Forms: 4 achiler, 4–5 as(s)cheler(e, 5–7 asheler, 6 aselar, aislar, achler, 7 axler, asler, 8 astler, 9 aisler (Sc. 7 eslar, islare, 8 estler, 9 ezlar), 6– ashler, 9 ashlar. [a. OF. aiseler, aisselier, esselier:—L. axillāris, f. axilla, dim. of L. axis, assis, ‘axle,’ also ‘board, plank’ (cf. Fr. ais, It. asse). Aisselle retained in OF. both senses; in mod.F. they seem to be shared between aisseau (= OF. aissel) and aisselle. OF. aiseler, aisselier had senses pertaining to both; in Eng., senses 1–5 seem to arise out of the meaning ‘board, plank,’ 6 to be that which fills up the axilla, aisselle, ‘arm-pit’ or angle.]
1. A square hewn stone for building purposes or for pavement (? so called as resembling in appearance, or serving the same purpose as, a wooden beam); also used as a missile in defending fortresses. (Cf. Pr. cairo = lapis quadratus, in latter sense.)
c. 1370. Lay-Folks Mass-bk., App. iv. 364. Foul þei fond … As blac as pich was I-spred Vppon þe Aschelers euene.
a. 1450. MS. Cott. Calig., A ii. 117. That kyllede of þe Cristen, and kepten þe walles With arowes, and arblaste, and asschelers manye.
c. 1450. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 438. Every asheler is xij. ynche thykke and xviij. ynches longe.
c. 1530. Ld. Dacres, in Archæol., XVII. 203. Achlers redie hewen … that nighhand will fynyshe the said four towrs being bulwarks.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech., 5 a (Jam.). A mason can nocht hew ane euin aislair without directioun of his rewill.
1611. Cotgr., Attendants, ashlers, binding stones.
1870. F. Wilson, Ch. Lindisf., 84. Alternated with courses of cream-coloured ashlars.
b. collectively.
1611. Coryat, Crudities, 175. Pavier ‘ex quadrato lapide’ which we call Ashler in Somersetshire.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 75. The Free-stone … if cut into oblong, or other sorts of squares, of a lesser bulk, they then call it Ashler.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 91, note. [Ashler] a term used by masons for stones prepared in the square for building with regular courses.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm., xiii. 269. It was a hard, compact, dark-coloured stone … and made excellent corner-stones and ashlar.
c. In this sense often Ashlar-stone.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 82. The pavement hes bene of aselar stanis.
1600. Holland, Livy, VI. iv. 219. The Capitoll was also built of squared ashler stone [saxo quadrato].
a. 1758. Ramsay, Poems (1800), I. 60 (Jam.). Houses biggit a’ with estler stane.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev. (1872), I. V. vii. 173. Ashlar stones of the Bastille continue thundering through the dusk.
2. (Also Ashlar-work): Masonry constructed of square hewn stones; opposed to rubble-work.
1398. Indent. Dormitory Durh., in Willis, Archit. Nomencl. (1849), 25. Exterius de puro lapide vocato achiler plane inscisso, interius vero de fracto lapide vocato roghwall.
1426. Audelay, Poems, 78. Blak blood he se e-spred Apon the aschelere even.
1606. Birnie, Blame Kirkburial, xv. The Lords islare-work, the which is our edification.
1663. in Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1829), 13. The stately crown bigged of curious eslar work.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., vii. As well argue to the ashler-work and iron stanchels of the Tolbooth.
3. Similar masonry, usually in thin slabs, used as a facing to rubble or brick wall.
1823. P. Nicholson, Pract. Build., 328. By ashlar is also meant the facing of squared stones on the front of a building.
1879. in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., I. 97. Ashlar work is a sort of facing to a wall built by one of the other methods or of bricks.
4. (See quot.) ? only a loose use of 1 b.
[Cf. 1677. in 1 b.]
1721. Bailey, Ashlar, Freestone as it comes out of the Quarry.
1823. P. Nicholson, Pract. Build., 328. Ashlar, a term applied to common or free-stones, as they come out of the quarry.
5. attrib.
1681. Cotton, Wond. Peake (ed. 4), 79. A level axler floor.
1841. Penny Cycl., XX. 34/2. Aisler causeway.
1851. Turner, Dom. Archit., II. ii. 28. The masonry is rubble, with ashlar buttresses and quoins.
1879. E. Bartholomew, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., I. 314/2. The ashler causeway consists of hammer-dressed granite stones.
6. Ashlar-rafter, -piece = ASHLARING.
1846. Parker, Conc. Gloss. Archit. (1875), 227. Ashlar pieces are fixed to every one of the rafters in most mediæval roofs.
1876. Gwilt, Archit., § 2052 f. The nearly upright stud or ashlar rafter.
