectangular element of vertical masonry which projects only slightly from the wall and has both a capital and a base.

Pinnacle:

A pointed termination of a spire, buttress, or other extremity of a building. Pinnacles are sometimes ornamented.

Piscina:

Hand basin with drain, usually set against or into a wall.

Pitch:

Roof slope.

Pitching:

Rough cobbling on floor, as in courtyards.

Plate tracery:

Tracery which uses thick areas of stone to separate glozed areas. The window may look as if it had been filled in with stone, then small openings cut through for the glass. The stone rather than the glass dominates the window.

Phylactery:

A scroll or roll (made of parchment), usually shown unfurled, sometimes containing lettering, signifying the Word of God.

Plinth:

Projecting base of wall.

Portal:

Any doorway or entrance but especially one that is large and imposing.

Portcullis:

A heavy timber or metal grill that protected the castle entrance and could be raised or lowered from within the castle. It dropped vertically between grooves to block passage or barbican, or to trap attackers.

Postern Gate:

A side or less important gate into a castle; usually for peacetime use by pedestrians

Processional cross:

A large cross on a staff, carried in processions on feast days of various church holidays.

Prow:

Acute-angled projection.

Puddled:

Made waterproof.

Putlog:

Beams placed in holes to support a hoarding; horizontal scaffold beam.

Putlog Hole:

A hole intentionally left in the surface of a wall for insertion of a horizontal pole.

Pyx:

A small box with a lid to contain the consecrated host.

Quadrangle:

Inner courtyard.

Quadripartite rib vault:

A rib vault which is divided into four sections by two diagonal ribs. See also rib vault.

Quatrefoil:

An ornamental form which has four lobes or foils. It may resemble a four-petaled flower. Quirk: V-shaped nick.

Quoin:

Dressed stone at angle of building.

Ram:

Battering ram

Rampart:

Defensive stone or earth wall surrounding castle.

Rath:

Low, circular ringwork.

Ravelin:

Outwork with two faces forming a salient angle; like in a star-shaped fort.

Rear-arch:

Arch on the inner side of a wall.

Redoubt:

Small self-contained fieldwork, a refuge for soldiers outside the main defenses.

Reeded:

Parallel convex mouldings.

Re-entrant:

Recessed; opposite of salient.

Refectory:

Communal dining hall; A dining room in a monastery.

Relieving arch:

An arch which encloses an arch or a window or other opening. It helps relieve some of the weight on the arch of the opening.

Reliquary:

A container for relics. Often reliquaries were in the form of caskets, though it was quite common for them to be shaped like statues or body parts (such as hands or heads).

Respond:

Half-pier bonded into a wall to carry an arch.

Retable:

An altarpiece, decorated with painting or sculpture which stands at the back of an altar.

Retirata:

Improvised fieldwork to counter an imminent breach.

Revetment:

Retaining wall to prevent erosion; to face a surface with stone slabs.

Rib:

An arch of masonry, often molded, which forms part of the framework on which a vault rests. Ribs generally project from the undersurface of the vault.

Rib vault:

A masonry vault with a relatively thin web and set within a framework of ribs.

Ridge rib or longitudinal ridge rib:

A rib which runs down the apex of the vault in a longitudinal direction.

Ringwork:

Circular earthwork of bank and ditch.

Rise (of an arch or a vault):

The vertical distance between the spring line of an arch or vault and the keystone or boss.

Roll:

Moulding of semi-circular section.

Romanesque:

The prevailing architectural style, 8-12th cent.; massive masonry, round arches, small windows, groin-and barrel-vault.

Roofridge:

Summit line of roof.

Rose window:

A circular window composed of patterned tracery arranged in petal-like formation. Compare with lancet window.

Rubble:

Fill; unsquared stone not laid in courses.

Rustication:

Worked ashlar stone with the faces left rough.

Salient:

Wall projection, arrowhead.

Saltire:

Diagonal, equal-limbed cross.

Sally-port:

Small heavily fortified side door from which the defenders can rush out, strike, and retire.

Sapping:

Undermining, as of a castle wall

Sarcophagus:

A stone coffin, often bearing sculpture, inscriptions, etc.

Scaffolding:

The temporary wooden frame work built next to a wall to support both workers and materials.

Scale:

Carving resembling overlapping fish scales.

Scallop:

Carved in a series of semi-circles.

Scappled:

Cut to a smooth face.

Scarp:

Slope on inner side of ditch.

Screens:

Wooden partition at the kitchen end of a hall, protecting a passage leading to the buttery, pantry, and kitchen.

Screen facade:

A facade which is so highly decorated with sculpture or other decorative elements that it acts as a screen placed in front of the facade. It may seem to hide the face of the building from view.

Scriptorium:

Area in a monastery where books and documents were written, copied, and illuminated. Segmental:

Less than a semi-circle.

Segmented dome or cloister vault:

A dome placed over a polygonal base. It is not a semi-sphere, but is formed of curved sections which correspond to the parts of the polygon on which it rests.

Semi-dome:

A half dome.

Set back/off:

Ledge on wall face.

Sexpartite rib vault:

A rib vault which is divided into six sections by three ribs.

Shaft:

The structural member which serves as the main support of a column or pier. The shaft is between the capital and the base.

Shaft:

Narrow column.

Shell-keep:

Circular or oval wall surrounding inner portion of castle; usually stores and accommodations inside the hollow walls.

