Hood mould
|
| Formerly Barony House, the music block at St Bees School in the West Cumbrian village of St Bees, England, is known as the Fox Music Centre. It is a rendered Victorian building with rectangular hood mouldings and label stops. |
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The Penguin Dictionary of Architecture (third edition) was published in 1980. It was created for Penguin Reference and compiled by John Fleming, Hugh Honour and Nikolaus Pevsner.
It defines a hood mould as: ‘A projecting moulding to throw off the rain, on the face of a wall, above an arch, doorway or window; can be called dripstone or, if rectangular, a label.’
It may also be referred to as a drip mould (positioned over something other than an archway), a label or a label mould.
[edit] Purpose
From the side, a hood mould may have an upper surface that angles downward and includes a recessed space that serves to direct drips away from the opening.
At its lower ends, the hood mould may terminate on a column capital. It may also be finished with another moulding structure referred to as a label stop. A label stop can be a boss that is plain or decorative.
[edit] History
The hood mould initially appeared during the Romanesque period. It was used to protect carved mouldings from erosion and other damage caused by rain.
Eventually, the hood mould became a highly decorative feature, particularly important during the Gothic period. Hood moulds appear above many external arches found in Gothic structures built in much of Europe. In England, they were also used over interior arches - commonly those above nave arcades.
With the introduction of rectangular windows for residential buildings, hood moulds were adapted for domestic architecture.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.