Dais: Raised area where the lord's chair is positioned

Dalmatic: Deacon's (also bishop's) vestment (See TUNICLE)

Danegeld: A tax paid to the Vikings to prevent them from attacking

Danelaw: Area under Danish Law in the tenth century due to the numbers of Danes living there. Mainly in the east and north east of England

Daub: Mud and clay covering as in wattle and daub

Daughter House: Foundation of an abbey by monks from another abbey. Initial community consisted of 13 monks, one of which was the group leader.

Dauphin: Eldest son of the King of France and heir to the French throne

Day Stairs: Stairs usually leading from the cloister to the dorter (sleeping hall).

Dean: The head of the group of people running the cathedral (Chapter)

Deanery: Where the Dean lived

Decani: The south side of the choir on which the Dean sits. Usually in a Cathedral

Decorated: The name used to denote the architecture style between 1275 and 1350 (+/- 25 years) (More...)

Demense: Lord of Manor's own land.

Dexter: The right side of a shield. Shown to the left when looking at a shield design.

Diaper: Pattern of diamonds or squares

Diocese: Area under the jurisdiction of a Bishop

Dog-Tooth Moulding: An ornimental moulding used in the 13th Century in English Cathedrals, conisting of a series of pyramidal projections, each having for leaves

Donjon: Inner stronghold or keep of the castle

Dormitory: The room where the choir monks slept

Dormer window: Window with a gable that projects from a sloping roof

Dorter: Shared sleeping hall (dormitory) for monks

Dovecote: Building where pigeons and doves were raised.

Drawbridge: The wooden bridge of a gateway that can be raised or lowered for defence

Dressings: The stones used for corners or angles and are worked to a smooth finish

Dripstone: A projecting moulding over doors, windows etc. used to throw off the rain

Dungeon: The prison

Early English: The term used to denote the style of architecture between 1190 and 1275 (More...)

Eaves: The underneath part of a sloping roof that overhangs a wall

Effigy: A stone, wood, marble etc. carved likeness of a person.

Ealdorman: An Anglo-Saxon nobleman who had control over a local area and exercised the king's authority

Embattled: Battlements with crenelations (indentations).

Embrasure: A small opening in battlements used as lookout posts

Encaustic Tiles: Tiles used in medieval cathedrals having the patterns burnt into them

Enciente: An enclosure; the fortified area of a castle

Engaged Shaft or Column: A shaft or column partly set into another shaft or column or wall

Exchequer: The king's financial department responsible for managing the king's finances

Extrados: The curved upper or outer surface of an arch

Eyre: The right of a king to visit and inspect property held by his vassals

Facade: The face or principal front of a building

Fan-Vault: A conchoidal type of vault in which length and curvature of all the ribs are the same

Faquin: A dummy made of wood or straw used as a target when training to use a lance

Fealty: An oath of faithfulness to one's lord or at it's highest to the crown

Feretory: The shrines containing the sacred relics of saints

Fess: One of the main ordinaries. A horizontal band in the centre of the shield (More...)

Feudalism: System in which the king shares power and land with nobles in return for services.

Fief: Land and property held on condition of homage and service to the lord who owns it.

Field: The whole surface of the shield.

Finial: Leaf decoration on top of a gable or bench-end

Fleur-de-lis: Stylised flower like a lily used in shield design

Floriated: Decorated with flowers shaped ornaments. Tracery term

Florin: An Italian gold coin first issed in Florence in 1252.

Flying Buttress: A free-standing buttress linked to the building by part of a arch to provide strength against the lateral forces

Foliated: Carving with leaves

Forebuilding: A small defendable building on the entrance of a larger building

Fosse: A trench, ditch or moat possibly defensive

Foundations: Underground stone base supporting the building above

Franc: French gold coin first minted in 1360 by John II.

Frater: Large common dining room in an abbey. Strict rules of procedure and silence were observed while readings were given.

Fyrd: An army consisting of free men who were summonsed by the king in times of trouble