Sill:

Lower horizontal face of an opening.

Sleeper:

Lowest horizontal timber (or low wall).

Socle:

A low projecting base for a wall or statue.

Soffit:

The underside of an arch, opening, or projecting architectural element.

Solar:

Originally a room above ground level, but commonly applied to the great chamber or a private sitting room off the great hall; Upper living room, often over the great hall; the lord's private living room.

Span (of an arch or vault):

The horizontal distance between the two supporting members of an arch or vault.

Spandrel:

The roughly triangular wall space between two adjacent arches; Area between top of a column or pier and the apex of the arch springing from it.

Spiral staircase:

A staircase whose steps wind around a central, vertical axis.

Spire:

An elongated, pointed structure which rises from a tower, turret or roof.

Splay:

Chamfer, or sloping face.

Spring:

Level at which the springers (voussoirs) of an arch rise from their supports.

Spring line (of an arch or a vault):

The point or line at which an arch or vault begins to curve. Springald:

War engine of the catapult type, employing tension

Springer:

The lowest voussoir on each side of an arch. It is where the vertical support for the arch terminates and the curve of the arch begins.

Squinch:

An arch, or a system of concentrically wider and gradually projecting arches, placed at the corners of a square base to act as the transition to a circular dome placed on the base.

Squint:

Observation hole in wall or room.

Stepped:

Recessed in a series of ledges.

Steyned:

Lined (like in a well).

Stockade:

Solid fence of heavy timbers.

Stringcourse:

A continuous projecting horizontal band set in the surface of a wall and usually molded.

Synagoga:

Personification of Judiasm. Often appears with Ecclesia (Personification of church). Both appear as female figures, Ecclesia crowned and holding a chalice and Synagoga blindfolded and holding the tablets of the law.

Tau cross:

Plain T cross with equal limbs.

Tessera (plural tesserae):

Small piece of stone, glass,etc. used in making a mosaic. See also: mosaic

Tierceron:

A major rib in a complex rib vault Tiercerons spring from the main springers. See also: rib vault, springer.

Tooth-in:

Stones removed (or omitted) to allow another wall to be bonded into it.

Transept:

A rectangular area which cuts across the main axis of a basilica-type building and projects beyond it. The transept gives a basilica the shape of a Latin cross and usually serves to separate the main area of the building from an apse at the end.

Transom:

Horizontal division of window; crossbar.

Transverse arch:

Supporting arch which runs across the vault from side to side, dividing the bays. it usually projects down from the surface of the vault.

Transverse rib:

The projecting bands which mark the transverse arches of a rib vault. See also rib vault, springer.

Tracery:

Intersecting ribwork in upper part of window.

Trebuchet:

War engine developed in the Middle Ages employing counterpoise.

Trefoil:

An ornamental form which has three lobes or foils.

Tribune or gallery:

An upper story over the aisle which opens onto the nave or choir.

Triforium or triforium passage:

A narrow passage in the thickness of the wall with arches opening onto the nave. It may occur at the level of the clerestory windows, or it may be located as a separate level below the clerestory. It may itself have an outer wall of glass rather than stone.

Trumeau:

Vertical architectural member between the leaves of a doorway. Trumeaus were often highly decorated.

Trumeau figure:

Statue decorating a trumeau. Usually this was a human figure, very often a religious personage.

Truss:

A timber frame used to support the roof over the great hall.

Tufa:

Cellular rock; porous limestone.

Tunnel Vault:

See Barrel Vault.

Turning Bridge:

A drawbridge that pivots in the middle.

Turret:

Small tower, round or polygonal; usually a lookout; A small tower rising above and resting on one of the main towers, usually used as a look out point.

Twisted ribbon:

An ornamental motif of thin, continuous bands arranged in in a rectilinear fashion, and represented as if the bands were three dimensional.

Tympanum (plural, tympana):

The basically semicircular area enclosed by the arch above the lintel of an arched entranceway. This area is often decorated with sculpture in the Romanesque and Gothic periods.

Vault:

Stone roofing.

Vitrified:

Material reduced to glass by extreme heat.

Volute:

Spiral scroll at angle of a capital.

Voussoir:

One of the wedge-shaped stones used in constructing an arch. Types of voussoir: key stone, springer

Voussoir:

Wedge-shaped stones in arch.

Wall Plate:

Horizontal roof-timber on wall-top.

Wall Stair:

Staircase built into the thickness of a wall.

Wall Walk:

Passage along castle wall; may be roofed; The area along the tops of the walls from which soldiers could defend the castle

Ward:

Courtyard or bailey

Water-leaf:

Plain broad leaf moulding.

Wattle:

A mat of woven (willow) sticks and weeds; used in wall and dike construction.

Wave:

Sinuous moulding.

Weathering:

Sloping surface to throw off rainwater.

Webbing or infilling:

The vault surface between the ribs of a rib vault.

West end:

The area of the church opposite the east end. The west end usually functions as the main entrance to the church.

Westwork(from German Westwerk):

An entrance area at the west end of a church with upper chamber and usually with a tower or towers. It is normally broader than the width of the nave and aisles. Westwork is sometimes used synonymously with narthex.

Wicket:

Person-sized door set into the main gate door.

Wing-wall:

Wall downslope of motte to protect stairway.

Yett:

Iron lattice gate.

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