Illustrated Architecture Dictionary

Ashlar
      

Finely dressed stone, either an individual stone that has been worked until squared, or a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit.

A thin squared and dressed stone for facing a wall of rubble or brick.

Permits very thin mortar joints.

Found in almost all western styles of architecture.

Random ashlar: Stones seem to be laid without a drawn pattern, although the pattern may be repeated

Coursed ashlar: Stones are identical in each layer

Rough tooled ashlar  VS  Smooth ashlar

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Examples from Buffalo architecture:

• Left illustration above: Buffalo Gas Light Company
  
  
• Right illustration above:  Old Post Office
  
• St. Frances de Sales RC Church
  
  
• Albright-Knox Art Gallery
  
  
• St. Gerard's RC Church
  

Other examples:

• Albany, NY, City Hall
  
  
• Cluny Museum, Paris, France
  
  
• Post Office, North Easton, MA
  

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