Glossary
OED: Oxford English Dictionary, ed. J.A. Simpson and E.S.C. Weiner
(2nd. ed., Oxford, 1989)
LCW: L.C. Wright, Sources of London English: Thames technical
vocabulary (Oxford University Press, forthcoming 1995)
MED: Middle English Dictionary, ed. H. Kuhn et al. (Ann Arbor,
1953)
MLWL: Revised Medieval Latin Word-List from British and Irish
sources, ed. R.E.Latham (Oxford, 1965)
S: L.F.Salzman, Building in England down to 1540, a documentary
history (Oxford, 1967)
Batch: a brewing vessel: OED
bead-hook: a kind of boathook: OED
beetle: a type of heavy weight with a handle, used for ramming, worked
by three or five men: LCW
bollyng, bollyng tylte: probably a tarpaulin
bolster: a metal support: MED
bridge ashlar: a type of stone, hewn like a plank, used in building the
bridge: LCW
bunch: a small measure of glass, possibly about 3 sq. ft.: S 184 and n.
cement: the word here clearly means a waterproof mixture including
pitch or tar, used to bind masonry, delivered hot to the masons who
used it: cf. S 153.
corbel: used in two senses, for baskets (4-5, 8, 24-6) and stone
projections (240)
crests, see hollow tiles
crombes: hooks, crooks: MED
damel: a small dam or wall, possibly a barrier constructed around a
starling for protection: LCW
eddering: materials (osiers, hazel-rods) used for interlacing the stakes
of a hedge: OED
fare: a load or cargo: OED
forge: probably some kind of stone suitable for forges or furnaces
fyneux: tiles, probably hollow- or ridge-tiles: S 231.
garnet: hinge: OED
gemels: a kind of hinge: S 298-9
gibbet gin, ram: a machine, ?with a projecting beam, for driving piles
into the riverbed: LCW
glovers' shreds: leather shreds used to make size: S 158
gyle tun: fermenting vat in brewing: OED
hames: curved part of horse-collar: OED
hassock: soft Kentish sandstone: OED
hollow tiles, crests: ridge tiles: S 231-2
in bowing: cutting to form an arch: S 258
karfe, kyrffe, kerf: the act of cutting, a cut; anthwart kerf, probably
crosswise cuts
lattice nails: used for lattices or windows: S 310
lyre: tape for binding: OED
moty: an earth-based pigment, probably reddish: S 159, 168, OED
mount: a measure of plaster, 30 cwt.: S 155-6
ogees: stone cut for vaulting ribs: S 116
packthread: strong thread for tying: MED
pane: section of a wall: MED
parells: (stone for) chimneypieces: OED
patten nails: used in making pattens: MED
pile-shoe [nail]: [nail for fastening] the metal casing on the end of a
pile: LCW
potent': probably a hinge: cf. potentgarnetta, cross-garnet: MLWL
puncheons: wooden struts, posts: OED
pynne timber: possibly wood for making pins or pegs
Pysens, pisan: head armour, collar: MED
roda: possibly a roadstead or landing-place (143)
rove: a small metal plate through which a nail or rivet is clenched, in
boatbuilding: S 313
running ram: a machine for driving piles into the river bed: LCW
scappling: rough shaping: OED
scomour, skimmer: utensil for skimming liquid: MED
seam nails: probably a clenched nail or rivet: S 313
shavehook: a tool for scraping, used on the starling: LCW
shipborde: ship planks, the kind of planking used in boatbuilding
shout: a flat-bottomed river boat, used for transporting goods: LCW,
OED scout
shwer, shore: drain: LCW
scoppet, scuppet: a spade or shovel: OED
slitting (wood): lengthwise splitting into planks, probably with wedges
rather than sawing: S 243
somer: heavy timber beam across an opening
sortelathe: some kind of lath
spiking: a strong iron nail: OED
springer: the stone from which an arch springs: OED
stampnes, stems: the stem or prow of a boat: OED
starling: a platform of sawn-off piles, upon which a pier was built;
subsequently an outwork of piles, projecting from the lower part of
the pier: LCW
stop (wood): piece of wood forming rebate, as part of the joinery of a
door
swerd', sword: blade of the ram or pile-driver (57, 80, 87)
tallwood: (fire)wood
tide-boots: used by workmen in the water
tide-saw: used by tidemen
tideman: a construction worker whose work depends on states of the
tide
tilte, tylte: awning, covering of coarse or hair-cloth, especially over a
boat: OED tilt
toise, teys: a measure of paving, about 7½ sq. ft.: S 147
tontight: a measure of stone, about a ton/2,000 lb. in weight but varying
in quantity: see S 122
trasshnaill: wooden pegs: S 202
trenails: wooden pegs or nails
tusserds: some kind of (fire)wood: OED
voussoir: wedge-shaped stone: S 115
wadmal: a coarse woollen cloth, particularly used to cover horse-collars:
OED
warelyne: meaning unknown
water-adze, water-auger: tools used for construction work in the water
waterworks: work on the piers, starlings, and arches of the bridge, often
at the waterline
Westvale: Westphalian linen
wilkin: pile-driving machine: LCW
wiveling: hair, material for caulking: LCW
wranges for boats (325): meaning unknown