Also 4–6 wal-, 5 walle-, 6 wail-, weyl-. [f. WALL sb.1 + PLATE sb. 7.]
1. Building. A timber placed horizontally on or in a wall, to form a support for joists or rafters.
1394. Acc. Manor of the Savoy, in Archæologia, XXIV. 307. Et in stipendio ij sarratorum sarrantium meremium pro walplates et bemes, et plauncheborde et plegges.
1505–6. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 103. Imposicionem unius wail-plate.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., VII. xxix. 45. If the Plane of the Cieling of the Wall is interrupted, and made irregular by Beams, Wall-plates, Cornishes, [etc.].
1782. Phil. Trans., LXXII. 368. Just beneath the abovementioned hole at the end of the angle-tie, is the extremity of the wall-plate which lies upon the eastern wall of the east flank.
1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 380. The wooden caps always give, or seem to give, a more secure bearing for the wall-plate or architrave.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Robbery under Arms, i. He … cut every post and wallplate and rafter himself.
2. Mining. (See quots.)
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Wall-plates, Corn. The two side-pieces of a timber frame in a shaft, parallel to the strike of the lode when the shaft is sunk on the lode. The other two pieces are the end-pieces.
1886. J. Barrowman, Sc. Mining Terms, 70. Wall-plate, vertical strips of wood supporting the ends of the buntons in a wood-lined shaft.
Hence Wall-plating, wall plates collectively.
1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 1804. The wall-plating and bond to be dovetailed and halved at their angles.
