Glossary

GLOSSARY OF THE MEANING ATTACHED TO THE TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN THE INVENTORY.

Abacus.—The uppermost member of a capital.

Ailettes.—Plates of various materials, exact purpose doubtful; worn with armour at back or sides of shoulders; c. 1275 to c. 1325.

Alb.—Long linen robe, with girdle and close sleeves; worn by ecclesiastics.

Altar-tomb.—A modern term for a tomb of stone or marble resembling, but not used as an altar.

Amice.—An ecclesiastical coif with embroidered edge, always shown pushed back; has appearance of broad collar.

Amess.—Fur cape with hood, and long tails in front; worn by ecclesiastics.

Anelace.—A large dagger.

Apparels.—Rectangular pieces of embroidery on alb, amice, etc.

Apse.—The semi-circular or polygonal end of a chancel or other part of a church.

Arabesque.—A peculiar kind of strap ornament in low relief, common in Moorish architecture, and found in 16th and 17th-century work in England.

Arcade.—A range of arches carried on piers or columns.

Arch.—The following are some of the most usual forms:—

Segmental:—A single arc struck from a centre below the springing line.

Segmental-pointed:—Struck from two centres, much below the springing line, to form a slight point at the apex.

Two-centred, pointed, lancet, equilateral:—Two arcs struck from centres on the springing line, and meeting at the apex with a point.

Drop-arch:—A two-centred arch in which the arcs are struck from centres below the springing line.

Three-centred, elliptical:—Formed with three arcs, the middle or uppermost struck from a centre below the springing line.

Four-centred, depressed, Tudor:—A pointed arch of four arcs, the two outer and lower arcs struck from centres on the springing line, and the two inner and upper arcs from centres below the springing line. Sometimes the two upper arcs (and in a few cases all four arcs) are replaced by straight lines.

Ogee, ogival:—A pointed arch of four or more arcs, the two uppermost or middle arcs being reversed, i.e., convex instead of concave to the base line.

Stilted:—An arch with its springing line raised above the level of the imposts.

Skew:—An arch not at right angles laterally with its jambs.

Archbishops' Vestments.—Buskins, sandals, amice, alb, girdle, stole, tunic, dalmatic, gloves, ring, maniple, chasuble, pall, mitre; carries cross staff.

Architrave.—A moulded enrichment to the jambs and head of a doorway or window opening; the lowest member of an entablature (q.v.).

Argent.—In heraldry, silver.

Armed.—In heraldry, applied to animals and birds of prey to denote their natural weapons of offence or defence.

Armet.—See "Helmet."

Arming Doublet.—Sleeved cloth coat worn under armour; 15th and 16th-centuries.

Arming Points.—Laces for fastening parts of armour together.

Arris.—A sharp edge or corner.

Articulation.—The joining of several plates of armour to form a flexible defence.

Ashlar.—Masonry wrought to an even face and square edges.

Aumbries.—See "Lockers."

Aventail.—Mail defence for neck and throat attached to bascinet.

Azure.—In heraldry, blue.

Badge of Ulster.—An inescutcheon charged, argent, a hand cut off at the wrist, erect and showing the palm, gules; it denotes a Baronetcy.

Bailey.—A court attached to a mount or other fortified enclosure.

Bainbergs.—Shin defence of plate armour, or leather.

Ball-flower.—A decoration peculiar to the 14th century, consisting of a globular flower of three petals enclosing a small ball.

Banded Mail.—Mail shown with bands of leather or woven stuff, between rows of rings; construction uncertain.

Bar.—A band placed horizontally across a shield in any position, except in fesse or in chief.

Barbe.—Pleated linen covering for chin, worn by widows and women under vows.

Barbican Mount.—A mound advanced from the main defences.

Barge-board.—A board placed below the verge or edge of a gabled roof, a short distance from the face of the wall, and either taking the place of, or covering the end rafter, which would otherwise be exposed to view.

Barnack-Stone.—A shelly limestone.

Barrel-vaulting.—See "Vaulting."

Barrow.—A burial mound.

Barry.—In heraldry, an even number of divisions in a shield, normally six, set barwise.

Barry-bendy.—Lines placed barwise on a shield crossed by others placed bendwise.

Barwise.—Disposed after the manner of an heraldic bar.

Bascinet.—Steel head-piece worn with aventail, sometimes fitted with vizor.

Baton.—In heraldry, a diminutive of the bend sinister, cut off short at the ends.

Bead.—A small round moulding.

Bell-capital.—A form of capital of which the chief characteristic is the reversed bell between the neck moulding and upper moulding; the bell is often enriched with carving.

Bend.—In heraldry, a band crossing the shield diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base.

Bend Sinister.—As a bend, but crossing from the sinister chief to the dexter base of a shield.

Bendwise.—In the direction of a bend.

