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

Gablet: Small gable shaped termination to a buttress, etc.

Gallery: An upper room extending over part of another room.

Gargoyle: Originally carved projecting waterspouts designed to carry rain water away from the side of buildings. The term is often nowadays applied to any projecting carving of a grotesque.

Garret: A room constructed in a roof space.

Garth: An open space bounded by cloisters.

Gauging Trowel: A long gently tapering trowel with a round end.

Gesso: A type of hard, fine plaster.

Gin Wheel: A pulley wheel suspended at the top of a scaffolding, around which runs a hand operated rope for hoisting and lowering tools and materials.

Glazing Bars: Metal bars (traditionally wrought iron, more often nowadays stainless steel tipped) inserted into the window jambs and spanning a window aperture, for supporting the leaded lights which are then attached using copper wire ties.

Gothic: Period of architecture from the 12th to the mid 16th century.

Granite: Extremely hard and durable igneous stone. Not a freestone. Takes a high polish.

Greek Architecture: Commonly used to refer to the three Orders of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.

Grinshill: Honey coloured sandstone, very soft and easy to work, very high in silica.

Grit Stone: Silica based stone comprised of loose particles. Can be very hard.

Groin: The angle formed by the intersection of two vaulted surfaces. Also, the internal angle formed by two intersecting roofs.

Grotesque: Fantastical representation of an animal or human.

Grout: Liquid mortar for pouring into voids in a wall.

Guiting: Orange coloured Cotswold limestone. Quite soft, variable texture with bits of clay and cricks.

Gypsum: A crystalline form of limestone used extensively in the manufacture of plaster.