Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
architects following the Gothic and Queen Anne revival styles, keen to emulate
the high levels of past masonry craftsmanship.
Study of contemporary cut brick arches reveals there were two accepted clas-
sifications - 'axed' or 'gauged'. The term 'axed' (from the use of the brick axe),
retained even when the hammer and bolster along with the scotch or scutch
were substituted, is still used today. Hammond (1875, 24-5) details these two
classes, defining 'axed' arches by the standard of the late Victorian period:
These are used very much in the present day, on account of their taking less
labour, as it is thought. But it is an inferior sort of work at the best, and often
costs as much as gauge-work by the time it is finished.
The bricks of these are simply axed down to a given size, and nothing but the sof-
fits are rubbed; and this is done after they are brought to the required bevel with
the hammer boaster and scotch; they are then set in cement, with a joint about
three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness, and afterwards pointed.
One can determine that, despite being then set with narrow joints of only
three-sixteenths of an inch (5mm) in thickness, it is considered inferior to
gauged work. The use of a cement mortar for such work was not uncommon
on some of the big city sites, especially from the 1860s, but it was not remotely
approaching the high strength of its modern ordinary Portland cement (OPC)
counterpart (P. Livesey, 2003):
The 'Portland cement' of 1850 was a different animal to that of 1900, which in
turn was totally different to that of today.
Hammond's pointed finish for a contemporary axed arch would have been
'tuck pointing', as discussed earlier; but always using thinner ribbons than that
normal for surrounding standard facework. This was important for creating
the illusion of the gauged arch it was intended to replace and imitate.
Hammond (1875, 25-26) defines contemporary gauged work and its prepa-
ration as:
…all kinds of work that is cut and brought down to a given gauge upon the rub-
bing-stone; such as all kinds of arches, mouldings for external cornices, archi-
traves to doorways and windows, eaves, &c., and is considered the most important
branch of the trade.
For this purpose a shed should be built to protect the bricks that are to be cut
from the wet, and also large enough for the workmen to erect their benches and
chopping-blocks to suit their own convenience. They then require the rubbing
stone and a bedding-block. The former ought to be in the form of a circle, and
not exceeding 14 inches in diameter; for if it is, it will be very likely to rub out of
level on the face, that is either hollow or cambering; and even with this size it will