Bendy.—A shield divided bendwise into an equal number of divisions, normally six.

Berm.—A platform on the slope of a rampart.

Besagues.—Small plates worn in front of the arm-pits.

Bevor.—Plate defence for chin and throat.

Bezant.—In heraldry, a gold roundel or disc.

Billet.—In heraldry, a small rectangular figure; also an architectural ornament chiefly used in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Billety.—In heraldry, studded with billets.

Bishops' Vestments.—Same as Archbishops', but without pall, and a Bishop carries a crozier.

Bolection-moulding.—A moulding raised above the general plane of the framework of the door or panelling in which it is set.

Border.—In heraldry, a band around the edge of a shield.

Boss.—A projecting square or round ornament, generally carved, covering the intersections of the ribs in a panelled ceiling or roof, or placed at the apex of a vault.

Bouget.—See "Water-bouget."

Bowtell.—A round moulding; another term for roll-moulding.

Brassarts.—Plate armour defence for the arms.

Bressumer.—A beam supporting the front of a building.

Brick-nogging.—The brick-work filling the spaces between the uprights of a timber-framed building.

Brigandine.—Coat of padded cloth and very small plates (of metal).

Broach-spire.—See "Spire."

Broach-stop.—A half pyramidal stop against a chamfer to bring the edge of the masonry out to a right angle.

Buff Coat.—Coat of heavy leather.

Burgonet.—See "Helmet."

Buskins.—Cloth stockings reaching to the knee; worn by Archbishops, Bishops, and Mitred Abbots.

Butterfly Head-dress.—Large, of lawn and gauze on wire, late 15th-century.

Buttress.—A mass of masonry or brick-work built against a wall to give additional strength.

Angle-buttresses:—Two meeting, or nearly meeting, at an angle of 90° at the corner of a building.

Diagonal-buttress:—One placed against the right angle formed by two walls, and more or less equi-angular with both.

Flying-buttress:—One connected to the wall which it supports, by a half-arch, springing at some distance from the wall, and leaving a clear space beneath or within the buttress.

Cable-moulding.—A round moulding carved in the form of a cable.

Cabossed.—In heraldry, term applied to the head of a stag or other animal, full-face, with no part of neck visible.

Camail.—Hood and tippet of mail.

Cambered (applied to a beam).—Curved so that the centre is higher than the ends.

Canonical Habit.—Surplice, amess, cope.

Canopy.—A projection or hood over a door, window, etc., and the covering above a tomb or niche; also the representation of the same on a brass.

Canton.—A quarter on a shield.

Caryatides.—Figures of human beings used as pillars.

Casement.—1. A wide hollow moulding in window jambs, etc.

2. A window frame hinged at the side to open.

Cassock.—Long, close-sleeved gown; worn by all ecclesiastics.

Central-chimney Type of House.—See "House."

Chalice.—The term applied to the cup used for the Mass before the Reformation.

Chamfer.—The small plane formed when the sharp edge or corner of stone or wood is cut away, usually at an angle of 45°; when the plane is concave it is termed a hollow chamfer, and when the plane is sunk below its arrises, or edges, a sunk chamfer.

Chancel-arch.—The arch spanning the west end of the chancel.

Chantry-chapel.—A small chapel usually occupying part of a large building, especially dedicated and endowed for chanting memorial masses.

Chasuble.—Cloak put on over the head, not open in front; Eucharistic vestment only.

Chausses.—Leg defences of mail.

Checky.—In heraldry, divided up into small squares, vertically and horizontally.

Cheveron.—In heraldry, a reverse V-shaped band crossing a shield from side to side.

Cheveronny.—An even number of divisions placed cheveronwise on a shield.

Chief.—In heraldry, a horizontal band at the extreme top of a shield.

Cinquefoil.—1. See "Foil."

2. An heraldic flower of five petals.

Clearstorey.—An open storey or range of windows in the upper part of a nave, chancel, etc., of a church, immediately below the roof.

Close-helmet.—See "Helmet."

Clunch.—A local name in Hertfordshire and the surrounding district for the lower chalk limestone, composed of chalk and clay.

Cockatrice.—A fabulous monster with the head and legs of a cock and the tail of a wyvern.

Coif.—Small close hood, covering head only.

Coif of Mail.—Mail hood attached to hauberk.

Collar-beam.—A horizontal beam framed to and serving to tie a pair of rafters together some distance above the wall plate level.

Combed Work.—The decoration of plaster surfaces by "combing" it into various patterns.

Communion Cup.—The term applied to the cup used for the Holy Communion, after the Reformation.

Console.—A bracket with a compound curved outline.

Cops, Knee and Elbow.—Knee and elbow defences of leather or plate.

Cope.—Cloak fastening in front with morse; processional and quire vestment only; worn by ecclesiastics.

