Architecture - Intricate Brickwork

Header Bond and Intricate Corbelling

This beautiful old brickwork is called Header Bond.  I believe that the lovely curve was produced using snapped headers; bricks cut in half to enable the tight curve.  Above the curve intricate corbelling gradually transforms the arc into a right angle wall at first floor height.  At a glance it looks like it might be an old front entrance that’s been bricked up.  However that’s not the case, and why would anyone go to so much trouble if it was just to cover an old doorway!

Horse Transportation

This masterpiece of craftsmanship is in Eaton Grove, Hove and was built c.1880 by William Willett.  At that time the horse and cart/carriage ruled the roost where local transportation was concerned; however the horse could not be controlled as accurately as a modern car.  Typically extra clearance was provided on tight corners by “rounding off” at the end of a terrace.  The bricklayer in this case has done a wonderful job, all the joints are perfectly staggered, it must have taken a lot of thought, a “work of art”!