Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
It also supports his emphasis that these selected bricks were indeed capable
of being cut and rubbed to a fine degree of accuracy, without detriment, and
that those who executed this class of work were commonly called brekmasons
(Moore, 1991, 233; citing Simpson, 1960, 60).
Some bricks used for medieval and Tudor cut and rubbed enrichments do
reveal the presence of inclusions. This was inevitable with the cruder brickmak-
ing techniques of these periods in comparison with the seventeenth century
onwards, but rubbers of latter periods can also posses them; and to varying
degrees. Cutting open salvaged bricks used for both cut and rubbed and later
gauged enrichments from buildings of these periods has revealed their similar-
ity in make-up and appearance.
Practical tests using salvaged bricks from the early sixteenth century through
to the nineteenth century have clearly revealed how all were easily cut using
the mason's drag as a saw (Fig. 3). It was noted that all freshly-cut surfaces
showed similarly close-textured bodies, with or without inclusions, and when
Figure 3
Sections of historic
rubbing bricks from
the sixteenth to the
nineteenth century.