Corbel.—A projecting stone or piece of timber supporting, or intended to support, a superincumbent weight.

Cotise.—In heraldry, a narrow bend.

Counterchanged.—In heraldry, term applied to a divided field in which the colour and metal are reversed reciprocally in the divisions.

Counter-gobony.—In heraldry, two rows of checks counter-coloured.

Counter scarp.—The reverse slope of a ditch facing towards the place defended.

Courtyard Type of House.—See "House."

Cove.—A curved surface forming the junction between a wall and a ceiling.

Cover-paten.—A cover to a communion cup, intended for use as a paten.

Crackows.—Shoes or sollerets with very long pointed toes.

Credence.—A shelf, niche, or table on which the vessels, etc., for Mass were placed.

Crest.—A device worn upon the helm.

Crest, cresting.—An ornamental finish on the top edge of a screen, etc., usually in the form of square leaves and flowers.

Crockets.—Carvings which represent projecting leaves of conventional design; used to enrich the vertical or sloping sides of parts of a building, such as spires, canopies, hood moulds, etc.

Cross.—In its simplest form in heraldry, a pale combined with a fesse, as the St. George's Cross; there are many other varieties, of which the following are the most common:—Crosslet,—with a small arm crossing the end of each main arm; Cross (or crosslet) fitchy,— having the lowest arm spiked or pointed; Formy,— arms widening with concave curves from the centre, and square at the ends; Greek,—plain, with four equal arms; Latin,—plain, with the bottom arm longer than the other three; Moline (or mill-rind), also varieties called fourchée, ancrée, recercelée,—with the arms split or forked at the ends; Passion (or Calvary), a Latin cross on a stepped base; Paty (also called, with slightly differing ends to the arms fleurée flory, and patonce), as a cross Formy, but with the arms tre foiled at the ends; Patriarchal,—having an extra and smaller horizontal arm above the main arm; Potent (or Jerusalem),—having a small transverse arm at the extreme end of each main arm; Tau (or Anthony), —in the form of a T.

Cross-loop.—Narrow slits or openings in a wall, in the form of a cross, generally with circular enlargements at the ends.

Cross-vaulting.—See "Vaulting."

Cross-staff.—Staff terminating in a cross; carried before archbishops, who are usually shown holding it in effigies, brasses, etc.

Crusilly.—In heraldry, the field of a shield covered or powdered with small crosses.

Cuirass.—Breast and back plates of metal or leather.

Cushion-capital.—An early form of capital (late 11th and early 12th-century).

Cusps (cusping, cusped heads, sub-cusps).—The projecting points forming the foils in Gothic windows, arches, panels, etc.; they were frequently ornamented at the ends, or cusp-points, with leaves, flowers, berries, etc.

Dagging.—Cutting of edges of garments into slits and foliations.

Dalmatic.—Loose robe, moderate length, slit up sides, with wide sleeves.

Dancetty.—In heraldry, a zig-zag band or line on a shield.

Deacons' Vestments (Eucharistic).—Amice, alb, stole, over left shoulder, maniple.

Demi-brassart.—Plate defences for outside of arm.

Dexter.—In heraldry, the right side of a shield (from the position of the holder).

Diagonal-buttress.—See "Buttress."

Diaper.—Decoration of surfaces with squares, diamonds, and other patterns.

Dimidiated.—In heraldry, cut in half palewise and one half removed.

Dog-legged Staircase.—Two flights of stairs in opposite directions.

Dog-tooth Ornament.—A typical 13th-century carved ornament consisting of a series of pyramidal flowers of four petals; used to cover hollow mouldings.

Dormer-window.—A vertical window on the slope of a roof, and having a roof of its own.

Dorter.—A sleeping apartment.

Double-ogee.—See "Ogee."

Dovetail.—A carpenter's joint for two boards, one with a series of projecting pieces resembling doves' tails fitting into the other with similar hollows; in heraldry, an edge formed like a dovetail joint.

Drawbar.—A wood bolt inside a doorway, sliding when out of use into a long channel in the thickness of the wall.

Dressings.—The stones used about a window, or other feature when worked to a finished face, whether smooth, tooled in various ways, moulded, or sculptured.

Drip-stone.—See "Label."

Drop-arch.—See "Arch."

Easter Sepulchre.—A place provided on the N. side of the Chancel for the representation of the Burial and Resurrection of Christ; the Sepulchres were usually temporary structures of wood, but sometimes they were of stone, with recesses in the wall.

Eaves.—The lower edge or verge of a sloping roof overhanging a wall.

Embattled.—In heraldry, an edge with a regular series of square sinkings.

Embattled Parapet.—A parapet with square indents in the form of a battlement.

Embrasures.—The openings, indents, or sinkings in an embattled parapet.

Enceinte.—The main outline of a fort.

Engaged Shafts.—Shafts cut out of the solid or connected with the jamb, pier, respond, or other part against which they stand.

