Medieval, Period Styles

Ambulatory

Covered walkway aisles outside the main nave in a cathedral

Arrow Loop

Narrow slits on the wall along the parapet to allow archers to shoot with some protection

Barbette

chinstrap

Boss

Sculptural objects at intersections of ribbed vaulting

Buttress/Flying Buttress

A structure built on the outside of castle walls to keep it from buckling outwards. The latter is built farther from the main structure and connected with a bridge-like arch

Capuchon

A hood with a short cape attached. The hood has a liripipe hanging

Castle

Fortified structures that house a keep and a surrounding town

Cathedral

Large churches built in a cruciform shape

Ceinture

A belt

Chainmail

interlocking metal pieces used to make armor

Chancel

Area around an alter set off by a railing or screen

Chapel

In the sanctuary, private areas of worship housed behind the chancel

Chaperone

Hats that looked like a donut over a night bonnet, could have a long liripipe to drape over shoulders

Chemise

Undershirt, made with white cotton or linen

Choir

Area on the side of a sanctuary for singers

Clerestory

The upper row of windows on a cathedral for light

Coif

Baby bonnet-like head covering to keep sun and hair out of faces. Sometimes made of chainmail

Cote

a medieval tunic, generally in different colors

Cotehardie

fitted, short, tight buttoned version of a long coat with small slits for horseback riding

Crackowes/Poulaines

Pointy shoes

Crenellation

The tooth like pattern on the castle walls made of merlons and embrasures

Merlons

The raised part of crenellation

Embrasures

The sunken part of crenellation

Cruciform

Shaped like a cross

Dagging

a form of decoration in which edges of the garment were cut into pointed or squared scallops, allowed more movement

Drawbridge

Can be raised or lowered to control access to the castle

Escoffion

taco shell shaped hat

Fleche

A slender spire rising from the ridge of a roof

Gardcorp

Overcoat with separate sleeves to fit the arms, sometimes hooded

Gargoyle/Grotesque

Carved creatures used as decoration, the former as a rainspout

Gate House

the complex of towers, bridges, and barriers built to protect each entrance through a castle or town wall

Gorget

neck drape

Hennin

Princess hat, tall and pointed, truncated ones had to point cut off

Heraldry

the system by which coats of arms and other armorial bearings are devised, described, and regulated.

Houppelande

unisex flowing garments that were floor length for women and for men became shorter the younger you were

Inner Bailey

Space inside the inner wall of a castle

Jupon/Pourpoint

A cotehardie

Keep

The inner most protected part of a castle for the 'ruling' family

Lancet Window

Long and narrow with a point. Made with Mullioned glass

Liripipe

The draping piece that hangs off hoods

Moat

A watery ditch around a castle as a fortification. Generally a trash dumping area

Mullions

Small glass pieces held together with lead or wood pieces to form windows

Nave

The central aisle of a church

Ogive Arch

The pointed arch chape that was stronger than regular arches

Outer Bailey

Space between the outer and inner walls

Parapet

Walkway along the top of castle walls

Peasant Hut

Made with sticks and straw, one room. shared living spaces with animals, no stone

Pelicon

fur lined, backless sleeveless robe men wore

Pinnacle

a high peak or point

Plastron

stiffened top piece

Portcullis

grate of wood or metal forming the gate to a castle

Reticulated Headdress

a band/crown that holds side bags for hair, bags made of mesh cage or like a veil

Ribbed Vaulting

A vault in which the diagonal and transverse ribs compose a structural skeleton that partially supports the masonry web between them.

Roundel

donut shaped chaperone

Sanctuary

The area behind the chancel screen containing the choir and chapels

Sideless Gown

Surcotes without sleeves and a cut down the side

Stained Glass Window

Glass windows created by fitting together small pieces of various shapes and colors with strips of lead.

Surcoat

flowy garment worn over cote

Thatching

using special grass to make roofs for buildings

Tippets

long narrow sleeve extensions

Toque

pie shaped hat, sometimes open on top

Tracery

Curvilinear stonework supporting windows and found in other decorative elements

Trancept

The arms forming the horizontal part of a cross in a cathedral

Wattle and Daub

A method of house building using a wooden frame filled with woven reeds and plastered with a cow manure/clay mixture

Wimple

shaped veil