Coping (architecture)
Encyclopedia
Coping consists of the capping or covering of a wall
.
A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point.
A coping may consist of stone, brick, tile
, slate
, metal, wood or thatch. In all cases it should be weathered to throw off the water.
In Romanesque
work copings appeared plain and flat, and projected over the wall with a throating to form a drip. In later work a steep slope was given to the weathering (mainly on the outer side), and began at the top with an astragal
; in the Decorated style there were two or three sets off; and in the later Perpendicular Period these assumed a wavy section, and the coping moulding
s continued round the sides, as well as at top and bottom, mitre
ing at the angles, as in many of the colleges at Oxford
.
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
.
A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point.
A coping may consist of stone, brick, tile
Tile
A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...
, slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
, metal, wood or thatch. In all cases it should be weathered to throw off the water.
In Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
work copings appeared plain and flat, and projected over the wall with a throating to form a drip. In later work a steep slope was given to the weathering (mainly on the outer side), and began at the top with an astragal
Astragal
An astragal is a moulding profile composed of a half-round surface surrounded by two flat planes . An astragal is sometimes referred to as a miniature torus...
; in the Decorated style there were two or three sets off; and in the later Perpendicular Period these assumed a wavy section, and the coping moulding
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
s continued round the sides, as well as at top and bottom, mitre
Miter joint
A miter joint , sometimes shortened to miter, is a joint made by bevelling each of two parts to be joined, usually at a 45° angle, to form a corner, usually a 90° angle...
ing at the angles, as in many of the colleges at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.