A parapet is a barrier that is an upward extension of a wall at the edge of a roof , terrace , balcony , walkway or other structure . The word comes ultimately from the Italian parapetto ( parare 'to cover/defend' and petto 'chest/breast'). Where extending above a roof, a parapet may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the edge line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a fire wall or party wall . Parapets were originally used to defend buildings from military attack, but today they are primarily used as guard rails , to conceal rooftop equipment, reduce wind loads on the roof, and to prevent the spread of fires.
17-441: St Silas Church may refer to: St Silas' Church, Blackburn St Silas Church, Glasgow St Silas Church, Kentish Town St Silas Church, Sheffield St Silas' Church, Lozells Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title St Silas Church . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
34-541: A chancel with a north vestry , another vestry in the angle between the south transept and aisle, and a west tower. The architectural style is Gothic Revival , described in the National Heritage List as Perpendicular , and by the authors of the Buildings of England series as Decorated . The tower is in three stages, with angle buttresses , and a polygonal stair turret at the southwest corner that rises to
51-409: A level higher than the tower. On the summit of the tower are pierced embattled parapets and pinnacles . The tower has a west doorway, above which is a five-light window. In its middle stage are pairs of ogee -headed windows, clock faces, and a frieze of shields. The top stage contains louvred bell openings, one on the south side, and two in pairs on each of the other sides. Along the walls of
68-406: A nearby Sunday school, and then in a school built in 1884–85. The church is constructed in sandstone with freestone dressings. The external walls are in yellow sandstone; the internal walls in red sandstone. The roofs are slated . Its plan consists of a nave with north and south aisles , a southwest porch, a north transept containing the organ chamber, a south transept comprising a chapel,
85-567: A parapet is known as hāra . It is optionally added while constructing a temple. The hāra can be decorated with various miniature pavilions, according to the Kāmikāgama. In the Bible the Hebrews are obligated to build a parapet on the roof of their houses to prevent people falling (Deuteronomy 22:8). Many firewalls are required to have a parapet, a portion of the wall extending above the roof. The parapet
102-483: A parapet of blind quatrefoils , and a southeast turret with a spirelet. The appearance of the interior of the church is "one of spaciousness, nobility and grandeur imparted by the handling of the proportions". It is "richly furnished in a high-church fashion". The tower arch is triple- chamfered , while the chancel arch and the transept arches are all double-chamfered. The arcades consist of double-chamfered arches carried on square piers that are set diagonally. In
119-436: A sub-category of "vehicle restraint systems" or "pedestrian restraint systems". A parapet fortification (known as a breastwork when temporary) is a wall of stone, wood or earth on the outer edge of a defensive wall or trench , which shelters the defenders. In medieval castles , they were often crenellated . In later artillery forts , parapets tend to be higher and thicker. They could be provided with embrasures for
136-657: Is a window designed by Henry Holiday towards the end of his career in 1921–23, which depicts Old Testament figures, including David and Gideon with angels. The three- manual organ was built in 1904 by Harrison and Harrison of Durham . It was altered in 1925 by the same firm, and in 1991 by J. Corkhill of Wigan . There is a ring of eight bells, all of which were cast in 1888 by John Taylor and Company of Loughborough . Bibliography Parapet Parapets may be plain, embattled , perforated or panelled, which are not mutually exclusive terms. The Mirror Wall at Sigiriya , Sri Lanka built between 477 and 495 AD
153-573: Is in Preston New Road, Blackburn , Lancashire , England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Blackburn with Darwen, the archdeaconry of Blackburn, and the diocese of Blackburn . The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building . St Silas' was designed in 1878 by the Lancaster architects Paley and Austin , but building did not start until 1894. The first phase
170-529: Is one of the few surviving protective parapet walls from antiquity. Built onto the side of Sigiriya Rock it ran for a distance of approximately 250 meters (270 yards) and provided protection from inclement weather. Only about 100 meters (110 yards) of this wall exists today, but brick debris and grooves on the rock face along the western side of the rock clearly show where the rest of this wall once stood. Parapets surrounding roofs are common in London . This dates from
187-579: Is required to be as fire resistant as the lower wall, and extend a distance prescribed by building code. Parapets on bridges and other highway structures (such as retaining walls ) prevent users from falling off where there is a drop. They may also be meant to restrict views, to prevent rubbish passing below, and to act as noise barriers . Bridge parapets may be made from any material, but structural steel , aluminium , timber and reinforced concrete are common. They may be of solid or framed construction. In European standards , parapets are defined as
SECTION 10
#1732883700214204-461: The Building Act 1707 which banned projecting wooden eaves in the cities of Westminster and London as a fire risk. Instead an 18-inch brick parapet was required, with the roof set behind. This was continued in many Georgian houses, as it gave the appearance of a flat roof which accorded with the desire for classical proportions. In Shilpa Shastras , the ancient Indian science of sculpture,
221-407: The aisles are large four-light windows. The porch is tall with an embattled parapet, canted angles, and angle buttresses. Above its moulded entrance arch is a statue of Saint Silas in a niche surmounted by a pinnacle. The transepts contain pairs of square-headed two-light windows, and have embattled parapets. The chancel has a south square-headed two-light window, a seven-light east window,
238-509: The chancel are a round-headed sedilia and piscina . The octagonal font dates from 1896, and is carved with buttresses and blind tracery . It has a tall wooden 20th-century cover in Gothic style. The square pulpit also dates from 1896, it was made by Dent and Marshall from Runcorn stone, carved with blind tracery. The alabaster reredos was imported from Italy in 1915, and contains niches, canopies , and statues. The stained glass in two of
255-404: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St_Silas_Church&oldid=1188351588 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages St Silas%27 Church, Blackburn St Silas' Church
272-612: The windows was made by Morris & Co. in 1908 and 1911. The design of the earlier window is based on cartoons by William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones , although both were dead by the time the windows were made. It depicts Saint Anne and the Adoration of the Magi . The later window was designed by J. H. Dearle , and depicts the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple . In addition there
289-420: Was completed by 1898, this did not include the tower. The church cost £10,000 (equivalent to £1,410,000 in 2023), and provided seating for 609 people. The tower, measuring 104 feet (32 m) in height, was not added until 1913–14. At the same time a porch was built, but the planned spire was never added; this phase cost over £6,000. Before the church was built, services had been held from 1846 in
#213786