Engrailed.—In heraldry, edged with a series of concave curves.

Entablature.—The horizontal superstructure above the columns or jambs of an opening, and consisting of an architrave, frieze and cornice.

Erased.—Of a Head, etc., in heraldry,—having a ragged edge, as though torn off.

Ermine.—The fur most frequently used in heraldry; white with black tails; the following are varieties of ermine:—Ermines, black with white tails (sable ermined argent); Erminois, gold with black tails (or, ermined sable); and Pean, black with gold tails (sable, ermined or).

E Type of House.—See "House."

Fan Vaulting.—See "Vaulting."

Fenestration.—The arrangement of windows in the elevation of a building.

Feretory.—A place or chamber for a body which was watched by a "Feretrar"; the term now usually confined to a shrine or the chamber in which it stands.

Fesse.—In heraldry, a horizontal band from side to side, across the centre of a shield.

Finial.—A formal bunch of foliage or similar ornament at the top of a pinnacle, gable, canopy, etc.

Fitchy.—In heraldry, pointed, or spiked.

Foil (trefoil, quatrefoil, cinquefoil, multifoil, etc.).—A leaf-shaped curve formed by the cusping or feathering in an opening or panel.

Foliated (of a capital, corbel, etc.).—Carved with leaf ornament.

Fosse.—A ditch.

Four-centred Arch.—See "Arch."

Frater.—The Dining-hall of a monastic establishment.

Fret.—In heraldry, a small pattern formed by two bands interlaced with a voided lozenge.

Fretty.—A field of interlacing diagonal bands like a trellis.

Frieze.—The middle division in an entablature, between the architrave and the cornice; generally any band of ornament or colour immediately below a cornice.

Fusil.—In heraldry, an elongated lozenge.

Fylfot.—A peculiar cruciform figure, each arm of which is bent to form one or more right angles in its length.

Gable.—The wall at the end of a high-pitched roof, generally triangular, sometimes semi-circular, and often with an outline of various curves, then called curvilinear.

Gadlings.—Spikes or knobs on plate gauntlets.

Gambeson.—Garment of padded cloth worn under hauberk or as sole defence.

Gobony.—In heraldry, a row of squares of alternate tinctures, or furs, and metals.

Gorget.—Plate defence for neck and throat.

Griffin.—A winged monster with the head and legs of an eagle, and the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion.

Groining, Groined Vault.—See "Vaulting."

Guardant (of beasts).—In heraldry, looking out from the field.

Guige.—Strap from which shield was suspended.

Guilloche-pattern.—An ornament consisting of two or more intertwining wavy bands.

Gules.—In heraldry, red.

Gussets.—Pieces of flexible armour placed in gaps of plate defences.

Gypon.—Close fitting vest of cloth, worn over armour c. 1350 to c. 1410.

Gyronny.—In heraldry, a quartered shield in which each quarter is divided diagonally from the centre point of the shield, thus making eight triangular pieces, alternately tinctured: when more or less than eight pieces are blazoned the number is specified.

Half-H type of House.—See "House."

Hall and cellar type of house.—See "House"

Hammer-beams.—Horizontal brackets projecting from the wall at the wall-plate level, and somewhat resembling the two ends of a tie-beam with its middle part cut away; they are supported by braces (or struts), and help to diminish the lateral pressure in a roof by reducing the span for the upper part of the truss.

Hatchment.—A display of arms in a lozenge-shaped frame.

Hauberk.—Shirt of chain or other mail.

Hauriant (of fish).—In heraldry, head in chief, tail in base.

Helm.—Complete barrel or dome-shaped head defence of plate.

Helmet.—Light headpiece giving complete protection to face; various forms are: Armet, Burgonet, close Helmet, all similar in principal.

Herm.—A form of caryatid, a square tapering column with a human body growing out of it at the top.

Hirondelle.—In heraldry, a swallow.

Hood-mould.—See "Label."

Houses.—These are classified as far as possible under the following definitions

i. Hall and cellar type:—Hall on first floor; rooms beneath generally stone vaulted; examples as early as the 12th century.

ii. H type:—Hall between projecting wings, one containing living rooms, the other the offices. The usual form of a mediæval house, employed, with variations, down to the 17th century.

iii. L type:—Hall and one wing; generally for small houses.

iiii. E type:—Hall with two wings and a central porch; generally of the 16th and 17th centuries.

v. Half-H type:—A variation of the E type without the central porch.

vi. Courtyard type:—House built round a square; sometimes only three ranges of buildings with or without an enclosing wall and gateway on the fourth side.

vii. Central Chimney type:—(Rectangular plan), small houses only.

Impaling.—In heraldry, divided from—by a line palewise.

Indent.—The sinking, in a slab, in which a monumental brass is, or has been, fixed.

