Glossary

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