A Stonemason's Dictionary
A pocket dictionary of masonry terms, names and expressions

Undercroft: The crypt beneath the church.

Vault: Underground chamber of interment. Also a method of roofing over a space using ribbed arches to support large areas of arched ceiling.

Vent: A natural flaw in a piece of stone, also known as a Crick.

Volute: A carved spiral which forms the main feature of an Ionic capital.

Voussoir: The wedge shaped stones which when built together form an arch.

Wall-walk: The passage along the top of a wall.

Wattscliff Lilac: Even textured lilac coloured gritstone, pleasant to work.

Weathering: A slight slope given to the upper surfaces of near horizontal stone faces to discharge rainwater.

White Finger: Stonemason’s term for the deterioration of blood circulation in the fingers, resulting from vibration, repeated shock and cold.

Wicket: A small door in a larger Cathedral door that allows access without opening the main door

Wilderness: Hard fine grained sandstone of rather pretty reddish pink and pale grey streaks. No longer quarried.

Winder: A tapered step used as part of a spiral or curving stair.

Wreathed Column: A column carved into the shape of a screw.