Indented.—In heraldry, a serrated or zig-zag edge.

Inescutcheon.—In heraldry, a small shield on another larger one.

Invected.—In heraldry, edged with a series of convex curves.

Jambs.—1. The sides of an archway, doorway, window, or other opening.

2. In heraldry, legs of lions, etc.

3. In armour, plate defence for lower leg.

Jazerine.—Armour of small plates on leather or cloth.

Jessant de lis.—Heraldic term for a leopard's face combined with a fleur-de-lis.

Keep.—A tower or stronghold in a Norman castle; of greater height and strength than the other buildings.

Keystone.—The central stone in an arch.

King-post.—The central vertical post in a roof truss.

Kneeler.—Stone at the foot of a gable.

Label (hood-mould, dripstone).—A projecting moulding on the face of a wall above an arch; in some cases it follows the form of the arch, and in others is square in outline.

Label.—In heraldry, a horizontal band (lying across the chief of a shield), from which small arms, generally three or five, called points, depend at rightangles.

Lambrekin.—Cloth, covering top of helm, hanging down behind.

Lancet.—A long narrow window with a pointed head, typical of 13th-century style.

Langued (of beasts, etc.).—In heraldry, with a projecting tongue.

Laniers.—Straps or loops by which shield was held.

Leopard.—In heraldry, a lion showing its full face; always passant (unless otherwise emblazoned), as in the three leopards of England.

Lierne vault.—See "Vaulting."

Lintel.—The flat beam or joist bridging an opening.

Lion.—In heraldry, face in profile and (unless otherwise emblazoned) always rampant.

Liripipe.—Long tail of cloth attached to hooded tippet of 14th century; the whole finally developed into form of turban called Liripipe head-dress.

Locker (Aumbry).—A small cupboard cut or built in a wall.

Loculus.—A small niche in an Easter Sepulchre, in which the Pyx was placed.

Loop.—A small narrow light in a turret, etc.; often unglazed.

Low side window.—A window with a low sill, i.e., within a few feet of the floor, in the N. or S. wall of the chancel near the W. end; it appears to have always been provided with a shutter instead of fixed glass; use uncertain.

Lozenge.—A diamond-shaped pattern.

L type of house.—See "House."

Luce.—In heraldry, a fish (pike).

Lychgate.—A covered gateway, at the entrance of a churchyard, beneath which the bier is rested at a funeral.

Mail Skirt.—Skirt of chain mail worn under taces and tuiles.

Mail Standard.—Collar of chain mail.

Manch, maunche.—A lady's sleeve with a long pendant lappet; an heraldic charge.

Maniple.—An Eucharistic vestment, being a long strip of cloth usually embroidered; carried in left hand up to end of 12th century; later, over wrist.

Mantling.—The decorative treatment of the Lambrekin in heraldry.

Martlet.—A martin, usually shown without feet in heraldry.

Mask stop.—A mask, to a label, bearing a distant resemblance to a human face; generally of the 12th and 13th centuries.

Merlon.—The solid part of an embattled parapet between the embrasures.

Mezzanine.—A subordinate storey between two main floors of a building.

Mill-rind (Fer de moline).—The iron affixed to the centre of a millstone; a common heraldic charge.

Misericord.—1. A projecting carved bracket affixed to the underside of the seat of a stall so that when the seat, which is hinged, is turned up against the back, the bracket forms a rest for the user.

2. Dagger worn with armour.

Mitred Abbots' Vestments.—Same as bishops'.

Modillions.—Brackets under the cornice in classical architecture.

Molet.—In heraldry, a five-pointed star.

Morse.—Large clasp fastening cope at throat.

Mullion.—A vertical post, standard, or upright dividing a window into two or more lights; generally chamfered, and often moulded.

Muntin.—The intermediate uprights in the framing of a door, screen, or panel, butting into or stopped by the rails.

Nasal.—Vertical bar or plate to protect nose.

Nebuly.—Heraldic term for a very exaggerated wavy line or edge, or a kind of rounded dovetail.

Neck-moulding.—The narrow moulding at the bottom of a capital.

Newel.—The central post in a circular or winding staircase; also the principal posts at the angles of a dog-legged or well staircase.

Nogging.—The filling, generally of brick, between the posts, etc., of a timber-framed house.

Ogee.—A compound curve of two parts, one convex, the other concave; a double-ogee mould is formed by two ogees meeting at their convex ends.

Or.—In heraldry, gold.

Orders of Arches.—The receding divisions, concentric rings, or groups of mouldings in an arch.

Oriel Window.—A projecting bay-window carried upon corbels or brackets.

Orle.—Formed by a border of a shield charged on another larger shield; in orle: arranged round the edge of a shield. Also a wreath of twisted cloth worn on bascinet, or bare head, to take weight of helm; or on helm to hold lambrekin in place.

