ABACUS

The upper member of the capital of a column

ACTOMA

The tympanum of a pediment

ANNULET

Horizontal band or fillet encircling a column.

ANTHEMION

Classical greek enrichment resembling a honeysuckle flower

APERTURE

An opening in a wall or chimney breast

ARABESQUE

Decorative scroll work and other ornament loosely derived from branches, leaves and tendrils

ARRIS

The edge on which two surfaces meet, forming an external angle with an eased edge

ASTRAGAL

A semi-circular or convex moulding on column

BEAD & REEL

An ornament in greek mouldings showing continuous row of bead-like and spool or reel-like
elements

BEDMOULD OF CORNICE

The lower and supporting portion of the cornice

BOLECTION

A raised and rebated moulding which projects beyond the face of the frame

BROKEN PEDIMENT

In which the cornice of the pediment does not entirely enclose the tympanum

BULLNOSE

Bold projecting convex moulding of semicircular section also known as a torus

CAPITAL

The upper portion of a column or pilaster

CARTOUCHE

A tablet in the form of scroll of paper for the reception of an inscription

CARYATIDE

Carved, draped, straight, standing female figure supporting on its head an astragal and square
abacas used as a substitute for a column and supporting an entablature

CAVETTO

A hollow moulding, the section of which is a quadrant of a circle, or a quarter of an ellipse

CHIMNEY PIECE

An ornamental finishing of framework for a fireplace

CINTURE

A fillet that divides shaft of column from the capital and base

CONSOLE

Classical bracket with parallel sides, usually an ogee curve terminating in a volute with greater projection at the top

CORBEL

Architectural projection or bracket like support stepping out from chimneypiece to hold shelf or other weight although can be purely decorative

CORONA

Part of a classical cornice with a broad vertical face above the bedmould. the underside is usually recessed to form a drip which protects the frieze below

CROCKET

Projecting leaves, flowers or bunches of foliage used in gothic architecture to decorate vertical mouldings

CYMA RECTA

An undulating moulding which is hollow in the upper part and round in the lower

CYMA REVERSA

As above but hollow in the lower part and round in the upper also known as a reverse ogee

DEMI-LUNE

Is the portion of the surface of a sphere lying between two planes which contain the axis of a sphere

DORIC CAPITAL

A simple capital from the oldest and simplest of the three main orders of classical greek architecture

EGG & DART

An ornament formed from the ovolo molding

ENTABLATURE

The part of an order above the columns including the frieze, architrave and cornice

ENTASIS

The subtle convex curved swelling of a column or pilaster in classical architecture showing greater diameter at bottom than top

FACETTE

The fillet between the flutes of a column

FASCIA

A band or fillet; used to describe a plain horizontal course

FILLET

Narrow flat band, used for the separation of one moulding from another

FOOTBLOCK

Lower section or base of the column or pilaster that sits directly on the hearth

FRIEZE

Horizontal central band of entablature between the architrave and cornice. if curved in section, it is said to be cushioned or pulvinated

GUILLOCHE

French term for an ornament used in classical architecture formed by two or more intertwining bands

GUTTAE

Pendant ornament resembling truncated pyramids, can also be cylindrical – greek doric order. also referred to as drops, nails or trunnels

HAWKSBEAK/ HAWKSBILL

A moulding with a convex top and a concave underside meeting at a point resembling the beak of a bird of prey

HAWKSBELL

Ballflower ornament

HIPPOCAMP

Sea horse with the upper body of a horse and lower of a fish like creature often used in classical decorations

HUSK

Classical ornament in the form of a stylized bell flower, nut shell or wheat ear usually linked together in drops, festoons, garlands or strings

IONIC CAPITAL

The rolled up cushion like form on either side creating distinctive volutes at the top of a jamb

JAMB

The vertical side of an aperture or the “legs” of a chimneypiece

KEYSTONE

Wedge shaped key block at the crown of an arch to consolidate a structure

LINTEL

The stone which spans in one piece the top of an aperture

LIST

Vertical column between column flutes

MARGENT

Ornament of vertical flowers and leaves suspended from a bow, mask, patera, ring or rosette

MODILLION

Projecting bracket fixed under the soffit of cornice regularly spaced