| AISLE |
The part of a church that runs parallel to the main areas - nave,
choir, and transept - and is separated from them by an arcade. |
| APSE |
The circular or angular end of a church, usually the east end. |
| BUTTRESS |
Sometimes called a buttress pier, this is the large stone pier that
rises across the aisle from the pier and is connected to the pier by a
flying buttress. |
| CAPITAL |
The form, usually of stone, that supplies the visual transition between
the top of a column and what ever the column supports. |
| CATHEDRAL |
A church of any size that contains the cathedra or bishop’s chair. |
| CENTERING |
The timber framework that supports the stones of an arch until the
mortar between them is dry. |
| CHOIR |
The section of the church east of the transept that is sometimes
raised above the level of the nave. It is called the choir because
traditionally this is where the choir stands to sing during the service. |
| CLERESTORY |
The topmost part of the church building whose windows illuminate the
central portion of the interior space. |
| CROWN |
The highest part of the church building whose windows illuminate the
central portion of the interior space. |
| CRYPT |
A lower level, usually below ground, that is used for burial or as a
chapel. |
| FLYING BUTTRESS |
A stone arch that carries the thrust vault to the buttress. |
| GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE |
The architectural style that developed in northern France and spread
throughout Europe between 1150 and 1400. Large areas were covered by stone
vaults supported on slender stone piers. By reducing the structure to
piers the area between them could be and usually was filled with glass.
The weight and pressure of the pointed vault is concentrated at the points
where the vault touches the piers. This load is then split up. Some is
carried down the pier to its foundation; the rest is carried across the
flying buttress to the buttress and then down to is foundation. The most
common features of Gothic architecture are the pointed arches and vaults,
the large amounts of glass in the walls, and an overall feeling of great
height. |
| HURDLES |
A Moveable work platform made of woven twigs. |
| KEYSTONE |
The central locking stone at the top of an arch. |
| LAGGING |
Temporary wooden planks or frames used to support the courses or
layers of webbing stone until the mortar is dry. |
| MORTICE AND TENON |
A method of fastening one piece of wood to another. A mortice or square
hole is cut into one piece of wood while a tenon or projection the same
size as the hole is cut on the end of the other piece. The tenon is then
tapped into the mortice, locking the two together without nails. |
| MULLION |
The narrow upright stone pier used to divide the panels of glass in a
window. |
| NAVE |
The central area of a church where the congregation usually stands. |
| PIER |
The pillar or column that supports an arch. |
| RIB |
The stone arch that supports and strengthens the vault. |
| ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE |
The architectural style that developed between the end of the Roman
Empire and around 1000a.d. in church architecture the nave became higher
and narrower and the many columns that supported the triforium, clerestory,
and roof were replaced by a few large piers. The flat wooden ceilings of
the earlier churches, which kept burning down, were gradually replaced by
round stone vaults. The round arch and the vault are the most common
features of Romanesque buildings. |
| TEMPLATE |
The full-size wooden patter used by the stonecutter when he has to
cut many pieces of stone the same size and shape. |
| TRACERY |
The decorative carved stonework of a medieval church window. |
| TRANSEPT |
In a Latin cross plan as at chateaux, the section that crosses the
nave, usually separating the nave and choir. |
| TRIFORIUM |
The arcaded story between the nave arcade and the clerestory. |
| TRUSS |
A triangular wooden frame. The roof frame is constructed of a series
of trusses fastened together. |
| TYMPANUM |
The sculptural area enclosed by the arch above the doors of a
cathedral. |
| VAULT |
The form of construction, usually of brick or stone that is based on
the shape of the arch. Used for the most part as a ceiling or roof. |
| VOUSSOIRS |
Blocks of stone cut in wedge shapes to form an arch. |
| WINDLASS |
A machine for hoisting or hauling. In the Middle ages this consisted
of a horizontal wooden barrel with a long rope fastened to it. The barrel
was supported at both ends. When it was turned the rope would gradually be
wound up around it. |