Orphreys.—Strips of embroidery on vestments.

"Out of the Solid."—Mouldings worked on the styles, rails, etc., of framing, instead of being fixed on to them.

Oversailing Courses.—A number of brick courses of which each course projects beyond the one below it.

Pale.—A vertical band in the middle of a shield reaching from edge to edge.

Palimpsest.—Of a brass,—re-used by engraving the back of an older engraved plate.

Of a wall-painting,—superimposed on an earlier painting.

Paly.—In heraldry, a shield divided by lines palewise, generally into six divisions, unless otherwise emblazoned.

Paly-bendy.—Divided evenly palewise and also bendwise.

Panache.—A plume of feathers worn on the helm.

Pargetting.—Ornamental plaster work on the surface of a wall.

Party.—In heraldry, showing direction of dividing lines; as "party palewise."

Parvise.—The area outside the W. end of a church; generally used to denote a chamber above a porch.

Passant (of beasts, etc).—In heraldry, walking and looking forward,—head in profile.

Pastoral Staff.—Staff ending in ornamented crook; carried by bishops and abbots.

Paten.—A plate or salver for holding the Bread at the celebration of the Eucharist.

Paty (cross).—See "Cross."

Pauldron.—Plate defence for the shoulders.

Pediment.—A low-pitched gable used in Classical and Renaissance architecture above a portico, at the end of a building, and above doors, windows, niches, etc.; sometimes the central part is omitted, forming a "broken" pediment.

Pheon.—In heraldry, a spear-head

Pile.—In heraldry, a triangular or wedge-shaped charge, issuing from the chief of the shield unless otherwise blazoned.

Piscina.—A basin with a drain, set in a niche or recess in the wall S. of an altar, and used in the mediæval ceremonial.

Pitch of Roof.—The slope or angle of a ridged roof.

Plinth.—The projecting base of a wall, generally chamfered or moulded at the top; also the square member below a column.

Poppy-head.—The ornament at the heads of bench-standards, etc., in churches; generally carved with foliage and flowers, somewhat resembling a fleur-de-lis.

Portcullis.—A gate, rising and falling in vertical grooves in the jambs of a doorway.

Pourpoint.—Defence of padded cloth or of leather set with metal studs.

Powdered.—A shield with small charges scattered indiscriminately over the field is said to be powdered with them.

Presbytery.—The part of a church in which is placed the High Altar; E. of the quire.

Priests' Vestments (Eucharistic).—Amice, alb, girdle, stole, maniple, chasuble.

Principals.—Generally the larger rafters of a roof; also sometimes used for the tie-beams, purlins, and other main timbers.

Processional Vestments.—Same as canonical.

Purlin.—A horizontal timber resting on the principal rafters of a roof-truss, and forming an intermediate support for the common rafters.

Purpure.—In heraldry, purple.

Pyx.—A vessel to contain the consecrated bread.

Quarry.—In glazing, small panes of glass, generally diamond-shaped or squares set diagonally.

Quarter.—The fourth part of a shield; also the name given to the top dexter fourth of the shield known as the canton.

Quartered.—A term applied to two coats of arms of which the principal occupies the first and fourth quarters of a shield, and the secondary the second and third quarters; often—as in the Royal Standard—other coats are introduced in place of one of the quarters with the repeated charges.

Quarterly.—In heraldry, of four parts.

Quatrefoil.—In heraldry, a four-petalled flower. See also "Foil."

Queen-posts.—A pair of vertical posts in a roof-truss equidistant from the centre line.

Quillons.—Bars forming cross-guard of sword.

Quilted Defence.—Armour made of padded cloth, leather, etc.

Quoin.—The dressed stones at the corners of a building.

Ragged, Raguly.—Having a ragged edge in heraldic charges; in a party-line,—an embattled edge with sloping battlements.

Rampant (of beasts, etc.)—In heraldry, erect; one hind paw on the ground, the other paws elevated.

Rampart.—A breastwork of earth.

Rapier.—Cut and thrust sword.

Rear arch.—The arch on the inside of a wall above a doorway or window opening.

Rear-vault.—The space between a rear arch and the outer stonework of a window.

Rebate (rabbet, rabbit).—A continuous rectangular notch cut on the edge of a solid.

Reliquary.—A small box or other receptacle for relics.

Rerebrace.—Plate or leather defence for upper arm.

Reredos.—A wall or screen of stone or wood at the back of an altar.

Respond.—The half-pillar or pier at the end of an arcade.

Revetment.—A retaining wall of masonry against a bank of earth.

Roll-moulding.—A plain round moulding cut upon the edges of stone and woodwork, etc.

