Page 68 - Scotland's Unsung Castles

Rayere - Tall narrow opening for admitting light in a thick Segmental - An arch forming an arc of a circle whose centre is
castle wall. below the springing
Redoubt - A temporary square or polygonal fortification, Set back/off - Structure where a wall or building narrows ab-
sometimes built outside the main defences as a refuge for sol- ruptly
diers
Shaft - Narrow column.
Reeded - Mouldings formed with channels and ridges like
Shell keep: stone structure circling the top of a motte.
reeds.
Sill - Lower horizontal face of an opening.
Re-entrant – Pointing inwards; recessed.
Sleeper - Lowest horizontal timber (or low wall).
Refectory – (monastery) Communal dining hall.
Shooting gallery: A corridor at the top of the castle wall,
Relieving arch (architecture) An Arch built in a wall to
used by archers.
relieve downward pressure on an opening, like a doorway or
window opening. Siege: The blockade of a castle or town.
Respond - A half-pillar or half-pier attached to a wall to Siege castle, A temporary fort, built by the besieging army to
support an arch protect its camp; also a platform for siege engines.
Renaissance. The revival of learning and culture Siege engines: Devices and machines created for use in siege
warfare to attack walls and towns.
Retirata - Improvised fieldwork to counter an imminent
breach. Skew (Scots, sloping) Sloped stones finishing a gable and raising
Revetment - Masonry used as a facing to supports an em- the gable higher than the roof
bankment, usually against erosion. Slight, slighting: Official destruction of a castle.

Ribbed vault. Similar to a groined vault but with ribbed Soffit - The underside of a part of a building such as an arch, hung
arches. parapet, or opening.
Ringwork - A defensive earthwork without a motte. Solar - An upper room or the lairds or private quarters
Rococo (French) Fanciful but graceful ornamentation in Spandrel. (Architecture) The triangular surface area between two
architecture that originated in France in the 18th century adjacent arches and the horizontal plane above them

Roll (architecture) A cylindrical moulding. Splay - Chamfer or sloping face.
Romanesque. An architecture developed in the Roman Spreading (Scots) A group of farm buildings
and the Gothic styles which heralded a profusion of innovation Spring - Level at which the springers (Voussoirs) of an arch rise
and ornamentation.
from their supports.
Roofridge. The top of the roof where both sides meet.
Springald - A torsion artillery device for throwing bolts.
The board or beam that is used in building the ridge is known
as the Ridge. Squint - Observation hole in wall or room.
Rubble - Uncut or roughly shaped stone, for walling. Stairs, stair turret: Normally, Stairs were built within walls
and stander building. Spiral or newel stairs were built in a tower or
Rustication (architecture) Giving finished stone an un-
turret. Spiral stairs usually rose in a clockwise spiral so that a defend-
worked texture.
er facing downward had space for his sword arm.
S Stepped - (architecture) Recessed in a series of ledges.
Salient - Wall projection pointing outward at an angle of Stockade - Fortified fence made of a line of stout posts set firmly
less than 180 degrees. for defence
Saltire – An X, with diagonal bars of equal length Stringcourse - horizontal band, on a wall, either plain or mould-
ed, is usually formed of brick or stone.
Sally port: A small hidden door in wall used by defenders
to make surprise attacks (see Postern). Stucco. Plaster applied while soft to cover exterior walls or surfac-
es. Sometimes decorative.
Scaffolding - The temporary wooden frame work built
next to a wall to support both workers and materials. T
Sapping, Sapper: A Sapper is the person how does the
Sapping; digs the tunnel. Talus: An outward sloping wall or a sloping mass of loose rocks .
See also glacis.
Scaling ladder: A ladder used to climb castle walls.
Tau cross – A T cross with equal limbs. Often depicted with all
Scale – Decorative design on mouldings and carvings resem- three ends of the cross expanded.
bling overlapping fish scales.
Tempera. Painting directly onto wet plaster
Scallop - Carved in a series of semi-circles.
T Plan House where the long main block has a wing or tower
Scarp - A steep artificial slope in front of a fortification or a attached
slope on inner side of a ditch.
Tenshu - Large main tower of a Japanese castle.
Screens, A wooden or masonry wall separating the hall
from the service rooms Tiltyard: A walled space for jousting.
Tooth-in - Stones removed (or omitted) to allow another wall to
Scriptorium: (monastery) A room used for writing.
be bonded into it.
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