- Architectural Terms
- Corner Structures
- Quoins
- No corner structures
- Pilasters
- Lintels
- Mortar
- Hexagonal mortar
- Scored mortar
- White particles in mortar
- Stones
- Stone Placement
- Vertical Stones
Revised drawing of Hen-13 Otis-Hempelmann House from "Cobblestone Masonry", 1966, Carl Schmidt, Page 266
* Centered near the peak of a Gable Wall there can be a variety of architectural features. The structure feature depicted in this drawing is a date stone.
A more typical cobblestone feature is a lunette - A crescent-shaped or semicircular area or opening on a wall surface ¹; basically, an arched aperture or window. A common term used in cobblestone literature is fanlight; however, the term can be misleading, defined as "A window, often semicircular, over a door, in Georgian and Regency buildings, with radiating glazing bars suggesting a fan." ²
An accurate description is either a semi-circular gable window, gable vent or semi-elliptical gable vent. As a vent it may be functional, or non-functional being solid. Essentially the terminology used depends on whether the assembly is functional as a window or vent, or is a solid, non-functional, decorative feature having the appearance of either. Note that there are instances of a triangular shaped feature.
A revision by the New York's State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the term "fanlight" in a National Register nomination document: "The facade is particularly distinguished by a large and elegant decorative fan that occupies the space under the gable. The half-ellipse is composed of a carved sandstone arch with keystone surrounding a gouged fluted wooden fan." ³
¹ Curbed New York, A Glossary of Common Architectural Features and Terms, by Jeremiah Budin.
² Penguin Dictionary of Architecture, 1919-1991.
³ Erin Anheier.
Editor's Note: An acknowledgement of thanks to Cynthia Howk; Christopher Brandt - Project Architect, Bero Architecture PLLC, Rochester, NY; and Erin Anheier for the detailed information they provided when assistance was requested to define the appropriate architectural terminology for the Gable Wall features.
Examples
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¹ Image courtesy Cobblestone Museum.
² Image courtesy Richard Palmer.
³ Photography courtesy Martin and Sheila Wolfish.
4 Photography courtesy Robert L. Roudabush