Rood (rood-beam, rood-screen, rood-loft).—A cross or crucifix. The Great Rood was set up at the E. end of the Nave, and represented the Crucifixion, with the accompanying figures of St. Mary and St. John; it was generally carved in wood, and was fixed in the loft or head of the rood-screen, or in a special beam (the Rood-beam), reaching from wall to wall. Sometimes the Rood was merely painted on the wall above the Chancel-arch or on a closed wood partition or tympanum in the upper half of the Chancel, or Chancel-arch. The Rood-screen is the open screen spanning the E. end of the Nave, shutting off the Chancel; in the 15th century a narrow gallery was often constructed above the cornice to carry the Rood with its images and candlesticks, and it was also probably used as a music gallery. The loft was approached by a staircase (and occasionally more than one), either of wood or in a turret built in the wall wherever most convenient, and, when the loft was carried right across the building, the intervening walls of the Nave were pierced with narrow archways. Many of the Roods were destroyed at the Reformation, and their final removal, with the loft, was ordered in 1561.

Roundel.—A round disc or small sphere in an heraldic charge.

Rubble.—Walling of rough unsquared stones or flints.

Rustic work, rusticated joints.—Masonry in which the jointing is accentuated by grooves.

Sable.—In heraldry, black.

Salade.—Light steel headpiece, frequently with vizor.

Saltire.—In heraldry, a diagonal or X-shaped cross; also called St. Andrew's Cross.

Sanctus.—A small bell which, before the Reformation, was rung at the Elevation of the Host during Mass.

Sash-window.—A window of which the part to open is made to slide up and down, with pulleys and counterbalances. In late 17th or early 18th-century work the frames were placed almost flush with the outer face of the walls (flush-sash, or outside sash).

Scallop.—A shellfish, conventionalized in heraldry.

Scalloped capital.—A later development of the 12th-century cushion capital.

Scappled Flints.—Split flints.

Scarp.—A vertical or sloping face of earth in a ditch or moat, or cut in the slope of a hill, and facing away from the place which it helps to defend.

Scroll-moulding.—A rounded moulding of two parts, the upper projecting beyond the lower, thus resembling a scroll of parchment.

Scutcheon.—A shield. A door handle in the form of a pendent ring, etc. A covering for a keyhole.

Sedile (pl. sedilia).—A seat; now usually applied to the seat on the S. side of the chancel, choir, or chapel near the altar, used during the Mass.

Sexpartite vault. See "Vaulting."

Shaft.—A small pillar.

Shafted jambs.—A jamb containing one or more shafts either engaged or detached.

Shell-keep.—An open space surrounded by a strong wall, moat, etc.

Shingles.—Tiles made of cleft oak; used for covering spires, etc.

Sinister.—In heraldry, the left half of a shield (from the position of the holder).

Slype.—A mediæval term for a narrow passage between two buildings; generally used for that from the cloister to the cemetery of a monastic establishment.

Soffit.—The under-side of a staircase, lintel, cornice, arch, canopy, etc.

Solar.—An upper chamber in a mediæval house reserved for the private use of the family.

Sollerets.—Shoes of articulated plates.

Spandrel.—The triangular-shaped space above the haunch of an arch; the two outer edges generally form a rectangle, as in an arched and square-headed doorway; the name is also applied to a space within a curved brace below a tie-beam, etc., and to any similar spaces.

Spire, Broach-spire, Needle-spire.—The tall pointed termination, usually of stone or wood, forming the roof of a tower or turret. A Broach-spire rises from the sides of the tower without a parapet, the angles of a square tower being surmounted, in this case, by half-pyramids against the alternate faces of the spire, which is octagonal. A Needle-spire is small and narrow, and rises from the centre of the tower-roof well within the parapet.

Splay.—A sloping face making an angle less than a rightangle with the main surface, as in window jambs, etc.

Springing-line.—The level at which an arch springs from its supports.

Spurs.—Prick: in form of plain goad; early form.

Rowel: with spiked wheel; later form.

Squint.—A piercing through a wall to allow a view of an altar from places whence it would be otherwise hidden.

Stages of Tower.—The divisions marked by horizontal string-courses externally.

Stanchion, stancheon.—The upright iron bars in a screen, window, etc.

Style.—The vertical members of a frame into which are tenoned the ends of the rails or horizontal pieces.

Stole.—An ecclesiastical vestment; a long narrow strip of cloth; ends usually embroidered.

Stops.—Projecting stones at the ends of labels, stringcourses, etc., against which the mouldings finish; they are usually carved in various forms, such as shields, bunches of foliage, human or grotesque heads, etc.; a finish at the end of any moulding or chamfer bringing the corner out to a square edge, or sometimes, in the case of a moulding, to a chamfered edge; a splayed stop has a plain sloping face, but in many other cases the face is moulded.

Stoup.—A vessel, placed near an entrance doorway, to contain consecrated water; those remaining are usually in the form of a deeply-dished stone set in a niche. Also called Holy-water Stones, or Holy-water Stocks.

