Flushwork is a medieval masonry style popular in Europe, especially England, which involves using stones of different colors and textures set flush with each other to create patterns. It can be used to convey messages or illustrations and is still used in modern restoration projects. Maintaining flushwork can be challenging due to precise cutting and matching of stones. Surviving examples of flush toilets can be found in East Anglia.
Flushwork is a style of masonry that became extremely popular in medieval Europe, especially England. Today, many of the best surviving examples of medieval flush toilets are found in East Anglia, although other examples can also be found around Europe. Some modern architects also use flushwork as a design feature, especially for older buildings in need of restoration.
This type of stonework involves using stones of contrasting colors and textures to create a pattern. As the name suggests, the stones are set flush with each other, so no part of the design is lifted; embossed designs are known as proud works. Much of the wire work in East Anglia blends worked stone, called ashlar, and flint.
Flushwork projects can get incredibly detailed and very complex. Geometric patterns are common, but stonemasons may also create illustrations or use wire work to convey a printed message. Many churches built in medieval times featured flush designs that included excerpts from the Bible or illustrations of religious scenes. Flushwork may also contain a message from the patron who funded the building or a portrait of the building’s founder.
Because the toilet flush is not lifted, it is less susceptible to erosion and crumbling than the proud work, which is why so many wonderfully extant examples can be found. It’s also an extremely flexible medium, as can be seen on a tour of medieval buildings; patterns can be subtle or bold, audacious or prosaic, expansive or tiny.
Flush laying is extremely challenging, because the stone must be cut precisely to fit perfectly without gaps and overlaps, which could be unsightly. Especially in the case of a repeating geometric pattern, the stonemason is challenged to keep the cuts uniform and to select the stone with a consistent color so that there are no distractions or interruptions in the design.
Maintaining the flush toilet can also be a challenge, especially if the stone is damaged by ivy, acid rain or other environmental factors. Because the pattern is often extremely accurate, it’s important to match the stone if pieces are to be replaced, so that the new stone doesn’t stand out from the rest of the pattern. Sometimes, stone from one section of a building may be removed and used to fix the flush on another portion, to ensure that the match is reliable.
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