Illustrated Dictionary of British Churches - Herringbone Definition

History and Architecture

Herringbone

A form of stonework common in the Saxon and early Norman periods, where alternating courses of stones are laid on opposing diagonal angles (for example, one course leans to the left, the next course leans to the right). The resulting stones were said to resemble fish bones, hence the name. Herringbone stonework is often found in the exterior walls of late Saxon churches.



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Tyntesfield is an 1864 Gothic Revival mansion housing an impressive collection of Victorian decorative arts and a private chapel. There are a working kitchen garden and formal gardens on the 500-acre estate surrounding the house.

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