String-course.—A projecting horizontal band of brick or stone in a wall; usually moulded.

Strut.—A timber forming a sloping support to a horizontal beam, etc.

Sub-deacons' vestments (Eucharistic).—Amice, alb, tunicle, maniple.

Surcoat.—Coat, usually sleeveless, worn over armour.

Tabard.—Short loose surcoat, open at sides, sometimes worn with armour; distinctive garment of Heralds.

Taces.—Articulated defence for hips and lower part of body.

Tapul.—Ridge down centre of breast-plate.

Tie-beam.—The horizontal transverse beam in a roof, tying together the feet of the rafters to counteract the thrust.

Timber-framed building.—A building of which the walls are built of open timbers and covered with plaster or boarding, or with interstices filled in with brickwork.

Totternhoe stone.—Clunch from the Totternhoe beds.

Tracery.—The ornamental work in the head of a window, screen, panel, etc., formed by the curving and interlacing of bars of stone or wood, and grouped together, generally over two or more lights or bays.

Transom.—A horizontal bar of stone or wood across the upper half of a window opening, doorway, or panel.

Trefoil.—In heraldry, a three-lobed leaf, slipped with a stalk ending in a point; couped with a straight-cut stalk.

Tressure.—Heraldic term for a narrow orle on a shield; generally enriched with fleurs-de-lis, pointing head outwards, and then called tressure flory. When the fleurs-de-lis point alternately inwards and outwards it is termed tressure flory counterflory, and when there are two tressures with the fleurs as last it is blazoned double tressure flory counterflory, as in the Arms of Scotland.

Tripping.—Applied to stags, etc., walking with an easy motion across the field of a coat-of-arms.

Truss.—A number of timbers framed together to bridge a space or form a bracket, to be self-supporting, and to carry other timbers. The trusses of a roof are generally named after a peculiar feature in their construction, such as King-post, Queen-post, hammer-beam, etc. (q.v.).

Tuilles.—In armour, plates attached to taces.

Tumulus.—A circular burial mound.

Tunicle.—Similar to dalmatic, but longer and with close sleeves.

Tympanum.—An enclosed space in the head of an arch, doorway, etc., or in the triangle of a pediment.

Types of houses.—See "Houses."

Unguled (of Beasts).—In heraldry, armed with hoofs.

Urinant (of Fish).—In heraldry, in vertical position, head downwards.

Vair.—An heraldic fur; of two colours, blue and white, joined in horizontal bands, of which one edge is wavy and the other straight. Countervair, potent, and counter potent are varieties of vair.

Vallum.—A rampart.

Vambrace.—Plate defence for lower arm.

Vamplates.—Funnel-shaped hand-guard of lance.

Vaulting.—An arched ceiling or roof of stone, brick, or wood. Barrel vaulting (sometimes called waggon head vaulting) is a vault unbroken in its length by cross vaults. A groined vault (or cross vaulting) is one crossed at right-angles by another. A rib-vault is a framework of arched ribs carrying the material which covers in the spaces between them. One bay of vaulting, divided into four quarters, or compartments, is termed quadripartite; but often the bay is divided longitudinally into two subsidiary bays, each equalling a bay of the wall supports; the vaulting bay is thus divided into six compartments, and is termed sex-partite. A more complicated form is Lierne vaulting; this contains secondary ribs, which do not spring from the wall-supports, but cross from main rib to main rib, producing a star-shaped plan. Fan vaulting is made up of compartments or bays, each containing numerous ribs, spreading from a common pendant in equal curves, and giving a fan-like effect when seen from below.

Vert.—In heraldry, green.

Vizor.—Hinged face-guard of bascinet, salade, close helmet, etc.

Voided.—In heraldry, with the middle part cut away, leaving a margin.

Vol.—In heraldry, two birds' wings conjoined without the body.

Volute.—A spiral form of ornament.

Voussoirs.—The stones forming an arch.

Waggon-head vault.—See "Vaulting."

Wall-plate.—A timber laid lengthwise on the wall to receive the ends of the rafters and other joists.

Water-bouget.—A double vessel for carrying water, formed of two skins of animals, forms an heraldic charge.

Wave-mould.—A compound mould formed by a convex curve between two concave curves.

Weather-boarding.—Horizontal boards nailed to the uprights of timber-framed buildings and made to overlap; the boards are wedge-shaped in section, the upper edge being the thinner.

Weathering (to sills, tops of buttresses, etc.).—A sloping surface for casting off water, etc.

Well-staircase.—A staircase of several flights and generally square, surrounding a space or "well."

Wimple.—Scarf covering chin and throat.

Window.—A term applied to the stone, brick, or woodwork forming the window opening, as well as the glass.

Wyvern.—A fabulous beast with a beaked head, wings, two legs, and tail coiled in a knot.