Abutment: The structure, usually of brick, concrete or masonry, which supports a bridge span or arch. Depending on location, it often retains the adjacent land as well.

Batter: The slope of a structure back from its base. If a s tructure is described as 'battered' it means that it slopes back.

Buttress: A projection from a wall, to give additional strength by resisting outward thrust.

Corbel: A bracket supporting a beam or arch.

Crown: The top of an arch opening.

Cutwater: A projection from the base of a bridge pier, to assist the flow of water round it.

Dentil: Rectangular, usually square, blocks underneath a string course of other projection from a wall.

Footing: The foundation of a structure.

Impost: A horizontal, projecting band of brick or stone immediately below the springing point of an arch.

Abutment

Buttress

Corbel

Cutwater

Dentil

Impost

Keystone: The central stone at the crown of an arch, which is usually more prominent than the others. Arches with brick rings do not usually have a keystone.

Panel: A shallow recess in a wall.

Parapet: Wall either side of a bridge deck, provided to prevent users from falling off. Usually of brick, concrete or masonry, but may be of wrought iron or steel, particularly on plate girder bridges.

Pier: Intermediate support for a bridge deck or adjacent arches.

Pilaster: A projection from a wall. Pilasters are usually shallow and only decorative.

Quoin: Large (usually) decorative stones or contrasting brickwork at the corner of a structure.

Keystone

Panel

Parapet

Pier

Pilaster

Quoin

Soffit: The curved lower surface of an arch.

Spandrel: The approximately triangular part of the face of an arch, above the arch rings and below the deck.

Spring or Springing Point: The point where the curve of an arch launches from the abutment or pier.

String Course: A band of brick or masonry projecting from a wall. String courses are usually horizontal, but may be curved to follow the profile of an arch.

Voussoir: A stone forming part of the ring of an arch.

Wing wall: Walls projecting from a bridge or tunnel mouth, to retain earthworks.

Soffit

Spandrel

String Course

Voussoir

Wing wall