fillet

A narrow, flat, raised band running down a shaft or along a roll moulding.

finial

An ornament at the top of a gable, pinnacle etc.

fish scale ornament

A surface ornament resembling the scales of a fish, consisting of rows of overlapping semicircular discs.

flat leaf capital

This has a broad, flat leaf at each corner, the pointed tip below the angle of the abacus. Similar to the waterleaf (see below), but the tips do not curve inwards.

flint

A hard silicate rock found in the form of nodules in chalk geology. When fractured it exhibits a dark, glassy surface. Knapped flint has been deliberately fractured to give a shiny surface that can be used ornamentally. See also flushwork.

flushwork

The decorative use of knapped flint and ashlar to produce surface patterns. Chequerwork is the simplest of these, but in the 14th-15th century flushwork was used for more complex ornaments, heraldic displays and lettering.

fluting

A series of shallow, concave grooves. In the Classical period, fluting was applied to the surface of shafts and columns, but its use was more varied in the Middle Ages.

foil

A lobe defined by the curve of the cusping in an opening or panel, trefoil (three cusps), quatrefoil (four cusps), cinquefoil, multifoil. See also cusp

freestone

Any good quality fine-grained sandstone or limestone which cuts well in all directions.

fret ornament

Also called embattled ornament. Consists of horizontal and vertical straight mouldings, repeated to form a band, and often used in the decoration of arches.

frieze

A horizontal band in the plane of the wall decorated with ornamental or narrative relief.