Arch. Forms: α. 5 spaundrell, 6 splandrell, 7, 9 spandrell, 8– spandrel. β. 8–9 spandril. [app. a diminutive of AF. spaundre, -dere (1395), of doubtful origin; perh. identical with (e)spandre to expand, extend.]
1. The triangular space between the outer curve of an arch and the rectangle formed by the moldings enclosing it, frequently filled in with ornamental work; any similar space between an arch and a straight-sided figure bounding it; also, the space included between the shoulders of two contiguous arches and the molding or string-course above them.
α. 1477–8. MS. Exch. K. R. Acc., 496 No. 17. Pro mandacione et embosyng xviij Spaundrell’.
1532. in Bayley, Hist. Tower Lond., I. App. p. xxxii. A portall wt panells of drapery worke, wt ij. dores, wt a crest of antyk upon the hed, and ij. splandrellys for the caryng of the dore.
1634. in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 699. For carving the spandrells of the doores.
1712. J. James, trans. Le Blond’s Gardening, 73. A great Arch, with a triangular Pedament over it, which is sustain’d at the Ends by Spandrels and Scrolls.
1739. Labelye, Short Acc. Piers Westm. Bridge, 78. As to the Spandrels of the Arches,… they should be filled with … Rubble.
1837. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., I. 14/2. Every time a load passed over the bridge, the vibration was transferred through the loose rubbish to the spandrel.
1847. Leitch, trans. C. O. Müller’s Anc. Art, § 276. 266. The Ionic capitals … with a honeysuckle in the spandrel between the spirals of the volute.
a. 1878. Sir G. Scott, Lect. Archit. (1879), II. 52. There are plain windows again over their spandrels.
β. 1750. Wren, Parentalia, 357. It is evident that the Spandrils, or loading of the diagonal Cross-arches, where two cylindrical Vaults meet, must be an inverted Pyramid.
1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 237. The steps and the coping of the spandril … together with the coping of the piers … of the stairs … to be of York quarry stone.
1843. Ecclesiologist, II. 57. The wall pieces, spandrils and hammer-beams are plain.
1897. F. J. Burgoyne, Library Construction, 233. Greek honeysuckle ornaments in the spandrils.
b. transf. The support of a set of steps; the material with which the space between a stair and the floor is filled in.
1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 79. To build nine-inch brick spandrils and steps to the front door…. (The … spandrils for door steps are the arches, or the walls, which support the ends of the steps.) Ibid., § 239. To put … one inch and a quarter square framed spandril to enclose the cellar stairs.
2. ‘An inner frame or border for a picture’ (Knight, Dict. Mech., Suppl.).
1862. Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit., II. No. 5696. Gilt picture frames, with spandril and an oval frame.
3. attrib., as spandrel bracketing, -conoid, decoration, space, wall, etc.
1830. Whewell, Archit. Notes German Ch., p. xxxi. This space I will call the spandrel-conoid.
1838. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., I. 127/1. The spaces between the arches were crossed by spandrell walls. Ibid. (1840), III. 133/2. In winter the arch contracting descended and the spandril joints opened.
1842. Gwilt, Archit., Gloss., Spandrel Bracketing, a cradling of brackets fixed between one or more curves, each in a vertical plane.
1850. T. Inkersley, Inq. Rom. & Pointed Arch. France, 311. The spandrel spaces are occupied by a trefoil.
1851. Ruskin, Stones Ven., I. xxvi. § ix. One of the spandril decorations of Bayeux Cathedral.
Hence Spandrelled a., having or provided with spandrels.
1838. in Gentl. Mag. Libr., Eng. Topogr. (1901), XIII. 266. It had an amply spandrelled fireplace on the northern side.
1890. Archaeol. Jrnl., XLVII. 93. The latter beam having curved and spandrelled braces at the ends.
