Medieval Glossary
Padstones
Used in the construction of buildings with wooden frames, these large, flat stones were distributed at key weight-bearing points to help keep the wood of the frame dry and prevent rotting. Although this method of using padstones was better than just setting the frame in postholes in the ground for stability, an actual stone foundation was better. This method was sometimes used in the construction of the thatched wattle-and-daub cottages for the peasantry.
Related term(s): Thatch; Wattle-and-Daub; Peasantry; Daub
Category: Buildings, Goods, and Materials
Added: 11.06.04
Source information:
Singman, Jeffrey L. Daily Life in Medieval Europe. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999. 83.
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